Sotol
Sotol is a spirit from Mexico , comparable in taste and production to the better known tequila . Sotol is considered the national drink of Chihuahua, the largest state in Mexico, and may only be produced in the states of Chihuahua , Coahuila and Durango . Sotol is not distilled from agave , but from Dasylirien and takes its name from Dasylirion wheeleri (Rauschopf, in English also dessert spoon, Spanish Sotol or Sereque). The taste of Sotol varies depending on the Dasylirien used and is comparable to Tequila, but does not belong to the Mezcal family . As with tequila, there are the following categories:
- Blanco: clear, transparent Sotol. Immediately bottled after distillation .
- Reposado: Sotol that has rested in oak wood containers for at least two months.
- Añejo: Sotol that is stored in oak containers for at least one year.
Dasylirien are wild plants and the range extends from southern Arizona to Mexico . When harvesting, the leaves are cut and the core is pricked. The core pieces (piña = pineapple) are heated in ovens at 100 degrees for up to 72 hours or in autoclaves under pressure for about 12 hours until they are soft. This converts the sugar into simple sugars. After that, the hearts cool down and are crushed. After chopping, the “aguamiel” (honey water) is squeezed out and fermented for about three days with the addition of yeast until a milky white pulp with a bitter or sour taste forms. This “broth” is strained and double-distilled. Sotol, which is stored in barrels for a year and thus matures into añejo, is distilled three times. The distillate is mixed with water on Alc. 38% -40% vol. diluted. Then the Blanco is bottled or aged in oak barrels to make reposado and añejo.