Agave Spirits Institute
Agave Spirits Institute is a privately held education company that delivers a five-tier professional certification program in agave spirits, from a $250 introductory course to a $4,200 in-person Master of Agave Spirits Diploma in Oaxaca accredited by Universidad Anáhuac, serving hospitality professionals and enthusiasts worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersOaxaca De Juárez, Mexico
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Agave Spirits Institute does
Agave Spirits Institute (ASI) is a privately held, founder-operated education company founded in 2021 and headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, that delivers a five-tier professional certification program in agave spirits. The curriculum runs from a non-certificate Introductory Course at $250 through Certified Mezcal Specialist ($750), Certified Mezcal Sommelier ($850), Certified Agave Spirits Advisor ($1,300), and culminates in the Level 4 Master of Agave Spirits Diploma ($4,200), a 6-day in-person intensive in Oaxaca, Mexico accredited by Universidad Anáhuac and aligned with Le Cordon Bleu International standards. Course delivery combines online live instruction with physically shipped organoleptic tasting kits (up to 28 vials of agave spirits at Level 3) and field training at mezcal production areas, supported by a proprietary ASI Technical Sensory Evaluation Technique and Deductive Tasting Rationale methodology developed by the founders.
The business model is one-time course tuition plus ancillary sales of physical tasting materials and $50-$500 gift cards, distributed through a self-serve Shopify e-commerce site supplemented by certified partner instructors (Uzkeba for Turkey/Europe, Glenn Pollak for Colorado, Uncorked Vintage Academia in the USA). Marketing relies on educational content (blog, Instagram, YouTube), an email newsletter, and event presence at the Agave Heritage Festival. Target customers are hospitality and food-and-beverage professionals (bartenders, servers, sommeliers, retail/import-export specialists) seeking industry-recognized credentials, alongside agave spirits enthusiasts pursuing personal enrichment. No external venture or private equity funding is disclosed; ownership sits with Founder Daniel Rodríguez and Co-Founder Oscar A. Montes Iga. Scale is modest: hundreds of students from more than 20 countries over four years and five graduating Master cohorts as of August 2025.
Agave Spirits Institute firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Agave Spirits Institute
- Legal name
- Agave Spirits Institute
- Website
- https://agavespiritsinstitute.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Agave Spirits Institute is a privately held education company that delivers a five-tier professional certification program in agave spirits, from a $250 introductory course to a $4,200 in-person Master of Agave Spirits Diploma in Oaxaca accredited by Universidad Anáhuac, serving hospitality professionals and enthusiasts worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Agave Spirits Institute industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Spirits Education
- NAICS
- Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka) (THAJAGAF), Distilled Spirits Production & Distilling (AFAFAAAC)
Keywords
Where Agave Spirits Institute is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oaxaca De Juárez
- HQ country
- Mexico
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Agave Spirits Institute business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Course Tuition Fees: Direct course sales across five certification levels ranging from $250 USD introductory course to $4,200 USD Master of Agave Spirits Diploma program. Includes online and in-person delivery formats.
- Gift Cards: Gift cards sold in denominations of $50, $100, $250, and $500 that can be applied toward any ASI course enrollment.
- Study Materials and Tasting Kits: Physical tasting kits and course materials shipped to students globally, with additional shipping charges for students outside continental US and Mexico.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Introductory Course - Entry level agave spirits education |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Level 1: Certified Mezcal Specialist Seminar |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Level 2: Certified Mezcal Sommelier Seminar |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Level 3: Certified Agave Spirits Advisor Seminar |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Level 4: Master of Agave Spirits Diploma Program |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Cards |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Agave Spirits Institute product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Agave Spirits Institute is an education company offering a five-tier progressive certification program covering agave spirits history, production, organoleptic analysis, and service. The program spans an Introductory Course ($250) through four certified levels culminating in the Level 4 Master of Agave Spirits Diploma ($4,200), which is a 6-day in-person intensive in Oaxaca accredited by Universidad Anáhuac and aligned with Le Cordon Bleu International standards. Courses are delivered online and in-person via the institute's own faculty and a global network of certified partner instructors.
