For over the past seven years, I’ve been a huge supporter of the Mexican spirit known as sotol. You can read what I had to say about it in Tom Barry’s excellent article, A Sotol Story.
In case you’re unaware, sotol is made from the Desert Spoon plant (Dasylirion wheeleri) that grows in Northern Mexico, as well as Arizona, New Mexico, West Texas, and what is known as the Texas Hill Country, and all the way south to Oaxaca.
[Tweet “Sotol’s Cultural Appropriation”]
Sotol has its own Denomination of Origin, and can only be produced in the Mexican states of Durango, Chihuahua, and Coahuila.
In the latter part of 2017, there has been a good bit of positive press like this one in Forbes, for three gentlemen from Austin, Texas who have produced their version called Desert Door. They’ve even opened a distillery in Austin and are giving tours of their facility.
Claiming historical evidence that it has always been smuggled across Texas borders as moonshine, the owners of Desert Door have been quoted in the Forbes article as “…We want to make sotol to Texas what bourbon is to Kentucky.”
In other words, they propose that their version of sotol be adopted as Texas’ official spirit.
Caution: Rant Ahead
The above statement prompted the following late night Facebook Live rant on one of our final days of the Wild Wild West 2017 Tour.
It was brought to our attention that the above rant was considered “strained,” “weak,” and “petty” after it aired on Facebook.
While the reader had some valid points for his argument, here’s what we do know–
The Facts on Sotol
–Sotol does have a Denomination of Origin (DO), as mentioned above, since 2001-2002. It is recognized by 27 countries, except the USA.
–Under the original North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) of 1993-94, only Tequila and Mezcal were recognized by both the US and Canada, while Bourbon Whiskey, Tennessee Whiskey, and Canadian Whiskey were all recognized by Mexico.
–However, the 1997 agreement between the European Union and Mexico recognized the intellectual property of Tequila, Mezcal, Sotol and Charanda.
–At this writing, we have solicited samples of Desert Door Texas sotol for our Sipping Off he Cuff(c) series, but have yet to receive any.
–We have tasted Genius Liquids’ version of Texas sotol made from the Dasylirion texanum, a variety of the plant that grows in Texas. You can read all about it in our article A Sotol By Any Other Name.
Pay close attention to the owner, Mike Groener, as he explained the lengths he took to distill an authentic product by conferring with several sotol producing families in Mexico.
–It is true that Mexico has been less-than-stellar in protecting and maintaining its DOs, especially lately when it comes to amending the Mezcal normas (regulations) and admitting additional states into the producing and growing regions.
It seems that whenever the transnational corporations that heavily lobby for such changes in order to line their pockets (remember NOM 199 ?), the Tequila or Mezcal Regulatory Councils see fit to do so.
The Denominations of Origin in Mexico have failed small agave spirits producers. The fact that the US has randomly recognized only a few of these DOs, doesn’t help, either.
–Our sources point out that the Sotol Regulatory Council is not as well financed as the other two major councils. Their efforts to police and protect its DO are hindered by disorganization and (shocker, here), corruption.
Those sotol producers with pedigree find this fact a source of frustration and disappointment.
–In Sotol’s defense, the original petition for its Denomination of Origin clearly states the archaeological and historical evidence of its existence south of the border, as well as north of it.
The indigenous people who inhabited what is now considered the Borderlands, have a centuries old cultural tie to the sereque (sotol) plant. Its everyday uses were discovered and exclusively utilized by them.
–The oldest permit to distill sotol commercially on both sides of the border belongs to the famed Jacquez family of Janos, Chihuahua, makers of the Don Cuco and Por Siempre brands.
–And, yes, sotol has been smuggled into the US since before Prohibition.
Probably, the most famous of these smugglers was Pancho Villa, who at one time maintained a “stash house” in El Paso, Texas.
Ironically, he was a teetotaler. He did, however, partake of sotol for medicinal purposes. After all, he was born in the Mexican state of Durango, part of the Sotol Denomination of Origin.
Sotol Smugglers’ Blues
Lastly, we salute the partners of Desert Door and their well funded efforts. Texas has a long entrepreneurial history of Empresarios.
What it does not have is a history of distilling this particular spirit as part of its culture in order to support whole families and communities. This, in fact, is what Appellations of Origin were designed for.
As Sarah Bowen , a member of our Women In The Tequila Industry gallery discussed in this Facebook thread–
…what is really needed is a more rigorous and thoughtful legal system that recognizes DOs across borders.
[Tweet “A rigorous legal system that recognizes Denominations of Origins across borders is needed.”]
Failure to do so could result in a reverse effect for Bourbon Whiskey, Tennessee Whiskey, and Canadian Whiskey within its own borders.
Tit for Tat
The obvious question is–
Why doesn’t Mexico just make their own version of Whiskey and call it Bourbon?
As Ricardo Pico of Sotol Clande so eloquently put it in his response to this Facebook thread…
“…out of respect for an existing category and because we don’t have a tradition or heritage…on Bourbon production.”
Open Doors
Showing respect–a true Texas tradition–especially for an existing spirits category, was successfully accomplished by Genuis Liquids.
Perhaps, someday, like the Karakasevic family when they produced their Charbay Tequila at the renowned La Altena distillery with the blessing of Tapatio’s Carlos Camarena, someone on this side of the border will distill a true sotol at a proper vinata (sotol distillery) on the other side?
It could–and should–happen.
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