Difference between Mezcal and Sotol
Mezcal is, along with tequila, one of the most popular Mexican alcoholic beverages in the world. In recent years it has gained a lot of popularity, along with pulque, thanks to people looking for something more traditional, who have made it their favorite alcoholic drink. Its procedures have not changed much, which is why its consumption supposes a kind of recognition of Mexico and its pre-Hispanic culture. The best mezcal, it is said, is the Oaxacan one.
On the other hand, although it is also a drink of Mexican origin, sotol is probably the least known alcoholic beverage of this nationality.
mezcal |
Sotol |
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|---|---|---|
| Etymology | The word mezcal comes from the Nahuatl “mexcalli” and means “cooked maguey”. | Sotol or zotol also comes from Nahuatl. Its original word is ” tzotollin” and means “sweet head”. |
| What is it? | Mezcal is a traditional alcoholic beverage. This is made from the distillation of the heart of the maguey. | As for sotol, this drink is the distilled product of pineapple from the sotol plant. Currently, this drink is produced almost exclusively by hand. Many people have described its body and flavor as quite similar to tequila and mezcal. |
| What plant does it come from? | Maguey ( agave angustifolia, esperrima, weberi, potatorum , among others. Agave and maguey are synonymous, however, the types of maguey that tequila and mezcal come from are different). | Sotol comes from the Dasylirion . This plant is known as sotol or sereque by the Rarámuri communities. |
| In what states does it occur? | Mezcal, like tequila, has a designation of origin. Due to this, it is only produced in the states of Zacatecas, Durango, Guanajuato, Oaxaca, Puebla, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas, Michoacán and Guerrero. | On the other hand, sotol is produced in the northern states of Mexico and the southern United States. These are Coahuila, Durango, Chihuahua, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. |
