Venue
Ok, let’s be honest. Marfa, Texas is not a big town, and to boot, it is in the desert! However, it is undoubtedly a Texas town with personality and a flair for the arts. In the desert, you won’t find too much on the wine side of things, and you might find some occasional craft breweries. But you might find an ingredient that can be used for spirits: Sotol. Sotol is a cactus, and much like tequila that comes from an agave plant, sotol comes from the sotol plant. It is a bit pungent but can make some tasty cocktails. I visited the Marfa Spirits Company, and tried some of their spirits, as well as a mixed drink made with them. One thing to note is that they only serve their own spirits that they make onsite. The place itself just reeks of small-town Texas, and when you enter it you are automatically sent back in time to the old west. It is a “back in time” experience you try if you are in the area.
Spirits
Of course, the major spirits they make revolve around sotol, but they do produce other spirits whose roots are in the Chihuahuan desert. I did a tasting of their desert sotol, the rum reposado, and their 8-year bourbon. I also tried a cocktail, the Paloma, a very nice craft drink with sotol, grapefruit, and ginger flavors. The drink itself was beautifully crafted and presented and was very tasty. On the individual spirit side, the sotol was a bit rough on its own, although I know many like it straight (not me). The rum reposado is a rum/tequila spirit that was actually quite nice, with the flavors of both coming through. The 8-year bourbon was quite nice which was unexpected, but I found it a bit pricey for purchase.
Summary
This is such a great place to visit. If you are in the Marfa area, you will want to swing by and partake in the atmosphere and enjoy a few drinks. You will immediately be taken back in time and will probably find an active vibe if you go in the evenings. Try the mixed drinks as they are expertly crafted and tasty. Overall, just try it please! Remember: Marfa Spirit Company!
