Artisanal Mezcal & Fine Chocolate Tasting

Mezcal and chocolate make an unexpectedly good team here. In a two-hour tasting room session in Tulum, Shamira leads you through five mezcals, pairing each with fruit, traditional snacks, and a piece of artisanal Mexican chocolate. The tasting also explains agave varieties, production methods, and the older ceremonial role of mezcal.

I like the small group limit of eight, which keeps the session personal, and I like the direct connection to Mexican producers, including chocolates and snacks sourced from places such as Oaxaca. The main drawback is simple: $102 is a serious price for a two-hour tasting, and anyone who dislikes smoky spirits or sweets may not get full value from it.

Key points to know before booking

• Five different mezcals: You taste spirits from different Mexican regions and agave types, not just several pours of the same style.
• Chocolate after every mezcal: Each serving is paired with artisanal Mexican chocolate to refresh and change your palate.
• Shamira leads the session: Expect storytelling about mezcal legends, production, ceremonies, and agave culture in English or Spanish.
• Traditional snacks are part of the tasting: Fruit, savory bites, and water are included alongside the chocolate pairings.
• Small group in La Veleta: The tasting room at Zona Nove Building accommodates no more than eight people.
• Street parking and a bell at the gate: The meeting point is easy to miss, so arrive a few minutes early and look for the white wall, aluminum gate, and bell.

Five mezcals, five small lessons in agave

The heart of this experience is the flight of five mezcals. Each one comes from a different region of Mexico or uses a different type of agave, giving you a chance to compare aroma, texture, smoke, sweetness, and finish.

That comparison matters because agave works much like grapes in wine. The plant variety affects the finished spirit, but so do the growing area and the way the mezcal is made. If you have only tried one mezcal in a bar, this tasting gives you a far better idea of how wide the category can be.

You will not simply receive five glasses and a list of names. Shamira explains what you are tasting and places the spirit within Mexican culture. The session covers the stories and legends linked to mezcal, along with the production process and the standards connected to its denomination of origin.

I especially like that the tasting treats mezcal as more than a fashionable cocktail ingredient. Its roots reach back to Indigenous communities and ceremonial use. Mezcal was traditionally reserved for important figures such as priests, warriors, and nobles. That background gives the pours more meaning, even if you are mainly there for the flavors.

The exact brands and agave species are not specified in advance, so you should not book expecting a particular bottle. The strength of the format is comparison and explanation rather than a fixed collector’s menu.

Why the chocolate pairing works

After each mezcal, you receive an artisanal Mexican chocolate. This is not just a sweet finish at the end of the session. The chocolate is used throughout the tasting to clear or reset your palate and create a second way to notice the mezcal.

Fine Mexican cacao can show a different character from the standard candy bar you might pick up at home. Here, the chocolates are made by Mexican artisans, and the experience includes international award-winning fine Mexican chocolates. That gives the sweet course real importance rather than treating it as decoration.

The pairings also make the tasting more approachable. Mezcal can be earthy, smoky, herbal, or intense, and chocolate gives you an easy reference point. You can notice how a particular pour changes after a bite of chocolate, or how a darker cacao brings out different notes from a lighter, fruitier spirit.

Traditional mezcal snacks and fruit are also included. The combination of spirit, snack, and chocolate reflects the way mezcal is often enjoyed in Mexico, rather than presenting it only in a cocktail or as a formal spirits flight.

If you are not especially interested in chocolate, this may feel like too much sweetness over two hours. For most people booking specifically for Mexican cacao, though, the repeated pairing is one of the best reasons to choose this tasting over a basic mezcal sampler.

Shamira’s stories give the tasting its shape

The guide matters here. Shamira is the host named most often in the experience details, and her role goes beyond pouring drinks. She explains the origins of mezcal, the production methods, the different agaves, and the cultural customs around the spirit.

Her storytelling is supported by visual aids, which helps turn a technical subject into something easier to follow. You get the practical facts, but also the human side of the drink: Indigenous producers, handmade methods, ceremonies, and the connection between mezcal and Mexican soil.

The tone appears to be warm and personal rather than a tightly rehearsed lecture. That is useful in a small tasting, where you can focus on questions and follow the parts that interest you most. English and Spanish are available, so you can choose the language that lets you get the most from the explanations.

The name appears once as Samira in one account, but the experience information identifies the host as Shamira. If knowing your guide’s name is important to you, you can confirm it when booking.

A two-hour route through flavor and culture

The session follows a clear rhythm, even though the exact order of pours and snacks is not listed.

First, get oriented to mezcal

You begin with an introduction to mezcal and its place in Mexican culture. This is where the guide sets up the key idea that agave is not one single plant or flavor. Different types of agave create different spirits, just as different grape varieties create different wines.

The opening discussion also places mezcal in its historical and ceremonial setting. You learn about the Indigenous people who produced it by hand and the social groups who were traditionally allowed to drink it. This gives you useful context before the tasting becomes more sensory.

Next, compare the five pours

The tasting then moves through five mezcals from different areas and agave types. Each pour comes with an explanation, a traditional snack, and chocolate.

You can expect to use your senses carefully here. Smell the spirit before tasting it. Notice whether it seems smoky, fruity, earthy, herbal, or sweet. Then taste it with the suggested snack and follow with the chocolate. The point is not to decide which mezcal is the strongest. It is to see how each one changes with food.

