Contributor Anna Bruce returns home to shed light on trending London mezcal bars and the origins of the growing community of UK agave spirits enthusiasts. (All photos by Anna Bruce, unless otherwise noted.)
Over the summer, there has been murmurings among UK agave spirits afficionados about a new breed of mezcaleria. A bar with rare pours from some of the remotest parts of Mexico, served by machine. This past weekend, Sorbito finally opened its doors to the public. Sorbito, (Spanish for little sip) is the newest installment from Jon Darby, founder of Sin Gusano and MAS (Mezcal Appreciation Society).
In 2016 Jon travelled to Oaxaca, where he had a “light-bulb” moment trying artisanal agave spirits. He met stalwarts of the industry, including Alvin Starkman, who guided Jon to remote mezcal-producing regions in the state. This experience led to a radical change–from a decade-long career in finance to founding numerous agave spirits initiatives.
Jon had little-to-no experience with mezcal before visiting Mexico. He says he had never really experienced agave spirits, other than some “rough tequila.” This sets him apart from a lot of people in the agave and drinks industry that pursue work in the category. “I didn’t go to Mexico looking to find a producer and start a brand… I just enjoyed mezcal while I was there.” Only when he got back to London and tried to find mezcal did he realize there was something missing in the UK. This realisation led Jon to work toward filling the gap.
I first met Jon during that initial trip to Oaxaca, through fellow Londoner Thea Cummings (founder of Dangerous Don mezcal). Looking back, it’s wild to imagine this lanky Brit would go deep down the rabbit-hole of agave spirits to become a leading voice in the industry.
Over the years, Jon’s commitment to quality has earned him supporters. Ben Schroder from Pensador mezcal says, “Jon’s authentic-or-death approach to mezcal is amazing to witness, and even better to sip on.” Although perhaps Jon has recieved a few tongue-in-cheek jabs along the way, such as Chava Peribán’s teasing accusation that Jon is one of the industry’s “worst purists.”
Against the odds, Jon began the Sin Gusano concept with a pop-up bar in Dalston, London in 2017, followed by a year-long residency in 2018 that hosted numerous agave spirits events like London Mezcal Week. These pioneering pop-ups kick-started London’s agave spirit scene.
Between pop-ups, Jon began offering private and corporate tasting experiences. He also developed MAS, which originally focused on creating opportunities for enthusiasts to sit down and discuss the tastings in depth. In 2019, Jon expanded this tasting society into a subscription club.
The subscription club was well timed, with the first box going out just as lockdown hit. Jon says that this got the whole project through the pandemic, when all the in-person pop-ups and events couldn’t happen. “Since things opened up again, I’ve become increasingly busy, with the on-trade coming back and more interest from bars and restaurants in private batches, and help with menu curation, while keeping MAS running.”
Although the club is predominantly in the UK, it has also been reaching agave spirits enthusiasts in Europe. MAS bears similarities to US-based projects like Maguey Melate. Over the years, Jon has worked closely with these counterparts. MAS has also featured other brands built on the small batch concept, notably Neta and Cinco Sentidos.
M.A.S. members receive a box with 200ml limited edition batches, production details, and stories from the producers. Each box celebrates a particular concept, such as a single agave variety processed in different ways.
Members of M.A.S. are eligible for a 25% discount on select, full-sized bottles from the Sin Gusano range–Jon’s signature limited-edition batches of agave spirits, sourced from all over Mexico. Over recent years, this has evolved into an unusual brand concept.
By subscribing, members contribute to the Sin Gusano profit share scheme. Sin Gusano has pledged to donate 10% of profits to charitable causes. They aim to spread this contribution between education programs and sustainability efforts in Mexico, such as S.A.C.R.E.D and Expresiones del Mezcal, as well as activities closer to home in the UK, including the charities Beam and Mind.
Jon is a critic of current mezcal regulations, arguing that the legislation is too constrictive, often failing to protect biodiversity or the diverse profiles of agave spirits. He believes regulations were developed from the perspective of “How do we commercialise something and sell shitloads of it?”
