On the Pacific coast of Mexico, Puerto Vallarta is known for its stunning beaches, vibrant culture, and mouthwatering cuisine. However, agave spirits like Tequila and Raicilla are unquestionably one of the most recognizable aspects of Mexican culture.
Puerto Vallarta is the ideal location for a tequila tasting tour because it is close to the place where this famous spirit was made. We’ll look at the best tequila tasting tours in Puerto Vallarta and what makes each one special in this article. These tours are certain to leave you with a newfound appreciation for the art of tequila-making, regardless of whether you are an avid tequila drinker or a novice.
Finca 18 – Distillery, Tours, Weddings, and Cabins
Finca 18 is situated on a beautiful, 12 acre ranch just outside of Puerto Vallarta. Here, they distill their own agave spirits as well as provide educational tequila tours and tequila tastings led by certified agave spirits sommelier Greg Rutkowski. These educational tastings incorporate tequila, mezcal, raicilla, and other high-quality agave spirits from all over Mexico. The tastings come with transportation, alcohol, snacks and water. And after the tasting, you get a to-go cocktail as you walk around the lush property with a free Finca 18 cantarito clay cup to take back with you as a gift. There has been much anticipation for the release of this tequila tour and the reviews have all been great so far in 2023.
Vallarta Tequila Tastings
Vallarta Tequila Tastings is perhaps one of the oldest tours / tastings in Puerto Vallarta. They have a new tasting room in the Versalles neighborhood where their experienced staff conducts 1.5 hour tasting of high quality tequila and other agave spirits. You also have the option to add on different food pairings as well to make a fun and educational experience. The tastings are always intimate and it is well located near many great bars and restaurants. They have over 300, five star reviews on Trip Advisor and the owner Corinna is great.
El Tasting Room
Although El Tasting Room does not technically provide any tequila tours per se, they have a great selection of high quality agave spirits like; Tequila, Mezcal, Raicilla. Their bartenders are also very knowledgeable and can guide you through a proper tasting as they regularly visit distilleries, palenques, and tabernas across Mexico. The place is also well known for their handcrafted cocktails. One last thing to note is that it is situated perfectly downtown so you will be right in the mix of Puerto Vallarta.
Don Lalin
Lalo, the master distiller and his wife make a great team on the weekends. Together they cook an amazing brunch of barbacoa tacos and Lalo gives a great presentation of his third generation tequila / raicilla. The distillery is located in a really cool spot near La Estancia, Jalisco in the mountains where you can enjoy an amazon view of a canyon. The food is only available on the weekends and the distillery is open every day of the week. The tasting and presentation is free and bottles are available for purchase.
Tesoro del Oeste
If you are in the mood to go to a Pueblo Magico, Magic Town for a romantic or group outing, we suggest going to San Sebastian del Oeste. Here lies an old mining town from the 1700’s and the distillery of Tesoro del Oeste. Tesoro del Oeste is a traditional raicilla distillery that will give you a tour and tasting for a very small cost. The spirits are among the high quality in the area and the views are to die for.
