- La Vinata de Los Osuna. One of my favorite day trips from Mazatlán starts with a short 30-minute morning drive to El Quelite for a delicious Mexican breakfast at El Meson de Los Laureanos. Afterward, stroll through the cobblestone streets of the village before taking a brief scenic drive to Vinata Los Osuna for a visit to this quaint family-owned blue agave distillery. They can’t legally call it tequila because only tequila produced in Jalisco can lay claim to that name. But after you taste their award-winning Los Osuna blue agave liquor, you won’t care what they call it! Take a fascinating tour of the factory, which ends with a delicious tasting of the three varieties of liquor made on the premises. I recommend buying a bottle of your favorite because it’s really good and you’ll have a hard time finding it in the States. Plus, a great agave from Mazatlán is what memories are made of (if you can remember anything after the third shot)! Website
2. Onilikan. It’s worth visiting another distillery for an altogether different experience. Whereas Vinata Los Osuna is located outside in the Mexican countryside, Onilikan is located indoors in the Golden Zone. This artisanal liquor company sells its own premium blue agave products, originally brought here in a copper pot still from Europe. Using mangos grown in Sinaloa, Onilikan targets a niche market with its unique natural mango liqueur. Apparently, no one else in the world makes it. The colorful store also includes a culinary gift shop. Onilkan offers free samples from their wide variety of flavored liquors and liqueurs, including moonshine and hibiscus liqueur.Website
