Wine & Mead Tasting, Distillery and Brewery Tour with Lunch

The best part of this outing is its unusual mix of drinks. You move from ancient-style honey wine to Kingman-made wine, small-batch rum and vodka, then craft beer, all in one day. It is a good way to see a quieter side of Arizona beyond the casino floor.

I like the small maximum of 12 people, which makes the day more personal than a large bus excursion. I also like the family-run feel of the stops, especially the behind-the-scenes look at Desert Diamond Distillery and the chance to try local products that are not common in Nevada shops.

The main drawback is the amount of driving. About two hours of the seven-hour day is set aside for transportation, and the quality of the tasting stops can vary by your own taste. One visitor enjoyed the distillery most but found the mead and brewery less appealing.

Key points to know before booking

• Hive Five is Mohave County’s only meadery, with fruit-forward meads such as mango, black cherry vanilla, and chocolate-covered strawberry.
• Cella Winery wines are tasted at Hive Five, including wines made from Kingman-grown grapes and aged in oak barrels.
• Desert Diamond offers the most substantial visit, with a distillery tour, spirit tastings, and a look at barrels and production equipment.
• Lunch is included, with the location changing by day between Sirens Cafe and Grand Canyon Brewery.
• The tour leaves Laughlin at 9:00 a.m. and returns to the same meeting point after about seven hours.
• Wil, Michael, and Kevin are named guides associated with the experience, and the strongest praise centers on their local knowledge, warmth, and ability to answer questions.

Why this Kingman day trip is different

This is not simply a bar crawl. It is a look at small producers working with honey, grapes, grain, and agave in and around Kingman, a Route 66 town roughly reached from Laughlin by a comfortable road transfer.

You will taste several types of alcohol, but the better reason to book is the chance to understand how each drink is made. Mead gives you a taste of an old beverage in modern flavors. The distillery shows how spirits are produced and stored. The brewery finishes the day with fresh beer and a more casual setting.

The pace is fairly gentle. Each main stop receives about an hour, while the first tasting and lunch portions receive about 90 minutes. You are not rushed from one sample to the next, though the schedule does leave limited time for long independent visits.

A seven-hour outing at $230 per person is not a cheap add-on. Still, the price includes transportation from Laughlin, water, alcoholic drinks, lunch, and the services of a guide. If you would otherwise need a rental car, plan several tasting appointments, pay for meals, and arrange a designated driver, the cost becomes easier to justify.

Starting in Laughlin and riding to Kingman

Pickup begins at 9:00 a.m. from the stated Laughlin meeting point, with additional pickup at The New Pioneer Hotel and Casino and Regency Casino. The experience ends back at the meeting point, so you do not need to arrange a one-way transfer.

The vehicle is air-conditioned, and bottled water is provided. That matters on a full day of tastings, since you will want a nonalcoholic drink between stops. The group can include up to 12 people, giving the guide room to talk with you rather than simply make announcements from the front of a large coach.

The drive time is part of the day, not dead time. Guides such as Michael and Wil have been praised for explaining the area and answering questions along the route. If you enjoy hearing about the communities you pass through, this makes the transfer more useful.

Still, keep your expectations clear. You are spending about two hours in transit, so the tour is best for people who want a full day out of Laughlin. It is less suitable if you want several uninterrupted hours at a single winery, brewery, or distillery.

Hive Five Meadery and Cella Winery

The first stop introduces you to mead, a drink made from honey. Hive Five is described as Mohave County’s first and only meadery, which gives the visit a local character you will not get from a standard wine tasting.

The meads use playful flavors, including mango, black cherry vanilla, and chocolate-covered strawberry. These are useful choices for first-time tasters because they show how far mead can move beyond a plain sweet honey drink. You may find the fruit and dessert-style versions easier to approach than a more traditional mead.

You can also taste up to four wines made by Cella Winery and Vineyard. The winery grows seven grape varieties across more than four acres in Kingman, using local fruit and traditional oak barrels. The selection gives you a chance to compare mead with locally made wine without adding another stop to the day.

This is one of the more distinctive parts of the tour, but it will not please every palate equally. Some people may enjoy the mead more than the wine, while others may prefer a drier wine or a classic spirit. Tasting preferences are personal, and this stop has a broader, more experimental range than a formal wine-focused excursion.

You may also find cider among the available drinks. Purchases are possible at the stop, and the selection can make a good souvenir for anyone who wants to take home a bottle from Kingman.

Desert Diamond Distillery’s behind-the-scenes visit

Desert Diamond Distillery is the strongest educational stop on the route. It is identified as Arizona’s oldest craft distillery and sits near Kingman Airport in a low-key setting. The visit includes a tour of the facility, so you are not only standing at a tasting counter.

The focus is on hand-crafted rum and vodka, with agave rum receiving particular praise from one visitor. You will have the chance to taste the spirits and see where they are made, including the barrels used in the aging process.

This kind of tour adds value because it explains the work behind the bottle. You can ask questions about production, storage, and the local operation. The distillery is described as a mom-and-pop business, and that personal scale helps the visit feel more like a conversation than a sales pitch.

The stop may include samples of flavored olive oils and vinegars as well. These broaden the appeal for people in the group who are less interested in hard liquor. Pieces of old oak barrels used in aging are also sold for charcoal grilling or smoking, and small shot glasses may be given as souvenirs.

