Joven Sotol

'Joven' (meaning 'young' in Spanish) sotol is the unaged variant of the traditional Mexican spirit. While Tequila and mezcal often command the limelight, sotol both ancient and distinctive, has been gathering aficionados. Sotol is derived not from agave like Tequila and mezcal, but from the Dasylirion plant, commonly referred to as the 'Desert Spoon' or 'Sotol' in Spanish. This wild plant, which takes 12 to 15 years to mature, grows predominantly in the arid regions of northern Mexico, particularly in the states of Chihuahua, Durango, and Coahuila. The production begins with the harvesters, or 'sotoleros', extracting the core or 'piña' of the sotol plant. This piña is then cooked, traditionally in earthen pits lined with stones, to convert the plant's starches into fermentable sugars. Once cooked, the piñas are crushed and left to ferment, usually in open-air vats. Following fermentation, the mash undergoes distillation, typically twice, in either copper or stainless-steel stills. Joven sotol does not undergo any ageing process, ensuring that the final spirit is clear and embodies the raw flavours and aromas of the Dasylirion plant and its unique terroir.