Sotol de Siempre is one of the wild-harvested desert spirits we love pouring at Camp West, the 21+ cabin-inspired cocktail bar and restaurant in the West Seattle Junction. The important thing to know: sotol is not made from agave. It is distilled from the desert spoon plant (Dasylirion) that grows wild in the high desert of northern Mexico, which gives it an earthy, soulful character that sets it apart from tequila and mezcal. If you like exploring beyond the usual, this is a pour worth trying.
About the Producer
Sotol de Siempre comes from the Chihuahuan Desert region of northern Mexico, where sotol is made by families who have distilled the spirit for generations. The desert spoon is wild-harvested, pit-roasted, and traditionally distilled in copper pot stills, an old-style process that preserves the plant’s earthy, lightly smoky character. The name evokes “always,” a nod to the way the spirit has long been made and the generations carrying it forward.
Plant & Region
Sotol is distilled from Dasylirion, the desert spoon, which grows wild across the Chihuahuan Desert of northern Mexico. Under Mexico’s denomination of origin, sotol can be produced in the states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Durango. These slow-growing wild plants take many years to mature and, unlike cultivated agave, rely on natural cross-pollination, giving each batch its own distinct personality.
Tasting Notes
Look for bright acidity balanced by a soft, earthy backbone, with grassy and herbal notes and a gentle smokiness from pit roasting. The texture tends to be both rich and soft, with a clean, dry finish. It is wilder and more vegetal than tequila, which is exactly its charm.
How to Enjoy It at Camp West
We pour Sotol de Siempre at $12. Enjoy it neat at room temperature to appreciate its full earthy, herbal range, the way you might savor a fine mezcal. It also adds a distinctive, savory note to agave-style cocktails if you prefer it mixed. Ask your bartender for a recommendation.
FAQ
Is sotol made from agave? No. Sotol is distilled from the desert spoon plant (Dasylirion), a different plant from agave, and it has its own denomination of origin in northern Mexico.
How should I drink sotol? Neat at room temperature is the classic way to enjoy its earthy, herbal character, though it also works well in cocktails.
Ready to settle in? Book a table, browse our full tequila & mezcal list, or see everything we pour on the beverage menu.