Experience Agave - Oaxaca
Experience Agave - Oaxaca
5
10:00 AM - 5:00 AM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 AM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 AM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 AM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 AM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 AM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 AM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 AM
Full view
About
Private, in-depth day tours of artesanal and traditional mezcal distilleries (palenques). Led by a bilingual guide with a deep knowledge of mezcal and insider connections. Special requests most welcome.
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Experience Agave - Oaxaca
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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5.0
36 reviews
Excellent
34
Very good
1
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
1
Sandy H
2 contributions
Sep 2021
This was an amazing day for us beginning to end. The mezcal tour was phenomenal and so educational. The tasting was fabulous, learning all of the differences between the different mezcal. Our driver was very nice and helpful. We also enjoyed the additional stops to the gallery and public market. I would highly recommend this company!!!
Written October 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Aaron S
Hampton3 contributions
Oct 2021 • Friends
Now we understand why Oaxaca is the cuisine capital of Mexico … the variety, the depth of flavors, the intense colors(mole), the dedication to perfection. Our guides (Dari, Kami) made our trip educational, inspirational, and above all, FUN!
Experience Agave gets 5 Stars+
Experience Agave gets 5 Stars+
Written October 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
TravelingKims
Central Florida, FL9 contributions
May 2021
Excellent day! My husband and I were able to book this excursion on our first trip traveling since the start of the pandemic. First, Clayton was wonderful to communicate with regarding tourism opening back up and answered my many questions. After speaking with him a few times I felt very comfortable to take part in this tour. He genuinely cares about the people that we would be interacting with in the various villages.
Second, upon booking Clayton introduced me to Dari who would be our guide for the day. Prior to arriving in Oaxaca Dari sent me a thorough list of restaurants at my request. Fantastic recommendations. He even offered to pick us up from the airport which was very thoughtful.
Now the day of the tour - Dari made it the perfect day for us starting with his favorite coffee stop on our way out of town to delicious breakfast stop. He took us to a wonderful village to see the art of alebrijes. Our day continued with a stop at two mezcal distilleries in Santa Catarina Minas. It was so neat to see the process of mezcal and experience the maestros working. I appreciate the knowledge that Dari imparted to a mezcal newbie like me. (He has graciously continued to answer my questions even upon me returning home.) My biggest regret is not bringing home some of the mezcal we tried. I guess I will have to return.
I travel a lot and have had a variety of tour guides. Dari is one of the best. I appreciate tour guides who are more like a friend than a business person. Dari is thoughtful, observant, and personable both with us as tourists as well as with the people in the communities we visited.
One more tip - ask Dari to take you to Dona Gloria's for the best mole you'll taste in Oaxaca!
Second, upon booking Clayton introduced me to Dari who would be our guide for the day. Prior to arriving in Oaxaca Dari sent me a thorough list of restaurants at my request. Fantastic recommendations. He even offered to pick us up from the airport which was very thoughtful.
Now the day of the tour - Dari made it the perfect day for us starting with his favorite coffee stop on our way out of town to delicious breakfast stop. He took us to a wonderful village to see the art of alebrijes. Our day continued with a stop at two mezcal distilleries in Santa Catarina Minas. It was so neat to see the process of mezcal and experience the maestros working. I appreciate the knowledge that Dari imparted to a mezcal newbie like me. (He has graciously continued to answer my questions even upon me returning home.) My biggest regret is not bringing home some of the mezcal we tried. I guess I will have to return.
I travel a lot and have had a variety of tour guides. Dari is one of the best. I appreciate tour guides who are more like a friend than a business person. Dari is thoughtful, observant, and personable both with us as tourists as well as with the people in the communities we visited.
One more tip - ask Dari to take you to Dona Gloria's for the best mole you'll taste in Oaxaca!
Written July 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
MCLindgren
1 contribution
Mar 2020
This tour was so worth it. Our guide was Dary, who provided invaluable mezcal information as well as useful tips for our stay in Oaxaca.
