Agave & Tequila Tasting
Last updated: May 09, 2025
More than just tequila, agave is used to make a whole range of different spirits and products from sotol to raicilla. This essential Mexican plant has been used to make various spirits, drinks and remedies for centuries.
Learn more about Mexico’s diverse and detailed distilling history and taste your way through well-known and obscure examples of agave-based products.
Our public tequila tasting sessions take place one Saturday afternoon a month at TT in Shoreditch , with private sessions available 7 days a week.
Tasting Format
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Length:
Recommended class lasts for two hours.
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Reception Cocktail:
Enjoy a tequila-based cocktail before your tasting begins.
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Introduction:
Your instructor will outline some of the rich history of agave-based distillates and their rise in popularity.
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Taste a Range of Agave-Based Products:
Guests will be guided through seven different styles of agave-based spirits including tequilas, mezcals and more.
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Food:
Charcuterie boards courtesy of Cobble Lane Cured are available for private tastings upon request.
We have a range of dedicated event spaces in which to hold our tastings, Public Tastings are usually held for between around 10 and 20 people to ensure the most in-depth and interactive experience for all our guests but for private tastings we can accommodate up to 50 guests or even more with enough prior notice.
Public Tastings
Our range of public tastings are perfect for smaller groups of five or less. We run a rotating selection of classes every Saturday at 1pm. At the moment, there’s whisk(e)y, gin and tequila to choose from, and you’ll be joining a group of like-minded individuals.
Private Tastings
Our private tastings are perfect for groups of six or more keen to develop their appreciation for their chosen spirit. Every aspect of our private tastings are customizable, from your welcome drink all the way up to the bottles you’ll be working your way through on the day. Get in touch today to d
Gift Vouchers
Not sure when you want to join us? Buying for somebody else? Get yourself a gift voucher. Our vouchers are redeemable for any session of the chosen experience and are valid for a whole year from the date of purchase. You can choose a physical voucher to collect in store or receive in the post, and
Group Enquiry
If you want to make a private booking for a group, or have any specific needs that require our attention, our enquiry form is the fastest route to the answers you need. Once completed, one of our team will be in touch.
Public tastings: Whisk(e)y every other week, Gin and Agave once a month. The next tasting session:
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We had a tequila tasting experience, curated by Sasha and quite simply, it was awesome. I would thoroughly recommend - the venue is great, service is great and the tequilas were phenomenal.
Brendan Weekes
Google Review
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I brought my partner to an Agave Tasting for his birthday and our expert Za was incredibly knowledgeable, enthusiastic and passionate about her craft. A really wonderful masterclass, I could have listened to her tell us stories over many more tequilas! Have been back since with friends and the food is incredible! :-)
Alison Arnopp
Google Review
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A friend took me to a tequila tasting for my birthday and we had a fantastic time. The tasting was led by Za who was wonderful. Her knowledge was incredible and she created a really fun atmosphere for everyone. We got to try 7 different tequilas and I definitely took away some great advice!
Danny A
Google Review
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Who knew about tequila?! Great lesson with Danica
Grace Landale-Down
Google Review
Whsik(e)y Tastings
Taste your way around the world of whisk(e)y on one of our weekly tasting sessions. Be guided through a selection of 7 expressions and learn more about the history and production of the liquid.
Gin Tastings
From mother’s ruin to indie darling, gin’s more popular now than ever, taste your way through the history and production process of this celebrated spirit on one of our monthly gin tastings.
Cocktail Classes
Our cocktail classes are 100% interactive, every guest makes and drinks a selection of five cocktails using their own equipment and area behind one of our custom-built cocktail bars. Private bookings available, any time, any size.
Group Enquiry
If you want to make a private booking for a group, or have any specific needs that require our attention, our enquiry form is the fastest route to the answers you need. Once completed, one of our team will be in touch.
Buy Vouchers
If you’d like to buy a voucher as a gift, or are unsure which specific day to join us, this is your best route. Gift-wrapped and digital vouchers are available for public masterclasses, tastings, virtual classes, and film screenings.
Book Direct
Book directly on to any public class, tasting, or event via our simple online booking form. This includes our in-house public cocktail classes, virtual classes, film screenings, in-house tastings, and more.
