The Ultimate Agave Tasting with Tequila, Mezcal & more!

The real draw here is the chance to compare four different agave spirits in one sitting: tequila, mezcal, raicilla, and bacanora. Amanda leads the tasting at the beachfront Baklava restaurant, where the 4:00 pm start gives you a good shot at sunset views while you sip.

I like the focused format and the thoughtful pairings with fruit and spices. I also like that the lesson goes beyond drinking, showing you how to spot flavor profiles, mix spirits, and choose a bottle with more confidence. The main drawback is that the $79 price does not include food, so you should treat this as a tasting rather than dinner.

• Four spirits in two hours: Compare tequila, mezcal, raicilla, and bacanora without booking separate tastings.
• Beachfront setting: The tasting takes place at Baklava restaurant on Playa Los Picos, with sunset appeal.
• Amanda as your guide: Amanda leads the session and helps with arrival if your taxi has trouble finding the address.
• Fruit and spice pairings: These additions help you notice how different flavors work with each spirit.
• Small group size: The experience allows no more than 15 people, keeping the session fairly contained.
• Practical bottle advice: You leave with guidance on flavor profiles, mixing, pairings, and selecting a bottle.

Four agave spirits at one Bucerías table

This tasting is built around comparison. Instead of spending two hours with only tequila, you sample tequila, mezcal, raicilla, and bacanora in the same session.

That matters because the names can blur together when you are browsing a bar menu or standing in front of a shop shelf. Here, each spirit gets a place in the lineup, giving you a chance to notice how they differ in aroma, taste, and finish.

The tasting includes all four alcoholic drinks and water. You also get fruit and spices to pair with the pours. Those pairings are useful because a spirit can taste quite different beside something sweet, sharp, or aromatic.

The experience does not promise a full meal. Food is not included, so plan on paying separately if you want dinner afterward. That is easy to do at Baklava, where you can stay for a meal after the tasting if the setting suits you.

Why the comparison matters

Tequila is the best-known name in this lineup, so many people will arrive with some idea of what to expect. Mezcal may be familiar too, but raicilla and bacanora can be less familiar to visitors who usually order only tequila.

I like the fact that the session makes room for the less obvious bottles. You are not simply being offered another standard tequila flight. You are given four categories to compare, which makes the $79 price more understandable for anyone who wants a proper introduction to agave spirits.

The value depends on your interest. If you already know these spirits well, two hours and four pours may feel basic. If you are curious but unsure what to buy or order, the guidance on flavor profiles and bottle selection may save you from an expensive guess later.

This is also a good fit for couples and small groups with mixed levels of experience. One person can ask beginner questions while another focuses on production style, mixing, or food pairings. The format is social without requiring a full-day excursion.

A 4:00 pm start at Playa Los Picos

The meeting point is Playa Los Picos 950 in Bucerías, at the Baklava restaurant. The tasting starts at 4:00 pm and ends back at the same location after roughly two hours.

The timing is one of the experience’s best features. A late afternoon start leaves your morning and early afternoon free, then places the tasting near the part of the day when the beach light becomes especially appealing. The setting gives this more atmosphere than a plain indoor tasting room.

You should allow extra time to find the restaurant. One person arrived by taxi and found that the driver did not know the location, leading to a walk of about a quarter mile. Amanda helped by talking the taxi in and waiting outside.

That is useful local advice: show the driver the full address, not just the name of the experience. If you are staying nearby, near public transportation, you still should not assume the driver will recognize the exact restaurant entrance.

The first pours: tequila and mezcal

The tasting begins with the four spirits listed as the starter lineup: tequila, mezcal, raicilla, and bacanora. The exact order may vary, but the point is to try each one before you start making comparisons.

Tequila and mezcal will likely provide the most familiar reference points for many people. I would pay attention to what you smell before tasting, then note which flavors remain after the sip. The fruit and spice pairings give you a simple way to test those impressions rather than relying only on the pour itself.

You do not need to arrive with technical vocabulary. This is an educational tasting, but the stated goal is practical: help you recognize flavor profiles, mix drinks, pair spirits, and choose a bottle. Ask questions as you go, especially if you are trying to decide what you might order again.

Because water is included, use it between pours. That keeps the tasting more comfortable and helps you focus on the differences instead of rushing through four alcoholic drinks.

Raicilla and bacanora bring the surprise

Raicilla and bacanora make this more than a familiar tequila-and-mezcal flight. Their inclusion gives you a reason to pay close attention, since you may not have encountered them before.

I like this part of the format for shoppers. A bottle can look appealing in a store, but a tasting gives you a better sense of what you actually enjoy. The session is designed to help you choose a bottle later, with some understanding of the flavors you prefer.

Do not expect a large number of samples. There are four spirits, and the full session lasts about two hours. The value comes from the explanation and comparison, not from volume. This is a guided tasting, not a night of heavy drinking.

The small maximum of 15 people also matters here. A group that size can still feel social, but it is more manageable than a large bar event. Amanda has room to respond to questions, though the actual amount of personal attention will depend on the group that books.