The tour was customized based on Dary's knowledge of the area/our requests. It was really cool to see mezcal producers in their element - we happily brought home lots of mezcal we would not have been able to buy had we not gone on this tour.
Additionally, our lunch stop had some of the best food we had during our week in Oaxaca.
Our expectations were exceeded.
The tour was customized based on Dary's knowledge of the area/our requests. It was really cool to see mezcal producers in their element - we happily brought home lots of mezcal we would not have been able to buy had we not gone on this tour.
Additionally, our lunch stop had some of the best food we had during our week in Oaxaca.
Our expectations were exceeded.
Written March 31, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
jay_baer_bloomington
Bloomington, IN7 contributions
Mar 2020 • Friends
Absolutely incredible. Extraordinary guides (Kami is the bomb), unbelievable food, and up-close access to some of the worlds greatest mezcal makers.
Whole trip is incredibly well-organized, educational, and fun.
Highly recommended if you love agave spirits, and are okay going off the beaten path a bit.
This is my second trip with Experience Agave and i recommend them to everyone. I’ll be back again!
Whole trip is incredibly well-organized, educational, and fun.
Highly recommended if you love agave spirits, and are okay going off the beaten path a bit.
This is my second trip with Experience Agave and i recommend them to everyone. I’ll be back again!
Written March 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Missesball
Lompoc, CA8 contributions
Nov 2019
We first learned about Experience Mezcal back in 2017. We wanted a more authentic mezcal tour outside of Oaxaca city and they were extremely accommodating despite our last minute booking. We could not have asked for a more thoughtful and hospitable guide than Darinel. He grew up locally and knew all of the mezcaleros from each of the little towns. This wasn't our first experience with mezcal so we wanted something a little more gritty and he introduced us to many of the tiny producers who don't distill under their own label.
After that, we booked a second trip with a large group of friends who were brand new to the mezcal world. True to form, Dary knew where to take us so we could all enjoy the mezcal experience and everyone left an enthusiast.
This last tour over Thanksgiving weekend was the cherry on top. We spent three days in the low jungle of Sierra Norte for an immersive mezcal adventure where we learned to make Pechuga at Mezcal Tosba. There, we met the mind behind the company, Clayton, whose passion for agave spirits and Mexican culture is contagious. It was unlike anything I've ever done and I left feeling like we'd known one another for years.
If you're wavering at all between which mezcal company to choose from, do not hesitate to book with these guys. They are top-notch professionals, and no matter what your experience is with mezcal so far, you will leave with a new perspective and so many memories.
After that, we booked a second trip with a large group of friends who were brand new to the mezcal world. True to form, Dary knew where to take us so we could all enjoy the mezcal experience and everyone left an enthusiast.
This last tour over Thanksgiving weekend was the cherry on top. We spent three days in the low jungle of Sierra Norte for an immersive mezcal adventure where we learned to make Pechuga at Mezcal Tosba. There, we met the mind behind the company, Clayton, whose passion for agave spirits and Mexican culture is contagious. It was unlike anything I've ever done and I left feeling like we'd known one another for years.
If you're wavering at all between which mezcal company to choose from, do not hesitate to book with these guys. They are top-notch professionals, and no matter what your experience is with mezcal so far, you will leave with a new perspective and so many memories.
Written March 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dear missesball,
Thank you so much for your enthusiastic review! It was a pleasure having you along, and we hope to have you back on a tour someday!
Saludos.
Written March 17, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Felisa Rogers
Deadwood, OR13 contributions
Nov 2019
The word unique is overused, but this truly was a unique experience. I've been traveling in Mexico for forty years and am a seasoned travel writer. I've visited many mezcal palenques on my own. Thus, I was skeptical about going on a tour. But I'm so glad I did. I would never have been able to get this kind of access on my own.
