Los Magos, the most awarded sotol brand and leader in its category, is excited to announce a truly special collaboration with WhistlePig, the world's #1 ultra premium rye whiskey brand, bringing to market their newest product: Los Magos Barrel-Aged Sotol WhistlePig Edition #1. A bright and deep spirit, this limited edition sotol aged for over twelve months in WhistlePig rye oak barrels features herbal and floral notes that are surrounded by the spice of rye with a touch of sweetness that still pays tribute to the true integrity of sotol.
"The partnership with Los Magos was a great exchange that allowed both teams to explore new territory within our experimental trials, ultimately creating an incredibly unique and complex sipping experience across rye and sotol," explains WhistlePig's Chief Blender Meghan Ireland.
This one-of-a-kind collaboration showcases the best of both brands by aging Los Magos' 100% wild harvested sotol in WhistlePig's oak barrels that had previously aged their 10 Year Rye Whiskey. After aging in the barrels for over a year, the product resulted in a new profile of sotol that beautifully features both the spirit of the desert and the richness of rye whiskey.
"Sotol is not a spirit that is traditionally aged, so the process of aging Los Magos' sotol in WhistlePig's whiskey barrels is revolutionary to the industry," exclaims Los Magos' co-founder and Chihuahua native Juan Pablo Carvajal.
Los Magos Barrel-Aged Sotol WhistlePig Edition #1 is a well-balanced spirit with hints of smoke, wood, and eucalyptus. It is great to sip neat or on the rocks and is perfect for those who enjoy exploring unique flavor combinations.
"Since sotol is such a flavorful and aromatic spirit in itself, the flavors are not lost or overpowered when aged in a barrel. On the contrary, the barrel gives the sotol additional complex layers that harmonize with that of rye, creating its own sweet and floral notes," adds Carvajal.
Los Magos Barrel-Aged Sotol WhistlePig Edition #1, the finished product of an industry-shifting collaboration between two award-winning spirit companies, will prove to serve as the catalyst of how sotol will be perceived, especially while emerging as the new Mexican spirit category.
"We at Los Magos take great pride in partnering with a brand as influential and inspiring as WhistlePig," notes Los Magos' CEO Ryan Stock. "The results of this collaboration truly surpassed our expectations. While aging tequila is nothing new, it is not a practice seen in the other spirits like sotol."
"We are discovering that because of the bold spirit profile paired with the aging conditions in the high desert, sotol actually ages much better than its agave counterparts that can often lose a lot of the original spirit profile when laid down in a barrel. Los Magos Barrel-Aged Sotol WhistlePig Edition #1 sets a new standard by uncovering the newly discovered opportunities for aging sotol," adds Stock.
Ireland continues, "Less than 2% of the spirits companies in the U.S. produce more than half of the products. As an independent brand up against the big conglomerates, WhistlePig believes in supporting and collaborating with other indie spirits to showcase the incredible creativity and quality they have to offer. Los Magos Barrel-Aged Sotol WhistlePig Edition #1 was a great opportunity to fly the indie flag and share an amazing sotol along the way."
Los Magos Barrel-Aged Sotol WhistlePig Edition #1 is now available at select retailers and establishments nationwide.