Tequila has always been a love it or hate it staple in the spirits world. Mezcal started hitting the shelf in more mainstream markets a few years ago and has since started a fan base of its own. Now, we’ve got another intriguing spirit from our neighbors to the South starting to show up on our shelves– sotol.
Sotol refers to both the spirit and the plant its distilled from. Unlike tequila and Mezcal, sotol comes from the Desert Spoon Plant.
Sotol grows across Mexico and the Southwestern United States, but the spirit comes only from Northern Mexico. The flavor is usually bright and slightly grassy, though certain sotols may have earthy, leathery flavors as well. Like most higher quality spirits, sotol is best enjoyed straight, however aged and unaged sotol can be enjoyed in a wide variety of cocktails.