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Key West First Legal Rum Distillery

Key West First Legal Rum

Key West First Legal Rum Distillery was started by Paul Menta, a Key West local and avid kite boarder. They feature 8 different types of rum: Legal, Local, Vanilla Brulee Dark, Duval Street Spiced, Devil’s Rum, Key Lime, Raw & Unfiltered and 105 Simonton. All of the rums are distilled 6 times and are made with pure Florida sugar cane. All of the ingredients are all natural and they do not use any added coloring or dyes.

01 Key West First Legal Rum Distillery 02 Key West First Legal Rum Distillery

They are open 10am to Sunset daily and we host free tours Monday-Saturday at 3:00 and 3:30pm. The distillery location has a lot of history dating back to the 1900’s when it was Jack’s Saloon. It was also a Coca Cola bottling plant at one time. You don’t see Coke bottles that say “Made in Key West” anymore.

03 Key West First Legal Rum Distillery

Legal Rum “Mother Rum” – Has notes of butterscotch and pear as well as a smooth finish.

Local Rum – This rum was developed for the “Local” bars in town so they can have a premium rum that was made on the island to serve in well drinks. It is also distilled at a higher tempature.

Vanilla Brulee Dark Rum – We take whole vanilla beans, slice them down the middle then roll them in pure Florida sugar cane. We then infuse them for about 10 to 12 hours.

Duval Street Spiced Rum – We infuse cardamon, clove, vanilla beans, allspice, 3 citrus spices and its finished with basil.

Devil’s Rum – We infuse cinniamon leaf oil and finish with orange zest. Spicy yet refreshing.

Chef’s Real Key Lime Rum – We take whole Florida key limes over to Kermitts Key Lime and have them juced. We then infuse the juice and rinds for about 10 to 12 hours.

RAW and Unfiltered Rum – We barrel age the Legal rum for about 5 months. The unique thing that we do is when we swell our barrels we use sea water vs regular water to add a layer of salt to the charring on the inside of the barrel.

105 Simonton Rum – We barrel age the RAW and Unfiltered for an additional 105 days and also sell it at 105 proof.

Key West Garden Club

This is a Banyon tree that has grown over one of the archways.
This is a Banyon tree that has grown over one of the archways.

Have you ever visited the Key West Garden Club? I have lived here for 2 1/2 years and have never been inside. The Key West Garden Club is one of the island’s last remaining free tourist attractions. Plants are donated and maintained by members and volunteers. They are a non-profit organization that provides educational opportunities for the community relating to tropical gardening and to the West Martello Tower, a National Historic site where the Club is located. They are open seven days a week and are a beautiful venue for weddings and other events.I want to take a good book some iced tea and just relax under a tree for a few hours.

The Butterfly Garden
The Butterfly Garden

I also had the chance to work on my photography skills while I was there. They have so many different types of plants and trees that I wanted to photograph. Some are a little abstract and others just show the simple beauty of a flower in bloom.

01 Banyon Tree - Key West Garden Club - Key West FL Silk Floss Tree - Ceiba Speciosa - Key West Garden Club - Key West FL - Tree with Spikes

Orchid Flower - Key West Garden Club - Key West FL Pink Flower - Key West Garden Club - Key West FL Pink Flower -Plumeria - Key West Garden Club - Key West FL

The history of the tower is very cool dating back to 1822 when the land was first surveyed by the US Navy. Please visit their website for a full history. Tower History

01 Higgs Beach View - Key West Garden Club - Key West FL Old Bricks - Brick Archway - Key West Garden Club - Key West FLHiggs Beach View - Key West Garden Club - Key West FL

One Blackhawks Fan’s Opinion

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Is this really how you want to welcome people to your city and your Arena? I have been to many arenas, stadiums and parks over the years and I have not experienced anything like the fear that I currently feel. I am a HUGE fan of the Chicago Blackhawks. I have lived in Key West, Florida for over 2 years and love the weather and what the island life has to offer. I went to Sunrise, FL and Tampa, FL earlier this year to see the Chicago Blackhawks at their 2 games a year that they play in Florida and had a blast!.  I met Blackhawks Fans in Sunrise, FL and we all went to Tampa, FL.  It was all great fun!  It was SPORT! We try to teach our children good Sportsmanship.  Here is the definition of Sportsmanship:  Sportsmanship is an aspiration or ethos that a sport or activity will be enjoyed for its own sake, with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one’s competitors. A sore loser refers to one who does not take defeat well, whereas a good sport means being a “good winner” as well as being a “good loser”.

Taken from www.Wikipedia.com

I feel like I am not welcome or allowed to go to Tampa, FL and cheer them on in the Stanley Cup Finals.  They have limited ticket sales to Florida Residents and they are limiting Blackhawks Gear to certain sections.   All morning,  friends from Chicago have been sharing links on my timeline warning me about the rules that the Tampa Bay Lightning have enacted to keep Blackhawks fans away and in their place! I happen to be the exception to their residency rule since I am a current resident of the state of Florida and can purchase tickets. I bought tickets on StubHub days before the Lightning won their game 7 in New York. Where is the line when it comes to supporting your team? I called the Tampa Bay Lightning office and asked for specifics on the rules so I can be prepared for the game on Wednesday. They said that these policies are to help their local fan base and that we are welcome. Yet it doesn’t appear that way. I  have spent thousands of dollars over the years in different cities in different states at sporting events cheering for my favorite home teams. How much does the city of Tampa rely on the tax dollars generated from the airport, rental cars, hotels, ticket sales and food while I am there? This is a sporting event and  there will be a winner and a loser.  However: at the end of the day, This is about sports!   This should not be about not driving away fans of one team (is that SPORTSMANLIKE?????) This should be about the joy of the rivalry and the joy of the game!  The game we all love and support the rest of the year by buying tickets, watching games on TV, traveling to see them and wearing their gear. 

I will be in Tampa on Wednesday to support the Blackhawks! I hope many other fans get the chance to do the same thing!

LETS GO HAWKS!

Sitting on the glass at the Blackhawks vs. Panthers game.
Sitting on the glass at the Blackhawks vs. Panthers game.