An expert team of Oaxacan artisans and London-based mezcal aficionados are collaborating to launch the capital’s only dedicated mezcal tasting room and taqueria – Sin Gusano – opening from May 4th for a six-week residency in East London, offering up signature ‘mezcal discovery’ tasting flights, tacos, entertainment and more. Launching with an evening residency (6 pm – midnight, Wednesday – Saturday) in popular Dalston café/bar space Brunswick East, the Sin 
Gusano Mezcal Tasting Room, Bar & Taqueria will be a celebration of all-things mezcal. On a mission to raise the increasingly popular artisan Mexican distillate to the level of connoisseurship it deserves, Sin Gusano will give visitors the chance to learn as much, or as little, as they choose about the traditions that surround the drink. Championing the variety found in the mezcal family, guests to the bar can sample a range of carefully designed ‘tasting flights’ (starting from £12) in intimate, relaxed surroundings. Featuring cosy indoor tables and rustic worktop benches, the bar will also offer outside seating in the cobbled suntrap courtyard. Serving some of the tastiest and most reasonably priced tacos in town, the Sin Gusano Taqueria will dish up traditional Oaxacan-style taco 
plates, accompanied by a full range of homemade Mexican salsas. Alongside tacos and their extensive range of mezcals, the Sin Gusano bar will be stocked with a small selection of local craft beer, wine and a ‘daily special’ mezcal-based cocktail, appealing to the after-work-drinks crowd as much as London’s budding distillate experts. For guests that like to ‘think while they drink’, Sin Gusano’s expert bartenders will be on-hand to offer insider knowledge on topics including varieties of agave, regional variations in flavour, production processes, ageing of the drink, new infused varieties and much more. Including three copitas per serve, each of Sin Gusano’s mezcal tasting flights will be served with a small plate of palate-cleansing fresh orange slices and traditional Oaxacan-accompaniment ‘sal de gusano’ – or ‘worm salt’ – a mixture of ground fried larvae (the same larvae that feed on the agave plants used in mezcal production), ground chili peppers and salt, for a truly authentic experience. The bar’s entertainment plans include live music, art exhibitions and guest speakers from the mezcal scene, with details to be announced soon via the Sin Gusano Facebook page.
Photos by Anna Bruce
