The Curious Bartender's Agave Safari: Discovering and Appreciating Mexico's Tequilas, Mezcals & More - Hardcover

by Tristan Stephenson (Author)

WINNER of the Drink Book category at the 2026 Fortnum & Mason Food & Drink Awards.

Learn all about the proud heritage of agave-based spirits from master mixologist, entrepreneur, award-winning bar owner, and bestselling author of the Curious Bartender series of books Tristan Stephenson.

This book is an account of Tristan's remarkable journey through six Mexican states and into the heartlands of agave spirits production to discover the spirit of Mexico in every sense.

It is a physical, geographical journey, but also a historical, cultural and spiritual one. Along the way Tristan explores different producers, tell their stories and shares their philosophies, as well as the story of Mexican spirit: its food, cocktails, music, geography, and politics.

By the end he has provided the reader with a strong taste of what makes this country so special and what makes agave spirits one of the most exciting of all the world's spirit categories today. Also included are perfected recipes for Tristan's pick of the finest agave spirit drinks there are, including the legendary Margarita, Paloma, and Batida as well as modern classics Tommy's Margarita, and Tinglet.

Author Biography

Tristan Stephenson's 20-year career as an award-winning bartender, barista, chef, bar operator and writer has taken him to 90 countries and over 400 distilleries, culminating in over 300,000 books sold. He has co-founded eight award winning bars and restaurants in London, Bristol and Cornwall, and delivered seminars and tastings at every major drinks festival around the world. He is the author of the bestselling Curious Bartender series of books for Ryland Peters & Small.