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Please Go, had a wonderful time getting all the history. We also had the opportunity to taste the rum cakes sold in there , we did also purchase some apparel . The staff are knowledgeable and amazing .
We thoroughly enjoyed this distillery and tour! We weren't sure about paying for a tour at a rum distillery, but it was worth it! The tour touched on the history of Hemingway while in Key West and gave a really nice lesson on the distill process for rum ending in a generous tasting in the bottling room. Tour guide was super friendly and knowledgeable. Rum was fantastic! A surprisingly positive experience!
Hemingway Rum Distillery in Key West near the Historic Waterfront Wharf. Very large and lovely inside w a beautiful bar area and show room for souvenirs and various bottles of Rum. The tour is about an hour long and cost $20. We decided to pass on tour but did take a gander around their store! Very nice and the AC was much appreciated!
Service was efficient but not overly friendly. Interior was nicely decorated, cool and had cold ice water on a hot day. We each tried a flight and liked the dark rum the best. Tried to buy a bottle but they didn't have any in stock.
Easy five stars, this place rocks. So much so that we visited twice during our visit to Key West! It's no secret I love me some craft spirits and expertly made cocktails. You can check both of those boxes here. We didn't take the tour this time, but the tasting room is spacious, well decorated, and the AC is cranking on a hot and humid July day. My only qualm is the branding. Is it Papa's Pilar or Hemingway Distillery or Hemingway Social Club? It seems to be a combination of all three. But keep that in mind when searching online for it, because it can get confusing to the average tourist. Escaping the heat is a must in the Florida summers. Compared to the open air and more rowdy bars in the surrounding area, this place is a classy establishment with a beautiful design. From the back bar to the nautical art to the exposed brick, you want a properly made cocktail at a place like this. And the bartenders deliver! They have a seasonal menu, as well as a large selection of classic rum and whiskey cocktails. Those are the two spirits they make in house, and they are both delicious. The Key Lime Colada was Key West in a coupe glass. Cool, soothing, and refreshing. I tried some other cocktails and spirits on their own, and everything was on par. It's also worth noting that we brought our 10 month old here and it was no problem at all. We were able to be in our own corner without disturbing typical distillery patrons. A must in Key West for the spirits and cocktail enthusiast!
This was a great experience, brief enough to not become dull, but long enough to learn a LOT about the history of rum, Hemingway, and this distillery in particular. Our guide was amusing and shared a lot of info that I didn't know previously. Skipper made the tour for me tbh.
We came here to finish off my day of work and enjoyed some cocktails. There was live music, this place is close to cruise pier so perfect location for those coming in. Service was great, they have flights you can have to taste the rums available or just order drinks. Atmosphere is very relaxing and the temperature in there is COLD lol just fyi. Great spot will definitely be coming here again.
Very nice, clean, and organized store. All the staff were professional and nice too. Surprised that they greet you at a stand upon entering to ask what tastings you'd like to pay for (and even the tour). Most places do free samplings. I guess we're paying for the Hemingway name, the nice show room, and all the merch they have made. Disappointed that their rums are blends and not technically distilled by the company, but they are tasty if you like sweet drinks. We still picked up a couple bottles of their seasonals.
This place was absolutely amazing. We stopped in here during Fantasy Fest early in the day and it was a fantastic escape from the heat to enjoy some really great craft cocktails. I got one of their seasonal Halloween drinks.
If you're looking for a break from the Duval Street chaos, the Hemingway Rum Company (Papa's Pilar Distillery) is an absolute must-visit. It perfectly captures that laid-back, adventurous Key West spirit--and serves up some of the best drinks on the island. We were lucky enough to visit during Fantasy Fest, and the distillery was an incredible oasis! While the atmosphere is always chill, the fact that you can step away from the wildest crowds and still enjoy an expertly crafted cocktail in a relaxed yet beautiful setting is a huge plus. It's a fantastic spot to decompress, regroup, and recharge before diving back into the festival action.
