Wine & Mead Tasting, Distillery and Brewery Tour with Lunch

Kingman’s drinks tell a story of their own: honey mead on Route 66, wine made from local grapes, rum and vodka distilled beside the airport, and small-batch beer. This roughly seven-hour outing leaves Laughlin for four stops in Arizona, with lunch and transport included.

I like the mix of drinks and production tours: you can taste several styles, then see how spirits are made at Desert Diamond Distillery. I also like that the group is capped at 12, and that guides such as Wil and Mike add local context during the drive.

One consideration: this is an alcohol-focused day, and the ride to Kingman takes time. You’ll have about five hours at the stops and two hours allocated for transport, so it works best if you’re happy to spend most of a day tasting, eating and riding in a van.

At a glance

• Mead comes first: Hive Five is Mohave County’s only meadery, with modern flavors alongside locally made wine.
• See spirits being made: Desert Diamond Distillery offers a behind-the-scenes look at its rum and vodka operation.
• Lunch is included: The day’s plan determines whether you eat at Sirins Cafe or Grand Canyon Brewery.
• Beer closes the tasting route: Black Bridge Brewery serves small-batch beer with less conventional recipes.
• Small group, long day: A maximum of 12 people travels from Laughlin to Kingman and back.
• Good value depends on your appetite: At $230 per person, the price covers transport, tastings, lunch and a full day of stops.

A tasting route from Laughlin to Kingman

This outing pairs four drink stops with a meal, turning a day away from Laughlin’s casinos into a look at Kingman’s independent beverage makers. It is not a single winery visit with a quick sample and a gift shop. You move from honey wine and vineyard pours to a working distillery, then finish with craft beer.

The route begins in Laughlin, Nevada, at 9:00 am. Pickup is offered, including at the New Pioneer Hotel and Casino and Regency Casino. The tour ends back at the meeting point, and the vehicle is air-conditioned. Two hours are set aside for transport, with about five hours divided among tastings, the distillery and lunch.

The group limit of 12 is useful here. Small producers are easier to experience in a compact group, and you have more room to ask questions than you might on a large bus tour. Guides named Wil, Mike and Kevin have led the trip. Their role matters: the drive is part of the day, and a good guide can connect the tasting stops with the area around Kingman.

Hive Five Meadery and Kingman wine

The first stop brings you to Hive Five Meadery on Route 66. It is described as Mohave County’s first and only meadery, which makes this a rare chance to try a drink that may be unfamiliar. Mead is made from honey, but the versions here take a modern turn with flavors such as mango, black cherry vanilla and chocolate-covered strawberry.

That range makes the tasting approachable if your only idea of mead is a very sweet old-fashioned drink. You can compare different flavor profiles and decide what suits you. The visit is not only about novelty, though: you’ll also have a chance to ask about how the mead is made and, if you find a favorite, purchase bottles.

Hive Five also offers up to four wines from Cella Winery & Vineyard. The vineyard grows seven varietals across more than four acres in Kingman, and the wines are made locally in oak barrels. That local scale is part of the appeal. Instead of touring a large commercial winery, you get a taste of what a small Arizona vineyard is producing.

The stop lasts about an hour and a half, so it has room for both mead and wine. The trade-off is that it is a tasting visit, not a full vineyard tour. If you’re especially interested in grape growing or winemaking, the details provided here do not promise a walk through the vines or a production tour.

Rum and vodka at Desert Diamond Distillery

Next comes Desert Diamond Distillery, described as Arizona’s oldest craft distillery. Its location near Kingman Airport is practical rather than picturesque, but the main point is what happens inside: you get a behind-the-scenes tour and a chance to see the distilling process firsthand.

The distillery makes hand-crafted rum and vodka, including award-winning spirits. Tastings give you a chance to compare them, and the tour helps put the samples in context. This is the stop for anyone curious about how spirits are produced, not just how they taste.

There are a few extras worth knowing about. The distillery also sells flavored olive oils and vinegar, and one visitor described buying pieces of old oak barrels used in aging for charcoal grilling or smoking. Small shot glasses have also been given as souvenirs, and purchases have been wrapped for travel. Those details may vary, but they suggest this is a place where you can find more than a bottle of rum.

Plan for about an hour here. If distilling is your main interest, you might wish the visit were longer; the tour gives you a look behind the scenes, but it is one part of a busy day with several stops. For a first introduction to craft spirits, the combination of explanation and tasting is a good fit.

Black Bridge Brewery and the final pours

Black Bridge Brewery is the last drink stop. It is a microbrewery known for beers with recipes that go beyond the basic styles. If you want to compare several options, one group chose a flight of six beers. The tour information does not promise a flight, so check what is available when you arrive, but the brewery’s range gives you a chance to sample rather than settle on a single pint.

