Barbados

Mount Gay Rum Distillery

Established in 1703, Mount Gay is the oldest continuously operating rum distillery in the world. The distillery is located in Saint Lucy, the northernmost parish on the island of Barbados. While most people opt to tour the Mount Gay Visitor Center in Bridgetown, it is worth the lengthy drive to see the distillery itself. This is where all Mount Gay rum is produced and aged and while it was previously inaccessible to most visitors, they now offer several tour packages that allow you to see how the rum is made and taste several of their expressions.

The first key ingredient in rum is water, and Mount Gay's water is still sourced from the original on-site well that was dug in 1703. That water is then combined with Barbados and Caribbean molasses and the next key ingredient - yeast. As is the tradition in Barbados, Mount Gay uses a combination of column still and pot still rum. Their column still rum is made with a proprietary cultivated yeast using closed fermentation, while their pot still rum employs open fermentation that allows native yeast to ferment the molasses. The different still types, yeasts, and fermentation processes create vastly different distillates which are then aged and masterfully blended into the final expressions.

Mount Gay produces a wide variety of rums, from the budget-friendly Eclipse available in most bars, to the ultra-premium 1703 Master Select which is bottled each year in limited numbers. They have recently released several expressions under the Master Blender Collection that have been finished in unique casks such as Tawny Port and Andean oak. No matter which of these rums you choose, you'll be tasting rum history.

Check out the Mount Gay Rum website for more information about their products and distillery tours:

Visit Mount Gay Rum Distillery

Foursquare Rum Distillery

Foursquare Rum Distillery produces what has been referred to as "The Pappy of Rum" (a reference to the highly coveted Pappy Van Winkle bourbon) due to its popularity amongst collectors and its numerous spirits industry awards. The distillery is located on the site of a former sugar plantation within Saint Philip parish in southeast Barbados. It was reopened by the Seale family in 1996 and is currently run by Richard Seale, a 4th generation distiller.

Foursquare uses the traditional Barbadian rum-making method of distilling, aging, and blending column still and pot still rums. They use two double retort copper pot stills as well as a traditional column still to distill a fermented mash of molasses, water, and yeast. The rums are then aged on-site in mainly ex-bourbon oak barrels, although some rums are secondarily aged in a variety of other casks such as Sherry, Zinfandel, and Madeira.

Rums from Foursquare include locally popular brands such as Old Brigand and E.S.A. Field along with the highly coveted Exceptional Cask Selection series, which includes yearly vintages and uniquely named expressions (such as Indelible and Shibboleth) aged in various types of casks. The Doorly's and R.L. Seale's brands are also made by Foursquare, in addition to a namesake spiced rum and a tasty rum cream liqueur called Crisma.

Check out the Foursquare Rum Distillery website for more information about their products:

Visit Foursquare Rum Distillery

St. Nicholas Abbey

A visit to St. Nicholas Abbey is like taking a trip back in time. Built in 1658, it is one of the oldest plantations on Barbados and spans over 400 acres of sugar cane fields, gardens, and forests. The property also features a 17th century Jacobean mansion, a small museum, the Terrace Café, the newly constructed Heritage Railway (see "Local Attractions" below), and a uniquely picturesque rum distillery.

The rum produced at St. Nicholas Abbey is distilled from sugar cane syrup, made from the plantation's sugar cane which is pressed by a steam-powered mill then reduced from juice to a syrup by a boiler powered by the same steam supply. The still, affectionately known as "Annabelle", is a hybrid copper pot and column still that preserves the herbaceous, earthy flavors from the sugar cane into the final distillate. The rum is then either bottled unaged or transferred into ex-bourbon barrels and aged for varying amounts of time. Since the distillery only began producing rum in 2006 but wanted to release older rums, they supplemented their rum stock with aged Foursquare rum for use in their 15 - 20+ year expressions.

St. Nicholas Abbey rums are not distributed outside of Barbados, so make sure to visit the gift shop to purchase them on-site. They offer unaged white rum and 5 year rum (available at both 40% and 60% ABV), along with 8 year, 15 year, and 20+ year rums. All of the aged rums are from single casks and are bottled in beautiful etched decanters which can be engraved with a personal inscription.

Check out the St. Nicholas Abbey website for more information about their products and distillery tours:

Visit St. Nicholas Abbey

West Indies Rum Distillery

West Indies Rum Distillery is the largest distillery on Barbados and produces approximately 80% of the island's rum. It has been in operation since 1893, making it the second oldest distillery on the island. Located right on the beach near Bridgetown, its prime location was chosen not for the beautiful ocean views but for easy access to a shipping dock for both importing raw materials such as molasses and for exporting rum.

The distillery's founders, George Stade and his brother, brought the first large-scale column still to Barbados, allowing for continuous distillation of purchased molasses which produced much higher volumes of rum than the other smaller distilleries. As a result, West Indies Rum Distillery was able to sell unbranded "bulk rum" to merchants who created their own brands. However, the distillery also employed a variety of other stills, including more traditional pot stills and even a Vulcan triple chamber still. Today, West Indies Rum Distillery carries on those traditions by producing rum from a variety of stills and re-establishing historical rum-making processes archived in the on-site Distiller's Vault.

Until recently, West Indies Rum Distillery did not have their own brand and instead supplied rum to other brands such as Cockspur, Malibu, Blue Chair Bay, and Plantation (which is part of the distillery's current owner, Maison Ferrand). In 2021, the distillery introduced their first branded rum line, Stade's, named after its founders. Although currently inaccessible to visitors (other than spirits industry groups), West Indies Rum Distillery plans to open a visitor center in the near future, providing tours, tastings, and educational sessions.

Check out West Indies Rum Distillery on Facebook for more information about their products:

Visit West Indies Rum Distillery

Local Attractions

Oistins Fish Fry

St. Nicholas Abbey Heritage Railway

Oistins Fish Fry

Every Friday night, the town of Oistins on the south coast comes alive with an incredible feast of freshly caught seafood. Food is served by local vendors from booths and seating is outdoors at shared picnic tables. The portions are huge and the prices are very reasonable. There's also music, dancing, and local crafts for sale at this must-do island event. While the market is open on other days, make sure to go on Friday night for the full experience!

John Moore Bar

St. Nicholas Abbey Heritage Railway

Oistins Fish Fry

The most famous (and likely the oldest) rum shop on the island is John Moore Bar, located right on the beach in Saint James parish on the west coast. Despite the name, this is not really a bar - it is a rum shop, where you purchase local rum by the pint (or half pint) along with the mixer of your choice. You'll be given a bowl of ice and plastic cups, then you make your drink however you like it. There are hundreds of rum shops in Barbados, each unique and typically featuring one rum brand painted on their walls. Visit as many as you can and drink like a local!

St. Nicholas Abbey Heritage Railway

During your visit to St. Nicholas Abbey's rum distillery, you can also hop aboard a steam locomotive for a narrated, scenic tour of the plantation. The train travels around a lake and then to Cherry Tree Hill, which offers an incredible view of Barbados's east coast. The Heritage Railway tour is approximately one hour with several departure times on specified days and is included in your ticket to the distillery.