Sotol La Higuera Wheeleri has a rounded balance of smoke herbs and fruit. The nose is more herbal with hints of smoke while the palate shows more of the herbs with hints of pineapple.
About this sotol
Sotol La Higuera Leiophyllum is produced in Aldama, Chihuahua by Master Sotolero Gerardo Ruelas. The sotol plants are cooked in an outdoor conical oven and then milled by hand with axes. The fibers are naturally fermented with wild yeasts in 1,000-liter pine vats before being double distilled in copper alembic stills. The Wheeleri has a rounded balance of smoke herbs and fruit. The nose is more herbal with hints of smoke. The palate shows more of the herbs with hints of pineapple.
La Higuera Sotol
Sotol La Higuera is produced using traditional methods in Aldama, Chihuahua by Master Sotolero Gerardo Ruelas. He cooks the different varieties in an outdoor conical oven fired by wood and rocks. The Dasylirion varieties are milled by hand with axes. Fermentation occurs with wild yeast in 1,000-liter pine vats. The sotols are double distilled in copper alembic stills.
Review this bottle
Login or create an account to add your tasting notes
Jam
149 reviewsLot 20, 05/22 production date
Review #65: The nose has lemon juice, plastic, chlorine, and vanilla. The palate has more acidic lemon, plastic, chlorine, vanilla, with some honey, sweet florals, and some sort of lightly sour but sweet fruit, maybe pineapple.
My one word review of this would be “ok”. There’s some fun flavors and there’s some not so fun flavors. The acidic fruits help this a lot. The plastic and chlorine keep this down. I can find this enjoyable enough, and I even think it would be interesting in a cocktail. I think if you found this at a good price it’d be worth picking up.
Lot 20, 05/22 production date
Review #65: The nose has lemon juice, plastic, chlorine, and vanilla. The palate has more acidic lemon, plastic, chlorine, vanilla, with some honey, sweet florals, and some sort of lightly sour but sweet fruit, maybe pineapple.
My one word review of this would be “ok”. There’s some fun flavors and there’s some not so fun flavors. The acidic fruits help this a lot. The plastic and chlorine keep this down. I can find this enjoyable enough, and
KyraNicole
43 reviewsvery balanced taste; Fruit with a little smoke
May 2021
Lot 20
Jori
52 reviewsA savory spirit. Earthy, slightly citric. Funky yeast, vegetal tomatillos, pickled asparagus like a Caesar cocktail. Light cedar smoke and red grapefruit. Lots of booze heat.
Zack Klamn
542 reviewsNose – Floral / rosy. Soft vanilla.
Palate – Grassy with a cinnamon candy heat. Some baking chocolate and a touch of vanilla in the finish.
Pretty good stuff, less herbal / medicinal than many sotols from Chihuahua. Reminds me of some great Cucharillo batches coming from Oaxaca, specifically Miahuatlan.
This was a 1.5 oz. sample from platinum certified mezcal reviewer, Rahkal (Lote 7).
tecolotesweet
14 reviewslot 20, bottle 365-1750. light menthol/mint on the nose. citric copper taste, but incredibly smooth and palatable. not any sort of outstanding, profound individual flavor in favor of a balanced sip, but nonetheless, a sotol i would keep on my shelf.
aarild
152 reviewsSmells of straw, subdued smoke, a bit vanilla over some alcohol. Medium mouthfeel, some honey-covered peanuts, fruity. Solid.
El-Dawg
209 reviewsDidn’t get the lot number on this one. Sweet and not as ‘grassy’ as I except with some of the sotols I’ve had. Bit of a licorice bite with some pleasant caramel.
TzotollineRaramuri
75 reviewsLote #12; Bottle 320/1750; Dist. 05/2020
?- clear
?- drying impact.
Aromas of menthol, eucalyptus, lime zest, fresh herbs, vanilla, wet sand/soil.
Adequate & complex production.
Average length and ordinary character.
?- coating effect; sufficient smooth alcohol; medium body.
Primarily sour taste, with bitter highlights; buttery smoothness.
Flavors of ginger, mint, peppercorn, green artichoke.
Medium concentrated flavor intensity, simple character, correct balance.
Straightforward and very long finish.
Good overall impression.
*More sotol character on the palate than the nose. Nose has a vodka-likeness; balanced, although a bit linear and uninteresting.
Learn more about organoleptic evaluation at the International Wine & Spirits Guild’s seminar in Fine Spirits,
or more on Agave Spirits certifications through the Agave Spirits Institute.
Lote #12; Bottle 320/1750; Dist. 05/2020
?- clear
?- drying impact.
