Rock icon Lenny Kravitz first ventured into the liquor business when someone in the Dominican Republic passed him a “secret bottle” that turned out to be sotol, the spirit behind his alcohol brand, Nocheluna Sotol.
Kravitz launched the brand in partnership with global spirits company Casa Lumbre in 2020, and he says it’s “the best-kept secret in Mexico,” according an interview with People published Friday.
Kravitz was in the Dominican Republic after shooting the 2022 film, “Shotgun Wedding” when he discovered the spirit, according to the outlet. “I started pouring shots for everybody,” Kravitz said. “Everybody was digging it.” The actor and his costars wound up mixing the spirit with fruits and juices, eventually consuming the entire bottle of sotol.
Lenny Kravitz Recalls Taking Shots of Sotol with Shotgun Wedding Costars https://t.co/D40ckpldoZ
— People (@people) October 21, 2022
The spirit originates from the Chihuahuan Desert in Mexico, Kravitz said, and it is similar to tequila or mezcal. He even traveled to the region and spent time with fourth-generation sotol maker Maestro Vinatero Don Eduardo Arrieta before coming up with his own brand of the spirit, according to People.
“I hung out in Chihuahua and I spent time watching the whole process, talking with them, learning, getting my education. Then I became partners with them,” Kravitz told the outlet.
Kravtiz’ latest goal is to “bring [sotol] out to the world” and bring the “art form … to folks that don’t know,” he said, according to People.
“These folks that I met have been doing this for generations. It’s something that they’re really proud of. It’s their culture, it’s their art form,” Kravitz told the outlet. (RELATED: REPORT: Jay-Z Sues Bacardi To Access Financial Records Of His Cognac Company)
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Kravtiz seems to have a profound level of respect for the community, and he spoke humbly about his experience in Mexico. “I was fortunate to become friends with these people,” Kravitz said to People.
The rock legend spoke about the spirit’s appeal, telling the outlet the “flavor and complexities” drew him in to sotol.
“I love smoke, meaning smokiness. Whether it’s in food or a fragrance, I’ve always gravitated toward that smoky feeling. And the first thing I noticed was how wonderful the smokiness was,” Kravitz said during the interview.
Kravtiz’s brand of the spirit contains hints of cacao and bitter fruits, and he prefers to drink it straight with just a bit of ice, he told the outlet.
Kravitz stayed true to his down-to-earth roots when developing the spirit’s flavor. “It’s innovative, it’s wild. It’s organic,” he said, according to People. “And most of all, [it involves] really good people that I’m working with. It’s really about the people.”