If you've been looking for a mezcal tasting in San Diego, San Diego Tequila Tour now hosts one in historic Old Town every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at noon. The new Mezcal & Taco Tasting pours three premium artisanal mezcals (a joven, a reposado and an añejo) and pairs each one with a chef-crafted taco, all in 60 to 75 minutes at a single table. It's $79 per person for groups of 2 to 20, with an expert agave host guiding every glass.
We built it for two kinds of people: tequila fans who want to know what the smoky cousin is all about, and newcomers who'd like a guide in the room the first time they try agave. Here's what you get, how mezcal differs from tequila, and how to choose between this and our signature walking tour.
What's Included in the Mezcal & Taco Tasting
Three pours, three tacos, one table. The flight moves from a bright, unaged joven to a reposado and an añejo that have spent time in wood, so you taste how age rounds out the smoke. Every pour lands next to a taco built to match it, and fresh chips, salsa and dips sit in the middle of the table.
It's seated at one venue in Old Town, so there's no walking between stops. That makes it an easy fit before an afternoon at the beach, during a break from a downtown convention, or for anyone who would rather settle in than move around. Parking, trolley and rideshare details are in our guide to getting to Old Town San Diego.
Mezcal vs Tequila: What Actually Separates Them
Every tequila is an agave spirit, but tequila plays by a much tighter rulebook. It has to come from blue Weber agave, grown and distilled in designated regions centered on Jalisco. Mezcal can be made from dozens of agave species across several Mexican states, with Oaxaca producing most of it.
U.S. labeling law treats them as siblings. Under the federal standards of identity kept by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (27 CFR 5.148), tequila and mezcal are both types within the agave spirits class, and each must be made in Mexico under Mexico's own rules for that spirit. That's the legal difference between mezcal and tequila. The difference you notice in the glass mostly comes down to how the agave gets cooked.
Want the tequila side of the story first? Our breakdown of blanco, reposado and añejo tequila explains how barrel time changes the spirit, and the same logic carries straight over to mezcal.
Where the Smoke Comes From
Most tequila producers cook their agave with steam in brick ovens or autoclaves. Traditional mezcal makers dig a pit, line it with stones, build a wood fire and bury the agave hearts (piñas) for days. That slow, earthy roast is what puts the smoke in mezcal.
Mexico's official mezcal standard, NOM-070-SCFI-2016, sorts mezcal into three categories: mezcal, artisanal mezcal and ancestral mezcal. As researchers writing in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems explain, the category depends on how the agave is cooked, crushed, fermented and distilled. Artisanal mezcal, the style on our flight, keeps the pit roast and small-batch distillation.
Smoke isn't the whole story, though. A well-made mezcal can taste like roasted pineapple, green pepper, wet clay, cocoa or wildflowers depending on the agave and the producer.
How the Joven, Reposado and Añejo Flight Works
The order matters. The joven comes first because it's the clearest picture of the agave and the roast: unaged, crystal clear and the smokiest of the three. The reposado has rested in wood, which softens the edges and brings in vanilla and baking spice. The añejo has spent the longest in barrel, and that's where the smoke tends to fold into something rounder and richer.
Your host pours, tells you what to look for, and lets you taste before explaining what you're supposed to find. Guests who swear they hate smoke often walk out naming the reposado as their favorite. Still figuring out your own palate? The way a guided tasting helps you find the tequila you like works exactly the same with mezcal.
Why Every Pour Comes With a Taco
In Oaxaca, mezcal is sipped slowly and almost always served alongside food. Fat, salt and acid tame the alcohol and pull the fruit out from under the smoke. That's why each mezcal gets its own chef-crafted taco instead of a shared snack plate.
The taco pairing also keeps the pace sensible. Three measured pours with three tacos and chips makes a relaxed lunch, not a race. If you plan trips around what you'll eat and drink, our guide to San Diego food and drink tours shows where this tasting fits among the city's options.
Mezcal Tasting or the Tequila Walking Tour: Which Should You Book?
Both are expert-guided and both happen in Old Town San Diego, the birthplace of California. The real differences are format, time and spirit.
- Mezcal & Taco Tasting ($79): three mezcals, three tacos, chips and salsa, seated at one venue for 60 to 75 minutes. Friday through Sunday at noon.
- Signature tequila walking tour ($99): five full pours of premium additive-free tequila, a street taco and four stops of Old Town history over 2.5 hours. See every tour time, including daily 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. departures.
- Taco & Tequila Express ($79): the same seated format with three tequilas instead of mezcal. The Taco & Tequila Express runs Friday through Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
Pick the mezcal tasting if you're curious about smoke, short on time or want to stay seated. Pick the walking tour for the full Old Town experience. Plenty of guests do both on the same weekend. Reserve Your Mezcal Tasting while your date is still open.
Who the Mezcal Tasting Is Built For
This mezcal tasting in San Diego suits adventurous palates and spirits nerds first. It also works for couples who want a daytime date (see our Old Town date night guide), birthday crews of up to 20, and conference attendees with a free afternoon.
The timing is right, too. The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States reports Americans bought 32.1 million 9-liter cases of tequila and mezcal in 2025, and category volume has grown 301% since 2003. This is where you learn what's actually in the glass.
Mezcal Tasting FAQ
How much does the mezcal tasting cost?
Our mezcal tasting in San Diego is $79 per person. That covers three premium mezcal pours, three chef-crafted tacos, and chips with salsa and dips.
Is there a mezcal tasting near me in San Diego?
If you searched "mezcal tasting near me" from anywhere in the city, ours runs in Old Town San Diego, a short drive or trolley ride from downtown, Mission Valley and the beaches.
Do I need to like tequila to enjoy mezcal?
No. Plenty of guests who aren't sold on tequila find they prefer mezcal's depth, and the taco pairings soften the smoke for first-timers.
Can I book the mezcal tasting for a group?
Yes. Public bookings take 2 to 20 guests, all 21 or older with valid ID. For 20 or more, request a quote through our large group tasting page.
Ready to Get Started?
Three premium mezcals, three tacos and a host who knows agave inside and out. Grab a noon seat this weekend in Old Town.
Reserve Your Mezcal Tasting or call us at (619) 876-0352.