Redeem Voucher
If you’ve been given a voucher, or gone ahead and purchased one for yourself, you can redeem it here using our form. Even if your voucher was purchased elsewhere (Virgin Experience etc.) this is the place to redeem it.
Previous One-Off Tasting Events
Previous Tasting Event: TASTING SESSIONS – EL RAYO TEQUILA
Tom & Jack joined us for a tequila tasting to introduce their new premium tequila brand, El Rayo.
From sipping their first Añejo in Peckham to the agave fields of Jalisco and back again, the pair will discuss their journey in setting up the brand and their vision to add something new to the tequila category that celebrates contemporary Mexico.
They went through what makes their tequila different and introduced their perfect El Rayo serve – the tequila and tonic or T&T. Having only launched the product in May, this will be a unique opportunity to taste one of the first bottles of El Rayo in the UK.
Their tequila is unique in that it uses a combination of highland and lowland agave, which brings out the best from both growing regions. Predominantly highland agaves are used in production which harnesses floral and citrus flavours. This is then anchored by the more peppery and vegetal tones that come through with subtlety from the lowland agaves.
Expect delicate flavours on the nose, a buttery and viscous mouth feel that ends with a gentle yet empowering finish packed full of agave flavour. Join us for a taste of modern Mexico!
Previous Tasting Event: TASTING SESSIONS – OCHO TEQUILA
As we entered the merry month of May, We welcomed in tequila masters, Ocho, for another exclusive Tasting Session down in our subterranean vaults.
The good people behind Ocho believe that good things come to those who wait – that’s why theirs is one of the last remaining tequilas that is still made slowly, in the old fashioned way, resulting in a fine quality spirit that accentuates the agave flavour.
Our learned host guided us through the fascinating tale of the brand’s conception, as well as the unique processes that set their liquid apart. We also learned about the increasing role that terroir has in the world of tequila, and how Ocho have harnessed this trend spectacularly – to the extent that they have scooped numerous prizes at the Sustainable Spirit Award at TOTC.
Following a welcome cocktail in our Cellar Bar, guests will then take part in a guided tasting of their full award-winning range down in our vaults. Tickets are £10 per head and are available via the link below.
Previous Tasting Event: LMW 2019 – MEZCAL TASTING FESTIVAL INDUSTRY
Mezcal-based celebrations here in Shoreditch, we hosted a two-day tasting spectacular on Friday 19th & Saturday 20th July.
True to the spirit of London Mezcal Week, the festival was geared towards celebrating traditionally made agave spirits in all their forms and will constitute one of the largest mezcal tastings ever conducted on these shores.
To that end, there was a stellar cast of over 50 brands on display – featuring everything from traditional mezcals, to your sotols and Baconoras – and guests were treated to six hours of guided tastings and insights from some of the leading lights in the industry.
There were also seminars, during which industry experts and mezcaleros shared their insights into the trends, production and the drink’s startling increase in popularity over the past few years.
Whilst learning all about Mexico’s original agave spirit, guests also got to sample Mexican small plates and snacks and enjoy specially crafted mezcal cocktails – in our Cellar Bar – courtesy of our expert bar team.
An Interview with Dangerous Don’s Thea Cumming – Mezcal, Community, and Building a Brand
As part of our continued celebration of agave spirits and the incredible people behind them, we’re looking back at one of our favourite past interviews—recorded while we were still based in our former Kingsland Road venue—with our long-time friend and mezcal maven, Thea Cumming.
Thea is the founder of Dangerous Don Mezcal, owner of Dona, a mezcal bar in Stoke Newington, and co-founder of London Mezcal Week. We caught up with her to talk mezcal, navigating lockdowns, and how direct-to-consumer thinking changed her brand’s trajectory.
For those who don’t know you yet, can you give us a quick intro?
Hi, I’m Thea, I’m the brand owner of Dangerous Don Mezcal. I also run a mezcal bar called Dona, and I co-founded London Mezcal Week with my friend Melanie.
When we last caught up with you the industry looked very different. What’s changed for Dangerous Don since then?
Well, the obvious one—bars and restaurants were shut for a long time. That was tough, but it pushed us to pivot. We’d always struggled with traditional on-trade distribution and hadn’t really focused on selling direct to consumers. So, during lockdown, we launched an online shop and started a fulfilment setup to sell direct.
