Key West Legal Rum

Key West Legal Rum Distillery is a fun and flavorful stop that’s well worth a visit while exploring the island. The rum is distilled right on site, and you can actually see parts of the process as you walk through the building, a cool, behind-the-scenes touch that adds to the experience. They offer free tastings, which is a great way to sample the different varieties and learn more about how each one is made. The staff was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, giving us a great rundown of the rums and their best pairings. You can tell they’re passionate about what they do. We especially enjoyed a refreshing rum cocktail made with pineapple juice and their signature Key lime rum…light, tropical, and perfect for a hot day in Key West. Whether you’re a rum enthusiast or just looking for a fun, quick activity with some free tastings and local flair, Key West Legal Rum Distillery is a great stop to add to your itinerary.

By far the best Mojito class. The Menta's accommodated our large group without flinching. The history was fascinating, the rum was amazing, & the mojito was nothing like we have ever had before & we will definitely go back. Thank you so much! The Rodriguez's-6/23/2025

My girlfriend and I did the free tour and had some drinks. We learned quite a bit about the rum industry and its lack of oversight. I tried the 160 proof rum the tour guide lets you have a little try of. And it was pretty smooth considering the proof. Glad we did the tour. Come and take a look. I bet they have something you’ll like.

Patrick, our Rum Master, and Stacy, our Master Class leader, made learning about the history of the rum running business and the modern rum making and distilling process exciting and fun. Our family celebrated our kiddo turning 21 with this class that came with a side of drinks, knowledge and laughs that cannot be made elsewhere! The souvenir glass, muddler and spoon were a huge bonus. A few classmates left and hung out together after at another establishment. Indelible memories!

The free tour and tastings are so amazing. Be sure to grab a few bottles of the small bottles to take home or back to your room for nightcaps. The staff was very helpful.

This is a MUST do if in Key West. Very informative, educational, interesting, and FUN! Most importantly, now I know how to make the most authentic and yummiest mojitos I have ever had. Thank you Crystal and Paul! It exceeded all of our expectations!

My husband and I took the mojito making class with Stacey while on vacation last week. What a fun experience! Not only did we learn how to make the best mojitos we also tasted the smoothest rums ever! When Stacey said that you can drink as much as you want and not get a headache, she wasn’t kidding and she tested our limits with all of the tastings! Even if all you have time for is a to-go drink, make sure that you at least stop in for a pina colada! We put the mojito recipe and rum that we brought home with us to use today - all we were missing were the island vibes! Once home we ordered a few more bottles. The shipping was fast; only took about 3-4 days. The bottles were individually wrapped in cellophane and placed into bubble wrap pouches. They were packed tightly with paper all around. If you order one bottle, you might as well order a bunch because I believe it was a flat rate shipping of $30.

An Unforgettable Mojito Class with Crystal Menta at Key West Legal Rum If you find yourself in Key West, make sure to visit Key West Legal Rum and experience a mojito class led by the exceptional Crystal Menta, the co-owner of the establishment. She's not only gorgeous and smart but also a dedicated professional who truly understands the art of rum and mixology. Say goodbye to bitter mojitos; under her guidance, you'll craft the perfect cocktail! When I planned my 50th birthday celebration, I reached out to Crystal via email to reserve a spot in her mojito class. To my delight, when we arrived, the venue was adorned with happy birthday banners, and Crystal had even prepared a special birthday crown for me. Such thoughtful gestures made the experience even more memorable. Aside from the enthralling class, Key West Legal Rum also offers freshly made piña coladas daily, showcasing some of the best rum you’ll ever taste. The ambiance, the company, and the delicious drinks combined created a highlight of our trip to Key West. I wholeheartedly recommend this mojito class to anyone visiting. Be sure to ask for Crystal—her expertise and warm personality will enhance your experience tremendously!

We took the Mojito making class. There were 5 of us and we had so much fun. I highly recommend it. Stacey our teacher was fantastic. We learned how to make amazing Mojito's and sampled different types of rums. I loved the history and the stories Stacey told. Paul the owner stopped by our class. I really enjoyed hearing about the science behind his rum making and some of the other products he is working on. It's an experience you won't forget.