Product overview
Agave Spirits Institute is an education company offering a five-course certification program for learning about agave spirits history, tradition, and sensory tasting. The program consists of an Introductory Course (non-certification), followed by four progressive certification levels: Level 1 Certified Mezcal Specialist ($750), Level 2 Certified Mezcal Sommelier ($850), Level 3 Certified Agave Spirits Advisor ($1,300), and Level 4 Master of Agave Spirits Diploma ($4,200). The flagship Level 4 program is a 6-day immersive in-person training camp in Oaxaca certified by Universidad Anáhuac. Courses are delivered online and in-person through the company's own instructors as well as certified partner instructors in Colorado (Glenn Pollak), Turkey/Europe (Uzkeba), and the United States (Uncorked Vintage Academia). The company also offers gift cards for all course levels.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Introductory Course A 2.5-hour non-certification introductory course for amateurs and professionals to explore agave spirits tasting, identifying aromas, flavors, and quality across six agave spirit vials.
- Level 1: Certified Mezcal Specialist Seminar An 8-hour certification course developing organoleptic analysis skills and theoretical knowledge of the Denomination of Origin Mezcal, with tasting of 14 mezcal vials. Awards Mezcal Specialist Certificate and ASI Level 1 Pin.
- Level 2: Certified Mezcal Sommelier Seminar A certification course for Mezcal Specialists focusing on Oaxaca's wild agaves, proper service aspects of fine spirits, and advanced organoleptic analysis. Awards Mezcal Sommelier Certificate and ASI Level 2 Pin.
- Level 3: Certified Agave Spirits Advisor Seminar A 16-hour certification course providing broad understanding of agave spirits diversity from Mexico and beyond, including tasting through 28 agave spirits with food pairing concepts. Accredited in liaison with Le Cordon Bleu International. Awards Agave Spirits Advisor Certificate and ASI Level 3 Pin.
- Level 4: Master of Agave Spirits Diploma Program A 6-day immersive in-person training camp in Oaxaca, Mexico for Master Candidates including double blind tasting laboratories, visits to mezcal production areas, and examinations leading to the Master of Agave Spirits Diplomate title. Certified by Universidad Anáhuac.
- Gift the Journey into Agave Spirits Gift cards in denominations of $50, $100, $250, and $500 USD redeemable toward any of the five ASI course certifications.
Quantifiable outcome
- 200+ agave species covered in curriculum
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Agave Spirits Institute
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Agave Spirits Institute technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Agave Spirits Institute partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Glenn Pollak (Somm of Spirits)corePartner Instructor for Colorado, USA. Glenn Pollak delivers ASI courses in English, bringing agave spirits education closer to the Colorado market. Certified as Master of Agave Spirits Educator.
- UzkebacoreApproved Course Provider partnership for Turkey and Europe. Uzkeba delivers ASI courses in English and Turkish, enabling geographic expansion across European markets and Turkey. All partner instructors are certified as Master of Agave Spirits Educators.
- Uncorked Vintage AcademiacorePartner in United States offering courses in English and Spanish. Located in Austin, TX. All instructors certified as Master of Agave Spirits Educators.
- Universidad AnáhuaccoreAcademic certification partner for the Level 4 Master of Agave Spirits Diploma program. Provides university accreditation and credibility to the professional certification. Also partnered through School of Gastronomy with Le Cordon Bleu International.
- Agave Heritage FestivalminorEducational partner at the annual Agave Heritage Festival in Tucson, Arizona. ASI teaches certified Level 1 and Level 2 courses as part of the festival's educational programming.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Agave Spirits Institute competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Culinary Institute of America: The Culinary Institute of America is a leading culinary education institution with beverage and spirits programming aimed at professional chefs and hospitality managers. Comparable to ASI in delivering specialized beverage education to food and beverage professionals, but operating at much greater scale across broader culinary disciplines.
