Whether you’re a seasoned mezcal enthusiast or keen to begin exploring the complex world of this ancient spirit, you've come to the right place. Mezcal Academy is about bringing people closer to the rich tradition, flavours, and culture of mezcal. Through tasting and education, whether you are looking to study formally or are simply interested in sampling a range of Mexico's delicious agave spirits amongst friends, you're in the right place to get started.

who am I?

I'm Heidi, founder of Mezcal Academy, and self confessed aficionado of agave spirits. After falling in love with mezcal I set out on a mission to learn as much as I could about it. After trips to Mexico, countless books and hundreds of tastings, I went to Oaxaca to study further to earn the title of 'Master of Agave Spirits' with the Agave Spirits Institute in 2025 and I now dedicate my time to sharing my knowledge- and my mezcal collection - with others!
In addition to hosting tastings and training workshops I also work as a consultant and am proud to represent the Succulent Spirits portfolio in Spain.

“What makes Heidi so special is the way she balances deep knowledge with fun and approachability. She makes mezcal accessible without dumbing it down, mixing proper mezcal nerdery with great stories and infectious enthusiasm. By the end of the evening, even the sceptics were fully converted.”

ME MARTINELLI, PRIVATE TASTING HOST

WHAT DO I OFFER?

It is my mission to educate people about Mexico's centuries old spirits with each sip they take. With mezcal academy you can choose how you learn with a choice of tasting experiences or more formal training workshops. The main aim is to share enjoyment of agave with others and share the stories that make agave spirits so special.

Tastings, workshops, pop ups and courses are available online or in person all over Europe. Read more in the Tastings and Training sections and please get in touch to request a price list or talk to me to tailor a tasting or training event for your group.

TASTINGS

“Heidi helped me curate the perfect lineup, communicated clearly throughout the entire process, and was incredibly flexible and thoughtful from start to finish.”

ME MARTINELLI, PRIVATE TASTING HOST

TASTINGS at your home or venue

Are you completely new to mezcal? Then why not begin your mezcal journey with a Mezcal 101 workshop to answer all the burning questions while we taste such asWhat is mezcal?
How is it made?
What’s the difference between tequila and mezcal?
Why is there such variation in how different mezcals taste?

Tasting prices start from €28 per person*

workplace tastings

An agave spirits tasting can be a great team building activity or celebration. I can help plan an engaging workshop where you'll learn about the mezcal production process, taste a range of spirits or experiment with agave in cocktails.

Corporate prices start from €35 per person*

advanced curated tastings

If you're looking for a more advanced tasting beyond the basics I can provide an extensive selection of mezcals from my own collection to curate the perfect tasting for your group.If you'd like to plan a tasting, whether a small family celebration, a get together with friends, or a large team building event, please get in touch for package pricing or to design a bespoke event.

Advanced tasting prices start from €38 per person*

Venue hosted tastings

I also work with bars and restaurants to design tasting experiences for guests. Talk to me about mezcal food pairing, event collaborations or group tastings.

"I attended a mezcal tasting and it was incredible. Heidi was really engaging and informative. I never knew there were so many types of Mezcal and how different each of them are. I had an amazing time and would highly recommend Agave Alegria events.”

Z MUIRDEN, TASTING EVENT ATTENDEE

*minimum numbers apply. contact me for a bespoke quote

pop up mezcal club

Already have a venue and keen to introduce agave spirits to your guests?
Why not feature a variety of mezcals or agave spirits based cocktails on a pop up basis?We can collaborate to offer hand selected mezcal flights to showcase the variety of agave spirits, or create a cocktail list to introduce new spirit types into your menu.Prefer to offer a formal ticketed tasting? Let me know what you have in mind and we can get things started.

training

training for teams or individuals online & in person

I am passionate about agave spirits education and want to offer education in a way that suits different ways of learning. Both online courses and in person workshops are available.To book a workshop in English or Spanish, please get in touch

the agave spirits taster course - online booking opening soon

The 'Agave Spirits Taster' is a live, online or in person introduction to agave spirits — covering the plant, the production process, the culture and history, and how to taste. Each class includes four guided tastings as well as theory.
It's designed for bartenders, hospitality and retail professionals, and anyone who simply wants to understand more about what's in the glass. No prior knowledge needed and prices start at €80 per person. If you'd like to join the next online group, or book a date for your team, get in touch or follow me at agave_alegria on Instagram for more updates.

contact me

Brand promotions and consultancy

Have a mezcal brand you want to promote?
Have a team keen to learn more about the category?Talk to me to find out how I can showcase your brand as part of tasting workshops or events, or bring education to meet the needs of your staff.I currently represent Succulent Spirits in Spain. If you are interested in learning about their portfolio for an event or for your bar, please get in touch.

Understanding what you taste

When I first started tasting different mezcals I wanted to keep a note of everything I tasted and I carried a little notebook around with me. At every event I went to I would write down every single mezcal I tasted. Each new bottle I tried at home or in a bar, I added it to my list, convinced this would become my personal reference guide: a record of what I liked and didn't like, sorted by agave and region.
What I didn’t realise was I was only capturing a fraction of what actually shapes a mezcal's character.
I was capturing the brand name, sometimes the producer’s name and certainly the agave species and the region and I thought that this would help me to remember enough about the character of the drink!
It turned out, unsurprisingly, that wasn't enough to build up a bank of useful information and I needed to try and capture more, such as where exactly in the state the agave was grown,
what time of year it was harvested, whether the agave was crushed with a wooden mallet, a tahona, or a mechanical shredder? Was it distilled in copper or clay? How long did fermentation last, and who made it — because individual producers often have techniques entirely their own, passed down through generations or developed through years of experience.
I decided that what I really needed was not just scribbles in my notebook but a little bit more about the terroir and the production, so that I could start to see which of those influences contributed to flavour profiles that appealed more or less to me and to help me help other people to choose mezcals that they will love.
I've made a little template to help me capture more information and I'm sharing it here in case anyone else wants to try it out. You don't have to fill in every detail on the sheet but I think it can help me make better notes than I used to using this as a reminder!I hope you find it useful too. Please feel free to use, it edit it, download it and share it anyway you would like and please give me your feedback. Let me know if it works for you and let me know how you're using it but most of all enjoy tasting all those mezcals!