A fun and tasty stop in KW. I didn't know I was a rum drinker until I did a flight at the Hemingway Distillery. The distillery and tasting room/cocktail bar has a rustic, but relaxing environment and decor'. The service was top notch as the bartenders were happy that we stopped by. The menu includes multiple cocktails made with their different rum and several levels of rum flights. Before I get into the tastings, kudos to the Distillery for honoring and recognizing veterans! Not only did they have a Missing Man table set, they gave a complementary cocktail to all veterans! Nice job and thank you! We tried Papa's Full House Flight, which had their Dark Rum, Reserve Rum, Rye Finished Rum, and the Hemingway Rye Whiskey. All were very good, but the Reserve was absolutely amazing. I also tasted the Blonde Rum, which was very good and very sippable. In addition to the flight, we had the Old Fashion, which was delicious! The Hemingway Distillery/Cocktail Bar is a must-see stop when visiting KW.
Hemimgway made a rum fan out of me. I came here as part of a tour and there were only five of us. Skipper was an amazing tour guide. She talking about Hemingway's life, fun facts about rum, how the distillery operated, and then we sampled rum. I would highly recommend this tour as Skipper was an amazing guide. Hemingway distillery is amazing. Sure, you can find Pilar Rum in major liquor stores but the bottles here come with their own unique cap and they have limited edition rum here you can't find anywhere else. And while I mentioned how amazing Skipper was she wasn't the only one. The staff here all were super engaging and passionate about their product. I never felt like it was a sales pitch, more like someone showing off how cool a product was. My tale did not end here. I bought a few things here and Skipper offered to take it to the ship. I thought that was great! The day before disembarkation I asked the cruise employees how / when I would receive this product. Everyone I talked to was so confused. This made no sense to them as they never heard such a thing, but promised to look into it. They called at one point and said they couldn't find it, but after I came back from a late show there it was! I called and thanked them for finding it. The Monday after the cruise an employee from Hemingway called and texted me having heard what happened. What she didn't hear was that the merchandise was found. She was ready to make this right. I apologized that she wasn't informed it appeared. I was so impressed with her responsiveness! They made a loyal customer out of me!
Live music. Refreshing drinks. Cool AC and great vibe. Nostalgic decor. We did not do the tour, as we had done one a few years ago. Just stopped into the Social Club and enjoyed the music and drinks for an hour or so on two different days. Service at the bar was good but no wait staff. Bar service only. Must take a picture with the beautiful statue of Hemingway while there! Great prices on some fantastic rum bottles too. Guy Harvey art decor. Chess, games and cool books to peruse.
Decided to take a break from walking on Duval Street and took a detour onto Simonton Street for a taste of high grade Papas Pilar Rum. Samples for $2.50 per person were provided by the kid working the rum counter. We tasted the different Papas Pilar rums and each were good but the dark rum was excellent. The kid provided a ten minute lesson on the three rums which were sold in shop for up to $550.00 per bottle. read more
O. M. G. What a wonderful experience! From the tour to the tastings, the flights and the amazing drinks! We enjoyed live music while taking in the daiquiris and my major favorite the Hemingway colada! Incredible! This will be our go to place each time we come to Key West! read more
4 months ago
Please Go, had a wonderful time getting all the history. We also had the opportunity to taste the rum cakes sold in there , we did also purchase some apparel . The staff are knowledgeable and amazing . read more
8 months ago
We thoroughly enjoyed this distillery and tour! We weren't sure about paying for a tour at a rum distillery, but it was worth it! The tour touched on the history of Hemingway while in Key West and gave a really nice lesson on the distill process for rum ending in a generous tasting in the bottling room. Tour guide was super friendly and knowledgeable. Rum was fantastic! A surprisingly positive experience! read more
1 year ago
Hemingway Rum Distillery in Key West near the Historic Waterfront Wharf. Very large and lovely inside w a beautiful bar area and show room for souvenirs and various bottles of Rum. The tour is about an hour long and cost $20. We decided to pass on tour but did take a gander around their store! Very nice and the AC was much appreciated! read more
Service was efficient but not overly friendly. Interior was nicely decorated, cool and had cold ice water on a hot day. We each tried a flight and liked the dark rum the best. Tried to buy a bottle but they didn't have any in stock. read more
