Mal Bien Ninos Viejos Madrecuishe Mezcal
Mal Bien Ninos Viejos Madrecuishe Mezcal — a 50.5% ABV (101 proof), 750mL single-batch mezcal from mezcaleros Victor and Emanuel Ramos in Mengoli de Morelos, Miahuatlan, Oaxaca. This is one of the most extraordinary agave stories in recent years: in 1993, shortly after his son Emanuel was born, Victor Ramos planted a field of Madrecuixe (Agave karwinskii). Farming and family took priority, the field was effectively abandoned, and the agaves grew extraordinarily slowly for three decades. Harvested in fall 2023, Victor affectionately called them "Ninos Viejos" — the old boys. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
Cooked for six days in a 15-ton pit with encino, guamuche, and mesquite; milled by tahona; fermented 3 to 8 days in sabino and oak vats with well water; twice distilled in two 275-liter copper alambiques with refrescaderas. Bottled in October 2023 at 50.5% ABV — just 401 bottles in the entire batch.
Why Buy Mal Bien Ninos Viejos Madrecuishe
- A spirit literally three decades in the making — 30-year-old semi-wild Madrecuixe
- Tiny 401-bottle batch, bottled at full 50.5% ABV
- Deeply personal father-and-son production in Miahuatlan
- A collector-grade traditional mezcal at a fair price
Serving Suggestion
Neat, in a copita, at room temperature — this is a contemplative sipping mezcal. Explore more Mal Bien single-producer bottlings and our mezcal collection.
FAQ
What does "Ninos Viejos" mean?
"Old boys" — Victor Ramos's affectionate name for the stunted, 30-year-old Madrecuixe agaves he planted in 1993 and finally harvested in 2023.
What agave is Madrecuixe?
Madrecuixe is a variety of Agave karwinskii, native to Oaxaca's Miahuatlan region.
How many bottles were made?
Just 401 bottles from the single October 2023 batch.