Mal Bien Papalote Joven Barranca
~46.5–49% ABV (batch-varying) | 750mL | Papalote (Agave cupreata) | uncertified destilado de agave — Mal Bien Papalote Joven Barranca is the Barranca family's papalote from the Chilapa de Álvarez area of Guerrero: Don Ciro Barranca distilled agave spirits longer than most mezcaleros have been alive, and his grandson Javier — relatively new to the family business after spending much of his 20s in "el Norte" — has worked alongside him for years, a story of tradition, generational knowledge, and its adaptation to a new era. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
Made from neighbor-grown papalote in Ahuacuotzintla (a mix of capón and velilla). Official production for the documented lote: 10-ton pit, 4–5 days, encino amarillo/encino prieto/tepozcahuite/tepehuaje wood; 1-day rest; wood-chipper mill; ayacahuite tanks with spring water, 5–7 days; two distillations in 2×400-liter copper alambiques; adjusted with puntas y colas. Retailer notes on the Ciro+Javier batches describe an intense mix of sweet roasted agave and spices, rich body, and lingering finish. Among agave spirits, this is the full-bodied counterpart to the Gutierrez papalote — same species, different family, different hills. Note: the Barrancas also keep Chilapa's largest collection of zacatoro (a local A. angustifolia variant) — a detail of the family's depth, not this bottle.
Tasting notes
Intense mix of sweet roasted agave and spices; rich body; lingering finish. (Per retailer tasting notes for the Ciro+Javier batches.)
Why buy it from Del Mesa Liquor
- ~46.5–49% ABV (batch-varying) — 750mL, uncertified destilado de agave
- Papalote (Agave cupreata) — neighbor-grown Ahuacuotzintla papalote (capón + velilla)
- Barranca family, Chilapa de Álvarez area, Guerrero
- Wood-chipper mill, copper alambiques, puntas y colas adjustment
- Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor
How to serve it
Neat, unhurried — rich-bodied papalote rewards the slow pour and an open glass.
Frequently asked questions
Who makes it?
The Barranca family of the Chilapa de Álvarez area, Guerrero — Don Ciro Barranca and his grandson Javier.
What proof is it?
Batches range ~46.5–49% ABV — confirm against the in-stock bottle.
Is this the same papalote as the Gutierrez?
Same agave species (A. cupreata), same region — different families and different style: Barranca emphasizes sweet roasted agave and spice.
Is it certified mezcal?
No — uncertified destilado de agave, like Mal Bien's other Green/White Tape bottlings.