Easy five stars, this place rocks. So much so that we visited twice during our visit to Key West! It's no secret I love me some craft spirits and expertly made cocktails. You can check both of those boxes here. We didn't take the tour this time, but the tasting room is spacious, well decorated, and the AC is cranking on a hot and humid July day. My only qualm is the branding. Is it Papa's Pilar or Hemingway Distillery or Hemingway Social Club? It seems to be a combination of all three. But keep that in mind when searching online for it, because it can get confusing to the average tourist. Escaping the heat is a must in the Florida summers. Compared to the open air and more rowdy bars in the surrounding area, this place is a classy establishment with a beautiful design. From the back bar to the nautical art to the exposed brick, you want a properly made cocktail at a place like this. And the bartenders deliver! They have a seasonal menu, as well as a large selection of classic rum and whiskey cocktails. Those are the two spirits they make in house, and they are both delicious. The Key Lime Colada was Key West in a coupe glass. Cool, soothing, and refreshing. I tried some other cocktails and spirits on their own, and everything was on par. It's also worth noting that we brought our 10 month old here and it was no problem at all. We were able to be in our own corner without disturbing typical distillery patrons. A must in Key West for the spirits and cocktail enthusiast! read more
This was a great experience, brief enough to not become dull, but long enough to learn a LOT about the history of rum, Hemingway, and this distillery in particular. Our guide was amusing and shared a lot of info that I didn't know previously. Skipper made the tour for me tbh. read more
We came here to finish off my day of work and enjoyed some cocktails. There was live music, this place is close to cruise pier so perfect location for those coming in. Service was great, they have flights you can have to taste the rums available or just order drinks. Atmosphere is very relaxing and the temperature in there is COLD lol just fyi. Great spot will definitely be coming here again. read more
8 months ago
Very nice, clean, and organized store. All the staff were professional and nice too. Surprised that they greet you at a stand upon entering to ask what tastings you'd like to pay for (and even the tour). Most places do free samplings. I guess we're paying for the Hemingway name, the nice show room, and all the merch they have made. Disappointed that their rums are blends and not technically distilled by the company, but they are tasty if you like sweet drinks. We still picked up a couple bottles of their seasonals. read more
This place was absolutely amazing. We stopped in here during Fantasy Fest early in the day and it was a fantastic escape from the heat to enjoy some really great craft cocktails. I got one of their seasonal Halloween drinks. read more
If you're looking for a break from the Duval Street chaos, the Hemingway Rum Company (Papa's Pilar Distillery) is an absolute must-visit. It perfectly captures that laid-back, adventurous Key West spirit--and serves up some of the best drinks on the island. We were lucky enough to visit during Fantasy Fest, and the distillery was an incredible oasis! While the atmosphere is always chill, the fact that you can step away from the wildest crowds and still enjoy an expertly crafted cocktail in a relaxed yet beautiful setting is a huge plus. It's a fantastic spot to decompress, regroup, and recharge before diving back into the festival action. read more
A fun and tasty stop in KW. I didn't know I was a rum drinker until I did a flight at the Hemingway Distillery. The distillery and tasting room/cocktail bar has a rustic, but relaxing environment and decor'. The service was top notch as the bartenders were happy that we stopped by. The menu includes multiple cocktails made with their different rum and several levels of rum flights. Before I get into the tastings, kudos to the Distillery for honoring and recognizing veterans! Not only did they have a Missing Man table set, they gave a complementary cocktail to all veterans! Nice job and thank you! We tried Papa's Full House Flight, which had their Dark Rum, Reserve Rum, Rye Finished Rum, and the Hemingway Rye Whiskey. All were very good, but the Reserve was absolutely amazing. I also tasted the Blonde Rum, which was very good and very sippable. In addition to the flight, we had the Old Fashion, which was delicious! The Hemingway Distillery/Cocktail Bar is a must-see stop when visiting KW. read more