If you plan to fly home with purchases, one useful detail is that bottles can be wrapped in bubble wrap for the trip. That is not a guarantee for every item or situation, but it shows that the staff is used to helping people transport what they buy.

Allow about an hour here. Spirits are sampled in a compact setting, and the tour is not designed as a long technical course in distilling. You get a clear introduction, a look behind the scenes, and time for questions.

Lunch at Sirens Cafe or Grand Canyon Brewery

Lunch is included, which makes the $230 price easier to assess. Depending on the day, you may eat at Sirens Cafe, described as a popular Kingman restaurant, or at Grand Canyon Brewery.

The Sirens Cafe meal has received especially strong praise for fresh sandwiches, salads, and lemon pasta salad. The menu offers several sandwich and salad choices, so lunch is not limited to another round of bar snacks. The food is described as filling, a welcome break after a morning of tastings.

On some tour days, lunch takes place at or near Grand Canyon Brewery instead. Because the exact restaurant depends on the schedule, you should not book this outing expecting one fixed menu. The advantage is variety, but the tradeoff is less certainty about the meal.

Lunch also gives you time to reset before the final tasting stop. A proper meal matters on an alcohol-focused outing, and you should take advantage of the included food rather than treating it as an afterthought.

Black Bridge Brewery and the final tasting

Black Bridge Brewery is the last main stop. It is a small brewery known for recipes that go beyond basic beer styles. The atmosphere is more relaxed than the distillery tour, and the stop gives you a chance to compare beer with the mead, wine, rum, and vodka tasted earlier.

A beer flight may be available, with six beers offered for sampling according to one account of the visit. That is useful if you want to try several recipes instead of committing to one full pour. The exact tasting arrangement can depend on the day and the brewery’s offerings.

This is the stop most likely to divide opinions. Beer fans may enjoy the range, while someone who prefers wine or spirits may find it less memorable. One person specifically rated the distillery much higher than the brewery. That is a fair warning: the tour covers several drink categories, so not every stop will match your taste.

The brewery visit works best when you approach it as a final comparison. By this point, you have tried drinks made from honey, grapes, and distilled spirits. Beer gives you one more style to consider, and the small setting keeps the day connected to local producers rather than chain venues.

Guides, group size, and the feel of the day

The named guides connected with the experience include Wil, Michael, and Kevin. The most consistent praise is directed at the guides’ friendly manner, local stories, organization, and willingness to answer questions.

Michael is described as a strong driver and host who kept the day organized and enjoyable. Wil receives particular praise for his energy, information about the area, and extra effort to make the outing personal. One account even describes him arranging an unscheduled stop for postcards and plants, though you should not count on that happening every time.

That personal touch matters on a small-group excursion. With no more than 12 people, you can ask about the spirits, the region, or the producers without holding up a large crowd. The tone appears social and informal rather than polished and corporate.

Your own guide will shape the day, so the experience is not identical every time. The strongest evidence points to guides who take pride in the area and enjoy explaining what you are tasting. If you prefer to explore completely on your own, the guided format may feel more structured than you want.

Who should book this experience

I would recommend this tour to you if you are staying in Laughlin and want a full-day break from casino activity. It suits people who like small businesses, local food, and tastings with a bit of explanation.

It is especially good for a mixed group. One person can enjoy mead, another can focus on wine, and someone else can look forward to rum, vodka, or beer. The included lunch and bottled water also make the day easier than arranging separate visits by car.

You should think twice if you dislike alcohol tastings, need a very short excursion, or want a serious wine-only tour. The route covers many styles rather than specializing in one. The driving time and changing lunch arrangements are also worth considering before you pay.

The tour is offered in English, and most people can participate. Confirmation is provided at booking. Since the experience needs a minimum number of participants, the operator may offer another date or a full refund if that minimum is not reached.

Price, timing, and cancellation

At $230 per person, this is a premium day trip from Laughlin. The cost includes the air-conditioned vehicle, pickup, water, tastings, lunch, and the distillery tour, so you are paying for both transportation and a planned day of visits rather than just food and drink.

The tour starts at 9:00 a.m. and runs for about seven hours. It is often booked well ahead, with an average booking lead time of 59 days, so advance planning is sensible if your Laughlin dates are fixed.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund, and the cut-off follows local time.

Should you book the Kingman tasting tour?

Book it if you want an easy, guided day from Laughlin that combines unusual drinks, local producers, lunch, and a proper distillery visit. The mead tasting and Desert Diamond tour give the outing its strongest identity, while the brewery adds variety.

I would not book it solely for a perfect wine experience or a guaranteed favorite at every stop. The drinks cover a wide range, and your preferences will shape which visit you enjoy most. For curious drinkers who value a relaxed small group and a break from the casino routine, the price can make sense.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts in Laughlin, Nevada, at 9:00 a.m. Additional pickup points include The New Pioneer Hotel and Casino and Regency Casino.

Where does the tour end?

The experience ends back at the original meeting point in Laughlin.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately seven hours, including about two hours allocated to transportation.

What drinks will I taste?

The experience includes mead, wine, rum, vodka, and craft beer. Hive Five may also offer cider, and tastings can include flavored olive oils and vinegars at Desert Diamond Distillery.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch is included. Depending on the day, it may be at Sirens Cafe or Grand Canyon Brewery.

How large is the group?

The tour has a maximum of 12 participants.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.