When we think of rum we may also think of navy sailors and pirates in the same breath… and certainly the tropical, lush atmosphere of the Caribbean! Undoubtedly, Captain Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean films also comes to mind – thanks, Disney! But, all of these images have helped to put rum on the map of being connected to travellers and overseas climes, although there are even some rums made in England these days!
However, the most popular rums that appear on supermarket shelves or in restaurants and bars tend to be those from the bigger, northern Caribbean islands such as Jamaica and Cuba. We are keen to highlight some of the products from smaller, independent locations – did you know that rums can also be found from the southern Caribbean islands too, like Grenada? Follow us on this journey along the southern end of the chain of the Caribbean islands leading up to South America to uncover more rums that you must try!
How is Rum Made?
Rum is a product that is made from sugar cane, that is typically sourced within the West Indies and thrives within tropical climates with substantial rainfall. The first records of rum were located within Barbados and go as far back as the 17th century – did you know?
Whilst rum is associated with travel in modern times, the history of rum production has sinister beginnings as it was a feature of the slave trade. Enslaved people from African countries had been traded and sent to the West Indies in exchange for molasses (a by product of sugar production). Those molasses were then utilised within New England for the production of rum. The early rums were so strong that they went by the name of Kill Devil and rumbullion!
Many of these Caribbean islands still produce rum made from molasses to this day, and might even export molasses to other countries to make rum. Alternatively, rums can be made solely from sugarcane juice, as there might not be a large sugar industry in some countries. Similar to wine and other alcoholic beverages, rums undergo a fermentation process, after the pressing of the juice or as molasses, involving yeast and they may also be aged to create different flavour profiles.
Typically, there will be darker rums and light bodied rums produced. The more molasses heavy rums tend to be the darker rums, which are fuller bodied and may have added caramel to intensify the colour. These rums are generally found in islands such as Jamaica, Barbados and Guyana. Plus, they may also be aged between five to seven years or more and distilled.
The lighter style of rum is a more recent development and began to be produced around the late 19th century. These rums are also fermented but might use a cultured yeast instead and have a reduced ageing period - around one to five years. You can expect a lighter taste to these rums which would make them more suitable for mixing in cocktails, which will appeal to those cocktail lovers out there! Indeed, if you are travelling across the Caribbean islands, you will find many rum shacks in which you can enjoy the rum by itself or within a rum punch for rum tastings!
Which rums from the southern Caribbean islands should I try?
This is a great question as the rums will vary in flavour depending on each island’s production methods. Let’s delve in as we traverse these islands from Martinique down to the Caribbean coast of South America – are you ready?
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad is the home of an internationally renowned carnival each Shrove Tuesday aka Mardi Gras where you can, of course, sip on some rum whilst dancing along to steel band music and following the costume parades! It is an island with several rum distilleries and the Carib beer brewery. After carnival, you can retire to the beautiful Maracas Bay and soak in the atmosphere with a stunning rum by your side!
House of Rum – Trinidad 2012
The House of Rum bottles all contain an image of El Diablo (the devil) as a reference to the rum making process whereby liquid is evaporated during maturation – this is known as the Angel’s Share within Europe but is described as Devil’s Share within the tropics. The House of Rum range tend to be single vintage and aged within a single cask. There is nothing extra added to the process as these rums have no additional caramel for the colour or sugar for the sweetness, and include no additives and remain undiluted. It is the rum world’s equivalent to fine dining as it has a higher price point to match.
This rum was produced at the Trinidad Distillers Ltd (TDL) which was established in 1948 and is now the only rum distillery remaining in Trinidad. For the maturation process there has been nine years of tropical ageing in Trinidad in ex Bourbon barrels and three years of continental ageing in the UK in ex Bourbon barrels. As a result, this tawny, golden brown rum is not for the faint hearted as it has a strong kick which is balanced out by the pineapple flavour profile with hints of vanilla and a Christmas cake like aroma. This rum works well with cheese and would be ideal for that nightcap on a cosy night.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 64.3%
Find here: £210
Grenada
Grenada is an unspoilt, volcanic island with lush views and a rainforest. Its nickname is the ‘spice island’ and it has at least 40 white, sandy beaches to discover! There is a population size of 100,000 and it is a compact island to navigate!