After touring Hemingway's house made me realize how much he's a part of Key West. I bookmarked this distillery but did not expect the wonderful experience we had. From the entering the front door, greeted by this enthusiastic woman. She took care of us and told us all the things we needed to know. Everyone was friendly, attentive and accommodating. Our tour guide Ed was excellent. He was knowledgeable about what the distillery and answered all the questions asked. He was on top of things and guided us throughout the tour. The best part were the samples and the free cocktail afterwards. I would recommend this distillery tour to anyone who loves Rum and loves learning about history.

Five star rum tasting store with a great display of hardcore rum bottles - Bad Bitch Rum - Key West Rum - Key West Rum Pineapple. The store looks crazy cool. We went through a full rum tasting class with the co-owner and we purchased a cold pina colada rum green coconut drink. This place was top notch.

We enjoyed our tour and tasting. It rained outside but we were happy inside ( building and body lol) the Pina colada with pineapple rum was the best I've ever had with real chunks of pineapple coming up the straw! The tasting room server was informative and the tour gentleman gave an informative tour with humor.

We had the pleasure of meeting Jason today for a tour of some unique and delicious rum! We learned about why using "something different" (I can't give it away here) than molasses makes a difference! We learned, drank a delicious frozen drink, and will be placing our order from home upon our return! Check out their website! And GO!

The free tour is great and they absolutely offer free samples of anything you might want to try. Seeing the barrels with different notes and things and hearing the history of the rum industry was a good time. I definitely recommend making this a stop if you will be in Key West.

Great place to stop for the perfect Pina Colada. It comes in a cool Green souvenir plastic cup, and receive a discount on refills. I'd also recommend adding the extra shot of rum too. We also purchased a bottle of rum to take home too. Free tastings for all their rums and they do tours too. Dog friendly, even had treats for our dog.

Do yourself a favor and stop by on your next trip to Key West! You can do a tasting of all their products and even get some delicious drinks to go. We got there right before closing, but the staff was still super nice and helpful. We definitely didn't feel rushed or anything. We were standing outside enjoying our drinks in the courtyard next to them and they had a fan blowing out their backdoor, so of course that is where we were standing. As they were closing down for the day an employee came out to shut it off and saw us there. She actually left it for another 20 minutes for us to enjoy, which we really appreciated.

We came here because I wanted to try it and wanted a ceramic pirate bottle... sadly I discovered they only make the bottles around the holidays. We did the tasting, which you can choose 2-3 rums and a cocktail to go. They give you a keepsake cup as well. We loved the pineapple rum and of course, I NEEDED the bad bitch rum. We were hoping for an air conditioned place to sit, but had no such luck. It was standing only. They also close early, at 6pm.

My husband had a piña colada here and he really liked the piña colada minus the floater on top. They do free tours and paid tastings. lots of other stuff to sample also!

Jason was a great tour guide! Amazing they share their love for rum and do it at no cost to the tourists. Best free tour!!

This cute little distillery and shop is just what you would expect in Key West. They had several cocktails as well as tastings available. We took a tour with a fantastic tour guide who made the tour educational but fun. I would rate it higher, but did not really enjoy any of the products.

Free tour, free samples, rum cocktails. The tour was very interesting, the service incredible and the vibes within the distillery were 10/10. Special mention to the pina colada frozen slushy as well. We have been here on vacation and made a couple different stops in the distillery and left with several goodies!