After a fun orientation night in the city of Oaxaca, we got up early in the morning to travel far into the lush Sierra de Juarez mountains to the remote Tosba distillery and the home turf of master distiller Edgar González, his wife Andrea, and his charming family.
The accommodations were rustic, as advertised. A few of us brought tents and the other guests slept in a basic bunkhouse. But we were treated like kings. Andrea Gonzalez is an amazing cook who specializes in local, indigenous delicacies. We feasted on venison ribs, giant homemade tortillas, fresh eggs, incredible salsas, and black beans, all cooked over a wood fire.
We spent two full days at the Tosba palenque, and our tour leader and Edgar had perfectly timed it so we were able to participate in or witness all aspects of the distilling process--from farm to table. We toured Tosba's sustainable agave farm, planted agave seedlings, witnessed harvest, helped fill the ovens, later helped remove cooked agave from the steaming pit, and then watched the traditional crushing of the gave hearts with a horse-powered tahona. Meanwhile, Edgar was distilling a batch of pechuga and we sat up at night in the glow of the wood-fired still, sampling the "fresh" mezcal--from heads to tails.
Highlights included hiking to drink mezcal in a tropical waterfall and hanging out with a great group of people. Edgar and Andrea are lovely, tour leader Clayton Szczech is charming and adept at sharing his deep knowledge of agave spirits, and Experience Agave guide Darinel Silva was incredibly attentive and made everyone feel at home and cared for. Partially through Szczech's ability to put people at ease, our group of (mostly) strangers soon coalesced into a lively and relaxed group of friends.
Overall, the entire experience felt fun and relaxed while simultaneously engaging, rich in detail, and well-organized. I learned a lot.
This was a real adventure and an experience of a lifetime.
After a fun orientation night in the city of Oaxaca, we got up early in the morning to travel far into the lush Sierra de Juarez mountains to the remote Tosba distillery and the home turf of master distiller Edgar González, his wife Andrea, and his charming family.
The accommodations were rustic, as advertised. A few of us brought tents and the other guests slept in a basic bunkhouse. But we were treated like kings. Andrea Gonzalez is an amazing cook who specializes in local, indigenous delicacies. We feasted on venison ribs, giant homemade tortillas, fresh eggs, incredible salsas, and black beans, all cooked over a wood fire.
We spent two full days at the Tosba palenque, and our tour leader and Edgar had perfectly timed it so we were able to participate in or witness all aspects of the distilling process--from farm to table. We toured Tosba's sustainable agave farm, planted agave seedlings, witnessed harvest, helped fill the ovens, later helped remove cooked agave from the steaming pit, and then watched the traditional crushing of the gave hearts with a horse-powered tahona. Meanwhile, Edgar was distilling a batch of pechuga and we sat up at night in the glow of the wood-fired still, sampling the "fresh" mezcal--from heads to tails.
Highlights included hiking to drink mezcal in a tropical waterfall and hanging out with a great group of people. Edgar and Andrea are lovely, tour leader Clayton Szczech is charming and adept at sharing his deep knowledge of agave spirits, and Experience Agave guide Darinel Silva was incredibly attentive and made everyone feel at home and cared for. Partially through Szczech's ability to put people at ease, our group of (mostly) strangers soon coalesced into a lively and relaxed group of friends.
Overall, the entire experience felt fun and relaxed while simultaneously engaging, rich in detail, and well-organized. I learned a lot.
This was a real adventure and an experience of a lifetime.
Written March 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dear glassmongoose,
Thank you so much for your extremely thorough review! It was a pleasure having you along, and we hope to have you back on a tour someday!
Saludos.
