The Case for Sotol: Higuera Leiophyllum v. Higuera Wheeleri (again) v. Hacienda de Chihuahua Añejo скачать в хорошем качестве

The Case for Sotol: Higuera Leiophyllum v. Higuera Wheeleri (again) v. Hacienda de Chihuahua Añejo

Last year my friend Jose sent me a mysterious blind sample which I enjoyed rather a lot, and it turned out to be a rather excellent Sotol from La Higuera (   • Blind Tasting/Review #3: Sotol La Higuera ...  ). So afterwards I ran out and bought me a bottle of the stuff, and then another bottle from the same producer. (For the purposes of this video I didn't pop my own bottle of the Higuera Wheeleri (Lot 10), instead pouring the rest of Jose's sample (Lot 11).) Finally I dug out a very different Sotol I'd bought years ago, back when this newer craft stuff wasn't around. Stats: Sotol La Higuera, Dasylirion Leiophyllum (Aldama, Chihuahua; Lot 1, dated 06/17, 860 bottles; wild fermented, double pot distilled by Gerardo Ruelas; 47.7% ABV), 86+/100 Sotol La Higuera, Dasylirion Wheeleri (Aldama, Chihuahua; Lot 11, dated 01/20, 750 bottles; wild fermented, double pot distilled by Gerardo Ruelas; 45.1% ABV), 86/100 -Hacienda de Chihuahua Añejo Sotol (Vinomax; French oak barrel #761, circa 2013; 38% ABV), 79/100 Sotol is one of those categories that constantly gets overshadowed even though the products (as a general trend) seem to be getting better by the year and even though, especially as the prices for Mezcal continue to creep up, they present a hell of a value argument for themselves. The Añejo here is, well, kind of a mess (although nothing a better bottling strength wouldn't fix). But the other two are single-varietal, single-producer offerings made in a high-integrity artisanal style, yet with nothing in Sotolero Ruelas' range crossing the $50 mark. And he's by no means the only producer presenting this kind of quality: if there's ever been a time to go buy yourself some eau de vie de asparagaceae, it's now.