Aromas of menthol, eucalyptus, lime zest, fresh herbs, vanilla, wet sand/soil.
Adequate & complex production.
Average length and ordinary character.
?- coating effect; sufficient smooth alcohol; medium body.
Primarily sour taste, with bitter highlights; buttery smoothness.
Flavors of ginger, mint, peppercorn, green artichoke.
Medium concentrated flavor intensity, simple character, correct balance.
Straightforward and very lo
HighWine
76 reviewsSecond time sampling this. No Lot # available.
First whiff is alcoholic but doesn’t burn and reminds me of one of the vodkas distilled with grapes. Upon closer inspection the nose shifts to spicy peppers and roasted root vegetables. Taste is surprisingly sweet with accents of honey and — ironically — agave nectar. This is drinking like a soft bourbon to me which is phenomenal considering the ABV. Flavors of fresh cut pine, grilled lemon, and bruleed custard. Palate feels like custard — very full and lingering. Alcohol heat remains on the back of the tongue but the sweet and syrupy flavors and a touch of green pepper spice fill the rest of the mouth long after each sip is gone. A touch more smoke makes this a 5-star for me.
Second time sampling this. No Lot # available.
First whiff is alcoholic but doesn’t burn and reminds me of one of the vodkas distilled with grapes. Upon closer inspection the nose shifts to spicy peppers and roasted root vegetables. Taste is surprisingly sweet with accents of honey and — ironically — agave nectar. This is drinking like a soft bourbon to me which is phenomenal considering the ABV. Flavors of fresh cut pine, grilled lemon, and bruleed custard. Palate feels
BartFargo
21 reviewsLot 7 (June 2018), 48.8%
Nose: Delicately floral/vegetal, with Easter lily, dandelion, wildflower honey, carrot cake and cedar, all caked in chalky dust. Faint tamarind and chili flakes contribute a little heat. Some rougher fusel notes at first, which mellow into fruitier banana-pineapple scents with air time.
Palate: Sweet and vegetal – wildflower honey, spaghetti squash, green pepper, tamarind, cedarwood, lemon zest and saffron. Medium bodied, with some prickly alcohol heat.
Finish: Mildly astringent cedar and dust, followed by fresh pollen, lemon-poppyseed muffin, and saffron. Sour and bitter on the tail end, with endive, pickled cabbage and fusel alcohols. Medium-short length.
This was my first sotol, and although I found it to be a little rough around the edges, the combination of sweet vegetables with desert dust is refreshing and distinctive. Eager to discover more sotols after this.
Lot 7 (June 2018), 48.8%
Nose: Delicately floral/vegetal, with Easter lily, dandelion, wildflower honey, carrot cake and cedar, all caked in chalky dust. Faint tamarind and chili flakes contribute a little heat. Some rougher fusel notes at first, which mellow into fruitier banana-pineapple scents with air time.
Palate: Sweet and vegetal – wildflower honey, spaghetti squash, green pepper, tamarind, cedarwood, lemon zest and saffron. Medium bodied, with some prickly alcohol heat.
Finish: Mild
Jongers
14 reviewsLa Higuera is where its at when it comes to Sotol! I’ve had them all and they are all good, you can’t go wrong. Wheeleri is a favorite. It has spice and mineral in the nose, flavor is minty, herbal, chamomile, mineral, earthy, with just a delicate hint of smoke. A bit of heat to this one, but not biting.
Jonny
705 reviewsLot 6. Clean nose with a bit of straw. Notes of coffee, chocolate, sweet peanuts. Semi viscous. This round and I enjoy this. Low smoke and balanced.
Rakhal
421 reviewsLot 7. When I first opened the bottle it smelled pretty terrible, very chemically, but after about half an hour it completely changed and became quite pleasant and earthy sort of like wet leaves in the forest. The taste was spicy and sweet with notes of bell pepper, menthol, cinnamon, and clove. Very complex and highly enjoyable.
TheAgaveFairy
169 reviewsTasted side by side with the other 2 varietal offerings. Beef stew, leeks, carrot, onion. I’m not kidding, this is relentless. Clove, allspice, black cherry dark chocolate. Savory. As my nose adjusts, I get more minerality, almost more arroqueno like. Much more aromatic than the other two offerings.
Solid offering, quite savory.
Hörky Båmf
20 reviewsDate 2/18, Lot 2, Bottle 1082/1800, 49.6% ABV. Smell reminds me of vanilla extract, scent of flowers and herbs floating on alcohol vapors. Flavors: molasses, dark roast coffee, piloncillo sugar, subtle smoke, slight bitterness and salt. Lingering sweet finish.