Business Barbados - 2023 Edition

the university of rum - with the added bonus of a beach outside your door and rum flowing freely. As any good drinks writer will tell you, a spirit is best enjoyed in the distillery where it’s made, however, and the three trips are undoubtedly the highlight of the Barbados Rum Experience. Behind the scenes access, exclusive tours, and generous tastings are enjoyed first at Mount Gay, where we witness the island’s giant enter its 320th anniversary by investing in capacity and gearing towards more terroir-led production. Foursquare opens its doors to show you the no-nonsense approach that made it the rum drinker’s rum, while St Nicholas Abbey stands out as the premier tourist destination. Come for the sights, stay for the rum. When you understand how connected rum is to this island, you realise that to visit Barbados and fail to take in the distilleries and their creations would to be visit Champagne and avoid the vineyards and taste of bubbles. It’s my first visit here and our hosts, led dutifully by Gayle and Christian Seale, are keen to ensure every joy of Barbados is seized. My first experience of the island is a night drive from the airport followed by a rum punch in the hotel lobby. It sets a tone. Rotis from the nearby Indian Grill and fish sandwiches from Cuzz’s are so good they’re frequented more than once. The cuisine, customs, and charm of Barbados are not an additional extra, but a core element of the experience. If you’re new to rum, Barbados, or a lover of both from near or afar, the Barbados Rum Experience will open your eyes, pour you a drink, and leave you in no doubt you are in the home of one of the finest spirits in the world. Just take a sip. Clockwise from top: Rum sampling with Larry Warren of St. Nicholas Abbey. Customized tour of Foursquare Rum Distillery. Tasting rum out of the barrel at Mount Gay. 103 BUSINESS BARBADOS 2023