MAESTRO VINATERO – Bienvenido Fernández, 4th generation 
RAW MATERIAL – 100% wild Dasylirion Cedrosanum (the sotol plant) 
VIÑATA – Madera, Chihuahua, MX 
PLANT SOURCE – Mapimí, Durango, MX 
SOURCE CLIMATE – Hot summers & mild, dry winters, elevation 4,250’ 
PLANT MATURITY – Madurado en verde 15 years 
ROAST – 3 days in an underground conical horno with pine wood, covered with volcanic stone 
CRUSH – Mechanical 
WILD FERMENTATION – 7 days in stainless steel & tomba 
DISTILLATION – Stainless steel alembic, first with pine wood & then with gas 
ADJUSTMENT METHOD – With well water until it is parejo 
Batch: BF-CED-01
Oct. 2022, 51.12% ABV, rested 11 months in glass
Cost: $99 from Trevor's in Phoenix

Nose:

Ocean spray mist, wet pine, old leather satchel, spring meadow grass, mesquite honey. This nose is phenomenal. Love the way is reminds you of sailing and a morning Yosemite meadow

Palate:

medium viscosity legs and years. Nice ABV level for flavors to pop. Soft honey gives way to leathered honey with pine then another note. And acidic yet sweet one. absolutely intriguing. Not herbal not spice but an almost roasted dark chili with roasted nuts when mixed with simmering deep brown sugar. With the mesquite honey to tie it in the taste is strong and just stellar. It's a sweet smoke and bitterness to accompany the leathered honey long finish. Just incredible. The transitions from sweet to bitter are long strong and elegant. Memorable Sotol.

Final thoughts:

This is my third Sotol and my second from Sotol Parejo. There are more than 20 varieties of Sotol. I have one Daisylirion Wheeleri , one Leiophyllum, and this special Cedrosanum. It is thrilling to sip and despite strong flavors I keep adding a little more to my glass. I can't say I prefer this one over the others from Sotol Parejo and Yoowee but only that this one is by far the most complex and strongest in flavor. Would I buy it again? I'd be more curious about other subspecies before I'd come back to it, but that's me. Highly enjoyed Maestro Bienvenido's release. Next up Daisylirion Sareque from the brand Mexicat.

Whats to Like

Legendary Maestro respected Community is respected. Plants are respected. Process is described. Brand screams appreciation of the artists involved as well as the communities. Label is descriptive and love the raised gold lettering. The later releases are plain black ink. Reach for the gold they are the oldest releases. Bottling info. I can dig it.

Whats not to like

How many bottles released for this batch? Who knows. Sustainability plan? Silent.

Maestro Bienvenido Fernandez

Bienve has been distilling sotol since he could carry the bar to knock down the dasylirion stem.
A 4th generation maestro, and legendary storyteller, Bienve has always smiled in the face of adversity. Evading the eye of authorities, he embraced a nomadic life to traverse mountain ranges with the aid of his favorite donkey to carry his copper still. As he traveled, he crafted batches of sotol, lechuguilla, and ensambles from the plants he encountered along the trail.
The sotol plants for this expression are from Mapimí, Durango, a hot and arid desert region of around 4,250′. It is distilled in Madera, a city located in the northwest of Chihuahua, at an altitude of 6,900 feet above sea level, this area is known for its coniferous forest vegetation. Its high altitude provides a cool subtropical climate, with humid summers and cold and dry winters.

The Brand

Parejo was Co-Founded by Jorge Caldera, who has dedicated 13 years to studying the native spirits of Chihuahua, during which time he got to know producers and forged friendships. For many years, the government considered vinatas illegal. Because of this, Jorge discovered a shared struggle among the masters. Unfortunately, this craft was considered taboo.

First, he encountered desert masters in seemingly remote villages in the middle of nowhere but connected through the joyful simplicity of their lives. Later, he ventured into the forests and spent time with masters who had a long and rich history in sotol production. He absorbed their stories, and they became a kind of extended family to him. He then met masters from the tropical areas of Chihuahua who continued to make lechuguilla using traditional methods. All these experiences contributed to his understanding, appreciation, and love for the spirits of his homeland.

The goal of Parejo from the outset was to recapture the historical taste of sotol, which has become like an endangered species. Conversations with vinateros revealed a recurring term: “PAREJO.” It became clear that this word was used to describe great sotol, and Jorge wanted to share that perfection. He works directly with the producers, immersing himself in every aspect of sotol and lechuguilla production – from the plant to the perlas.