12/18/2023 12:30ish Visiting from Austin,Tx where craft brewery's and distilleries are ubiquitous, we couldn't pass this place up. We were greeted by a smiling enthusiastic bartender named Stacy. We had a few samples and found the Rum to be VERY Smooth. Since it was after 12, it was time for a drink. Wife had a Pina Colada with Pineapple Rum - delicious ! I had eggnog with Spiced Rum. Naturally, we signed up for the free tour. Bob, our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and excited about explaining the nuances of rum distillation. Chef Paul ( a well known chef in his own right) started this craft distillery due to his desire to create a Hi Quality Rum. They start with the finest ingredient, Demerara Sugar, and very carefully control every step of the process. Slow and methodical. Perfection is Priority One! We really enjoyed the attention to detail. Afterwards we asked if we could get a picture with Bob. There was a guy walking around in the back room there and we asked him if he take the picture for us. He graciously agreed. We went out front to say our good bye's and told Stacy we found a guy out back to take our picture with Bob. Stacy said "oh, that's the owner.", (Paul Menta) Needless to say, we rushed back into the distilling area and asked to have pictures with Mr Menta. There could not have been a more humble guy. When I asked to have the picture of my wife and I with BOB, he didn't say " Hey, I'm the owner do you want a picture with me instead?" he just took the picture and handed the phone back to me like it was a typical thing to do. WOW .. Just WOW We ended up having a very nice conversation and really enjoyed talking with him. He has a fascinating story. Like any Quality product, expect to pay a bit extra. I felt the prices were commensurate with the quality. 12/19/2023 Today we went back and being in our car, picked up 8 bottles to take back to Austin.

I'm a total suckered for a numbered bottle. The servers were friendly and offered tastings of everything. They also have local rum cakes and other items for purchase. It's a nice quick stop, I wish I had asked for some historical details.

Great atmosphere. Friendly bartenders. And the pina colada is the best in the island. Add in pineapple rum. One isn't enough.

Great experience if you are wanting to learn about rum. Really who does not mind free samples! Locally owned & operated, consider this your history lesson. Loved the fresh pina coladas plus the extra rum shot.

On our last day in Key West, we were wandering around and trying to figure out how to spend our time. Enter the Key West First Legal Rum Distillery. The tours are free and we happened upon the distillery right as a tour was about to begin. The bartender asked if we wanted to our drinks for our tour - YES PLEASE! I had the pina colada and it was absolutely amazing. Plus it came in a color changing cup. The rum was delicious and we left with several bottles. The tour was well done and the guide was entertaining. So glad we took the time to stop in here!

We took the tour and had a great time. Our guide was very enthusiastic and entertaining. Kept our attention the entire tour.

I've been to close to 100 distilleries and this was definitely one of my least favorites. The main issue was the service. We were treated like nuisances. We had seen reviews here that people had tried all the products when they walked in for a quick tasting. We were told we could try 2 or 3 out of a lineup of around 12. The tastings were very small compared to all the others I've had before. When they poured, it was a quick comment on this is what it is and very little eye contact and never a smile. The products themselves were just okay which made the service even more surprising. We actually went back quickly a second timing hoping it was just a fluke that it happened that first day but nope. Still another bad experience.

Best Rum you can buy. Bought my first bottle a few years ago and just keep ordering more.

Key West First Legal Rum Distillery provides a free tour and you can buy a drink before starting the tour. They breakdown exactly how the process is. Ended up taking a big bottle to decorate at home. I "might" just open it though lol.

Front service staff was alright, stone faced, and not very informative. The tour is free every 15 minutes and you wait out on the side of the bldg. Just ask the store staff about it and they'll give you the tickets. They let you sample 100+ proof rum that's very smooth. The tour and tour guide was informative on the distillery process.

You walk into the bar area at first where you can try any and all flavors of their product. We tried spiced, coconut, "bad bitch," raw, and pina colada. They are so generous in giving you samples and give you OJ to clear your palate between. When I say the pina colada is the best pina colada I've ever had, I am not being dramatic- it truly is!!!! You HAVE to go have it. We took the tour and they let us have yet another sample and the guide was thoughtful enough to give the young kid we were with an OJ sample so he was included when the adults were drinking, so incredibly thoughtful of them to consider the kids. The tour guide was engaging, knowledgeable, and fun. He kept the tour interesting, knew his stuff and was also pretty funny along the way! Tour is free, definitely check it out!

We went on a free group tour of their boutique rum distillery. It was fun and informative. The free sample of their frozen daiquiri was a nice surprise. Who knew you could make so many bottles in such a small space in one year - WOW!! Learned something new. After the tour, stick around to sample and purchase their rums. It's also nice to get a rum flavored frozen daiquiri to carry around as you explore Key West.

Had an amazing experience sampling some great rums. Guided tour of the distillery was fun and informative! Best piña colada I've ever had!

