Sight guide · Oaxaca · Mexico
Visiting Mezcal tasting
Oaxaca produces most of Mexico's mezcal, and the city's mezcalerías pour small-batch spirits made from espadín, tobalá, tepeztate and other agaves, often with orange slices and sal de gusano (worm salt).
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Mezcal tasting is an experience in Centro Histórico, Oaxaca. Allow 1–2 hours; it is mid-priced. Booking ahead is not usually needed.
Key facts
- Type
- Experience
- Area
- Centro Histórico
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Not usually needed
- Good for
- food, after dark and couples
- Best months
- January–February and May
About Mezcal tasting
Oaxaca produces most of Mexico's mezcal, and the city's mezcalerías pour small-batch spirits made from espadín, tobalá, tepeztate and other agaves, often with orange slices and sal de gusano (worm salt). A guided tasting explains how roasting in earth pits gives mezcal its smoky flavour.
Tip: Ask for the agave type and the producer's village for each pour, and sip slowly; artisanal mezcal can be well above 45% alcohol.
Plan your visit
- Time needed: 1–2 hours.
- Cost: Mid-priced.
- Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
- Where: Centro Histórico, zócalo, cathedral and markets in the colonial grid.
Best time to visit Mezcal tasting
To avoid the biggest crowds, aim for the quietest of the good months:
- February: 29°C (84°F) highs, about 1 rainy days, quiet crowds.
- May: 32°C (90°F) highs, about 8 rainy days, quiet crowds.
- January: 27°C (81°F) highs, about 1 rainy days, moderate crowds.
When to visit Oaxaca has the full month-by-month picture.
Fit it into your trip
Our 3-day Oaxaca itinerary visits Mezcal tasting on day 3, together with Museo Textil de Oaxaca, Museo de Arte Prehispánico Rufino Tamayo and Oaxacan cooking class.
- No. 16 of the 17 sights in our Oaxaca things-to-do list.
- Day 2 of the 2-day plan.
- Day 3 of the 5-day plan.
Near Mezcal tasting
Also in Centro Histórico, so you can walk between them:
- Oaxacan cooking class — 4–6 hours, expensive
- Museo de Arte Prehispánico Rufino Tamayo — 1 hour, low cost
- Museo Textil de Oaxaca — 1 hour, low cost
Staying near Mezcal tasting
Stay in Centro Histórico ($$) to walk here: zócalo, cathedral and markets in the colonial grid. All areas to stay in Oaxaca.
Questions travellers ask
+How long do you need at Mezcal tasting?
Plan 1–2 hours. With Oaxacan cooking class nearby, it fits a half-day in Centro Histórico.
+Is Mezcal tasting free?
No, it is mid-priced. Tickets are usually available on the day.
+When is the best time to visit Mezcal tasting?
January–February and May, the quietest of the good months. Ask for the agave type and the producer's village for each pour, and sip slowly; artisanal mezcal can be well above 45% alcohol.
+Do I need to book Mezcal tasting in advance?
Usually not: you can decide on the day.