sotol plant liquor

What kind of alcohol is Sotol?

What is sotol? Sotol is a distillate made from a type of shrub, Dasylirion wheeleri, more commonly called desert spoon. That's in contrast to Tequila and mezcal, crafted from agave. “People frequently think it's an agave distillate, but it's not,” says Ivy Mix, co-owner of Leyenda, in Brooklyn, New York.

Is Sotol like tequila?

Sotol also happens to be free from the sharp citrus flavor of tequila. The production process is similar to tequila but uses only wild agave. These agave plants mature at around 12 to 15 years and are naturally organic. Used in sotol, the plants yield far less product than other methods.

Is Sotol a mezcal?

Sotol is often compared to mezcal. ... While Mezcal is made from agave, sotol is made from a related group of plants in the dasylirion genus, referred to as sotol in Spanish and desert spoon in English. Like agave, dasylirion are round, spiky, and boast a dense inner core that can be roasted, fermented, and distilled.

Where is Sotol made?

Sotol, an earthy, clear spirit sometimes called tequila's crazy little brother, is usually produced in Mexico. The desert spoon plant used to make it grows wild, notably in Mexico's Chihuahua region. However, it also grows as far south as Oaxaca and as far north as Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

How strong is Sotol?

Sotol ranges from 35 to 45 percent ABV.

Why do they put the worm in mezcal?

So, why is there a worm in mezcal? Larvae began appearing in mezcal bottles in the 1950s, when a mezcal maker discovered a moth larvae in a batch of his liquor and thought the stowaway improved its taste. He started adding “worms” to all his bottles as a marketing strategy.

What is Sotol used for?

Use Food: Indians and Mexicans prepared an alcoholic drink known as sotol by roasting the flower head in a pit for 24 hours and then distilling the juice. Use Other: The leaves are used to make mats, baskets, ropes, thatch, and paper.

What is difference between mezcal and tequila?

Tequila is typically produced by steaming the agave inside industrial ovens before being distilled two or three times in copper pots. Mezcal, on the other hand, is cooked inside earthen pits that are lined with lava rocks and filled with wood and charcoal before being distilled in clay pots.

Is Sotol a yucca?

Inappropriately named, the Sotol Yucca is a member of the Lily Family. ... Sotol forms a rosette of leaves that are only up to three feet long, but are lined with a multitude of very sharp spines; be sure to plant away from any walking paths.

Is tequila or mezcal stronger?

No, not necessarily. It just has a reputation as one of the stronger spirits. Many people find that the taste of mezcal is usually stronger than that of tequila, but that's another matter. Tequila and mezcal are both in the range of about 38% to 55% ABV (Alcohol by Volume), which is 76-110 proof.

What does Raicilla taste like?

Like its Oaxacan cousin, mezcal, raicilla is an ancient spirit distilled from pit-roasted, fermented agave piñas, the heart of the agave plant. Produced in the Mexican state of Jalisco, raicilla has a subtle smokiness, but is generally more pungently acidic, fruity and floral than either mezcal or tequila.

What is the best liquor in Mexico?

A Guide to Mexico's Best Drinks

Tequila. A friend and a foe to many, tequila is the liquor of choice in Mexico. ...
Margarita. Mexico's most well-known cocktail is a deceptively simple combination of tequila, triple sec and lime juice, served with salt on the rim of the glass. ...
Paloma. ...
Michelada. ...
Horchata.

How do you make Sotol?

To make sotol, the hearts of the desert spoon are separated from the rest of the plant and roasted in an underground wood-fired pit for up to three days before being milled by hand and left to ferment in open-air vats. Following fermentation, the liquid is transferred to stills for distillation.

What tequila is made in Texas?

Izkali Reposado Tequila

The creation of Sugar Land residents Ignacio and Nydia Flores, Izkali tequilas are now being distributed throughout the state of Texas. The añejo won the Chairman's Trophy at the Ultimate Beverage Challenge, hosted by F.

How do you make mezcal?

Mezcal gets its smoky flavor during the production process. The hearts of the agave plants, piñas, are cooked in pits in the ground in a style that's similar to that for making barbacoa. (Tequila agaves, by contrast, aren't cooked.) The cooked agave is then crushed, combined with water, and allowed to ferment.

Is Sotol a Mexican spirit?

Sotol is a distilled spirit of Mexican origin sourced from the family of Asparagaceae; the genus Dasylirion and several species, most commonly: Dasylirion wheeleri, Dasylirion durangense, Dasylirion cedrosanum, and Dasylirion leiophyllum, less commonly with Dasylirion texanum and Dasylirion lucidum (commonly known as ...

Do they still put worms in tequila?

Contrary to the popular belief, tequila doesn't actually contain the worm. ... Today, tequila does not contain a worm in the bottle (in fact, the Mexican Standards authority prohibits it). But if you do find a bottle, they're usually in lower-ended mezcal.

Does mezcal worm make you hallucinate?

One of the urban legends surrounding the worm in mezcal is that the worm is so saturated in liquor that eating it causes a hallucinogenic reaction similar to that of peyote. ... However, this particular piece of folklore has no truth to it; eating the worm will not give you hallucinations.

Why is mezcal more expensive than tequila?

Compared to tequila, mezcal can be significantly more expensive, and without much background on the process, it can be hard to understand why. ... Many different species of agave can be used for mezcal production, unlike tequila, which uses only one (blue weber).

How do you prune a desert spoon plant?

Desert Spoon has a beautiful, natural form. The only pruning to be done is to remove the bottom leaves once they turn brown and die.