The five-pour format is also a sensible limit. You get enough range to form an opinion without turning the session into a long drinking marathon. Water is included, which is important during any tasting built around several spirits.

Finally, connect the products to agave culture

The session also includes discussion of production and the wider products associated with agave and mezcal. You may come away with a better sense of why artisanal mezcal takes time and why the plant itself matters so much.

After the tasting, you may browse handmade pottery and chocolates available for purchase. This is useful if you want a physical reminder of the experience, though purchases are not included in the $102 price.

The setting in La Veleta

The tasting takes place in a tasting room at Zona Nove Building in Tulum’s La Veleta neighborhood. The supplied directions are specific: look for a large white wall and an aluminum gate on C. 9 Sur, between C. 6 and C. 4 Sur. The bell is on the left side of the gate.

You are asked to ring the bell to be collected, and the host waits at the main door five minutes before the start time. I would not arrive at the last second. La Veleta addresses can be easy to scan past, and you will have a smoother start if you have the building and bell in view a few minutes early.

Street parking is available outside the building. No transport is included in the information provided, so plan to make your own way to the tasting room. The location link supplied with the booking is the most useful tool for checking the route from your accommodation.

The setting is more intimate than a large restaurant or tour bus activity. The tasting room format suits people who want a focused session. It also means the experience is not designed as a broad tour of Tulum. You come here for the mezcal, chocolate, and conversation.

Is $102 a fair price?

At $102 per person, this is not a cheap tasting. The value depends on what you want from the two hours.

If you only want to sample mezcal, you can probably find less expensive ways to drink a few pours. This experience includes much more than the alcohol: five different mezcals, traditional snacks, water, five chocolate pairings, an explanation of production, and a cultural presentation in a group limited to eight.

The small size matters. A group of eight gives the guide room to explain the differences between the bottles and answer questions without addressing a crowd. It also makes the tasting feel more like a hosted lesson than a quick commercial stop.

The award-winning chocolate adds another layer of value, especially if you are interested in cacao or Mexican food products. I would see the price as easier to justify if you plan to buy chocolates or pottery afterward, since the tasting can also introduce you to products you might not find elsewhere in Tulum.

Still, you should be realistic. This is a specialty food and drink experience, not a bargain activity. The price may feel high if you do not drink alcohol, have a low tolerance for sweets, or prefer a longer excursion with transport and sightseeing included.

Who will enjoy this most?

I would recommend the tasting to adults who enjoy learning through food and drink. It suits first-time mezcal drinkers because the guide explains the differences instead of assuming you already understand agave spirits.

It also works well for people who have tried mezcal but want a better grasp of regional and agave variation. The five-pour structure lets you compare rather than rely on one bottle or one cocktail.

Chocolate lovers have a clear reason to book. The tasting gives Mexican cacao equal billing with mezcal, and the chocolate follows every pour. Food-focused visitors who want direct links to local makers should also find the format appealing.

Couples and small groups may like the setting, but you do not need to arrive with a full party. The group limit is eight, and the session is available in English or Spanish.

I would be more cautious if you want a party atmosphere. The emphasis is on tasting, explanation, and cultural background. It is also not ideal for someone who wants a full meal, since snacks and fruit are included but the experience is not described as lunch or dinner.

The activity is wheelchair accessible, which makes it a practical option for visitors who need an accessible tasting venue. As always, confirm any specific access needs before arrival if you require more detail than the provided accessibility designation.

Booking details that affect your plans

The tasting lasts two hours, with starting times shown according to availability. That length is long enough for five pours and explanation without taking up an entire day in Tulum.

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. A reserve-now, pay-later option is also available, which helps if your schedule is still shifting.

The experience is offered in English and Spanish. It is run as a small group, with no more than eight participants. Those details make it easier to fit into a day that includes other Tulum plans, but you should leave enough time to reach La Veleta and locate the gate.

Because the tasting includes alcohol, arrange your day sensibly. The supplied details do not include hotel pickup or transportation, so do not plan on a provided ride to or from the venue.

Final call: book it for the pairing, not just the pour

I would book this experience if you want a thoughtful introduction to mezcal with a strong food component. The combination of five agaves and regions, traditional snacks, and a piece of Mexican chocolate after each pour gives you a clear reason to spend more than you would at a bar.

The strongest features are Shamira’s personal storytelling, the intimate eight-person limit, and the direct connection between mezcal and Mexican cacao. The main caution is the price. At $102, you should care about both the cultural explanation and the chocolate pairings, not just the drinks.

Book it if you want two focused hours in Tulum learning how agave, ceremony, snacks, and cacao fit together. Skip it if you are looking for a cheap tasting, a full meal, or a sightseeing tour with transport.

FAQ

How many mezcals will I taste?

You will taste five different mezcals from different Mexican regions and types of agave.

What food is included with the mezcal?

Traditional mezcal snacks, fruit, water, and artisanal Mexican chocolates are included. A chocolate pairing follows each mezcal.

Who guides the tasting?

Shamira is identified as the guide for the experience. The tasting is available in English and Spanish.

Where does the tasting take place?

It takes place in a tasting room at Zona Nove Building in La Veleta, Tulum, on C. 9 Sur between C. 6 and C. 4 Sur, postal code 77760.

How do I find the meeting point?

Look for the large white wall and aluminum gate. The bell is on the left. Ring it when you arrive, and the host waits at the main door five minutes before the start time.

How long is the experience, and can I cancel?

The experience lasts two hours. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and a reserve-now, pay-later option is available.