We stayed for an enchanting five nights at Cala De Mar resort in Ixtapa Mexico this past winter of 2024 (full review coming soon!), and one of the highlights of our stay was a small group Mezcal class. Mezcal abounds in Mexico, and while Tequila has really taken off here in the USA, Mezcal is more artisanal, and tastes way more interesting. I’m glad it’s still a bit under the radar here, as prices are generally much higher than tequila due to the fact that it is still mostly hand made. We enjoyed mezcal cocktails all over Mexico City, including at Quintonil, a two-star Michelin restaurant which you can read about here, and the bustling Limantour, which is cute, hip, and one of the World’s 50 Best Bars to hang out at in the very chic Roma neighborhood of Mexico City.

The class itself took place in the breezy terrace at one of the main restaurants at the resort, and a gorgeous set up with all sorts of glasses and accoutrements were assembled for us before our arrival. We learned later that only one of the glasses provided was the proper drinking vessel for mezcal! I enjoyed trying the same mezcal in the different glasses to see how the taste changes.

Our extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic teacher took us slowly through the mezcal distillation process, and we learned about how mezcal is made from many different types of agave plants, leading to widely varying levels of quality and taste. We tasted several mezcals from different plants to really hone in on the flavor profiles, and learned about the origins of mezcal, as well as some of the different ways it is made today. It was eye-opening to try these different types of mezcal one after the other to really improve our understanding of the various flavor profiles.

Finally, we were offered the opportunity to create our own salt rims to take home with us, and we were provided with several jars of ingredients to choose from, including salt, chocolate, peppery spices, and even grasshoppers and crickets to mash up.

This was a very fun and interesting tasting, and we definitely were a happy bunch by the end of it! I took a lot of notes, excited to bring my new knowledge back to some of my wine-tasting friends. Mezcal is so diverse, it easily lends itself to be explored and studied. I’m addicted to its smoky profile, and ready to start sourcing different bottles in the area! If you are staying at Cala De Mar, I would highly recommend the mezcal class, especially if you are looking to expand your knowledge about this delicious spirit!