This is a triplet of Sotoleros Sotol bottling from several different producers, all bottled under the new brand name and branding. Let’s dive in.
Sotoleros Sotol – Mario y Cesar
Distilled by Mario y Cesar from Dasy Leiophyllum, Lot 1, 47.1% ABV
Rich and perfume forward. Cotton candy, jelly bean candies, mango and pear. Bitter at first on the palate, a little bit of varnish and drying paint. Vanilla bean, pepper, some sulfur. Long finish, peppery and creamy. Sweet buttercream. Acrid, interesting, sweet and buttery. I quite like this, though many will find it polarizing. 6/10
Sotoleros Sotol – Bienvenido Fernandez
Distilled by Bienvenido Fernandez from 80% Wheeleri and 20% Shrevi, Lot 1, 50.8% ABV
Honeydew, cantaloupe, broccoli(weird), kiwi fruit and sour milk. Complex, interesting on the nose. Drying paint, latex. On the palate things are spicy, pepper forward and there’s a touch of ethanol. Ashy and dry, drinks like the combination of soil, minerality and a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Long finish, here’s the beauty of it. Kiwi fruit, lemon curd, leather and more salinity. Quite interesting, and the bonkers uniqueness of the nose thankfully gives way to wonderful palate and finish 7/10
Sotoleros Sotol — Lalo y Nadno
Distilled by Lalo y Nadno from Dasy Leiophyllum, Lot 1, 46.9% ABV
Funky, cheesy, fun. Sweet on the nose, funky and spicy. Not like truly nasty funk, but more like a rich Gruyere, or mild blue cheese. Touch of apple cider vinegar. Acidic. Lightly sweet, apple juice, salinity, minerality. Lemon curd, almost a buttery texture to the palate. Long finish, peppery a touch of garlic. Blue cheese olives and cocktail onions. Very good, enjoyable without becoming too much. 6/10