This place was super cool. Well, actually it was HOT. I don't know if they have AC or not. The day I went, the door was open and a fan was on and I almost passed out. But other than that, super cool place, with tasty rum, and cool T-shirts. Go.

We visited Key West First Legal Rum Distillery during our trip to Key West March 2024. We were a group of 6 with 2 having been to Key West multiple times and the other 4 being newbies. We took the Mojito Class and it was truly a highlight of our trip! Crystal was amazing, knowledgeable, and fun! The story of this distillery is movie-worthy! We all will never make a mojito any other way! They were super delicious! Highly recommend!

Great tour, friendly people, amazing rum! Best mojito I've had! Definitely stop in, you won't regret it!

I was really excited to try the mojito based on the sign outside advertising as authentic Cuban mojito but the one I received was the worst I've ever had. Not at all like in Cuba. Staff was ok but not super friendly. Only able to try 2-3 samples.

This was a fun distillery tour. The guide was knowledgeable and funny. I'm not a big rum person but it was good. The bar sells drinks, I recommend the pina colada, one of the best I've ever had

What a great place this is. We took the free distillery tour and it was great. We decided to sign up for the mojito class. You should take the time take the class. You WILL NOT be disappointed. I won't give away details but will say that you will have a great time and learn a thing or two. The staff here is great!!!

Fun and entertaining tour of this small batch distillery. Good service, chef was easy to talk with and learning the how & why behind this tasty venture. Purchased a few of the specialties to bring home as well.

The service is wonderful and the staff is very knowledgeable. Fun place to get gifts for friends.

They offer free tours! I kept getting pushed toward the other distilleries on the island where you'd have to pay and reserve a slot for a tour and I'm beyond thrilled someone recommended this place place to me. The tour was well done and it was interesting to learn about the rum making process and the distillery's history. I didn't realize you couldn't distill alcohol on the island until 2013! The rum is outstanding quality and they offer free sample tastings of the ones you'd like to try. The pineapple one is out of this world as well as the coconut! They also offer pina coladas( so good!) and coconut or regular mojitos. You can purchase bottles of rum there ( I did!) as well as other cool merchandise like glasses, mojito making sets, bar mats, and mini bottles. I would definitely recommend giving this place a try and take a tour while you're there!

The bartender was friendly and let us try as many of the rum flavors as we wanted without charge. I ordered a frozen Key West pina colada and she topped it with graham cracker dust which literally made it taste like key lime pie in a cup (in the best way). My boyfriend got a rum and Coke with their raw and unfiltered rum. We were both pleased with our choices.

Stopped here after a little time at the beach. Cute place. We didn't do the tour. Wish we would have had time. We decided to get the green tea coconut mojito. They make them fresh right there. It was really good. Now they were a bit pricy for the small cup. $15 each. But they were good. Loved the salt scrub to sample at the sink . Smelled great.

I did not have the best experience here. The ladies in the front were very aloof when I walked in. I wouldn't describe them as customer-centric. They really know how to make you wonder what the hell you are doing there. And then they had the audacity to demand a tip. I gave them one, but no because I thought they deserved it; I felt coerced. Their margarita was pretty garbage, and super expensive. Sixteen dollars for lemon water... The only reason for the two stars (it should be one) is because the lady in the back bar was super friendly and very helpful. She gave us restaurant recommendations and even tried to fix the situation when I told her my drinks tasted like trash. That's what you call customer service - just caring. The girls in the front couldn't even do that.

