On our new Pulp Magazine interview, we sat down with Luigi Ambrosi, founder of Cardenxe Sotol, for a relaxed, chill conversation — the kind that flows easily when the glass is half full of his signature sotol. We talked about desert songs, emotions, and how this mysterious Mexican spirit found its voice in the modern world.

Hey Luigi! How’s it going? Excited about our new collaboration? We definitely are. Let’s start from the beginning — tell us a bit more about Cardenxe, and how your journey with sotol began.

Your first encounter with sotol — what made it stand out from other spirits?

Luigi: Sotol has such a distinctive, earthy flavor that it immediately captivates you — from the very first breath of its aroma.

I originally went down to Durango, Mexico with my longtime friend (now business partner) Nitzan to document a nearly extinct music genre called El Canto Cardenche. It’s this hauntingly beautiful song from Northern Mexico, a form of emotional release — catharsis through music.

It was in that mystical landscape, surrounded by raw emotion, desert wind, and music, that we were first offered sotol — the local spirit. It felt grounding and creative all at once. Its flavor was unlike anything I’d ever tasted — mysterious, alive, and deeply tied to the land.

What struck us most was how much the environment shaped each bottle’s character. Always earthy and vegetal, but each terroir carried its own story. That’s how Cardenxe was born — a terroir-driven brand inviting people on a sensory journey into the world of sotol.

Sotol has deep roots in northern Mexico — how important was honoring tradition in your process?

Luigi: Everything about Cardenxe is deeply rooted in Mexican culture and focused on elevating tradition.

We wanted to revive the nearly forgotten practice of drinking sotol — once considered outdated and even taboo outside the North. Now, it’s finally crossing borders again.

The name Cardenxe itself pays homage to El Canto Cardenche — a nod to emotional release and connection to one’s surroundings.

Even our packaging reflects that idea. The artwork draws inspiration from the 1920s avant-garde Estridentismo movement — bold, surreal lines that echo its rebellious spirit. It’s about breaking old paradigms and embracing modern identity, both visually and philosophically.

For those who don’t know — how is sotol different from tequila or mezcal?

Luigi: Sotol isn’t tequila or mezcal — it’s its own spirit entirely. It’s made from the wild desert plant Dasylirion, not agave, and grows in the harsh, arid soils of northern Mexico.

Its flavor is crisp, herbal, and mineral — lighter than mezcal, more complex than tequila. Sotol even has its own denomination of origin in Chihuahua, Durango, and Coahuila. It’s the spirit of the North — ancient, rooted, and alive.

Can you walk us through how Cardenxe is made, from plant to bottle?

Luigi: Absolutely. The process is similar to artisanal mezcal. We use mature wild Dasylirion harvested in Chihuahua and Durango.

The piñas are cooked in volcanic stone-lined earthen pits, then macerated and fermented naturally with local yeasts. After that, the must is double-distilled in small copper alembics, with meticulous sensory selection at each cut.

We use local spring water to bring the spirit down to proof — no aging, no additives — just pure expression of terroir.

The name Cardenxe carries poetic weight. Why did you choose it, and what does it mean to you?

Luigi: The name Cardenxe runs deep. It’s about catharsis — that raw release of emotion.

It comes from El Canto Cardenche, a powerful desert song about love, sorrow, and everything in between. The word itself references the Cardenche cactus — a northern Mexican plant with thick red thorns that pierce deeply and are difficult to remove.

It’s a perfect metaphor for emotions — once they go deep, they leave a mark.

How do music, poetry, and desert culture shape the brand’s identity?

Luigi: Depth is everything for us. Cardenxe represents a soulful way of drinking — an invitation to feel, to connect.

We build the brand at the intersection of art, music, and emotion. Each bottle tells a story of place and feeling, and every collaboration we do — from artistic activations to live performances — aims to inspire creativity and emotional resonance.

You’re bridging tradition with modern mixology. How do you balance authenticity with innovation?

Luigi: Traditionally, sotol was enjoyed neat or on the rocks with a bit of lemon — or infused with local ingredients like apple, nuts, or cherry.

I often say sotol sits somewhere between mezcal and gin. It has that gentle smokiness of mezcal, but also a fragrant herbality that recalls gin botanicals.

Today, bartenders around the world are experimenting with sotol in cocktails — reimagining classic gin drinks to uncover new layers of flavor. It’s an exciting time, because innovation is helping people discover sotol’s depth in fresh, modern ways.

How has Cardenxe changed your own relationship with Mexico’s landscapes and traditions?

Luigi: Traveling across northern Mexico changed everything for me.

It opened my eyes to colors I didn’t know existed, to flavors and traditions I’d never imagined. The desert has its own rhythm — quiet, vast, emotional.

Cardenxe became my way of sharing that beauty and emotion with the world — a love letter to the Mexican desert and its spirit.

Where do you see sotol — and Cardenxe — in five years?

Luigi: Sotol is the next frontier of Mexican spirits.

Just as tequila gave way to mezcal, sotol is now stepping into the spotlight. More people are discovering Mexico beyond its clichés — its landscapes, food, and soul — and sotol fits perfectly into that renaissance.

In five years, I see sotol as a staple in bars worldwide — not just Mexican bars. It’s a friendlier alternative to mezcal, more aromatic than tequila, and, above all, deeply authentic.

As the conversation winds down, the air feels warm — the way it does when good stories meet good spirits. Luigi raises his glass, and the scent of sotol drifts like desert wind — earthy, wild, and full of memory.

If you haven’t yet tasted Cardenxe Sotol, this is your sign. Join us for Pulp Magazine’s Art & Sotol Halloween Edition, happening Friday, October 24 at 8:00 PM in Miami Ironside. Costumes welcome, creativity required, and of course — Cardenxe Sotol included.

Come sip, paint, and unleash your inner monster.

SAVE YOUR SPOT!