Hemimgway made a rum fan out of me. I came here as part of a tour and there were only five of us. Skipper was an amazing tour guide. She talking about Hemingway's life, fun facts about rum, how the distillery operated, and then we sampled rum. I would highly recommend this tour as Skipper was an amazing guide. Hemingway distillery is amazing. Sure, you can find Pilar Rum in major liquor stores but the bottles here come with their own unique cap and they have limited edition rum here you can't find anywhere else. And while I mentioned how amazing Skipper was she wasn't the only one. The staff here all were super engaging and passionate about their product. I never felt like it was a sales pitch, more like someone showing off how cool a product was. My tale did not end here. I bought a few things here and Skipper offered to take it to the ship. I thought that was great! The day before disembarkation I asked the cruise employees how / when I would receive this product. Everyone I talked to was so confused. This made no sense to them as they never heard such a thing, but promised to look into it. They called at one point and said they couldn't find it, but after I came back from a late show there it was! I called and thanked them for finding it. The Monday after the cruise an employee from Hemingway called and texted me having heard what happened. What she didn't hear was that the merchandise was found. She was ready to make this right. I apologized that she wasn't informed it appeared. I was so impressed with her responsiveness! They made a loyal customer out of me! read more
2 months ago
2 months ago
Live music. Refreshing drinks. Cool AC and great vibe. Nostalgic decor. We did not do the tour, as we had done one a few years ago. Just stopped into the Social Club and enjoyed the music and drinks for an hour or so on two different days. Service at the bar was good but no wait staff. Bar service only. Must take a picture with the beautiful statue of Hemingway while there! Great prices on some fantastic rum bottles too. Guy Harvey art decor. Chess, games and cool books to peruse. read more
6 months ago
We love Pilar rum, so we thought we would take a short tour of the distillery. The tour guide was very knowledgeable very kind. Loved the tastings and the free drinks when we signed up for the online email registration. read more
Papa's Flagship Flight was ok if you like rum. I'm a bourbon guy. The bartender's service was horrible. Telling a guest he didn't have time to go look for a drink he wanted and asking us to move to a table because we were in the way for people to order. There was a bar stool in the same area so not sure why we were blocking. Additionally insisted we kept the tab open until we finished the flight because people steal the glasses; that was insulting. We didn't do the tour. Something you may find worth while. read more
In our recent visit to Key West, I stopped in to THE RUM BAR (the classic rum cocktail bar on Duval Street that was the stop to find Bahama Bob)... While there, enjoying a cocktail, I inquired in they still hear from Bahama Bob and he told me he could be found over at PAPA'S PILAR DISTILLERY. Bahama Bob was the reason we became such fans of The Rum Bar but he's been long gone so it's nice to hear where he landed... I figured we'd look into the place and stop by if we have some time on our trip. Coincidently the next day we were walking past the CURRY WAREHOUSE and noticed this was the home of the distillery (known as HEMINGWAY RUM COMPANY). We jumped in and inquired if the legend was in and coincidently he was... we caught up with Bahama Bob for a moment and decided to check the place out and enjoy a cocktail (or a few). The distillery is an impressive operation and the tasting room (bar) is large and has a comfortable feel... standing bar (no stools) to order drinks and hang out plus many tables, hi-tops and couches spread around to really feel at home. At the bar, my wife ordered a KEY WEST STORM and I went with a THE SUN ALSO RISES AFTER THE HURRICANE (love the play on one of Hemingway's classic tales). We grabbed seats on a couch and cushioned chairs and challenged each other to a game of chess (I won if anyone cares). I also ended up trying their MOUSE'S MAI TAI... pretty good (as were the first drinks). Overall I enjoyed the drinks and the tasting room (bar) is comfortable but there is a bit of a touristy vibe (it is Key West after all). read more
We went here with friends who used to be locals. They had the dark pillar rum at their house in the DMV and I loved it so obviously we had to stop by the source when in town. We started with a flight of all their rums and the rye whiskey. They were all very good. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable. The cocktail bar wasn't quite open yet so we left and came back when that opened too. Holy smokes. BEST PINA COLADO EVER! My wife and I are still talking about how good they are. I also got the Vikiden drink that features the dark rum, pina mix and OJ. It's topped with freshly grated nutmeg and coconut. Also very good. This place is super chill with an old speakeasy kind of vibe in a large open space. Highly recommend coming here! read more
2 months ago
9 months ago
