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Meet Cardenxe - A Newly Launched Artisanal Sotol Brand at the Intersection of Music and Art

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#sotol #tequila #mexicanspirit #spirit
Published
05/19/2022 by

Launching this Spring, Cardenxe is an artisanal, small-batch sotol brand with a mission to bring back the ancient Mexican spirit and to inspire a deep emotional connection for drinkers. This premium entry into the Mexican spirits category celebrates sotol's rich heritage and launches with two terroir-inspired hero varietals, Sotol De La Sierra and Sotol De Desierto, which already were awarded Gold and Silver medals respectively in the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Cardenxe is named for Canto Cardenche, an old and near-extinct musical genre native to Northern Mexico that is centered around the themes of love and sorrow, sung to "unleash deep emotions." In turn, the music lends its name from the cactus cardenche, locally known as the 'Cactus of Love,' a beautiful yet territorial succulent that grows around Sotol plants (Dasylirion Asparagaceae), protecting them and allowing them to mature and fill with the nectar that is distilled into the spirit.

"Our mission is to elevate two very unique Mexican traditions that risk disappearing – that of Sotol and of Canto Cardenche. We decided to create a brand of Sotol that brings forth a movement, inspired by the message of love and beauty that the cardencheros like to sing about," says co-founder Luigi Ambrosi.

With strong ties to art and culture, the art adorning the bottles is designed in Mexican avante-garde style: Estridentismo, a movement born in the 1950s to challenge the standardization of the imagination.

What is sotol? Sotol is an ancient Mexican spirit that has been distilled for over three centuries in the northern Mexican regions of Chihuahua, and almost faded into history. It was once a popular choice, smuggled into the US during prohibition together with whiskey. Unlike Tequila or Mezcal which are distilled from agave, sotol comes from Dasylirion, a plant native to Mexico in the Asparagaceae family. A friendlier spirit, the palate is more complex and aromatic than tequila, and has a more subtle smokiness than mezcal.

Tasting notes. The Dasylirion grows in different parts of Mexico and the country's earth, terrain and climate give each small batched variety its distinct flavor profiles. The Sotol De Desierto is inspired by the desert and has fragrant mineral, earthy sweet cocoa notes and a lingering vegetal aftertaste. The Sotol De La Sierra is from the rustic outpost of Madera with subtle notes of eucalyptus, moss and nuts – the flavor is both herbal and floral, imparted by the terroir of the lush mountain forest.

Cardenxe is available from May 2 online and at selected stores in New York City. Cardenxe Sotol De La Sierra, Mexico 40% Alc/Vol with a Suggested Retail Price of $90, and Cardenxe Sotol De Desierto, Mexico 45% Alc/Vol with a Suggested Retail Price of $60. Importer: Park Street Imports.

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