Acronimo Sotol Gin

Here’s a new one, folks. Gin from Mexico. But that’s not the unusual part. There are several Mexican gins but there’s no other gin out there made with sotol, that lesser known southwestern spirit made from Dasylirion wheeleri, a member of the asparagus family. It’s the latest creation from Acronimo Spirits and the Casa Ruelas Distillery, a fifth generation sotol producer in Chihuahua.

The company launched last year with a Sotol Blanco. That same Sotol Blanco makes up 17% of this new gin and was reportedly crafted specifically to blend with a gin base (and presumably also stand on its own). The ten-botanical gin bill includes juniper berries sourced from the Sierra Tarahumara region near Chihuahua as well as other locally sourced botanicals like cardamom, anise, lavender, lemon, lime and grapefruit peel. All those botanicals are macerated in a neutral grain spirit for two weeks before being distilled on a traditional copper sotol pot still and then combined with that precise portion of sotol. Does it taste as unusual as it sounds?

You bet. It’s dusty on the nose with an initial wave of dried lime, grapefruit pith, and peppered meat. Soft, ashy woodsmoke is laced throughout, and as things open in the glass, a potent floral element develops with notes of dried lavender and other assorted potpourri. It’s a lot to process, unlike any gin – or sotol – that I’ve ever encountered. The palate is even more of a roller coaster with fresh pine and big citrus notes, tart and again quite dry, that are accented by cardamom pods, black licorice, and a panoply of freshly grated pepper. The midpalate tingles with spice and a zesty warmth, giving way to a long, dry finish that lingers with green cardamom, matchheads, and strong herbal tea. Acronimo Gin is captivating and well-made, but it’s also a very unusual gin. Almost to a fault. The traditional gin drinker, even an adventurous gin drinker, might have a hard time embracing this one. I’d think it better suited to fans of artisanal mezcal who should be more familiar with its profile and cocktail possibilities.