A real “national drink”, rum has been produced in Guadeloupe for more than three centuries. Only nine distilleries are still in operation. We’ve managed to visit several and hope to see a few more.
While here, how can you not be interested in the production (consumption) of rum and, especially, the cultivation of sugar cane, two vital aspects of Guadeloupe’s history? Sugar cane now covers one third of the agricultural area of the archipelago and is used exclusively for the production of this historical spirit. Harvesting takes place from February to June and it takes ten kilos of cane to make one litre of rum.
There are two types of production: agricultural rum, the most prestigious, is obtained by fermentation and distillation of sugar cane juice; and industrial or traditional rum, which is derived from the fermentation of molasses.
Nearly all the distilleries offer tours of their installations, as well as tours of their fields. You must consult each of them for their schedules and conditions.
We had a pretty serious rum tasting event onboard Bounty two nights ago. The results were interesting. For the most part we all enjoyed similar rums, but there was little linkage between price and our ratings. You don’t need to spend more to get more!!
Morpheus Sailing 