It was a real shift. We started doing virtual cocktail tutorials, speaking directly to customers, and suddenly Dangerous Don was landing in people’s homes. I even reached out to friends and family—“We’re in a bit of a bind, but you can buy direct now”—and people really stepped up.
The big takeaway? Talking directly to consumers changed everything. Mezcal is still an emerging category, and people need education and story. Consumers want to connect. And unlike the trade, where budgets are tight, individuals will happily pay a couple of pounds more for something they believe in.
Remind us how you first got into the drinks world—it wasn’t exactly a straight path, was it?
Definitely not! I grew up in Devon and worked in bars and restaurants from about age 12. After uni, I got a job at Pitt Cue in London—that was bourbon and BBQ heaven. It sparked my love for spirits.
Then I went travelling. We drove across the US, visited all the bourbon distilleries, then ended up in Mexico, where I discovered mezcal in Puerto Escondido. It was a total lightbulb moment. I loved hospitality, I loved spirits, and here was something unlike anything I’d tasted before. So I said, “I’m going to start a mezcal brand and call it Dangerous Don” (after my dad’s old nickname). I had no idea what I was doing, but I just went for it. A year later, I shipped my first pallet.
At the time of this interview, we were using Dangerous Don mezcal in our virtual tasting boxes. Want to tell people what they were sampling?
Yes! It was our latest expression—a 100% espadín mezcal from Santa Maria Quiegolani in Oaxaca. It’s made traditionally and classified as artisanal, but the key for me was creating something more approachable. Less smoky than some mezcals, more floral, softer. I wanted something that worked beautifully in cocktails but also stood up on its own.
One of my favourite serves is super simple: Dangerous Don over ice with a botanical tonic like fig and prickly pear from Sekforde. It’s clean, subtle, and lets the mezcal speak for itself.
General FAQ's
We host the majority of our public masterclasses at TT in Shoreditch (Great Eastern St) and at Mixology Events in Covent Garden (Maiden Lane), where we have dedicated masterclass lounges that are fully set up when you arrive – freeing you up to make cocktails continuously for 2 hours without waiting for anyone to set anything up for you.
All tastings are hosted at TT in Shoreditch.
Cocktail classes and spirit tastings both run for 2 hours including a short break in the middle.
You can book as far in advance as you like. Our tastings and public cocktail classes are always on the same days of the week or month, and this is unlikely to change.
No, there’s no dress code per se. Wear whatever you feel comfortable in, bearing in mind you will be on your feet for around two hours.
Bookings FAQ's
Click here to book your place.
Find the class you wish to book and continue through the checkout as normal and pay securely online.
Prefer to speak to someone? Give us a call on 020 7183 9503— we’re always happy to help and can take your booking over the phone. If you run into any issues, get in touch with us here.
Click here to book your place.
If you’ve got a voucher, follow the steps and, when you reach the payment page, select ‘Use a voucher.’ Pop in your voucher details, hit book, and we’ll be in touch to confirm everything.
Prefer to speak to someone? Give us a call on 020 7183 9503— we’re always happy to help and can take your booking over the phone. If you run into any issues, get in touch with us here.
Fill out the form with your details and select “Mixology Masterclass” or “Spirit Tasting” from the enquiry type dropdown, select location, group size and date if known. Please add any other specific details to the More information section and we will get back to you as soon as possible with details.
Prefer to speak to someone? Give us a call on 020 7183 9503 — we’re always happy to help and can take your details over the phone.
Vouchers & Public Classes FAQ's
They last 12 months exactly from the purchase date. If something comes up and you give us a call within that time frame we will try our best to be pretty flexible when it comes to extending them, if you’re nice ;-).
Click here to redeem your voucher.
Follow the steps and when you are taken to the payment page, select ‘use a voucher.’ Enter your voucher details and hit book and we’ll be in touch to confirm everything.
Alternatively, give us a call on 020 7183 9503 and we’ll happily book them over the phone for you. If you have any issues making a booking just get in touch with us here.
As soon as we receive a voucher order they’re sent out via first class post. Depending on how busy Royal Mail is, you’ll usually receive your physical vouchers in 2-3 working days. If you’ve made your order on the weekend we will aim to send it out the following Monday. Christmas and bank holidays may affect this. If you need it sooner, you can Download a printable version here.
