What can’t sotol do? This traditional spirit from Northern Mexico may not ring a bell or be a mainstay in your drinks rotation (yet), but with its wide spectrum of flavors from bright and grassy to sweetly vegetal and herbaceous to earthy and lightly smoky to rich and woody it deserves a prime spot on your bar cart.
While it was previously classified (incorrectly) as an agave distillate and is often compared to agave-based spirits like mezcal, tequila, bacanora and raicilla, sotol is actually made from a group of plants in the dasylirion genus, which dot the Chihuahuan Desert and the northern Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila and Durango.
Accordingly, sotol has received a Mexican denomination of origin in 2004 not so dissimilar from Champagne or Scotch. According to Mexican law, if it’s not from those three states, it cannot be labeled sotol.
Recipe: Sotol Pepino
Indeed, place is key to the taste of sotol. “These plants take a lot of their personality from the place that they are from,” said Natalia de la Rosa, a co-founder of Ahuehuete, a private tasting room with one of the largest Mexican spirits collections in Mexico City. “That is part of the magic of these spirits.”
The surrounding landscape, climate and variety of dasylirion (also called “desert spoon” or “sotol”) all shine through in the finished product. Plants that grow in forested areas can impart the spirit with fresh notes of herbs or pine while sotol made from plants residing in more arid regions can accrue mineral, earthy undertones with hints of smoke and spice.
“For me, the best way to describe sotol is it is a flavor that brings me back to a place,” Ms. de la Rosa said. “Like the desert after the rain.”
Sotol’s rich history reaches back around 800 years, Ms. de la Rosa said. Used and fermented by Indigenous communities for food and ceremonial purposes, modern distillation techniques were introduced during Spanish colonization in the 16th century. Those techniques vary from sotolero (sotol distiller) to sotolero and vinata (sotol distillery) to vinata, the majority of whom use methods that have been passed down through generations.
Traditionally, sotol is sipped neat at room temperature, allowing imbibers to best appreciate its layered, nuance character. But sotol also makes for an extremely versatile cocktail ingredient — and if you’re looking to incorporate it in your next mixed drink, there’s no time like the present.
“Spring and early summer is the perfect time for sotol,” said Yana Volfson, the beverage designer at Tokyo Record Bar and Listening Room in New York City and a founding partner of Ticuchi in Mexico City. “Many of the ingredients that highlight and complement it are in season.”
Recipe: Sotol Cítrico
You can double down on herbal complexity by muddling slices of cucumber and fragrant sprigs of mint together in a refreshing Sotol Pepino. Or if negronis are more your speed, Ms. Volfson suggests switching out the standard gin for sotol and combining it with a light red bitter and blanc vermouth in a brighter, more floral take on the ever riffed-on classic. Should you prefer your drink served up, opt for a round of Sotol Cítricos. The bright, citrus-forward combination of sotol, grapefruit, lime and orange bitters is shaken and strained into a chilled cocktail glass.
Though sotol can still be more difficult to find in the United States than agave-based spirits, there are a growing number of bottles to be found. Look for sotol in the mezcal or tequila section — or order it online.
It’s important to note that, while the denomination of origin, or D.O., status of tequila and mezcal are honored in the United States, sotol’s D.O. is not currently recognized. As a result, spirits made from dasylirion may be called sotol across the border.
Looking at the bottle’s label for the variety of plant it is made from and the region it comes from ensures you know where that specific sotol has been made. Ms. de la Rosa suggests sourcing a bottle from LaMata, which offers a quality collection of small-batch traditional Mexican distillates including sotols from Chihuahua and Durango. Other brands to look for stateside include Flor del Desierto and Sotol Por Siempre.
Even if you’re planning on using it in a cocktail, pour and sip a bit of sotol straight to best understand that particular sotol’s distinctive flavors. Then, continue to enjoy it as a solo pour or add it to the shaker. Either way a bottle — or two — of this complex spirit should be your next addition to the home bar.
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