Gran Canaria: canarian rum & local cheese tasting tour

Canarian rum and island cheese make an unexpectedly good pair, especially when the tasting takes place beside a 200-year-old wine cellar in the Mogán valley. You sample three rums, hear how they are produced, and spend about an hour with some of the Canary Islands’ best-known cheeses.

I like the setting, where wood, stone, water, and mountain views give the tasting a strong sense of place. I also like the balance between explanation and eating: this is not simply a round of drinks, but a guided look at how to choose rum for dinner or a special occasion.

The main limitation is the age and health restriction. Children under 18 are not allowed, and the experience is not suitable for pregnant women or people with high blood pressure. If that applies to you, choose another Mogán outing.

Key points at a glance

• Three Canarian rums in one sitting: Taste selections including Arehucas Family Selection and Ron Aldea while learning how island rum is made.
• A historic tasting setting: The session takes place near Valle de Mogán’s wine cellar, which dates back about two centuries.
• An hour devoted to cheese: Try several Canarian cheeses and learn why the islands earn prizes at food exhibitions.
• A scenic restaurant stop: Valle de Mogán combines natural stone, wood, water, and views across the Mogán valley.
• Optional local meal: Add lunch or dinner at the restaurant if you want to turn the tasting into a longer food-focused outing.
• A practical meeting point: Meet in the restaurant parking area at Los Pasitos, 2. Look for the guide in a black jacket.

Rum, cheese, and a 200-year-old cellar

This experience begins at Valle de Mogán restaurant, not in a city tasting room or a crowded resort bar. The restaurant was restored as a complete visitor experience, with its design tied closely to the surrounding setting. Wood, natural stone, and water give the place a calm, rustic feel.

The tasting happens near the restaurant’s old wine cellar. Its age matters less as a museum fact than as part of the mood. You are learning about a local drink in a place built for storing and serving drinks, surrounded by the sort of rural architecture that helps connect the food to Gran Canaria.

The session lasts 2.5 hours, though the actual tasting has been described as taking about two hours. That leaves room for a relaxed pace, questions, and possibly a meal afterward. You should not book this expecting a quick sample at the end of a busy sightseeing day. It is a sit-down food and drink experience with time set aside for explanation.

Starting at Valle de Mogán in Los Pasitos

You make your own way to the parking area of Valle de Mogán restaurant at Los Pasitos, 2. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so check your route before booking. Parking is included once you arrive.

The meeting instructions are simple: find the guide wearing a black jacket. Tours are available in English, Russian, and Spanish. Katerina has led at least some of the sessions, and her name is useful to know if you want to confirm that you have found the right guide.

The location is part of the appeal, but it also means this activity works best when you are already exploring the Mogán area or have arranged transport. It is less convenient if you are staying elsewhere in Gran Canaria and relying on hotel transfers.

Learning the character of Canarian rum

The rum portion is led by a professional maître sommelier associated with Valle de Mogán restaurant. The focus is not only on tasting but also on understanding the different types of Canarian rum and the ways you might serve them.

You can expect a selection that includes Arehucas Family Selection and Ron Aldea. The activity information also describes three types of rum in total. The exact third bottle is not clearly specified, so do not book with the expectation of a particular label beyond the named examples.

This kind of guidance is useful if rum is unfamiliar to you. Instead of treating each sample as simply sweet or strong, you learn how to compare them and how to select one for dinner or a special occasion. That makes the tasting more practical than a standard flight at a bar.

The pace should suit people who want some background with their drink. You will hear about production in the Canary Islands, then taste the results. The experience does not promise a full distillery visit or a complete technical course, so rum enthusiasts seeking production machinery or a behind-the-scenes factory tour may find the scope limited.

Still, for a first introduction, the format makes sense. You get several styles in one sitting, a local setting, and a guide who can explain what you are tasting in plain terms.

A full hour with Canarian cheese

The cheese tasting receives about an hour, which is a generous portion of a 2.5-hour experience. Canarian cheese is treated as more than a snack between rum samples. You are introduced to local varieties and given context for why cheese from the islands has earned prizes at international food exhibitions.

The details provided do not name each cheese or describe the milk used, so you should expect a selection rather than a fixed list of labels. That is not a serious weakness, but it does mean the experience is better for learning the broad character of Canarian cheese than for planning a tasting around one famous variety.

The pairing also gives the rum section a clear purpose. Cheese can show how a spirit works with food, and the guide can help you think about what belongs on a dinner table rather than only in a glass. If you normally find rum too sweet or too strong, tasting it beside local food may give you a more useful sense of its role.

The cheese course is also where the activity feels most connected to Gran Canaria. You are not just sampling an imported product in a hotel lounge. You are trying something made in the islands and learning why it matters to local food culture.

The Mogán setting adds real value

The restaurant’s design is one of the most praised parts of the outing. A historic Canarian manor house sits in a valley with striking views, and the restored property uses wood, stone, and water to fit its surroundings.

The views are an important reason to allow time for this experience. The tasting itself is seated, but the setting gives you something to look at between explanations and samples. One review described the place as unusually beautiful, with the manor house and valley views adding to the sense of a genuine Gran Canaria visit.

You should keep your expectations grounded. This is not advertised as a separate sightseeing tour of the valley, and the itinerary does not promise a long walk or a formal manor-house tour. The scenery is part of the restaurant setting and the route to the venue, not a separate activity with a guide.

That distinction helps you decide how to plan the day. Come for the rum, cheese, and setting. Treat the views as a valuable extra rather than the main event.