- Le Cordon Bleu: Le Cordon Bleu is a globally recognized culinary and hospitality education institution with programs covering cuisine, pastry, and wine/spirits studies. It is a broad incumbent comparable to ASI's curriculum approach and even directly aligned with ASI's programs through its academic standards, but with a much wider culinary scope and far larger scale.
Direct peers
- Guild of Sommeliers: Guild of Sommeliers is a nonprofit membership organization that supports sommelier education and hosts the Master Sommelier exam process. Comparable to ASI in targeting beverage professionals seeking career credentials, though with a broader wine-plus-spirits scope rather than an agave-only specialization.
- Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR): BAR is a beverage industry education provider delivering in-depth training on wines, spirits, and cocktails to bartenders and beverage professionals. Comparable to ASI in offering category-specialized certification-style training to frontline hospitality staff, though broader in beverage scope.
- International Sommelier Guild: International Sommelier Guild provides multi-level sommelier certification programs delivered internationally through approved instructors and partner schools. Comparable to ASI's model of certified partner instructors delivering curriculum in multiple regions, with overlapping target audience of hospitality professionals.
- Society of Wine Educators: Society of Wine Educators delivers Certified Wine, Spirits, and Wine & Spirits Educator credentials through instructor-led courses and certification exams. It is a direct comparable in offering tiered beverage professional certification, with spirits content that overlaps with ASI's curriculum but broader category coverage.
- Cicerone Certification Program: Cicerone runs the leading beer-focused multi-level certification program (Certified Beer Server through Master Cicerone) for hospitality professionals, closely analogous to ASI's five-level agave spirits ladder in structure, audience, and career-credential positioning, though in an adjacent beverage category.
- Court of Master Sommeliers: The Court of Master Sommeliers administers the most recognized sommelier certification ladder in the world, structured around multi-level examinations with in-person and tasting components. ASI mirrors this tiered certification approach but narrows the focus to agave spirits, and competes for the same hospitality professional audience.
- Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET): WSET is the global standard for wine and spirits qualifications, offering multi-level certifications delivered through a worldwide network of approved program providers. It is the closest direct comparator to ASI's tiered certification model and partner-channel distribution strategy, with much larger scale and broader beverage scope.
- International Wine & Spirits Guild: The International Wine & Spirits Guild offers multi-level certification in wines and spirits through classroom and online instruction aimed at hospitality professionals. Directly comparable to ASI in certification structure, target customer, and spirits-education curriculum content.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Agave Spirits Institute social profiles
Digital presenceAgave Spirits Institute financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Agave Spirits Institute leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Agave Spirits Institute funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Agave Spirits Institute M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Agave Spirits Institute
What does Agave Spirits Institute do?
Agave Spirits Institute is an education company offering a five-tier progressive certification program covering agave spirits history, production, organoleptic analysis, and service. The program spans an Introductory Course ($250) through four certified levels culminating in the Level 4 Master of Agave Spirits Diploma ($4,200), which is a 6-day in-person intensive in Oaxaca accredited by Universidad Anáhuac and aligned with Le Cordon Bleu International standards. Courses are delivered online and in-person via the institute's own faculty and a global network of certified partner instructors.
Is Agave Spirits Institute a public or private company?
Agave Spirits Institute is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Agave Spirits Institute founded?
Agave Spirits Institute was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Agave Spirits Institute based?
Agave Spirits Institute is headquartered in Oaxaca De Juárez, Mexico, in the Latin America region.
How does Agave Spirits Institute make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Course Tuition Fees are the primary driver. The others are gift Cards and study Materials and Tasting Kits.
Who are Agave Spirits Institute's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Culinary Institute of America and Le Cordon Bleu. Direct peers are Guild of Sommeliers, Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR), International Sommelier Guild, Society of Wine Educators, Cicerone Certification Program, Court of Master Sommeliers, Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and International Wine & Spirits Guild.
Does Agave Spirits Institute have an API?
No public API is recorded for Agave Spirits Institute.
What industry is Agave Spirits Institute in?
Agave Spirits Institute's product category is Professional Spirits Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAC, Spirits Distilling & Brands, with a secondary code of THAJAGAF, Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka). Its NAICS code is 611430 and its SIC code is 8200.