Largo: Preez Distillery Tours and Artisanal Spirit Tastings

Preez Distillery puts the making of spirits right in front of you. In about an hour, owner Ramon guides you through tastings of vodka, rum, gin, liqueurs, and works in progress, then shows you the equipment, ingredients, and steps behind them. Nothing is treated like a secret.

I like two things right away: you get to taste every available product, including experimental batches, and each sample is followed by a cocktail so you can judge how it works in a real drink. I also like the family-run feel, from Ramon’s personal hosting to Teresa Logan’s service member wall.

The main thing to consider is that this is a tasting-first visit, not a long technical distillery class. You will see the process and hear about the phases and techniques, but the full experience takes about one hour. It is for adults age 21 and older, and you must bring ID.

Key points to know before you book

• Taste the full house lineup: Try straight gluten-free vodka, blueberry and vanilla vodka, silver and lime rum, citrus gin, seasonal liqueur, and an in-progress creation.
• Cocktails come between samples: You learn how each spirit changes when mixed, not just how it tastes on its own.
• Meet Ramon, the owner: The host gives the visit a personal touch, with a relaxed style and room to request different mixed drinks.
• See the production area: The tour covers ingredients, phases, techniques, and the way the spirits are made in house.
• Small groups matter: With no more than 10 people, you can ask questions without shouting across a crowded room.
• A thoughtful welcome for service members: The entrance wall lets military personnel add a patch, sticker, or unit item to the distillery’s military family.

A personal welcome at the service member wall

Your visit begins before the first pour. At the entrance, you will see a service member wall created by Teresa Logan. It honors members of the armed forces in any status, and service members can add a patch, sticker, or other unit memorabilia.

That detail tells you something about the tone of the place. Preez Distillery is not presenting itself as a polished corporate attraction. It is a family-oriented operation with a personal connection to its community. If you or someone in your group has served, the wall gives the visit a more meaningful opening than a standard welcome sign.

Ramon, the owner, then takes you into the tasting room. The small group limit of 10 helps here. You are not being moved through a large room in a line. Instead, the setting gives you a better chance to listen, ask about a spirit, or say what kinds of cocktails you prefer.

The relaxed mood is one of the strongest reasons to choose this visit. The experience has received a perfect 5 rating from eight listed bookings, with repeated praise for the friendly setting, Ramon’s hosting, and the personal attention. That does not mean every person will like every spirit, but it does suggest that the service is a major part of the value.

The tasting starts with spirits on their own

The first main part of the visit is the tasting room. You sample the products straight, which gives you a clear sense of the base spirit before mixers, ice, or fruit change the flavor.

The lineup includes straight gluten-free vodka, followed by blueberry vodka and vanilla vodka. These flavored vodkas give you three different ways to think about the same category. The straight version lets you focus on the vodka itself. The blueberry and vanilla versions show how fruit and sweet notes can shift its use in a mixed drink.

You will also taste silver rum and lime rum. Silver rum is the cleaner, more direct expression, while lime rum brings a citrus note into the picture. The comparison is useful if you are deciding what you might actually use at home. A spirit can taste good as a small sample but work quite differently once it meets soda, juice, or another mixer.

The citrus gin adds a different set of flavors. Gin usually depends on botanical and citrus notes, so trying this after the vodkas and rums helps you notice the change in style. You are not just sampling several bottles. You are moving across different spirit families and seeing what each one contributes.

The listed lineup also includes a seasonal liqueur and an in-progress creation. Those are the samples I find most interesting because they show what the distillery is doing beyond its regular products. Seasonal batches can change over time, and a spirit still being developed may not taste exactly like something you can buy elsewhere.

That also means the tasting is not fully fixed. The core offerings are listed, but the seasonal and development-stage samples can vary. If you enjoy trying small-batch products before they reach a final form, that uncertainty is part of the appeal. If you want a strict, identical tasting menu every time, you may prefer a larger established distillery.

Cocktails show what the bottles can do

A smart part of this experience comes between the samples. After each spirit, the staff makes a cocktail using what you just tasted.

This matters because straight tasting can be misleading. A vodka may seem mild or sharp on its own, then become more useful once mixed. A flavored rum may be pleasant in a small pour but too sweet for your taste in a drink. The cocktail step gives you practical information instead of asking you to judge everything from a tiny neat sample.

One booking specifically noted that the experience was adjusted to include different mixed drinks for the vodka tasting. That suggests you can speak up about what you want to understand. If vodka is your main interest, tell Ramon. If you want to compare the rums or see how the gin works in a drink, ask while you are in the tasting room.

I also like the teaching value here. You do not need to be a home mixologist to benefit. The staff shows you how a sample can be mixed before you leave, which can help you recreate a drink later. The activity description does not promise a recipe booklet or a formal cocktail lesson, so do not expect a structured bartending class. Think of it as a series of useful demonstrations tied to each pour.

Because the group is small, the cocktail portion should feel more responsive than a standard scripted tasting. The staff can explain why a particular mixer works with a spirit and can react to your preferences. Reviews repeatedly praise the friendly service and the owner’s skill as a mixologist, so this is one of the experience’s strongest features.

Keep in mind that you are tasting several products. Drink responsibly, pace yourself, and bring the required passport or ID card. The rules prohibit intoxication, and no one under 21 may take part.

The production tour makes the visit more than a bar stop

Once the samples and cocktails are finished, you move through the facility for the production tour. This is where Preez Distillery earns its $12 price.

