Oaxaca Mezcal Four Day Experience

A comprehensive introduction to mezcal and Oaxaca through cultural immersion—in a seriously fun and engaging package.

This experience is designed for longtime mezcal aficionados, the newly converted, as well as their family and friends who may not know they love mezcal yet! Meet producers of some of the most traditional mezcales in the region, visit palenques utilizing distinct regional production methods, experience the greatest diversity of maguey species in the world, and enjoy spending each evening in the beautiful, bustling colonial center of Oaxaca City.

This experience is a concentrated and serious introduction to the world of Oaxacan mezcal. We visit mezcaleros producing mezcal with both artisanal and ancestral methods in two different villages. You will touch, smell, and taste all facets of mezcal production, including such millenarian techniques as maguey hand-crushed with wooden mallets, and distillation in clay and bamboo. You will be up close and personal with the people, processes and culture that come together to create the most exciting spirit in the world.

Our friendly, knowledgeable team is there to interpret and help you understand the fascinating traditions kept alive in rural villages for centuries, as well as helping you navigate the abundant and complex world of Oaxacan cuisine. Our guests leave with a very real connection to the people and culture of Oaxaca.

We take a holistic approach to exploring the region through the people, food, music, and the deep folk knowledge behind mezcal to create a truly unforgettable cultural experience.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Delicious Oaxacan meals

Oaxacan cuisine is widely regarded as the best in Mexico. Our itineraries balance dinners in the best of Oaxaca City’s contemporary restaurants with lunches in traditional village eateries. It’s nearly impossible to eat poorly in Oaxaca—get ready to loosen your belt!

Boutique hotel accomodations

We’ll stay in the heart of Oaxaca City’s colonial center. We are in rustic areas during the day, so we work with hospitable, comfortable hotels to create a relaxing oasis each evening.

Professional bilingual team

You’ll have a driver, a hospitality specialist, and a tour leader who is well versed in all things mezcal. You will be taken care of and have all aspects of mezcal production, tasting, culture, history, Oaxaca, and Mexico illuminated for you by enthusiastic professionals who live and breathe mezcal and Mexico.

Four palenque visits and tastings

We vary our itineraries to maximize our guests’ exposure to active mezcal production. The four palenques are chosen with an eye toward a diversity of production methods, flavor profiles, and family histories. We visit producers using both artisanal and ancestral methods, including stone-milling, mallet-crushing, and distillation in copper alembics and clay and bamboo internal condensation (“Phillipine”) stills. We visit producers of some of the highest quality mezcal brands, as well as skilled maestros whose mezcal is bought and consumed locally as soon as it is made.

Pulque tasting

Pulque is the pre-Hispanic fermented alcoholic beverage made from raw agave sap. We will visit an excellent producer for a tasting and pulque to go.

Free time to explore and shop

Oaxaca City is enjoying a full-blown renaissance in food, beverage, and commerce. We make sure to leave time for you to enjoy some time away from the group, and will happily make recommendations.

Private Tour Details

Duration:

Four days, three nights

Group Size:

Two to 10

Dates

September — May

Cost (US Dollars):

Varies according to group size

A 30% deposit is due upon booking. Payment in full is due one week before the tour begins.

Included

Airport pick-up and drop-off
Private, comfortable ground transportation daily
Bilingual, professional team
Four palenque visits and tastings
Three nights boutique hotel accommodations
Meals and beverages

Not Included

Airfare
Mezcal to take home
Tips

Sample Tour Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary only. Distilleries, hotels, restaurants and times are subject to change at any time due to production schedules, availability, weather conditions, or other circumstances.