Fruit, spices, and the difference they make

The tasting pairs the spirits with fruit and spices. These are not presented as a full menu, and food is specifically not included, but they add a useful sensory element.

Try each pairing with an open mind. A spirit that seems too strong on its own may work better beside fruit. A spice may make one pour seem sweeter, sharper, or more aromatic. This is the kind of simple exercise that helps you understand cocktail menus later.

I would not book this expecting a food tour. If dinner is part of your plan, schedule it separately or stay at Baklava afterward. One particularly practical option is to continue with a meal at the same restaurant, avoiding another taxi ride after the tasting.

The arrangement also suits a sunset outing. You get the beach setting, four spirits, and a chance to sit down for dinner afterward. That combination makes the experience feel like part of an evening rather than an isolated appointment.

What Amanda adds to the experience

Amanda is the guide named for this experience, and the available details point to a host who stays involved from arrival through the tasting. Her help with the misplaced taxi is a small but meaningful example. Meeting a guide outside can remove a lot of stress when an address is not familiar to a driver.

The session is offered in English. That makes it practical for English-speaking visitors who want more than a quick pour and a menu description.

The strongest praise centers on Amanda’s presentation, the quality and distinct character of the tequila selection, and the beach setting. You should read that as a sign that the host and atmosphere are central to the experience, not just the alcohol itself.

Still, expectations should stay sensible. A two-hour tasting cannot cover every detail about agave spirits. You will get an introduction with practical advice, not a professional certification or an extended production seminar.

Is $79 a fair price?

At $79 per person, the experience is not the cheapest way to have a drink in Bucerías. You are paying for four included spirits, water, a guided lesson, the fruit and spice pairings, and a beachfront setting.

The cost makes the most sense if you value comparison and instruction. Ordering four separate pours at a bar might cost a similar amount, but you would not necessarily get the same explanation of how to mix, pair, or select a bottle. You also might not encounter all four categories in one place.

The price makes less sense if you want a full dinner, a long tour, or a large number of samples. Food is extra, and the session lasts approximately two hours. Think of it as a focused introduction followed by an optional meal, not an all-inclusive evening.

For a special occasion, a couple’s outing, or a first serious look at agave spirits, I find the value reasonable. For a casual drinker who prefers one familiar tequila, it may be more than necessary.

Who should book this tasting?

I would recommend it to you if you enjoy learning through comparison. It is also a good choice if you want to understand what to look for before buying a bottle, or if you are curious about raicilla and bacanora but do not know where to begin.

The setting makes it especially suitable for an afternoon or evening date. You can meet at 4:00 pm, taste as the day cools, then have dinner at Baklava. The beach gives the experience a sense of place that a generic tasting counter cannot provide.

It may not suit you if you have mobility concerns. The activity is listed as not recommended for people with mobility issues. Service animals are allowed, and the site is near public transportation, but those points do not remove the need to consider your own comfort getting to and around the meeting point.

This is also not the right pick if you want a highly private tasting. The group can include up to 15 people. That is still a modest size, but the experience is not advertised as private.

Booking and cancellation details to know

This experience is often booked about 18 days ahead, so I would reserve early if your dates are fixed. Confirmation arrives at booking, and the mobile ticket makes it easy to keep the details on your phone.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the 4:00 pm start time. Cancellations or changes made inside that window are not refunded or accepted.

Weather matters because the experience requires good conditions. If poor weather causes a cancellation, you can choose another date or receive a full refund. The same choice applies if the minimum number of participants is not reached.

Those rules are fair but worth noting before you arrange dinner around the tasting. Keep the booking details handy, especially the full Playa Los Picos address, and give yourself time for the journey.

My take on the sunset tequila experience

I would book this if you want a relaxed, useful introduction to agave spirits with a strong sense of place. The combination of tequila, mezcal, raicilla, and bacanora gives you more range than a standard tequila flight, while Amanda’s guidance helps turn four pours into a lesson you can use later.

I would skip it if your main goal is a full meal, a long cultural tour, or a large tasting menu. The food is separate, the session is short, and the focus stays firmly on spirits.

For most visitors who like tequila and sunset views, the plan is simple: arrive early, make sure your taxi has the exact address, use the fruit and spices to compare the pours, and leave time for dinner at Baklava afterward. At $79, it is a sensible splurge for curious drinkers who want to understand what they are tasting.

FAQ

Where does the agave tasting start?

The experience starts at Playa Los Picos 950, Sin Nombre Loc. Bucerias, 63732 Bucerías, Nayarit, Mexico. The tasting takes place at the Baklava restaurant.

What time does the tasting begin?

The start time is 4:00 pm.

How long does the experience last?

The tasting lasts approximately two hours and ends back at the meeting point.

Which spirits are included?

Tequila, mezcal, raicilla, and bacanora are included, along with water.

Is food included in the price?

No. Food is not included, though fruit and spices are used as pairings during the tasting.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time for a full refund.