This distilled spirit is not Tequila or a Mezcal, and its plant is not an agave. The sotol plant (or dasylirion wheeler or desert spoon) is found abundantly in Northern Mexico and also in the southwest of the United States (mainly used for landscaping due to its little need for water). Sotol has its own “Denomination of Origin” meaning that it can only be produced in the Northern Mexican States of Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Durango. It also includes its own Official Mexican Norm (NOM 159-SCFI-2004), its own Mexican Regulatory Council (Consejo Mexicano de Sotol), and its own Certificate of Origin.
The plant is so eco-friendly that can also be reused when finished for distilling, the “kiote” is used to make walking sticks, the thin sharp leaves are made into baskets and other artisanal products.