The stop lasts an hour. That is enough time to try beer and get a feel for the brewery, though it may feel brief if you want to linger. This is also the stop most likely to divide a group: some people may prefer mead, wine or spirits. If beer is not your thing, treat it as a final taste rather than the main event.

The brewery is part of a broader small-business circuit, and that is one of the outing’s strengths. You are not simply going from one tasting room to another in a resort district. Each stop has a different scale and focus, from a first-of-its-kind local meadery to a working distillery and a small brewery.

Lunch depends on the day

Lunch is included, but the restaurant changes depending on the day of the week. The planned options are Sirins Cafe, described as one of Yelp’s top 100 places to eat, or Arizona’s Grand Canyon Brewery. Sandwiches and salads have been served at the cafe, with fresh-made food and a filling meal.

This variation is worth checking before you book if the meal itself is a major part of your decision. The specific restaurant, menu and timing are not fixed in the information provided, so don’t build your plans around one dish or venue. What is clear is that you do not need to budget separately for lunch, and the meal gives you a break between tastings.

The day’s schedule allots about an hour and a half for this stop. That is a generous pause in a tasting day, especially if you want to eat properly rather than rush through a sandwich. Have water as well as your samples. Bottled water is included, and it is a sensible companion to a full day of alcoholic drinks.

Is $230 a fair price?

At $230 per person, this is not a cheap add-on. But the price covers roughly seven hours, round-trip transport from Laughlin, an air-conditioned vehicle, alcoholic beverages and lunch. You also get four distinct stops, including a distillery tour rather than tastings alone.

The value is strongest if you want to try several kinds of drinks and prefer someone else to handle the driving. You’re paying for a full day out, not just a set of samples. The small group cap and the chance to ask questions at family-run businesses add value that is hard to measure by the pour.

It is less compelling if you only want to visit one producer, don’t drink much, or would rather spend the day on another kind of excursion. You may also find that one stop suits your taste more than another. The variety helps balance that risk, but it cannot make every drink style a personal favorite.

What the drive and group size mean

The tour starts in Laughlin and visits Kingman, Arizona. Although the experience is listed under Las Vegas, the stated meeting point and pickup locations are in Laughlin. If you are staying elsewhere, confirm your own transport to the departure point rather than assuming Las Vegas hotel pickup is included.

Two hours are allocated for transport, and the day starts at 9:00 am. The van has air conditioning, and bottled water is included. You’ll spend a good share of the outing on the road, so think of the drive as part of a day trip rather than a quick transfer between nearby tasting rooms.

With no more than 12 people, the outing should feel more personal than a coach tour. It also means the guide can respond to questions and keep the group moving between stops. Wil and Mike have been especially appreciated for explaining the area and making the day enjoyable; Kevin has also led the tour. Guide assignments can vary, so you cannot count on a particular person.

Who will enjoy this day most?

I’d choose this tour if you’re staying in Laughlin, enjoy trying unfamiliar drinks, and want to see more than the casino strip. Mead is the unusual draw, while the distillery visit gives the day some substance beyond tasting. It also suits couples or friends with mixed tastes, since the route includes wine, mead, spirits and beer.

It can work for a curious beginner, too. You do not need to know how mead is made or how rum is distilled before you go. The stops provide a chance to learn as you taste, and the guides can answer questions along the way. If you prefer a quiet day with little alcohol, though, this is the wrong outing.

Most travelers can participate, and confirmation is provided at booking. The tour requires a minimum number of people; if that minimum is not met, you’ll be offered another date or experience, or a full refund. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Since you’ll be sampling alcohol at several stops, plan your day around the tour’s included transport rather than driving afterward.

Should you book the Kingman tasting tour?

Book it if you want a guided day from Laughlin that combines local producers, a distillery tour and lunch. Hive Five’s honey-based mead and Desert Diamond’s production visit make the route more distinctive than a string of standard bar stops, while the small group keeps the day from feeling like a big-bus excursion.

Skip it if you are looking for a short outing, a dedicated winery tour or a day with little alcohol. Before booking, confirm which lunch venue is scheduled and make sure Laughlin is a workable starting point. If those details suit you, the mix of tastings and local stops makes this a useful change of pace from the casino floor.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The meeting point is in Laughlin, Nevada, and the tour ends back there. Additional pickup locations listed are the New Pioneer Hotel and Casino and Regency Casino.

What time does the tour begin?

The start time is 9:00 am.

How long does the experience last?

It lasts about seven hours, with two hours allocated for transportation.

How many people can join?

The tour has a maximum of 12 travelers.

What is included in the price?

Bottled water, alcoholic beverages, lunch and an air-conditioned vehicle are included.

Where will lunch be served?

The lunch venue depends on the day of the week. The planned options are Sirins Cafe and Grand Canyon Brewery.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the experience starts for a full refund. Changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted.