Origen Raiz Sotol Malpais
Origen Raiz Sotol Malpais is a traditional sotol from the Malpaís de Durango, Mexico — made from wild-harvested Dasylirion cedrosanum (desert spoon, not agave) at Viñata El Ojo, Rancho El Ojo. A project of the Saravia family of Durango with the Cortés family of Oaxaca, it is pit-oven cooked, tahona-milled, and double-distilled in a 280-liter copper alembic. Note the brand's own warning: ABV varies by batch — order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: varies by batch — the brand's official spec sheet states this explicitly; retailers list 44% for the 750mL Malpais
- Size: 750mL
- Plant: wild Dasylirion cedrosanum — NOT agave; sotol carries its own DO (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango)
- Origin: Malpaís de Durango, Mexico — Viñata El Ojo, Rancho El Ojo; maestro Don Valentín Cortés, vinatero Don Job Rodríguez
- Production: conical earthen pit oven fired with black oak; tahona mill; 5–14 days fermentation in pine vats with bagasso; double distilled in 280L copper alembic
Not Mezcal — Older Than Mezcal's Cousin
Sotol is often shelved next to mezcal, but it's a different plant and a different tradition: Dasylirion, the desert spoon, distilled in northern Mexico long before agave dominated. Origen Raíz works the old way in Durango — earthen pit oven, stone tahona, pine-vat fermentation with the fiber (bagasso) still in it, copper alembic distillation. The brand's spec sheet lists aroma, taste, and texture as "coming soon," which tells you where the priority sits: in the process, not the pitch. Browse Origen Raiz or compare sotol.
Tasting Notes
No official tasting notes exist for this sotol — the brand's spec sheet lists them as "coming soon." Process-based expectations: earthy pit-oven character, desert-herb and mineral notes from the Dasylirion, and a structured, unaged spirit profile.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a copita or small glass — sotol's character is best met without ice or citrus on the first pour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is sotol the same as mezcal?
No. Sotol is distilled from Dasylirion (desert spoon, family Asparagaceae), not agave, and carries its own denomination of origin covering Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Durango.
Why does the ABV vary?
The brand states batch-varying ABV on its official spec sheet — a mark of traditional small-batch production; read the bottle for the exact figure (retailers list 44% for this Malpaís bottling).
Where is it made?
Malpaís de Durango, Mexico, at Viñata El Ojo — a project of the Saravia family (Durango) and the Cortés family (Oaxaca), imported to the US by Fidencio Spirits.
Durango's traditional desert spirit — order Origen Raiz Sotol Malpais online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.