Rum Tasting and Rummery Tour
Grand Reopening!
Gringo Tours has some Great News!
In June of 2023, we were invited to the massive event at the Cihuatan distillery outside of Aguilares for their new tour, which is now open to the public with some restrictions as in the past. It looks like there will be two types of tours available, a standard but very complete tour and a VIP version where a few times a month the Master Blender Gabriela Ayala will give part of the tour in person. I have had the privilege to do a tour or two with her in the past and the knowledge and passion she shares with those fortunate enough to get into these limited tour spots makes the Cihuatan Rum tour experience one of the best in the world.
At Gringo Tours, we will add our experience in logistics and make the tour possible in multiple languages with our English, French and Italian speaking guides and partners as well as offering only the highest level and comfort in transportation from San Salvador, Suchitoto and other parts of El Salvador.
As in the past there is a minimum group size of five required, but now the maximum group size is fifteen. Reservations require a prepaid deposit and the full names for all participants. But now we have some good news about the availability, with now many more days and times the tours are offered, making planning and reserving your tour even easier.
The tours are now available from Wednesday through Sundays! Tours are available in two time slots each day and can be scheduled from Wednesday through Fridays at either 9:30 am or 1:00 pm and on Saturdays and Sundays reserved, from 9:00 am and 12:00 pm. Tours generally last from 1.5 to 2 hours or more, depending on group size and questions asked and languageused. The new Discovery tour is much more complete, and we will see how sugar cane with love, care and time becomes rum and in this case, El Salvador´s only true rum. The VIP experience when available will add Gabriela´s expertise explanation of how the sugar cane production, fermentation, distillery process, solera ageing and blending make Ron Cihuatan, El Salvador finest rum.
Tour Description and History
The Discovery Tour (basic group option) is done by young Roberto Escobar who will take us throught the process from field to the solera wharehouses where sampling of the raw distilled alcohols as well as samples from different solera barrels will help fully understand the complexity of fine solera rum blending. A VIP tour when available is provided by Gabriela Ayala the master Rum maker, who will join the tour explaining how she developed each of the Cihuatán Rums.
Visitors will be able to purchase any of the rums available at the new Rum Shop (Credit and debit cards only) and at a better price than anywhere else! The tour concludes with a short class in mixology and a gift for each paying participant.
The tour does not include the actual distillery where the alcohol is made or the blending and bottleing instalations, as it is an industrial plant within the La Cabaña sugar refinery. Our guide will tell you all you want to know about the sugar cane production and processing during the tour.
To schedule tours of the Cihuatán distillery we need a minimum of five workdays, this to coordinate with the distillery and insure the quality tour that both Cihuatán and Gringo Tours always try to provide to our clients from around the world. For security reasons at the Cabañas processing plant we are also required to present a list of our clients’ full names.
Since August 2018, we have been offering these exclusive tours which we hope to continue making available to our clients in the future and as the demand increases. All of our past clients have said that this is the best rum tour they have ever experienced! If interested, please let us know as soon as you have your available dates so that we can make arrangements for your group to enjoy this unique and wonderful experience.
Tour Options
Gringo Tours is offering different options with tours departing from Suchitoto or San Salvador and with group size from 5 to 15 persons. Although we know this tour will be popular, we do need maintain a minimum group size of 5 (price per person can be adjusted up for smaller group tours. )
There are currently two pricing options, the base Discovery Tour includes a small gift as well as a 375 ml bottle of rum. The tour is also offered to include a full bottle 700 ml of one of Cihuatan´s finer rums.
Option #1 Suchitoto
Starting and finishing in Suchitoto, Visiting Ron Cihuatán distillery has a cost of $75/person base tour or $100/person (minimum cost for groups less than 5 of $375.00/group or $500.00), this includes as mentioned before transportation in a morden van with AC to and from the distillery from Suchitoto, a certified and bilingual guide, a bottle of water and a the gift from Cihuatan.
We are still waiting for the cost of the VIP tour with Gabriela but estimate it will run around $125/person
Option #2 San Salvador
Starting and finishing in San Salvador, Visiting Ron Cihuatán distillery has a cost of $85/person or $110/person (minimum cost for groups less than 5 of $425.00/group or $550.00/group), this includes as mentioned transportation in a modern van with AC to and from the distillery from San Salvador, a certified and bilingual guide, a bottle of water and the gift from Cihuatan.
We are still waiting for the cost for the VIP tour with Gabriela but estimate it will run around $150/person
Option #3 Adding the Mayan site of Cihuatan
Make a day of it and include a visit to El Salvador’s largest Mayan site Cihuatán with its typical Mayan ball court and main unique pyramid. We combine the 1.5 to 2 hour tour of the distillery with the nearby Mayan site of Cihuatan, making it a fuller day trip and combining our past Mayan cultural with today’s Rum production. The cost for this tour is $100/person or $125/person (minimum cost for groups less than 5 of $500.00/group or $625.00/group), which again includes transportation in a mordern van with AC to and from the distillery and Mayan site of Cihuatán from Suchitoto or San Salvador (tour can be arranged for other destinations in El Salvador), all entrance fees, a certified and bilingual guide and two bottles of water.
We are still waiting for the cost for the VIP tour with Gabriela but estimate it will run around $150/person
Option #4 add the beautiful city of La Palma
Make it a full day and include a visit to the colorful mountain town of La Palma to see how the painted wood handicrafts are produced and see Fernando Llort’s and Alfredo Linares art style throughout the city. We combine the 2.5 hour’ tour of the distillery with lunch and a short tour of La Palma combining our local handicrafts with today’s Rum production. The cost for this tour is $125/person or $150/person (groups less than 5 of $625.00/group or $750.00/group), which again includes transportation in a mordern van with AC to and from the distillery from Suchitoto or San Salvador (this tour can be arranged for other destinations in El Salvador as well), and tour of La Palma, with one of our certified and bilingual guides and a two bottles of water. The price does not include the cost of lunch.
We are still waiting for the cost for the VIP tour with Gabriela but estimate it will run around $150/person.
If you don’t have time to join us on a tour you can try Ron Cihuatán at any of several places in San Salvador or you can find Cihuatan rum at several duty free stores at the airport. For those residing in El Salvador you can find Ron Cihuatan online at The Rum Shop
If you need a receipt add 13% IVA to all rates listed on our website. Si necesitan un recibo o comprobante de IVA 13% sera agregado a los precios lisadto en nuestro sitio web.