Ins & Outs of Barbados 2020

16  SECTION Immerse Yourself in the History of Rum Step back into history in St. Lucy where Mount Gay has distilled rum for over 360 years, making it the oldest, continuous rum distillery in the world. After exploring the estate’s original well, molasses house, fermentation house, distillation house and bonds, you will be invited to create your own unique Mount Gay Rum blend. (Mondays and Adults Only). Closer to Bridgetown, the Mount Gay Visitors’ Centre offers a variety of tastings and cocktail workshops. (246) 227-8800 mountgaytours@remy-cointreau.com Personal Tours with a Sugar Grower / Rum Producer Scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 1pm to 2:30pm, the St. Nicholas Abbey Rum Experience combines a guided tour of the Great House, circa 1650, with a personal tour of the factory, steam mill and distillery with the owner of the property, Larry Warren, who is also the rum distiller. This is a fabulous way to learn from a practicing expert how sugar cane is grown, processed and then made into rum. And you get to sample some too! (246) 422-8725 heritagetourism@stnicholasabbey.com Experience a Rum Pairing Dinner The Rum Vault at Colony Club Hotel – the only one in the island, with a superb collection of 150 top rums from Barbados and around the world - offers a variety of weekly events, including signature tasting flights and rum pairing dinners, all hosted by qualified Rum Ambassadors. With something to suit everyone, from the curious beginner to the seasoned connoisseur, this is a wonderful way to savour some of the best rums that Barbados has to offer. (246) 422-2335 | rumvault@eleganthotels.com Protecting the Barbados Rum Brand For almost 400 years, generations of Barbadian rum makers have perfected the craft of fermenting sugar-cane syrup or molasses to distil it into rum, which is then aged in wooden barrels prior to bottling and distribution. With such a rich heritage, in an era when artisanal products are highly valued, it is easy to understand why the country’s traditional rum producers are keen to protect the integrity of the Barbados Rum Brand. In simple terms, only rum that has been distilled, aged and bottled in Barbados should be branded as Barbados Rum. Since it is the authenticity of the product that creates the intrinsic value of the brand, attempts are underway to register a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) for Barbados Rum. Rum Buzz St. Nicholas Abbey Heritage Railway After just one year of operation, the St. Nicholas Abbey Heritage Railway, with its beautiful steam driven locomotive, has firmly established itself as a big hit with locals and visitors alike. So much so that the Warren family is already planning to extend the tracks to create a longer return journey that will take passengers further away from the property and include a stop-off point overlooking the East Coast for those who wish to disembark. Look out for the latest news.