This Mexican Liquor Is Coming For Tequila's Spot

It's made from a cactus, you'd be happy enjoying it in a margarita, a paloma, or even just neat or on the rocks, and Lenny Kravits is behind one of the hottest brands, Nocheluna. You must be drinking tequila or mezcal, right? Wrong, you're drinking sotol-based drinks that are becoming one of the hot cocktail trends to watch. Despite some similarities, the ancient Mexican liquor is quite different from tequila with an earthy flavor and a pungent smell.

Sotol is a distilled spirit made from a plant known as "desert spoon," which grows wild in the northern desert area of Mexico as well as some parts of Texas and New Mexico. The cactus is related to the agave plant, from which mezcal and tequila are made, but is more sustainable. The liquor was originally made as far back as 800 years ago and was even illegal for a stretch. But it is about to have its moment; as one distiller said to BBC Mundo, "commercially speaking, [sotol is] what mezcal was 12 years ago." Sotol distillers in Mexico produced approximately 500,000 liters of the spirit annually as of 2022 — the same amount made by mezcal makers a dozen years prior. Given that mezcal production was 6.5 million liters per year as of 2022, sotol may be ready to have its moment.

In 2002, the Mexican government granted a Denominación de Origen to sotol. This restricted the name to sotol made only in three Mexican states: Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Durango. There has been some controversy between makers in the United States and Mexico since the DO is not officially recognized here. Tequila also has a DO, with rules on the source and amount of sugar Mexican tequila can contain, but it is recognized in the U.S.

Sotol is traditionally drunk neat, served at either room temperature or chilled. If you want to get creative with margaritas, you can use sotol in place of — or in addition to — tequila. Its earthy notes pair well with citrus fruits and Southwestern flavors such as prickly pear and agave. Locals also infuse the spirits with local ingredients for a beverage called curados. One flavored with pecans, cinnamon, and raisins is a warming delicious cocktail for winter months.