Private Mezcal Tasting with the Founder at Sorbito — Ultimate Agave Session in London

Step inside a private London tasting room at Sorbito, 178 Stoke Newington Road, and you enter a small, exacting world of Mezcales curated by Jon, founder of The Sin Gusano Project. The Ultimate Agave Spirits Session with the Founder is a closed‑door, two‑hour tasting for up to six guests that pairs close listening with precise samples: at least ten exceptional mezcales presented as 15ml pours alongside salted nibbles and unlimited still and sparkling water. Priced at £250 per person and limited to adults, the session is not a bar crawl; it is a focused education in agave, terroir, and technique. What makes the night stand out is Jon’s private collection and his narrative approach. He walks guests through varietals—from commonly cultivated espadín to elusive wild agaves—and explains production choices that shape flavor: oven versus autoclave, clay or copper stills, pit-smoking levels that yield smoke, vegetal, or earthy profiles. Expect tasting notes that reference volcanic soil, cooked agave sweetness, green herbaceousness, and mineral heat—phrases that map an agave back to a place in Mexico, often Oaxaca or the central valleys, and to a mezcalero’s craft. The scene inside Sorbito feels domestic but professional: small tables with tasting sets, water on hand to reset your palate, and the kind of close conversation that surfaces provenance questions. This is a standout experience in London’s food and drink scene because it translates an inherently rural Mexican tradition into an intimate urban classroom without diluting origin stories or skipping technical detail. Practical details are clear: meet at Sorbito, 178 Stoke Newington Road, N16 7UY; minimum age 18; two hours; maximum six people. Bring curiosity more than gear—palate memory and questions will get the most out of the session. Jon’s selection varies by season and acquisition, so each booking can reveal bottles not available at retail. Because this is a private session in a domestic space, accessibility details and cancellation policy are not listed in the description; contact the host to confirm any mobility needs. The tasting doubles as masterclass: expect to leave with clearer distinctions between joven, reposado, and añejo styles, plus stories about how age, barrel choice, and finishing can alter a spirit. Small groups mean ample time to ask about sourcing, small-batch bottling, and responsible agave harvesting—topics Jon raises to connect flavour to practice.