{"id":98894033,"date":"2018-06-11T13:52:49","date_gmt":"2018-06-11T17:52:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/?p=98894033"},"modified":"2025-04-28T17:37:27","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T21:37:27","slug":"a-rum-lovers-guide-to-the-caribbean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/a-rum-lovers-guide-to-the-caribbean\/","title":{"rendered":"A Rum Lover’s Guide to the Caribbean"},"content":{"rendered":"

Can a single sip of rum send you sailing to a tropical island in your mind? Then you\u2019ll love dreaming a little while with us as we explore some of the best Caribbean\u00a0rum\u00a0distilleries to visit. Yes, a number of distilleries \u2013 big and small, famous and not-so-much \u2013 across the Caribbean are open to the public with guided tours and tastings.<\/p>\n

So whether you plan to cruise over to Barbados or hop flights to Bahamas, go ahead and pour yourself a shot of your preferred poison or mix your favorite cocktail and let\u2019s go island hopping!<\/p>\n

\"drinking<\/p>\n

Bahamas<\/h2>\n

The John Watling\u2019s Distillery tour encompasses the bold history of the\u00a0Bahamas, with tales of the distillery\u2019s namesake buccaneer, a taste of its spirit that\u2019s been made here since 1789, and an opportunity to take in the grandeur of the Buena Vista Estate in downtown Nassau.<\/p>\n

Jamaica<\/h2>\n

Jamaica is home to producers of some of the world\u2019s most popular, award-winning, and best-tasting rums. Two of the very best \u2013 Appleton Estate and Hampden \u2013 offer tours of their facilities. The Appleton tour, deep in the heart of the island\u2019s Cockpit Country, gives visitors a true taste of Jamaica and a hands-on opportunity to discover what goes into making premium quality rum. The Hampden tour, near the cruise hub of Falmouth, similarly provides a chance for some up close learning about rum-making and how it ties in with the history and fortunes of Jamaica.\u00a0 Did you suddenly feel like setting aside your drink to start surfing through flights to the Caribbean\u00a0for a cheap one to Jamaica? Totally understand; the lure of Jamaican rum is irresistible. But not so fast. Take another sip of whatever you’re having and look at what Martinique has to offer.<\/p>\n

\"Rum<\/p>\n

Martinique<\/h2>\n

If distillery tours are your thing, then the friendly French-speaking island of Martinique is your ideal destination. There are a number of tours of distilleries here. The island even has its own “Route des Rhums” crossing the island north to south hitting its 10 distilleries along the way. Among the most highly rated distillery tours are the ones at Rhum JM, Saint James, and Habitation Clement.<\/p>\n

Puerto Rico<\/h2>\n

Perhaps you\u2019ve heard of Bacardi? Puerto Rico<\/a> is Bacardi\u2019s base. The brand has its own Casa Bacardi, which just so happens to be the world\u2019s largest premium rum distillery. Tours take you behind the scenes from barrel to bottle and conclude with a tasting.<\/p>\n

\"drinking<\/p>\n

Trinidad<\/h2>\n

Trinidad\u2019s<\/a> Angostura is one of the biggest rum producers in the Caribbean and maker of the world\u2019s best-selling aromatic bitters. There\u2019s no bitter end to an Angostura distillery tour, but visitors do get to see the Bitters Room, where a sneak peek of distillery facilities can be enjoyed. The tour also includes a look at the Barcant Butterfly Collection — a nearly 100-year-old collection of more than 700 species of butterflies.<\/p>\n

RELATED: If you need a few tips on what to bring when you get away to one of these islands, check out 10 Essentials to Bring on Your Caribbean Getaway<\/a>!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Barbados<\/h2>\n

Beautiful Barbados has been a haven for rum distilleries for more than 350 years, including one of the world\u2019s leading brands and oldest rums: Mount Gay. The Mount Gay Rum Visitor Centre invites guests to its distillery, which dates back to 1703. The stories shared on a Mount Gay tour are as potent as the rum distilled there! Other distilleries to visit on Barbados include St Nicholas Abbey (with its own working sugar plantation) and\u00a0the Foursquare Rum Factory.<\/p>\n

\"Cuban<\/p>\n

Grenada<\/h2>\n

Similar to the island itself, Grenada\u2019s<\/a> River Antoine Estate Rum Distillery tour is a hidden gem that\u2019s traditional, respectful of nature, high quality, and inexpensive. The privately owned distillery is the oldest running water-propelled distillery in the Caribbean. Last we checked,\u00a0a tour cost just $2.<\/p>\n

Cuba<\/h2>\n

Not the easiest island to get to for many Americans, but rum lovers know Cuba is one of the world\u2019s key producers of the amber spirit and originator to some of the most famous rum-based drinks. Tours of old Bacardi Rum Factory museum in Santiago de Cuba (operations have long since relocated to Puerto Rico) and the Museo del Ron Havana Club in Havana offer deep insight into the island\u2019s drink of choice. Couple your tours with visits to pre-revolution bars, such as El Floridita, La Bodeguita del Medio, the former Trader Vic\u2019s (now Restaurante Polinesio) etc. etc. etc. \u2026 and cheers!<\/p>\n

\"Rum<\/p>\n

Haiti<\/h2>\n

Okay, so\u00a0Haiti<\/a>\u00a0is a bit of an advanced option for experienced travelers and only the most ardent rum aficionados. But if that\u2019s you, then the Rhum Barbancourt distillery near Port-au-Prince is the place to be. Producing premium rum since the 1860s, the Barbancourt distillery\u00a0is located in an oasis of calm on the edge of the frenetic capital of Port-au-Prince.<\/p>\n

Ready to head out on a heady, rum-soaked adventure in the Caribbean? Whether you plan to hop on flights to Jamaica<\/a> or flights to Bahamas, we hope this list helps you quench your thirst for great rum – Cheers!<\/p>\n

There are so many more islands and distilleries across the Caribbean. Where\u2019s your favorite port of call and what\u2019s your favorite rum?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Can a single sip of rum send you sailing to a tropical island in your mind? Then you\u2019ll love dreaming a little while with us as we explore some of the best Caribbean\u00a0rum\u00a0distilleries to visit. Yes, a number of distilleries \u2013 big and small, famous and not-so-much \u2013 across the Caribbean are open to the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":98924157,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[149,1476],"tags":[202,1163,526],"class_list":["post-98894033","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-caribbean","category-food-drink","tag-caribbean","tag-distillery-tours","tag-rum"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98894033","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98894033"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98894033\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":98924164,"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98894033\/revisions\/98924164"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/98924157"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98894033"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98894033"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98894033"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}