What sotol is and how to drink it

For a long time, the world of Mexican spirits has been dominated by tequila and to a lesser extent, mescal. However, recently, a lesser-known traditional drink, sotol, has surged in popularity and it’s about to appear on cocktail menus more frequently in the coming year. 

What is sotol? 

Sotol is a Mexican spirit made only from wild-harvested sotol plants (also known as Dasylirion). The sotol plant is grown widely across Mexico but most abundantly in the Chihuahua region, but it is also cultivated in the border states of the USA.  

The plant looks like a seaside or dune grass, with long spiny leaves that emanate from the centre, giving it its colloquial name ‘dessert spoon.’ It is a particularly hardy plant that survives in a range of environments, from arid desert to lush forest. Sotol is an agave, a genus of plant once considered sacred by the Aztecs as a vital source for food and medicine. Today, sotol is considered an algae spirit because of its raw material and the way it is made.  

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Why is sotol in the news? 

Sotol is having a moment, partly because musician Lenny Kravitz has attached his name to Nocheluna sotol. There are many other partnerships in the pipeline too and 2024 promises to be the year of sotol for lovers of Mexican food and drink, mixologists, foodies and connoisseurs everywhere.  

How is sotol made? 

Sotol is made in a different way to other agave spirits like mescal, which is typically cooked in pits. Sotol is roasted in ovens over several days and crushed and mixed with the juices of the plant in open air vats and left to ferment. The distillation of sotol usually happens in columns or pot stills.  

What does sotol taste like? 

Sotol is bright and herbaceous, with grassy notes, while tequila has a familiar sharp, earthy flavour, and mescal tends to be smooth and smoky. Sotol harvesting and distilling methods vary widely according to producer and region so there is a wider range of finishing to be found within the sector.  

Are there aged versions of sotol?  

Sotol is divided into three different categories: plata, an un-aged version that goes straight from distillation to bottling; reposado, which is rested in a variety of vessels from oak to other casks; and añejo, which is sotol that has been aged for at least one year, but incudes sotols that are up to five years old and beyond. 

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How to drink sotol 

In Mexico, sotol is usually drunk neat, sipped after a meal. Sotol is a versatile spirit that can be served at room temperature or chilled form the fridge, but can also be used as a base for cocktails as a substitute of tequila, or as an ingredient in its own right.  

Sotol works extremely well with prickly pear juice and agave nectar, and it is sweetened well with any tropical fruits. Of course, the harsher citrus flavours can be balanced with savoury or salty elements in the Mexican spirit. As a subtle, grassy spirit that packs a punch there are no limitations to the potential of sotol in mixology.  

How to pair sotol with food 

It depends on the type of food and the type of sotol. Lighter, fresher varieties make great accompaniments to fish and seafood, especially ceviche, also vegetable-based dishes and salads. Aged varieties can be paired with meats and barbequed meats, stews, chilli and other Mexican dishes that embody the complexities of Mexican cuisine with moles and salsas. 

It’s always worth considering pairing regionally, so when enjoying ingredients or a cuisine from a certain part of Mexico, it is best to pair them with a regionally appropriate variety of sotol.  

Sotol can be served throughout a meal, either neat or as a cocktail, but aged varieties make excellent cheeseboard accompaniments and there are sweeter versions available for desert as well.