The occasional rundown of new or new to us mezcal brands and other Mexican spirits that have landed on my home bar.
The truth is, the usual pipeline of new samples of agave spirits has been a lot slower these days. That has a lot to do with the overall market. Not many importers picked up new brands in 2025 (certainly not in the latter half of the year), and even less so distributors. It seems the one exception is sotol, as two of the brands below are new to market. Some of the brands below were introduced in 2024, but we’ve only recently had the opportunity to try them.
A couple of notes about how I tasted through these different spirits. I grouped them by spirit type against others I had on my shelf. I have recently found that tasting in isolation, or as one offs, can be a bit of a disservice as you don’t get a sense of where the flavors can fall on the spectrum. Also, I am trying to rebuild my palate after not really drinking that much in 2025. Tasting against like spirits helps me better differentiate and define flavors. And in this case, tasting the three new sotols side by side was a great reminder of the range of flavors that can be found in the category.
Sotol Romo
For a few years now, sotol has been called the next big spirit out of Mexico, and while we are seeing more brands, and even a sotol week, there hasn’t been that one brand to help take it there. That could change with Sotol Romo.
This is a new sotol brand from Claudia Romo Edelman and Richard Betts. While Romo Edelman does not come from the world of spirits, Betts does. He is perhaps best known for his work in mezcal (Sombra) and tequila (Komos). He is known as an early mover, so his move into sotol is of note. What Romo Edelman brings is her global experience from her work with the United Nations as well as her proximity to Edelman PR, the largest public relations firm in the world–her husband happens to be the CEO and part owner.
In addition to raising the profile of sotol, Romo Edelman also sees the brand as an opportunity to increase economic development in rural Northern Mexico. She believes her background with the UN working on social issues is aligned with Betts’ experience in successfully developing spirits brands positions Sotol Romo to lead the charge for sotol. In other words, to do for sotol what Del Maguey did for mezcal (my words, not hers).
If their recent launch party in San Francisco during Super Bowl weekend was any indication, they definitely have the support behind them to make it happen. And the sotol? It is made from Dasylirion cedrosanum and is bright, slightly woody and slightly sweet. It has an ABV of 40%. It is very drinkable and hints at the varying flavors you find across the sotol spectrum, from deeply vegetal to herbaceous to minerality.
Sotol Romo will arrive in New York and Texas markets this spring.
Sol2noches
I often receive random queries from brands wanting to know how they can sign up to participate in Mexico in a Bottle. Because it is a curated event, the answer is a long list of questions plus a request for samples. Sol2noches was one such brand, and I’m including it in this wrap up because it is a solid sotol.
While not brand new to the market, Sol2noches is a relative newcomer, hitting the scene in 2025. It is made by master distiller Gerardo Ruelas in Aldama Chihuahua from 100% Dasylirion Wheleeri. It is 40% ABV and has deep and bright citrusy and herbal notes.
Per the website, “The four founding members come from varying backgrounds and ethnicities, and are proud of differing cultural backgrounds. With our sotol, we are bottling passion, commitment to quality, friendship and a unique flavor profile into every bottle – a liquid we are proud and excited to introduce, so that many sips, laughs and memories can be created while enjoying our delicious sotol.”
Viamundi Spirits
Viamundi Spirits is a line that showcases distillates from various spirit families currently including mezcal, tequila, raicilla and sotol. There is also a rum and plans for a bacanora. What I like about this portfolio is the simplicity in the presentation and how each bottle is a distinct representation of the regional spirit inside. That isn’t a surprise given the producers they are working with.
The espadín mezcal is from mezcalero Roque Cruz Molina in Santa Ana del Rio, Oaxaca and has an ABV of 43%. It has distinct flavors of acetone, pine, and minerality. I knew before I saw the label that it was from Santa Ana because that area has such a recognizable flavor profile.
The tequila is by Enrique Baltazar of Jesus Maria, Jalisco of Hacienda El Olvido. It has an ABV of 43%. I appreciated the salinity and how it balanced with the sweetness of the roasted agave flavor.
The raicilla is from the sierra and is produced by Benito and Jose Salcedo Rios in El Mosco, Jalisco. It has an ABV of 43% and has that balanced lactic funk that roundly coats the tongue in the best way.
The sotol is from Bienvenido Fernandez of Madera, Chihuahua. Chances are, if you have had sotol, you have probably sipped on sotol made by Don Bienvenido. Made from the Dasylion Wheeleri, it is full of vegetal and grassy notes with that underlying sweetness. It has an ABV of 43%.
Viamundi Spirits is currently only available in the Mid Atlantic region. They will be at Mexico in a Bottle DC and you should definitely stop by to taste these side by side.
Manojo Mezcal
They say don’t judge a book by its cover, and in this case I thought there was no way the mezcal inside could match the beauty of the label and package it came in. Not true. Manojo Mezcal is from Enrique Olvera, famed chef of El Pujol in Mexico City. It is an espadín from San Luis Del Rio, Oaxaca and is made by Joel Velasco and Felicitas Hernandez. It’s sweet and warming and what we like to call a table mezcal in our house–which is to say something that is straight forward and easy to drink all night. Manojo has an ABV of 43%. It is currently available in California, New York, New Jersey and Florida.
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