Beverage Question: Texas Sotol

[El Presidente]

I am always a sucker to try something new but wonder if any members can report on their experience/thoughts 

 

DESERT DOOR TEXAS SOTOL

The evergreen sotol plant — often called the Desert Spoon — is unique to northern Mexico and Texas and has lanky green leaves with sharp-tipped spears. It's often confused with agave, but this rare plant produces a spirit that was the first alcoholic beverage ever consumed in the state of Texas nearly 800 years ago. Desert Door is the only U.S. distiller of this unique spirit, using wild-harvested sotol plants to create a liquid that is as versatile as vodka, but more complex and interesting with flavors of orange zest, mint, and toffee. Each batch is handmade in Driftwood, Texas, and bottled at 80 proof in blue glass swing-top bottles.

[Lfhard]

Never heard of it before but now I’m intrigued and want to try it out. Sounds good. 

[Çnote]

Great package but a not a particularly smooth liquid as my recollection goes. It's worth a try, I remember some bars did a Paloma with it when it was first released.

[inter4alia]

I love Mexican Sotol, even served it at my wedding - - the Hacienda de Chihuahua brand. If you like Tequila you will probably like Sotol because they are quite similar. Never had this Texas juice though so can't comment on this particular bottle. 

[Çnote]

8 minutes ago, inter4alia said:

Hacienda de Chihuahua

That's the most tequila like of the sotol. Very high quality and reputation.

There's a broad variety of style in the Mexican bottlings, some are more like mezcal it their smokiness, some are near lighter fluid and are conventionally drunk with grapefruit soda for the kick.

[inter4alia]

11 minutes ago, Çnote said:

That's the most tequila like of the sotol. Very high quality and reputation.

There's a broad variety of style in the Mexican bottlings, some are more like mezcal it their smokiness, some are near lighter fluid and are conventionally drunk with grapefruit soda for the kick.

Sounds right because all the agave spirits run the gamut from gasoline up to sublime and everything in between so choose wisely. I absolutely love mezcal though, such a huge range of flavors particularly if you get into the small producers and away from the commercial stuff. 

[NapaNolan]

Sotol tends to be pretty rustic, like mezcal with more edges. Generally not as smooth as tequila and not as smokey as mezcal can be (but mezcal isn't always smokey...that might be best saved for another discussion). But it has a bite to it that's fairly interesting and unique. That being said, if you're getting the Desert Door in Australia, I'd bet it's been smoothed out and sweetened just like most large scale agave distillates.

[Fuzz]

Completely misread the title. Same letters, just arranged differently...

[BTWheezy]

34 minutes ago, Fuzz said:

Completely misread the title. Same letters, just arranged differently...

Dude…I did exactly the same thing!

[BigGuns]

I didn’t even read the post but had to respond - yes to Sotol!!!!  Not sure of the brand/bottle you have, but it is a fantastic liquor. A fantastic middle ground between tequila and mezcal. Not too sweet, not too smoky. Just discovered it myself about a year ago. Fully endorse

Now I’ll go back and read to see how many things I just parroted. 

[Achilles1318]

More vegetal than tequila and less smokey than mezcal. 

It's not a great sipper neat or on the rocks, but it does make a great cocktail (Ranch Water and Paloma).

If you're ever in Central Texas, the distillery is not too far from Austin or San Antonio and is worth a visit. 

[BrightonCorgi]

Been to Driftwood, TX many times.  Right outside of Austin, hometown of the Salt Lick BBQ.  Will need to pick up a bottle at Spec's.

Seeing how well TX has done with other distilled products, I bet this is pretty good.

[CaptainQuintero]

On 4/28/2022 at 2:26 AM, Fuzz said:

Completely misread the title. Same letters, just arranged differently...

I came in expecting a Bristol Sotol chart too