From Sparrow’s agave and sotol list, Quechal Sotol Wheeleri is one of the more unusual pours in the house, $16 by the pour, or $24 for a larger pour.
About Quechal Sotol Wheeleri
This is a Mexican spirit from the state of Durango, painstakingly made from a desert plant called dasylirion, something like a cross between agave and asparagus. Sotol is distilled from Dasylirion (here the wheeleri variety, also called desert spoon), a wild shrub harvested from the Chihuahuan desert rather than a cultivated agave. The producer, family owned and operated, follows time-honored traditions passed from one generation of sotoleros to the next, harvesting the pinas by hand and slow-cooking them in a volcanic rock pit oven over mesquite before fermentation and distillation. The dasylirion plants are sourced from the Chihuahuan desert and grow slowly in an extreme, dry climate, and the wheeleri variety in particular takes many years to reach maturity. Because each plant grows wild over so long, sotol carries a distinctly mineral, place-driven character that you cannot replicate with cultivated agave. The distillery is family run and, fittingly for the desert, runs on solar power.
Tasting Notes
The flavor is vegetal and earthy, comparable to mezcal. Expect green, herbal notes with a dry minerality and a savory finish, a spirit for the curious drinker who already loves agave.
What to Pair It With
Earthy, vegetal spirits shine with spice and char. From the Sparrow dinner menu, try it with the Lamb Quesa-Birria Tacos, the Guajillo Chicken, or the Tuna Tartare. It is excellent sipped slowly, neat, in our 21+ lounge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sotol and how is it different from tequila?
Sotol is a Mexican spirit distilled from the dasylirion (desert spoon) plant, not from agave, so it is not a tequila. Quechal comes from Durango and tastes vegetal and earthy, much like mezcal.
How much is a pour of Quechal Sotol Wheeleri at Sparrow?
At Sparrow in Kirkland, Quechal Sotol Wheeleri is $16 by the pour, or $24 for a larger pour.
Find it on the Sparrow beverages menu near the Solento Anejo and the Patron Silver. We are in Kirkland’s Juanita neighborhood on the Eastside, so reserve a table and come taste it.