Sotol is a tequila-adjacent product made each in northern Mexico and in Texas, created from the Dasylirion plant (aka the desert spoon), a plant that’s extensively thought to be a weed that grows wild throughout the deserts of those areas.
Seems it really works loads like agave in distillation, and the product that’s created from it — sotol — is just like tequila and mezcal, however totally different. Whereas nonetheless a distinct segment product, it’s rising in recognition, particularly right here in Texas, the place one in all its main producers, Desert Door, is positioned about 20 miles from my home.
We’ve coated a few particular editions of Desert Door sotol previously, however by no means the usual “blanco” expression, which is reviewed right here together with a cask energy model of its Oak Aged expression. Each come packaged in superior bottles made from blue glass and that includes swing-top closures.
Desert Door Texas Sotol Overview
Vegetal and peppery on the nostril, not not like a extra rustic type of blanco tequila. A citrus observe evokes grapefruit peel. The spirit turns into greener and much more vegetal because it develops in glass, with notes of inexperienced pepper, jalapeno, and oregano all within the combine, with dusty overtones of dried leather-based and break up firewood.
The palate has a speedy character that’s extra earthy than vegetal, barely muddy as an alternative of inexperienced, maybe evoking the slight smokiness of a mezcal. The pepperiness begins off with bell pepper and strikes rapidly to jalapeno, earlier than a gritty punch of cigarette ash and moist asphalt comes alongside. The citrus is tougher to search out right here, although it could actually be welcome, with some acidity brightening up a few of the funk.
Unaged sotol might be not for everybody as a straight sipper, however the product mixes properly and makes for a effective margarita — one with an natural, peppery core.
80 proof. B / $45
Desert Door Cask Power Texas Sotol Overview
“Cask energy” implies a cask, and the cask with Desert Door Oak-Aged is charred, new American oak, through which its sotol spends two years. That is Desert Door’s first-ever cask energy launch.
The nostril is surprisingly candy, with aromas of melted butterscotch candies, vanilla cake frosting, and coconut cream. That pepper-jalapeno character lies beneath, nevertheless it’s successfully masked by some fairly candylike dessert parts, making the general package deal a bit tough to parse.
On the palate, extra of the identical: That is extraordinarily candy from begin to end, with vanilla sugar dominant, giving the physique a marshmallow-like texture that jogged my memory of divinity, a really Texas dessert remembered fondly from my childhood. Notes of toasted and glazed pecans are enduring and wealthy, the end leaning into Hershey’s chocolate syrup, drizzled over vanilla ice cream. All through all of it there’s a peppery warmth, although it’s much less racy than a near-60% abv would counsel. A few of that unique oregano and extra seen notes of recent thyme usher in an natural element, although it’s a fitful mixture with all that sugar.
115.4 proof as reviewed. (“Bottled by Carson.”) B+ / $70
Desert Door Cask Power Texas Sotol
USD50
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