Instead, the Sin Gusano range is an example of the complexity in production and terroir in the world of agave spirits. The project aims to showcase the remarkable diversity of agave spirits, highlighting small-scale, artisanal producers. Jon focuses on sourcing and exporting “tiny” productions of agave spirits, sourcing batches as small as 50 litres, which are unique and unrepeatable.
The small batch model has led him to work with many producers throughout Mexico. “There’s some [mezcals] that have become important to me because of the relationships I’ve developed with the producers and their families over the years – those are the ones I feel most grateful for and most proud of. Revisiting and deepening those relationships is what I find most rewarding,” he says.
That said, he is always looking to try new agave spirits and meet new producers. “The first time I went to the Mapimi silent zone was pretty mind-blowing,” he says, adding, “And I’m looking forward to visiting Sonora soon, hopefully early 2026.” Enthusiasts can see where Jon’s batches come from via an interactive map on the Sin Gusano website.
Jon rejects the typical brand approach of commercializing one producer. He considers that there is no “one best” mezcal. Instead, it is up to the individual customer to decide “what their palate prefers.” He aims to introduce mezcal to people in a meaningful way that is both educational and fun, utilizing tasting flights and providing the stories behind each sip.
He explains, “I never wanted to follow the traditional brand model of scaling up a single product and somehow marketing it to the world as the best. It just seemed kind of disingenuous to the way I had come to understand and enjoy mezcal. It was all about the diversity for me.”
In 2024, Sin Gusano partnered with Kol Mezcaleria (within London’s Michelin-starred restaurant Kol) to create a line of house agave spirits. This selection was developed in partnership with head bartender Matthias Ingelmann.
The Sin Gusano concept resonated with Kol from the start. Matthias explains that collaboration was a natural step because “Sin Gusano and Kol grew hand in hand because we did so much together.” He remembers how one afternoon Jon showed up with over thirty expressions, which they somehow managed to refine down to a final six varieties.
The final selection was sourced from San Luis Potosí, Oaxaca, Puebla, and Jalisco. This allowed for an exploration of range in terroir and production, while offering a clear tasting narrative. This narrative approach to a tasting flight is something I remember well from the original Sin Gusano pop-up in Dalston, where Jon designed a flight following the course of a river.
This October, Jon opens Sobrito. The concept bar will be the newest installation to London’s recently dubbed “mezcal mile” on Stoke Newington high street, which includes bars like Doña. “Sorbito is the new home of the Sin Gusano project – a modern tasting room and also our city bodega and workshop, with space for events and collaborations,” he explains.
Sorbito functions as a tasting room and bottle shop. The space is arranged around a large round table, with a bar toward the back showcasing bottles for sale. Behind the bar, Jon has a fully stocked space to manage the bottling and packing for Sin Gusano and M.A.S.
One of the most hotly discussed features of Sorbito are the state-of-the-art enomatic® dispensing machines, a technology usually found in wine bars. This allows guests to guide themselves around the room and sample “a little sip” of rare mezcals, without worry of oxidation.
Over the summer, Matthias and I were fortunate to attend pre-launch events at Sorbito, where talks hosted by Vinik Jure of Expresiones del Mezcal gave London a “little taste” of things to come.
Guests are invited to access the tasting machines by using pay-as-you-go cards topped up with credit at the bar. With this card, guests could choose from a range of mezcals, with three pour sizes. The smallest measure (10ml) is termed a “sorbito.” Each mezcal has a photo of the producer and a few paragraphs about the production and tasting profile.
Speaking of the tasting machines, Matthias had reservations when Jon first showed him. He was concerned that they came across “too technical and modern,” perhaps missing some of the beauty of the artisanal spirit within. However, it became apparent that these machines were another smart and thoughtful innovation.
Matthias says he was “positively surprised,” when watching how guests interacted with the machines. “The guests were comfortable with the machines. And going around, I thought the descriptions worked really well.”
