It started on a holiday, as good stories often do, just four friends and a discovery that would change the course of their lives. What began as an unexpected encounter with sotol, a wild spirit native to the Chihuahuan Desert, has grown into Sol2Noches, a brand now making its way into the U.S. market. In just over a year since their official launch, Sol2Noches has already expanded into six states, built a strong presence in cocktail bars and major retailers, and—perhaps most notably—won Spirit of the Year – Mexico at the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards with a remarkable 98-point Double Gold medal.

But behind the accolades is a deeper mission: to elevate sotol beyond the shadows of tequila and mezcal, and to connect people through shared moments, from sun to night. Co-founder Daisy McKee joins us to discuss Sol2Noches’ evolution, their sustainable approach to harvesting the desert spoon plant, and how they’re building a category through education, collaboration, and authenticity.

Image: Sol2Noches Sotol won Spirit of the Year – Mexico at the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards.

Congratulations on Sol2Noches Sotol being named Spirit of the Year – Mexico at the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards with an impressive 98 points. How do you plan to leverage this accolade in your marketing and brand development strategy, both in the US and internationally?

Sotol is still a growing category in the spirits world, often being confused with tequila or mezcal. We want to show that sotol stands on its own and that Sol2Noches has the potential to introduce sotol to the general consumer. Winning the award helps us showcase the wonderful flavors and versatility of our product, as well as educate the market about sotol’s deep history.

Image: (From Left) Maestro Sotolero Gerardo Ruelas - Master distiller of Sol2Noches Sotol with co-founders Juan Serrato and Danny McKee.

Sol2Noches is rooted in a beautiful narrative—sun to nights, friendship to celebration, desert to bottle. How are you communicating this identity to consumers, and what channels have proven most effective in shaping your brand story?

Sol2Noches is meant to make ordinary moments extraordinary from sunrise to sunset. The brand sprouted from the friendship of the four co-founders, as sotol snuck into an ordinary moment on vacation and became this extraordinary business venture. Our product was meant to be enjoyed by the everyday person who likes to have a cocktail at dinner with friends or a drink at a family bar-b-que. There is no occasion too small or too big for Sol2Noches, which helps us relate to our consumers. We would like our product to be enjoyed by those who say cheers to laughter and create memorable times.

Image: Co-founders - (Left) Danny McKee, his wife Daisy, and (Right) their friends, Adriana and Juan Serrato.

Since your 2023 launch, how has your presence grown across key markets like the US? Can you share where Sol2Noches is currently available—retail chains, independent stores, restaurants, or hospitality groups?

We officially launched in July of 2024 within the Colorado market, where all four co-founders reside. Our goal was and still is to educate as many people as we can about the category. We are doing our part by actively partaking in staff trainings, co-hosting restaurant dinners, providing tastings at festivals, and more. With our efforts, we have been placed at many trending restaurants, specialty cocktail bars, mom and pop liquor shops, as well as bigger stores like Total Wine. Within our year, we’ve also expanded to five other states: Minnesota, Arizona, Texas, California, and Florida.

Image: Tasting in-store Sol2Noches Sotol at Total Wine.

What does your ideal consumer look like, and how do you reach them? Are you targeting the agave-spirits enthusiast, the craft cocktail explorer, or a broader demographic drawn to artisanal authenticity?

Our ideal consumer is one who can relate to our story, a person who enjoys life’s little moments with a good drink in hand.  This person can be an agave (adjacent) spirits enthusiast, a creative mixologist, a drink-pairing connoisseur, or even a mom having brunch with girlfriends, or a husband out playing golf. There is not a particular person or place that Sol2Noches is meant for, but instead, it’s meant as an action and a feeling for those who like to enjoy a smooth and fun spirit.

Expansion-wise, which new markets are you eyeing next, and how are you approaching importer relationships to ensure effective pull-through and sell-through in those regions?

In just a year, we’ve been able to enter six states, as well as ship our product all over the U.S. We are looking to expand into more markets, particularly metropolitan areas and regions that have a large appreciation for Mexican spirits.

What kind of marketing activations and trade initiatives do you support to help your partners move stock, whether that’s in-store tastings, bartender outreach, collaborations, or digital campaigns?

In many instances, people have not heard about sotol or are hesitant to try sotol. We find it important to be present at our accounts to help educate the staff and the consumers who come in. We support public tastings in-store, at festivals, and at events. We also create fun around the product by supporting bartender competitions, creating holiday specials, providing giveaways, and working alongside enthusiasts within the industry.  

Image: Sol2Noches Sotol at Amor a la Mexicana Fest.

Sustainability is a core tenet of your brand. Can you tell us more about how you sustainably harvest your wild sotol and any ongoing environmental or community initiatives you’re committed to?

We have a generational sotolero who has an eye for identifying the right place and time to harvest the dasylirion plant, aka the desert spoon. Our plants are not farm-raised and are individually picked out in the Chihuahuan desert. A fun fact is that as these plants are harvested, the farmers are trained not to kill the plant, making it so that the plant can be harvested again years later. Our product is also cooked with local wood and fermented with naturally occurring yeast. Sol2Noches has been certified with the Mexican Sotol Counsel to ensure that we adhere to these sustainable harvesting and fermenting standards.

Image: Wild Dasylirion plants, also known as “desert spoon,” is sustainably harvested, wild fermented, and double-distilled to ensure a smooth and unique flavor profile.

There’s a soulful elegance in your liquid, smoke, leather, floral, and earth. What sets Sol2Noches apart in the sotol category, both in production approach and sensory experience?

When Sol2Noches started, there were many iterations of flavor profiles that we went through to get what we thought was the best taste. What sets us apart is that we don’t have any additives or infuse with any other products, yet we have such a complex liquid. Since everyone’s palate interprets flavors differently, our product can be enjoyed by almost anyone. We’ve been able to take the place of the spirits in traditional cocktails, such as replacing the tequila in margaritas, the gin in negronis, the whiskey in old fashions, and more. This sets us apart from many other sotol products. And even as a standalone, Sol2Noches is a smooth and drinkable spirit with a linger that makes you want more.

Finally, what’s next for Sol2Noches? Any upcoming releases, partnerships, or milestones we should be watching for in the months ahead?

Sol2Noches Sotol Blanco was our first product on the market, and it’s been received relatively well (we just won BSA Spirit of the Year – Mexico!). As we continue to grow, we hope to bring aged products into the portfolio and potentially partner with accounts to create some fun single-barrel experiences as well.

Conclusion

Sol2Noches is proving that sotol’s moment has arrived. From a chance discovery in the Chihuahuan Desert to winning Spirit of the Year – Mexico at the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards, the brand’s journey reflects a commitment to authenticity, sustainability, and connection. As Sol2Noches continues to expand across the U.S. and eye new markets, its mission remains clear: to elevate sotol beyond comparison with tequila and mezcal, introducing consumers to a wild, complex spirit rooted in tradition yet versatile enough for modern cocktails. With upcoming aged expressions and strategic partnerships on the horizon, Sol2Noches is poised to lead sotol’s rise from a regional treasure to a global contender.

In conversation with Malvika Patel, Editor and VP, Beverage Trade Network

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