Written March 17, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
OrangeOrb
Redlands, CA35 contributions
Nov 2019
I'm an independent traveller. I speak Spanish. I can find my own way and have great experiences. BUT I had my eyes opened on this four-day guided stimulation called the "Pechuga Tour". The objective was to go get some hands-on experience at distilling mezcal. Sure enough, we did get crazy hands on with making Mezcal - piling in the firewood, jumping in the fire pit to pull out the cooked heads of agave, taking sip samples of the mezcal as it dribbled out of the still. So mission accomplished, but I have to say it was much more than that. This odd mix of tour participants - urbanites, mostly thirties/some forties, some international - didn't seem like it was going to click when we first met - but we ended up pulling together over the four days, especially when mixed with the charismatic glue of our leader, Clayton Czchzczk. We just really had a fun time getting to know each other. The food, all cooked outside on wood, was excellent. The family hosting us was excellent. The cliffside waterfall pool bathing was excellent. The buzzed sing-along of "Soy el Rey" with the neighborhood band was excellent! Tours can be awful, but this Experience Agave tour proved to me that, wow, with the right leadership and a company that attracts these kinds of participants - that was an experience that I could never achieve on my own. Clayton and crew, you have established the benchmark for what makes great tour experiences absolutely great. You have truly achieved something with this. WELL DONE!!
Written March 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dear OrangeOrb,
Thanks so very much for your fantastic review! Also, LOL re: Clayton's last name. It's indeed a doozy!
Saludos!
Written March 17, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
OrangeOrb
Redlands, CA35 contributions
Jul 2019
My wife, son, and I went on Experience Agave's Mezcal day trip to the area outlying from Oaxaca City. We walked away jaws dropped - it was such a rich, fun, mind-boggling, delicious, and even touching experience. We went in a private car, led by Dari, a mezcal savant, to two different pechugas in the Las Minas area. One was a clay pot still, the other copper, out in the middle of nowhere, like little moonshine shacks minus all creepiness. We tasted lots of different varieties, were blown away by the quality, and brought back plenty (thanks, Dari, for having the forsight to have some empty bottles available). We had a really pleasant lunch at the 2nd pechuga with a family whose patriarch had lived and worked in a town right next to ours. We exchanged stories and memories,... we made contact family to family - it was touching to us. This was no cattle call Napa wine-tasting tour - this was a family experience that we will not forget. Well done, well done!!!
Written March 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dear OrangeOrb,
Thanks so very much for your enthusiastic review! It was a pleasure to host you and your family, and we hope to do so again one day!
Saludos!
Written March 17, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Joshtrix
England9 contributions
Oct 2019
I went on one of my favourite tours I've been on, doing a four day experience with Experience Agave, staying on a palenque and being part of the process of making a pechuga mezcal.
This tour went above and beyond my expectations. The experience travelling through and staying in the Sierra Norte mountains, being able to get our hands dirty in the stages of mezcal production was an incredibly unique experience.
The Experience Agave team were engaged throughout, and it was obvious they loved mezcal and genuinely cared for the producer they brought us to, which made the experience all the more special.
The mixture of (a lot of!) mezcal, great company, amazing home-cooked food in an incredible setting will stay with me for a long, long time.
This tour went above and beyond my expectations. The experience travelling through and staying in the Sierra Norte mountains, being able to get our hands dirty in the stages of mezcal production was an incredibly unique experience.
The Experience Agave team were engaged throughout, and it was obvious they loved mezcal and genuinely cared for the producer they brought us to, which made the experience all the more special.
The mixture of (a lot of!) mezcal, great company, amazing home-cooked food in an incredible setting will stay with me for a long, long time.
Written March 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Thanks so much, Joshtrix! We hope to have you back in Oaxaca someday! Saludos.
Written March 11, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mariamarta P
Antigua, Guatemala
¿Cómo podemos hacer reservación para el 2 de julio? Somos dos personas
Nicolas P
Tulum, Mexico1 contribution
Hola, como hago para reservar el tour? Sería para la próxima semana miércoles, jueves o viernes. Una persona, gracias
JaimeCaruthers
Mexico City, Mexico51 contributions
Hola! Se puede reservar en nuestro sitio Web (Trip Advisor no nos permite poner enlaces). Te esperamos!