Tequila vs Mezcal: A London Tasting at Sorbito

At Sorbito on 178 Stoke Newington Road in London, a one-hour 'Tequila vs Mezcal' tasting condenses the geography of Mexico into four neat, smoky-glass moments. Led by a specialist from the Sorbito team, the session pairs two 15 ml tequilas with two 15 ml mezcals, and adds filtered still and sparkling water to reset the palate. It’s compact, convivial, and designed for anyone curious about agave spirits rather than seasoned collectors.

The experience begins at the bar—an urban storefront that reads like a field classroom for spirits. The key features are the agave flavors themselves: tequila distilled primarily from Blue Weber agave, often showing cooked-agave sweetness, vegetal notes, and bright citrus; mezcal, made from a range of agave species, typically carries smoke from traditional pit-roasting, earthy mineral tones, and wild herbaceousness. Your guide will explain production elements you can taste: cooked-agave fermentation, differences between copper pot and industrial distillation, and the role of terroir from regions like Jalisco and Oaxaca.

This tasting is built for approachable discovery. Expect short pours (15 ml each) served in sequence with water, and a one-hour format that runs during regular service hours—ideal for an early-evening stop before dinner in nearby Stoke Newington or Dalston. The meeting point is Sorbito, 178 Stoke Newington Road, N16 7UY, London, England, United Kingdom.

Included are two 15 ml tequilas and two 15 ml mezcals plus unlimited still and sparkling water from Sorbito’s filter taps, keeping the focus on tasting technique. The host covers aging categories such as blanco, reposado and añejo, denomination rules, and why mezcal’s smoke and vegetal notes change by agave species and cooking methods. Bring ID—the minimum age is 18—and expect to leave with clearer tasting notes, label-reading confidence, and tips to find agave spirits in London and Mexico and provenance.

Why this small service matters to the local outdoor recreation scene is less about trails and more about being a social waypoint for explorers of flavor. For travelers tracing culinary routes through London, Sorbito is a practical pit stop that deepens understanding of a major outdoor culture in Mexico—agave landscapes, artisanal distillers, and regional drinking customs—without leaving the city. It’s also a low-impact cultural exchange: short duration, limited pours, and water provided to keep consumption measured.

Practical tips: arrive with questions, avoid heavy meals that blunt tasting sensitivity, and use the water provided between sips. With a short format and knowledgeable host, you can quickly tell the smoky fingerprint of a mezcal from the crisp agave clarity of a tequila. Whether you’re planning trips to Mexican highlands or simply want to read a label with more confidence, this tasting sharpens your palate and offers a lively, accessible introduction to two related but distinct spirits.