Note: As of 2010, the Bacardi Distillery in Nassau has closed.

Touring Bacardi in the Bahamas is a great activity for anyone with an interest in tasting rum, or even just seeing how it is made. The Bacardi distillery Bahamas offers free tours, samples of a wide array of rums, and provides a unique way to spend the afternoon. The Bacardi distillery Bahamas is located in Nassau, and can be coupled nicely with other attractions in Nassau.

Tours of the Bacardi distillery Bahamas happen every day of the week at 11am and 2pm. Travelers should note, however, that tours are cancelled if there are not at least 10 people. The tour at 11am is actually cancelled most frequently, while the tour at 2pm is almost never cancelled. If you don't have a lot of time on the island, you may want to show up for the 2pm tour to avoid the chance that the tour will be cancelled.

Bahamas Map

The Bacardi Bahamas tour itself starts in the main visitor welcome pavilion of the distillery, and guests touring Bacardi in the Bahamas are offered a rum sample right at the beginning of the tour. From there, a walking tour of the distillery lasting about 30 minutes begins. Participants touring Bacardi in the Bahamas will get to see the inside of the aging shed. The aging shed is full of oak barrels which are full of rum. A history of Bacardi Bahamas distillery is given, along with information about the process of distilling the rum. Guests do not actually enter the Bacardi Bahamas distilling tower, but instead walk by it on the tour.

After the tour, the guide will offer more samples of rum and then take everyone over to the gift shop. Although the tour and the samples are completely free, anyone who goes on the tour is strongly encouraged to tip both the tour guide and the bartender at the gift shop, so be sure to bring cash along for tipping. In the gift shop, you will be able to buy bottles of rum for a fraction of the cost anywhere else, so if you love rum you will want to stock up. You will also find a few types of rum that are sold almost no where else, so collectors will have a chance to find some rare alcohol. You can also purchase popular mixed drinks, such as the Bacardi Bahama Mama drink to take home, and every purchase of a t-shirt comes with your choice of a bottle of rum.

If you plan to travel to Nassau for any reason, a tour of the Bacardi distillery can be a lot of fun. You may choose to plan a tour such as the Blue Lagoon Dolphin Encounter or Undersea Walking while you are there, and finish out the day with a tour of Bacardi's or dinner out at a nearby restaurant. As mentioned before, the tour is free, and you'll have the best luck showing up for the afternoon tour, rather then the morning tour. For those wanting to bring home any alcohol from the distillery, be sure to check with your airline to ensure you can bring such items back.