The rum was good but the service, experience, and overall vibe of this place could use some serious polishing (which may be why Papa's Pilar Rum down the street had WAY more customers than this place did.) We walked in and were offered one free tasting at the little tasting station. Unfortunately, this makes it very hard to determine if you want to buy a rum -- there are very many to choose from, and if you only taste one, it's hard to make a choice. Fortunately I chose the glazed pineapple one, and it was very tasty so I bought a bottle. (But we weren't fond of my wife's selection, and perhaps if we could have tried another they would have made another sale?) But the server seemed quite bitter about his job, and not very friendly at all. In fact, the whole experience was kind of tainted when the couple who was in there before us bought two bottles and then, as they were leaving, they were harangued by the pourer for not tipping him! (As they walked out the door he yelled "Could I have provided better service? You know, it's customary to tip your servers here!") Extremely unprofessional, but it made me feel obligated to leave him a tip -- even though we bought a bottle (just like they did) -- to avoid the same kind of harassment. Getting one thimbleful of something isn't exactly like going to a bar -- it's more like a "free sample" to get the customer to buy something, so when they do, they should not feel obligated to pay more. Perhaps the business should rethink how they do tastings and tours. Maybe charge for tastings, allow more than one flavor, and put that money into paying the employees so they aren't bitter?

Popped in to check this place out. The folks there are very friendly. They give small samples free. Did not have time to do the tour, but their rum is pretty darn good. I think my favorite was Bad Bitch, but the coconut and lime were good as well.. We ordered a pina colada to go, it was very good. Would definitely return.

The flavored rums are delicious and the raw aged is really good!!! We bought several and tasted a few. Free tastings...They also order free tours but we had to go.. maybe next time... there is a small bar in back also where you can order specialty drinks. I took away one star because the girl giving us the tastings seemed a bit occupied elsewhere when asking questions and didn't give elaborate answers.

Drinks are great. Wife loved the rum punch. I opted for the Robert the Doll limited edition run. You can sample everything the y make. Nothing disappoints.

Fun stop in Key West. Free tasting of several rums they distill. The place was very busy when we visited but the solo employee working the front area kept a smile and helped us to a couple tastings of rum varieties, Purchased the raw and unfiltered rum. Would enjoy revisiting if in the area to learn more about their history and distillation process.

Mojito Making Class Awesome class teaching the best way (Cuban) to make a mojito with fresh ingredients. The class was one part history, one part mojitos and muddled with FUN!

Employees are nice except when it come to using the restroom. I asked twice to use the restroom and the lady said during the tour you can go. During the tour I asked to use the restroom and she said they guide will take you. I'm not happy they using the restroom is such an issue. Finally i she just let me go. After the tour my husband asked to go and it was the same thing.

I'm glad I read the reviews for this distillery and for Pilar's before we chose which to prioritize visiting. Spoiler: we did both - however Key West First Legal Rum Distillery was leaps and bounds above Hemmingway's/Pilar's. The tour was free, tasting was free, and the house made drinks are DELICIOUS and available to go. The rum was out of this world with each one being better than the last. We ended up buying 2 bottles of their rum and several mini bottles to bring home.

Pina coladas were great. I appreciated the knowledge of the tour guides. Those women were awesome. They give free samples so you can see which flavor of rum you might want and also sell small bottles if you're short on time. Stick with the Dark Bad Bitch. Can't go wrong with the concoction from the female rum runner

We went on the distillery tour.A lot of good information about the making of the rum.I wish they would allow you to taste a little bit more of the rum as they give u one small sample.(which I didn't like).I made a bad choice of sample.They have so many to choose from .They want you to buy a glass before they will pour you all the different rums .I am sure if I found one I liked I would bought a bottle. If you like rum then buy the glass so you can taste them all.Sorry I didn't do that but was somewhat confused as to how it all worked.

Rum tasting, Mojito Making, Spanish Marie! We had such a great time here and it was only a stop on our way to something else. They offer free tours of the distillery I believe every hour and also offer a free tasting or you can buy one of the shot glass which was no more than $10 and you can get a full tasting of everything they have to offer. They also offered this slushie like juice they were making for chasers or to mix the rum with. The day we were here they ended up having a free Mojito making class and honestly this was one of the highlights of our trip! You had an option of buying your own Mojito kit for about $15 in which they supply you with all the stuff to make it, rum, lime, mint, sugar.. In addition they still let you taste the ones they make which is with the original rum and the other with the coconut rum. They even had a small little raffle they included in the class. Everyone was super friendly, they have this mug shot photo op thing which was pretty cool. All types of products made from rum.. like rum cake! Soap, and more. I would definitely say check it out, get a free tasting and hopefully while you're there you can do a mojito class too! BTW they do military discount on rum bottles here!