Tequila Tasting in Cabo
Los Cabos Travelog #8
Downtown Los Cabos - Sun, 5 May 2024, 1pm
This morning I visited a tequila shop for a tequila tasting. I spent a while figuring out where to do it. ...Not because there are few places offering tequila tasting but because there are so many. There's at least one tequila shop on every block in downtown Cabo San Lucas. Seriously, there are as many of them as pharmacies freely selling drugs that are controlled substances in the US. I was concerned a lot of them were shams or not worth the time.
I asked my hotel concierge for a recommendation. He pointed to the hotel's own offering. Or, I should say, offerings. The hotel itself offers, like, 5 different levels of tequila tasting. And the cheapest one cost over $100. Maybe that's not so surprising at a place where a modest, bland lunch costs $133. But even so I was thinking, "Shoot, I can buy a few whole bottles back home and run my own tasting for that kind of money!"
Google Search and TripAdvisor to the rescue. With a few minutes of searching I found two well rated tequila shops that offer tasting/education programs. One, Santos Destileria, seemed to be appointment only and had no appointments listed for today. We figured we'd stop by, though, and ask in person.
Luis, one of the store managers, was there by himself. He told me there's a free tequila tasting program he offers as well as a 45 minute class that costs $30 with an opening at 2pm. (What a bargain compared to hotel prices!) I asked to start with the free tasting, figuring if it went well I'd pay to join the 2:00 class.
Well, with no other customers in the store, Luis spent quite a bit of time with me. He guided me through at least eight different types of tequila and tequila-related liquors. And it was all free. Though Luis tasted each drink with me, pouring himself just as much as he poured me, so he was probably feeling pretty happy by lunchtime. 😂
I appreciated the time Luis spent with me so I figured I'd buy a bottle or two form him. The tasting featured several tequilas made by the store (plus several others with the extra tastings Luis poured) so I figured I'd buy at least one of those. The prices were steep, though. The añejo I liked best was US $110. At that price I wasn't so keen on buying multiple bottles. Plus I have so much tequila at home I haven't drank yet- including one of the two bottles of Esperanto tequila I bought on my last trip to Mexico, 5 years ago. I'd hate to think even more fine liquor might go to waste sitting too long on my shelves. So I stopped at (buying) one bottle.
Downtown Los Cabos - Sun, 5 May 2024, 1pm
This morning I visited a tequila shop for a tequila tasting. I spent a while figuring out where to do it. ...Not because there are few places offering tequila tasting but because there are so many. There's at least one tequila shop on every block in downtown Cabo San Lucas. Seriously, there are as many of them as pharmacies freely selling drugs that are controlled substances in the US. I was concerned a lot of them were shams or not worth the time.
I asked my hotel concierge for a recommendation. He pointed to the hotel's own offering. Or, I should say, offerings. The hotel itself offers, like, 5 different levels of tequila tasting. And the cheapest one cost over $100. Maybe that's not so surprising at a place where a modest, bland lunch costs $133. But even so I was thinking, "Shoot, I can buy a few whole bottles back home and run my own tasting for that kind of money!"
Google Search and TripAdvisor to the rescue. With a few minutes of searching I found two well rated tequila shops that offer tasting/education programs. One, Santos Destileria, seemed to be appointment only and had no appointments listed for today. We figured we'd stop by, though, and ask in person.
Luis, one of the store managers, was there by himself. He told me there's a free tequila tasting program he offers as well as a 45 minute class that costs $30 with an opening at 2pm. (What a bargain compared to hotel prices!) I asked to start with the free tasting, figuring if it went well I'd pay to join the 2:00 class.
Well, with no other customers in the store, Luis spent quite a bit of time with me. He guided me through at least eight different types of tequila and tequila-related liquors. And it was all free. Though Luis tasted each drink with me, pouring himself just as much as he poured me, so he was probably feeling pretty happy by lunchtime. 😂
I appreciated the time Luis spent with me so I figured I'd buy a bottle or two form him. The tasting featured several tequilas made by the store (plus several others with the extra tastings Luis poured) so I figured I'd buy at least one of those. The prices were steep, though. The añejo I liked best was US $110. At that price I wasn't so keen on buying multiple bottles. Plus I have so much tequila at home I haven't drank yet- including one of the two bottles of Esperanto tequila I bought on my last trip to Mexico, 5 years ago. I'd hate to think even more fine liquor might go to waste sitting too long on my shelves. So I stopped at (buying) one bottle.