The Distillery

Over time, distillation practices significantly improved and Barbadian rum became renowned in both Europe and Colonial America. Alcohol played a large role in 17^th and 18^th century life; it was drunk during social occasions, used medicinally and served as a valuable trading commodity.

St. Nicholas Abbey has a long tradition of producing rum, and the Warren Family has rebuilt the plantation’s distillery as part of their ongoing restoration process.  One of just four distilleries in Barbados, St. Nicholas Abbey has shunned mass production and complex mechanical systems in favour of the traditional distillation process that made Barbadian rum famous over 350 years ago.

The term Rum is unique to sugar cane spirits, as it is the select compounds, esters and congeners along with this alcohol that defines it from other spirits.

There are infinite possibilities for rum since its taste and aroma are derived from the source of sugar (typically molasses, or cane juice), the fermentation process, type of distillation, and finally aging, all of which contribute to the final outcome.

Uniquely, St. Nicholas Abbey Rum is the only rum produced in Barbados from cane syrup (rather than molasses), following the traditional molasses distillation process.  The syrup is stored to ensure year-round production since the Barbadian crop season runs only from January to June.