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4

Various: Oaxaca International Airport arrivals, hotel transfers
Various: Sightseeing / shopping /relaxing in colonial Oaxaca City
5:00pm: Mezcal orientation at the hotel
7:00pm: Dinner in Oaxaca City
9:00pm: Optional drinks around Oaxaca City
Lodging: Casa Antigua, Oaxaca City

9:00am: Breakfast at hotel
10:00am: Depart hotel
11:00am: Private tour and tasting at first palenque (e.g., El Zompantle in Mitla)
1:00pm: Lunch in Santiago Matatlán
2:30pm: Private tour and tasting at second palenque (e.g., Tres Mezquites in San Baltazar Guelavila)
4:30pm: Depart for Oaxaca City
5:30pm: Free time in Oaxaca City
7:30pm: Dinner in Oaxaca City (eg, El Destilado)
9:00pm: Optional drinks around Oaxaca City
Lodging: Casa Antigua, Oaxaca City

9:00am: Breakfast at hotel
10:00am: Depart hotel
11:00am: Private tour and tasting at third palenque (e.g., Real Minero in Santa Catarina Minas)
1:00pm: Lunch in Santa Catarina Minas
2:30pm: Private tour and tasting at fourth palenque (e.g., Félix Ángales in Santa Catarina Minas)
4:30pm: Depart for Oaxaca City
5:30pm: Free time in Oaxaca City
7:30pm: Dinner in Oaxaca City (eg, Origen)
9:00pm: Optional drinks around Oaxaca City
Lodging: Casa Antigua, Oaxaca City

Various: Breakfast and Departures

Tour FAQs

All our multi-day and custom mezcal tours begin with a driver who meets you as you exit customs at Oaxaca City’s Xoxocotlán International Airport (OAX) and transports you to the hotel. Your tour also includes drop-off back at the airport at the end of the experience.

Our four-day, three-night tours spend nights one and three at the same Tlaquepaque hotel, and night two in Tequila or the Highlands. While a daily check-out isn’t ideal, this is a deliberate choice to minimize time spent in the van and maximize time spent experiencing tequila! Each morning, we ask that you have your luggage packed and ready to be loaded into the van when you come to breakfast. Most guests don’t need all their stuff with them, and are more than welcome to leave luggage at the Tlaquepaque hotel when we depart on day two. It will be kept locked up and be waiting for you when we return at the end of day three.

Dress in comfortable clothes and good walking shoes. We strongly discourage sandals, cowboy boots and heels during the day. We will be at high elevation with lots of sun, so bring a hat and plenty of sunscreen. Plan for warm days and cool nights – you’ll want a light jacket, sweater or wrap for nighttime. In general, Mexicans dress more formally than North Americans. You may want to bring one nicer outfit for going out at night.

Jalisco is warm and dry most of the year. We tend to avoid scheduling experiences during the rainy season (June-early September), which features near daily thunderstorms. However, climate change is a reality in Mexico and the weather is increasingly unpredictable. We recommend bringing a light jacket just in case. May is the hottest month of the year in Jalisco, and January is the coolest. Expect daytime highs between 80-90 F (27-32 C) in Guadalajara, and overnight lows between 45-60 F (7-15 C). Add as much as 10 F for daytime highs in the Tequila Valley, and subtract as much as 10F for overnight lows in the Highlands.

Since our guests come from various time zones, day four is essentially just a departure day. Breakfast on day four is included, but there are no other formal activities on the itinerary. Feel free to book your departure flight as early as needed. On the other hand, we’re also happy to make recommendations for extra hours or days in and around Guadalajara.

Still have questions? Explore our FAQ page »

No better way to experience the tequila industry. We tasted incredible tequilas, saw first-hand how tequila is made, learned about the local culture, ate amazing food and walked multiple distilleries with the owners themselves. Unbelievable experience.

Camrodstclair
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
If you love tequila, unrivaled hospitality and a touch of adventure, this is it. Professional yet relaxed, they have nailed the line between higher-end travel and letting your hair down.

brians2830
Bring an extra suitcase for bottles of tequila, a lot of room in your stomach, an open mind, a full heart, and an inquisitive spirit and you’ll have the time of your LIFE.

jaybaer00

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