If you are a diver, then this is for you as Grenada has an underwater sculpture and the remains of a large shipwreck - Bianca C.
Westerhall No.7 Rum
The Westerhall Estate’s first distillery opened in the 1700s and has continued to produce rum on the island ever since. As its name suggests, the No.7 rum is aged for seven years. This process occurs within new American oak ex bourbon casks which lend a robust flavour profile to the rum. This is a smooth molasses-based rum with elements of spice and caramel, and aromas of vanilla.
Enjoy it neat, on the rocks or mixed with other tropical juices and pair it with some Grenadian chocolate, such as the organic chocolate from The Grenada Chocolate Company as a treat, because you’re worth it!
On a sidenote, did you know that Westerhall rums are also an official sponsor of the Grenada Rugby World 7s event which occurs in December and will be celebrating its third anniversary in 2024? There will be activities before and after the tournament including live entertainment along Grand Anse beach within the Arts & Crafts market and other locations. Why not enjoy sipping some Westerhall rum whilst watching the rugby in Grenada or online?! Find out more here.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £28.09
You can also make a Westerhall No.7 rum cocktail:
Ingredients:
50ml Westerhall Superb light/Westerhall Plantation Rum
30ml Lime juice
½ tsp Sugar syrup
1 dash Grenadine
Method:
Combine all the ingredients within a shaker filled with ice and shake well. Pour into a cocktail glass and serve.
Barbados
Barbados is renowned as the birthplace of rum, and it is home to the Mount Gay Distillery from the 18th century! You can also take in rum tasting at the Foursquare Distillery with a self-guided tour. An alternative option would be to visit the Animal Flower Cave, which has a restaurant located within a cave – we have heard that the sea views are stunning!
19 Crimes ‘The Vanished’ Spiced Rum
This is the first rum produced by the winemakers 19 Crimes in its bid to push the boundaries within the spirits world! The rum bottle contains an augmented reality image of an escapee, Mary Bryant which ties into the brand’s philosophy of representing the rebellious convicts sent from Britain to Australia in the 18th century for committing any of the 19 crimes.
This is a tropical, sweet blend which envelops you in its fruitiness as the aromas waft from the bottle. Pineapple, mango and spices jump out, and it is similar in taste to a liqueur making this an ideal rum to pair with desserts.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 37.5%
Find here: £29
Martinique
Martinique may be a French speaking Caribbean island but it is a department of France. It’s an island to visit for architecture lovers as there are over 102 protected architectural buildings, such as the 19th century Fort-de-France. Rum and the rum producers are an important part of Martinican culture. Since 1996, Martinique has had the only AOC label (Protected Designation of Origin) and the rum does not contain molasses but instead French, pressed sugarcane is used in its creation.
J.Bally 12 Year Old Rhum Vieux
This unique shaped rum is gorgeous to look at with its pyramid shaped bottle. The rum is that of the Rhum Agricole style that is common to the French Caribbean islands. Where this production method differs is that the rum is made from freshly pressed sugarcane juice rather than molasses.
This is an amber colour rum which smells similar to a whisky initially with caramel, woody aromas and hints of vanilla. There is a clean taste without being overly sweet and it is very drinkable.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 45%
Find here: £74.68
Various Islands
Hattiers Eminence Aged White Rum
This white rum blend includes a three and eight year rum from Trinidad and a 5 and 8 year rum from Barbados. However, there are also unaged rums from Jamaica and aged rums from Australia included within the mix. The rums are blended and bottled within Devon, in England, to make this truly international!
