The two-time James Beard semifinalist Las Almas Rotas is a shrine to the spirits of Mexico with a trove of agave-based spirits that will make you forget all about that time cheap shots at the frat house ruined tequila.
Each bottle is crafted by artisans from legendary family distilleries, and during the various happy hours they offer, you can get a brief introduction to what makes their collection so special.
Perched and Parched at the Bar
All the drinks at Las Almas will acquaint you with its library of agave, but a seat at the bar will immerse you in stories and flavors you've never heard of.The heart and soul of the library is the entire collection of Fortaleza tequilas, a family with 150 years in the business, thanks to Don Cenobio, his son Don Eladio and his son Don Javier.
Don Cenobio was the first person to export "mezcal de tequila" into the U.S. and shorten the name to just tequila. He also implemented the use of steam to cook the agave rather than the earthen pits traditionally used.
When he passed away in 1909, his son, Eladio, took over the business and helped the nectar of the gods transform from a regional beverage into an internationally recognized spirit. Also, during the Mexican Revolution, he championed tequila as the national drink of Mexico before passing in 1946.
Next to nudge tequila further to its stardom was Don Javier, Eladios's son, who helped establish the Denomination of Origin for Tequila. During a business trip to Japan in the 1960s, Javier was angered to find Japanese tequila being served, demanding that tequila can only be made in Mexico. So he and a group of other tequila producers filed for the application that was later granted in 1996.
Today, a grandson is the owner of the company that uses methods from a century ago to make Fortaleza, with a small brick oven to cook the agave, a tahona to squeeze the juices out of the agave, wood tanks for fermentation, and the two original copper pots for distillation.
Fortaleza highlights just a few bottles on Las Almas' shrine behind the bar. If you don't know where to start with this often misunderstood genre of spirits, the bartenders are there to be your guide. You'll come for happy hour but find yourself lingering; the next thing you know, you're two glasses deep in a sotol tasting.
Rather than doing just a typical weekday happy hour, they switch it up with a reverse happy hour and weekend specials.
Specials start on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5-7 p.m. and 10:30-11:45 p.m. Drop in from 11:30 p.m. to 12:45 a.m. on Friday and Saturday for deals. Sundays have specials from 2-5 p.m. and 10:30 - 11:45 p.m.
During those times, they offer $5 off all margaritas, $3 off all classic cocktails, $8 Mexican candy bebecitos (shots), $5 draft beers and around a dozen classic Mexican snacks that all average under $10.
Their classic Paloma is made with tequila, soda, and grapefruit juice, but we ordered ours with sotol, a spirit of its own merit; It's as if you replaced mezcal's smoky punch in the face for something a bit lighter. Ours was made with Sotol La Higuera, which is the perfect introduction to this bold and slightly smoky spirit.
It's made in Chihuahua using hand-chopped Dasylirion varieties (Desert Spoon plant) and cooked using an outdoor conical oven fired by wood and rocks, fermented with wild yeast and double-distilled in copper alembic stills.
The result is a citrus-forward, refreshing cocktail with a nice subtle smoke on the back end. It goes nicely with the Tajin rim since the seasoning is a little earthy with mild heat. There's a certain mouthfeel when you eat Tajin from the dehydrated lime, so when you follow up with the carbonated paloma, it's a fun play of taste and texture.
For traditionalists, the Muy Premium margarita is normally $26, but — hear us out — you can get it for $5 off during happy hour and a hidden two-for-one special made with Wild Common Still Strength Blanco with another shot on the side.
And the food menu here is as good as the spirits.
Las Almas Rotas, 3615 Parry Ave., Tuesday - Thursday, 5 p.m. - 12 a.m.; Friday, 5 p.m. - 1 a.m.; Saturday, 2 p.m. - 1 a.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. - 12 a.m.; Monday, closed