The pre-launch event guests were a mix of established Sin Gusano followers and London locals, curious about this new concept. Some people asked the difference between tequila and mezcal, while others were ready to dive into the nuances of tasting niche agave spirits. In this context, having the machines helped a lot, as people were able to sip and reconnect with the discussion at their own pace.
Matthias and I also agreed that this tasting option is particularly apt for a UK audience, who can be a little socially awkward. Being able to try some of the spirits without the pressure of engaging with a sales rep is something I would prefer in many bottle shops.
This might not be a model we see replicated closer to the source of agave spirits. I can’t see it catching on in Oaxaca, where the tasting rooms are stacked with unlabelled garafones. Engaging with the bartender about the producer and their personal experiences at palenques is part of the magic.
No doubt Jon will be thorough when educating his staff at Sorbito about the earthy mysteries of agave spirits. However, the “enomatic” option will help democratise the experience of agave spirits in places where not everyone has the luxury of visiting the source.
“I’m aware it might sound to some like being served from a machine isn’t very ‘mezcal’ or in keeping with the artisan vibe. But I’d argue it’s elevating the spirit to a level of respect it deserves. These machines keep the spirits temperature and pressure controlled. The type of agave spirits we have in them could easily languish in other establishments in half empty bottles, over-oxidising on the top shelves while nobody orders them because they’re too expensive,” Jon says. ”It’s all about getting people to actually taste the good stuff and the variety rather than defaulting to whatever a house pour is because of cost. And of course when a customer has a sorbito of something they really like, they can then buy a large pour, and a bottle to take away.”
At London prices, the pay-as-you-go concept might help visitors be more creative with what they try. Rather than having to commit to full pours or a tasting flight, they can just pay for a “sorbito.” Matthias describes how this method “keeps it a bit more transparent but really approachable at the same time.” As Jon is selling premium, complex mezcals by the bottle, this try-before-you-buy experience will be a game changer.
At London prices, the pay-as-you-go concept might help visitors get more creative with what they try. Rather than having to commit to full pours or a tasting flight, they can just pay for a “sorbito.” Matthias describes how this method “keeps it a bit more transparent but really approachable at the same time.” As Jon is selling premium, complex mezcals by the bottle, this try-before-you-buy experience will be a game changer.
Jon explains that the bottles on the machines are all priced individually and will change regularly. “They vary a lot of course depending on the specific mezcal. But they’re are all high quality small batch and rare. There’s no cocktail market espadíns in there balancing out the numbers, no celebrity brands, no paid placements…”
The average Sorbito (10ml) price is £3.24. And there’s no service charge on that. At most London venues serving mezcal of this standard, a double pour (50ml) could set you back £30. For the same price at Sorbito, guests can try “literally ten for the same price” and then get a bottle of the favourite to take away.
Sin Gusano’s carbon neutrality is achieved by analyzing its supply chain and purchasing credits to offset its footprint. In keeping with The Sin Gusano Project’s sustainability ethos, Sorbito operates a bottle return programme. Guests can return any undamaged Sorbito, MAS, or Sin Gusano bottle for credit on their tasting card, encouraging circular use while rewarding mezcal fans with even more to explore.
Speaking with Jon about the placement and timing of the Sorbito opening, he explains how Sorbito stands out: “London has a thriving cocktail scene and pretty much every other mezcal place in London is highly cocktail focused. Sorbito is all about the little sips of the extraordinary mezcales. It’s also a 100% independent vibe. We’ll be doing whatever the hell we want in there at all times (generally getting geeky about mezcal, with some good tunes on).”
As put by Ben from Pensador): “In a category which is increasingly dominated by diluted commercial products, Sorbito is an opportunity to travel through space and time to taste micro-batch rural agave spirits with all their magic and intensity.” I’m sure that for future UK and globetrotting agave enthusiasts, Sorbito will be their first port of call.
Sorbito officially opens on October 15.
Upcoming events include tastings with Gaby Moncada of Speciality Brands and Jesse Estes of Ocho Tequila.
Private tastings will be available via the Sorbito website.
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