While in Key West, my husband wanted to check out Hemingway Rum Company. The distillery offered guided tours every hour from 11am - 5pm, Wednesday to Saturday. Unfortunately, we arrived a little too late and missed the last tour for the day. Being that it was a Saturday, and we were leaving Key West the following Monday, we couldn't have come back for the guided tour. One of the reasons we wanted to come to Hemingway Rum Company was because they are dog friendly. It wasn't just the bar that was dog friendly, but we could also take our dog with us during the guided tour. How awesome is that! Anyway, now that we couldn't go on the guided tour, we grabbed ourselves a high top at the bar. Live music was playing when we got there. I can't remember the name of the duo, but the woman who sang was a retired Broadway singer, and she sang soooo beautifully. The weather outside was perfect, yet the bar was so inviting and cozy. My husband and I stayed for a couple of hours. The cocktails were well crafted and delicious. We had a few rounds of cocktails. I was really surprised by how good the rums were. Hemingway Rum Company was definitely one of our favorite stops of our Key West trip. read more
1 year ago
Awesome Rums and happy hour starts at 3 pm. Flights are reasonable. Definitely eat before coming to trying the rum flight. Great personable hosts. read more
If you go to the gift shop you can give them your email for a taste test of the Papa's blond and dark rum. You also get a 20% discount on what you buy. We bought a bottle of everything they make, since it is not available in Ohio, yet. Sipping rum, with lots of flavors from being a blended rum stored in many types of barrels. The fella giving out the tasting was very informative, and he said try this for a sipping cocktail. Make ice cubes with coconut water, then pour in some of the Papa's Pilar dark or blond rum, then add some pineapple juice. read more
10 months ago
11 months ago
1 year ago
The Hemingway rum company has two sides to it. The distillery side gives free tastings provided you give them an email address. I found that to be a fair trade for 4 samples of rum. The Pilat rum is legit. I was impressed with how smooth the clear rum was. The Hemingway library which is a short walk through the distillery....was quite the treat. The vibe is incredibly chill even by key west standards. The cocktails there made with the various Pilat rums were excellent. I strongly recommend you engage the knowledgeable bartenders who can guide you to a custom cocktail. Personally I enjoyed their version of an old fashioned made with rum. Neat point: all the employees go by a nickname given to them by their peers. read more
My husband is a fan of this rum so we decided to stop in during our visit. Edgar was a great tour guide. The tour was interesting and the tasting was great. You even get a drink at the end at the social club. We bought a bottle so that we have the key west top. Nice place. read more
10 months ago
5 years ago
Yes we are those people. Wandering the streets of key west, we came upon a sign offering complimentary rum tastings at Papa's place...Hemingway Rum Company. Time was running out on this unexpected freebie so we hustled through the door and found ourselves in a sort of Rum bar/distillery/adventure shop. We were passed through to the final complimentary tasting and joined the throng at the tastefully done wood bar. The tasting was great. We were lead through a series of shots and taught how to recognize the notes and finishes of each rum. The woman hosting the tasting was funny and full of rum Knowledge. We highly recommend this little adventure. We also found out that Hemingway's offers a fan favorite cocktail mixing lesson where you learn to make (and then drink) three rum cocktails. It sells out fast so you need to book it in advance. It sounded like read more
11 months ago
5 years ago
The makers of Papa Pilar Rum. Really cool bottle, btw. Fun fact: they used to put a chain on their bottle to resemble Hemingway's canteen. But they stop using that detail for a while now. Anyways, it's a great place for rum and/or Hemingway fans. The tour is funny and informative. You'll learn about Hemingway's life in the Keys. There are even tons of pictures of Ernest during his time here. Of course, you'll also learn about their rum distillery process. You must make reservations for the tour. I believe they also teach cocktail classes. There is a discount on rums, if you do the tour. There is also other cool merchandise like glasses, shirts, shorts, etc, You will get a tasting of their rums at the end of the tour. I prefer the blonde rum. 5 stars! read more
5 years ago
We took Papa's Pilar Cocktail Making Class. This was great fun!! There were only 10 of us. Once we had all checked in, Mo gave us a tour and told us the history of distilling their rum. After the tour, we all moved to set spots at the bar. We made two different cocktails: The Kiss and the Hurricane. It was so much fun!! We each got a goodie bag and a discount on a purchase of a bottle - which turned out good since I think we each wanted one!! Mo also gave recommendations for restaurants and bars. read more
3 years ago
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More info about Hemingway Distillery
201 Simonton St
Key West, FL 33040
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(305) 414-8754
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http://www.papaspilar.com
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