Hattiers rum is B Corp Certified and combines traditional techniques with modern techniques within its rum production, which embraces sustainability in the blending process.
This rum has a light bodied flavour profile, notes of vanilla and a sweet aroma on the nose. It is a versatile rum which would be ideal in cocktails.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 42%
Find here: £39
Whilst the other rums below are from South American countries and are therefore technically not from the Caribbean islands, they are also along the southern Caribbean coast and are therefore worthy of mention as that extra treat.
Guyana
Guyana is located on the Caribbean coast on the northern side of South America. Did you know that Guyana is the only English language speaking country in South America? You can find rainforests, sugarcane plantations, gold reserves and more to visit!
El Dorado 2012 High Ester Blend LBI/ DHE
Guyana’s Demerara County is embedded in its history of rum production since the 17th century and its unique climate is appealing for barrel ageing. You can find rums aged between 3-25 years within El Dorado’s range and typically the age that is presented on the bottles is that of the youngest rum included in the blend! Guyana’s only rum distillery is the Demerara Distillers Limited that El Dorado belongs to.
The El Dorado company aims to adopt sustainable practices with its suppliers and its diamond distillery also utilises a Carbon Dioxide tool to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.
The rum’s golden-brown colour is achieved due to the rums being laid down in 45 gallon oak cases, which had previously stored whiskies.
On the nose, the demerara sugar aroma lingers and there is a spicy, full bodied profile with prominent nutmeg and cinnamon aromas with a balanced, smooth butterscotch taste which is bound to be a crowd pleaser. This would be an ideal rum to serve as that digestif if you are wishing to impress guests at a dinner party!
Size: 700ml
ABV: 65.7%
Find here: £114.96
Venezuela
The island of La Tortuga, not to be confused with Tortuga in Haiti of Pirates of the Caribbean fame, and the island of Margarita are amongst a few Caribbean islands that belong to the country of Venezuela.
Santa Teresa 1796 Solera Rum
This amber coloured rum is molasses based and resembles a sherry in appearance which is coincidental as the rum is created using the same solera process adopted for sherry making. This means that the rum casks are placed vertically with rum removed from the oldest cask (at least 35 years old) and replaced by rum from the next oldest, known as fractional blending, and this topping up continues until the youngest cask is reached. The rum at the final stage of this complex process is called the solera. You might be wondering why such an ageing process is used but it helps to achieve a consistent quality of the rum.
Smooth tasting with a rich, caramel aroma and floral, vanilla undertones, this rum can be served on the rocks or as a digestif and will pair well with almonds. Ideal as a gift, this solera rum will be perfect for those of you looking to impress as it is a complex, sophisticated rum for discerning drinkers.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £50
A second rum from Santa Teresa worth a mention is the 1796 Light Tasting Rum. Designed to be used as a mixer, this molasses based rum from Venezuela has no added colourings and is light in texture as it has been aged for a shorter period. It has a pale amber colour and a subtle aroma on the nose with vanilla hues. This is an easy drinking smooth rum with a soft, honey finish.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £23.20
Well, we don’t know about you, but we can’t wait to explore some more of these southern Caribbean islands and their delightful rums as we have barely scratched the surface! There are also some rum cakes that can be found from various islands to whet your appetite in the interim!
You can also find out more about London’s historic involvement in the sugar industry during the slave trade within the permanent gallery housed within the London Museum Docklands. There is also the Notting Hill Carnival in London that was set up by Trinidad settlers where you can enjoy some rum cocktails. We hope that you will also add bars like Limin’ and Cottons in London as well as La Rhumerie in Paris to your travel itineraries if you are curious to enjoy even more southern Caribbean rums.
Another tip is to check out the annual UK RumFest as the world’s longest running rum festival, which will be in its 18th year in 2024! We’re keen to know which southern Caribbean island’s rum has excited you the most! Enjoy!
By Latoya Austin