Add lunch or dinner if you want a longer outing

The standard package includes the visit and rum tasting, with the cheese and food experience forming part of the scheduled activity. You can also choose an optional lunch or dinner at Valle de Mogán restaurant.

This is a sensible add-on for anyone who wants to make the tasting part of a full meal. The restaurant prepares local dishes with fresh ingredients, giving you a chance to continue the same food theme after the guided session.

One practical point is worth noting: the optional meal is not included in the $77 price. Check the booking choice and final cost before you reserve. The extra meal may improve the value if you already planned to eat nearby, but it is not essential if your main interest is rum and cheese.

The meal option also affects timing. A 2.5-hour tasting is easy to fit into a day. A tasting followed by lunch or dinner becomes a larger commitment, so leave enough space in your schedule rather than squeezing it between fixed excursions.

Is $77 a fair price?

At $77 per person, this is not a cheap drink-and-snack stop. You are paying for a private guide, professional maître sommelier explanation, rum samples, Canarian cheese tasting, water, parking, and the restaurant setting. The length also matters: this is a substantial 2.5-hour activity rather than a brief tasting counter visit.

I think the price is reasonable for the right person. You get three rum samples, several cheeses, instruction in three possible languages, and access to a historic restaurant setting with scenic views. The private guide element can make the session feel more personal than a large group tasting, though the exact group size is not provided.

The value is weaker if you only want to try a single local rum or if you do not care about cheese. It is also less attractive if you must pay extra for transport from another part of the island. Since hotel pickup is not included, factor in your own travel costs and time.

The strongest value comes when you are already visiting Mogán, enjoy food education, and plan to stay for the optional meal. The weakest value comes when you want a quick, inexpensive sample or a full distillery tour.

Who will enjoy this tasting most?

I would recommend it to adults who enjoy local food, want a slower activity, and appreciate a guide who explains what is in the glass and on the plate. It suits couples, friends, and small private groups looking for something beyond beaches and resort restaurants.

It also works well for visitors who want a gentle introduction to Canarian products. You do not need to be a rum expert. The explanation of production and food pairing gives beginners a clear way into the subject.

The activity is not suitable for children under 18, despite the broad family-friendly wording in the highlights. Alcohol is central to the experience, and pregnant women and people with high blood pressure are specifically excluded.

Wheelchair access is available, which makes the venue more practical for many visitors. You should still confirm any personal access needs when booking, since the available information does not describe every surface or facility along the route.

Timing, languages, and cancellation

The total duration is 2.5 hours, with starting times dependent on availability. You should check the schedule before building the rest of your day around it.

Live guidance is available in English, Russian, and Spanish. That is especially useful for a tasting, since flavor descriptions and food traditions are easier to follow when you can ask questions in a language you understand well.

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The reserve-now-and-pay-later option also gives you some flexibility, particularly if your Gran Canaria plans depend on weather or changing transport arrangements.

What the strongest praise tells you

The most consistent positive points are the atmosphere, the rum, the cheese, and the service. One session lasted about two hours and included three rums and several cheeses, followed by an unplanned dinner at the restaurant. That detail suggests the venue can work well when you want to extend the outing rather than rush away.

The setting receives equally strong attention. The historic manor house, valley views, and carefully restored design give the tasting a feeling that a hotel bar cannot easily copy. The experience is at its best when you care about the place where food is served, not only the food itself.

Service also matters. Katerina and the Valle de Mogán team have been singled out by name for a pleasant experience, and the live guide format means you can ask questions instead of simply following a printed tasting card.

There are only a small number of recorded ratings, so I would not treat the 4.8 score as a guarantee for every group. Still, the praise points in the same direction: this is a polished, attractive tasting with a strong setting and clear explanations.

Should you book the Valle de Mogán tasting?

Book it if you want to understand Canarian rum, taste several island cheeses, and spend a relaxed few hours in a historic Mogán setting. The combination of three rums, an hour of cheese tasting, scenic views, and optional local dining gives the $77 price a fair case.

Skip it if you need hotel transportation, dislike alcohol or cheese, want a factory tour, or are looking for an activity suitable for children. For the best fit, plan it as a food-focused stop in Mogán, arrive with enough time to find the restaurant parking area, and consider adding lunch or dinner if the setting appeals to you.

FAQ

Where does the Canarian rum and cheese tasting take place?

It takes place at Valle de Mogán restaurant in Mogán, at Los Pasitos, 2. The tasting is held near the restaurant’s wine cellar.

What is the meeting point?

Meet in the parking area of Valle de Mogán restaurant. The guide will be wearing a black jacket.

How long does the experience last?

The advertised duration is 2.5 hours. The tasting itself may last about two hours, depending on the pace of the session.

How much does the experience cost?

The listed price is $77 per person.

Which rums will be included?

The tasting includes a selection of Canarian rums, including Arehucas Family Selection and Ron Aldea. The experience includes three types of rum, but the third selection is not specified.

How much cheese will I taste?

The cheese portion lasts about one hour and includes several types of Canarian cheese. Individual varieties are not specified.

Is lunch or dinner included?

Lunch or dinner at Valle de Mogán restaurant is optional and is not included in the standard package.

Are hotel transfers included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. Parking at the meeting point is included.

Which languages are available?

The live guide can provide the experience in English, Russian, or Spanish.

Who should not book this activity?

The experience is not suitable for pregnant women, children under 18, or people with high blood pressure.