Traditional breakfast at the Tlacolula market and a tour of an ancestral and an industrial palenque. Learn how to identify the differences in mezcal production and enjoy the tastings.

PRICE: $55
per person

 

Enjoy an authentic Oaxacan experience, designed to get to know Oaxaca through its daily life, its cuisine, and its mezcal tradition, off the beaten tourist track.

The experience kicks off in the morning with a pick-up from your hotel or accommodation in Oaxaca de Juárez. From there, we’ll head to Tlacolula de Matamoros, home to one of the most important traditional markets in the Central Valleys. Upon arrival, you’ll have time to have breakfast at your leisure, choosing from different dishes prepared on the spot by local cooks, such as barbacoa, consomé, tamales, memelas, and traditional drinks, while you get to know the atmosphere and dynamics of the market.

Later, we’ll head to the community of Xaagá, where we’ll visit an ancestral mezcal distillery. A producing family will welcome us to explain the traditional production process, from the maguey to distillation, using techniques inherited for generations. During the visit, you’ll learn to taste mezcal mindfully, identifying aromas, flavors, and characteristics. You’ll also get to try different varieties of ancestral mezcal, understanding their origin and unique features.
At the end of the visit, you’ll have the option to buy mezcal straight from the producer, directly supporting the mezcal family.

To enrich the experience, we’ll continue to a second palenque with a more industrialized approach, where you’ll learn about a different production process. This visit will let you compare manual and ancestral production with more modern methods, understanding the differences in mezcal techniques, volumes, times, and profiles. Here, too, there will be a purchase option for those who are interested, with no obligation.

The experience wraps up with a transfer back to your hotel or accommodation in Oaxaca, ending a full morning of learning, culture, and local flavors.

This activity is designed for those who want to understand mezcal beyond just tasting it, valuing its history, its processes, and its cultural importance in Oaxaca, always with a respectful approach towards the producing communities.

Traditional breakfast of your choice at the Tlacolula market
Compare ancestral mezcal and industrial processes in a single tour
Direct guided tasting with local producers
Option to buy mezcal directly from the producer
A non-touristy experience in real markets and palenques

Hotel pickup and drop-off
Local Spanish-speaking guide
Mezcal tasting at two palenques
Air-conditioned transportation
Breakfast at Tlacolula Market
Tips
Personal expenses
Mezcal bottles

 

 

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