Barbados Rum

The Caribbean’s Birthplace of Rum

Barbados Rum has been produced for over 350 years and is generally considered the birthplace of the Caribbean’s liquid gold. Historical records show that rum production on the island was well underway by the mid 1600s, when sugar cane became a major crop for the Bajans. Barbados is known for some of the best, and some may say sweeter, tasting rum in the Caribbean – Perhaps it has something to do with the island’s unique coral make-up, as compared to the volcanic composition of other Caribbean islands.

Amazing Barbados Rum Include:

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Mount Gay Rum Distilleries

Active Caribbean Travel - Barbados Rum from Mount Gay includes Mount Gay Extra Old!

Founded in 1703, Mount Gay is generally considered the oldest continually operated rum distillery in the world – Some say that Mount Gay is “the rum that invented rum”. Well known around the world, smooth tasting Mount Gay Rums include:

Silver
Eclipse
Black Barrel (small batch)
XO (Extra Old = aged for 8 to 15 years)
1703 (Blend from… ranging from 10 to 30 year old rums)

Mount Gay offers tours of their historic distillery (Mount Gay Historic Distillery Experience Tour) as well as a number of other Rum Tasting Tours and Workshop packages at their easily accessible Bridgetown Visitor Centre location which includes a tasting room and gift shop – Enjoy the history and heritage of Bajan rum. The ‘Rum Tasting and Lunch’ and ‘Cocktail Workshop’ sure sounds inviting…

For a first-hand account, check out our personal Mount Gay Historic Distillery Experience Tour blog post

Foursquare Rum Distillery

Active Caribbean Travel - Barbados Rum from Foursquare includes RL Seale's and Doorly's

In the early 1900s, R L Seale & Company purchased bulk rum, bottling and sold it under their own name – R L Seale. In the latter half of the 20th century, they acquired ESA Field, Alleyne Arthur, Old Brigand and Doorly’s as well as Taylor’s. They ultimately consolidated everything at the Foursquare Distillery, a centuries-old sugar and rum facility. The distillery is now one of Barbados’ most environmentally friendly, as they focus on re-using rum manufacturing waste. Foursquare rums include:

Doorly’s – Macaw White, 3yr white, 5yr, 6yr, 8yr, XO and 12 yr rums
Foursquare – A large variety of limited editions rums
RL Seale – 10 yr old rum
SixtySix – 6yr, 12yr, 12yr cask strength rums
Others Include – ESA Field (white), Alleyne Arthur (Special), Old Brigand (Gold and Black Label), Neptune – Barbados Gold, The Real McCoy and Tommy Bahama rums
Taylor’s – Velvet Falernem (liqueur)

Visitors are welcome to wander the former sugar plantation grounds, now known as the Foursquare Rum Distillery and Heritage Park. Self-guided tours of the factory and museums are available, as is the warm and inviting tasting room, where you can of course, purchase your favourite(s).

St. Nicholas Abbey

On the grounds of a centuries-old sugar plantation, the Abbey’s great-house is something to see – Built in 1658, this is one of only three Jacobean mansions in the Western Hemisphere. This ‘micro-distillery’ is relatively young, with (re)beginnings in the 1980s with the purchase of an old steam mill and the full restoration in 2006. St. Nicholas Abbey rum’s include:

A White (Bajan See-Through) rum
5 yr old Barbados rum
12 yr old Barbados rum
18 yr old Barbados rum

Take your time and explore the surrounding Gardens and orchids. Complimentary guided tours of the great house, steam mill and rum distillery are available. There’s also a short film, and rum tasting. Of course rum and other sugar products are available at the gift shop.

For a more colourful and complete review of the plantation, check out our St. Nicholas Abbey blog post.

West Indies Rum Distillery

The distillery dates back to 1884 – Originally built by two brothers from Germany, then purchased by local Barbadians a few years later. With the exception of Mount Gay, the West Indies Rum Distillery has provided base rum for all Bajan rum producers over the years. Originally famous for their Cockspur and Malibu (although no longer) brands, the distillery also worked with country singer Kenny Chesney to produce his Blue Chair Bay rum line. As of 2017, the distillery ownership is with France’s Maison Ferrand, of Cognac and Plantation Rum collection fame. They remain a formidable Barbados rum producer…

The West Indies Rum Distillery produces (among others):

Cockspur – Overproof, Spiced, Old Gold, 5 Star, VSOR (12 yr) rums as well as flavoured rums (pineapple-coconut, green apple and punch)
Blue Chair Bay – White and flavoured (Coconut, Coconut Spiced, Banana, Vanilla, Coconut Spiced Cream, Banana Cream, Key Lime Cream, Pineapple Cream) rums
Kaniche – Perfection, 11 yr old and Reserve (finished in France in Cognac casks)
Shellback – Silver and Spiced

Other Bajan rums include 896 (5 yr), Calypso (Light, Gold & Spiced), Cane Mill (5yr & 8yr), Caribana Sol and Isla De Rico. Of course, numerous rum companies around the world use Barbados rum in their “collections”, such as Berry’s, Cayman Reef and the famous Plantation series, while countless others use Barbados rum in their own blends – Most notably, Lamb’s, Dos Maderas and Old Pascas.

While visiting the island, take a Barbados Rum Tour for yourself. The Tour Operators below will take good care of you:

RCR Tours