4 - The Sustainability of Mexican Traditional Beverage Sotol: Ecological, Historical, and Technical Issues

Abstract

Sotol is a distilled beverage originated in Mexico, which is produced from the crowns of plants of the Dasylirion genus. This botanical group is abundant and important ecological component of the Chihuahuan Desert, which comprises Central and Northern Mexico, and Southern United States. The common name of most Dasylirion spp. plants is sotol or sereque, and were an integral part of the diet and culture of the pre-Columbian communities of Aridoamerica. Currently, several Dasylirion species have an increasing economic importance for the manufacture of the distilled beverage called sotol, which is consumed in Mexico and exported to other countries. In this chapter, we review the natural history of Dasylirion spp., covering systematics, physiology, reproduction, and the ecology of its populations and communities. This is the basis for the technical elements of the collection, cultivation, restoration, and sustainable use of this plant group. We describe the technological process of transformation of the crown biomass into the distilled beverage, the topic of the Sotol Designation of Origin, as well as its characteristics regarding its composition and nutritional value. Finally, research needs are mentioned in the context of the covered topics.