You learn how the spirits are made in house, including the phases of production, ingredients, techniques, and other parts of the process. The promise that everything is exposed for you to see and feel gives the tour a hands-on, open-workshop character, even though the supplied details do not specify that you handle equipment or ingredients directly.

I appreciate this format because the tasting comes first. When you see the production area after trying the spirits, the information has a practical reference point. You already know what the vodka, rum, and gin taste like. The tour can then connect those flavors to the ingredients and techniques used to make them.

The visit is not described as a large industrial operation, and the family-run approach is part of its appeal. You are seeing a working craft business rather than a corporate visitor center. That can make the process easier to understand, but it may also mean the facilities are more modest than what you would find at a major branded distillery.

The owner-led format adds another benefit. Ramon can explain the process in the context of the products you just tried. A formal guide might deliver a polished speech. An owner who also makes and serves the spirits can give the conversation a more direct link to the work.

The tour is available in English or Spanish. That is useful if someone in your group is more comfortable asking questions in Spanish. Ask for the language you need when arranging the visit so you know what to expect.

Why the small group and one-hour length work well

The full experience takes about an hour. That is long enough to include a broad tasting and a production tour, but short enough to fit into a day of exploring Largo and the surrounding area.

I see the duration as a strength for most people. You get a focused look at the distillery without committing half a day to a single activity. It can work before dinner, after another local stop, or as a compact afternoon plan.

The tradeoff is depth. Seven listed tasting categories, cocktails between samples, and a facility tour all need to fit into that hour. You will receive an overview, not a lengthy technical course on fermentation, distillation, aging, or bottling. If your main goal is detailed production science, you may leave wanting more time.

The group cap of 10 helps protect the quality of the short visit. A smaller group lets you hear the guide and ask questions. It also supports the relaxed mood that makes this experience different from a quick sample counter.

The setting may suit couples, small friend groups, local visitors, and adults who want something personal rather than a large organized attraction. Since unaccompanied minors are not allowed and the experience is not suitable for anyone under 21, this is clearly an adult activity.

The facility is wheelchair accessible, which makes it easier for more people to take part. The rules also prohibit weapons, sharp objects, smoking, vaping, coolers, climbing, fire, fireworks, explosives, and bare feet. Those restrictions are straightforward, but it is worth knowing them before you arrive.

Is $12 a good value?

At $12 per person, this is an easy activity to justify if you enjoy spirits. You are not paying for a single sample. The price covers a broad tasting, cocktails made with the samples, and a tour explaining the production process.

The value improves because experimental and development-stage products are included. You get a chance to try things beyond the regular lineup, which adds a sense of discovery without requiring a high ticket price.

You should still set the right expectations. This is not a full meal, a lengthy cocktail workshop, or a multi-hour distillery course. If you do not drink alcohol, the tasting is the heart of the experience, so the value will be limited unless you are interested in the production side.

For drinkers who enjoy small-batch spirits, the price is notably modest. You get context for the bottles, examples of how to mix them, and direct access to the owner. I would consider it especially good value for anyone who plans to buy a bottle or wants practical ideas for using flavored vodka, rum, gin, or liqueur at home.

The free cancellation policy allows you to cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve and pay later, which helps if your Largo plans are still taking shape. Availability is valid for one month, so check the available starting times when choosing your date.

Who should book the Preez Distillery visit?

I would book this if you like personal tastings, want to meet the person behind the products, and prefer a family-run setting to a polished corporate tour. It is also a good choice if you enjoy cocktails and want to know how a spirit behaves once it is mixed.

You may especially like it if vodka is your favorite category. The straight, blueberry, and vanilla versions give you a useful comparison, and the mixed-drink demonstrations let you explore more than one serving style.

Rum drinkers get two contrasting samples, while gin fans have the citrus gin and the chance to ask how it works in a cocktail. The seasonal liqueur and in-progress creation add variety for anyone who likes trying products that are not entirely standard.

I would skip it if you want a long, highly technical course or if you are looking for a family activity that includes children. The age rule is firm, and the one-hour schedule favors a friendly introduction over exhaustive instruction.

Bring your passport or ID card. Arrive ready to taste responsibly, ask questions, and accept that the experimental portion may change. If you are a service member, consider bringing a patch or other unit item for Teresa Logan’s wall.

Should you book it?

Yes, if you want an affordable, small-group stop with real interaction. The best reasons to book are Ramon’s personal hosting, the cocktail pairing between samples, the chance to taste spirits still in development, and the open look at how the products are made.

At $12, the visit offers more than a basic tasting room pour. Just keep the format in mind: it is a relaxed, roughly one-hour introduction to a family distillery, not a lengthy technical seminar. For adults exploring Largo who value direct contact and handcrafted spirits, Preez Distillery is a strong choice.

FAQ

How long does the Preez Distillery tour take?

Plan on about one hour for the tastings, cocktails, and facility tour.

How much does the experience cost?

The price is $12 per person.

What spirits are included in the tasting?

You taste straight gluten-free vodka, blueberry vodka, vanilla vodka, silver rum, lime rum, citrus gin, a seasonal liqueur, and an in-progress creation.

Are cocktails included?

Yes. Between samples, the staff makes a cocktail using the spirit you just tasted.

Who leads the experience?

The owner, Ramon, guides the visit and hosts the tasting. Teresa Logan created the service member wall at the entrance.

Is the tour available in Spanish?

Yes. The tour is offered in English and Spanish.

Can people under 21 attend?

No. The experience is not suitable for anyone under 21, and unaccompanied minors are not allowed.

What should I bring?

Bring a passport or ID card. Weapons, sharp objects, smoking, vaping, coolers, and intoxication are not allowed.