Drinking in the Destination: Discover Caribbean Rum Cult
Tuesday, 23 September 2025
Sarah Miller is a freelance drinks writer, judge and consultant, who specialises in spirits and cocktails. With a passion for uncovering the stories behind the world’s most-loved drinks, Sarah takes us on a journey through the Caribbean to explore its most iconic spirit: rum.
One of the best, and arguably most fun, ways to explore and understand a destination is through its food and drink. While the Caribbean is well known for its diverse and delicious cuisine, rum is the liquid that unites its many islands. By learning about, sampling and sipping the spirit for which it is most famed, you can also better understand, and enjoy, the history and culture of this breathtakingly beautiful part of the world.
What is rum?
At its simplest, rum is an alcoholic spirit made from sugar cane. However, with so many variables throughout the production process, rum is anything but simple. To begin, rum can be made from the juice of the sugar cane and/or molasses; a thick, dark syrup that is a by-product of sugar refining. The variety of post-distillation processes are also extensive, from filtering, blending and aging, to colouring and sweetening. Consequently there are many styles of rum - from light and crystal clear to aged and characterful - which are often categorised by colour, though that alone indicates nothing about a rum’s flavour, style or quality.
Unlike region-specific drinks such as Tequila and Champagne, rum can be made throughout the world. Although the Caribbean is widely considered to be the birthplace of rum, it would be a mistake to assume that all Caribbean rum is the same. Much as each of the region’s islands has its own individual heritage and landscape, the spectrum of Caribbean rums is also spectacularly diverse. Not only do many islands have their own rules and regulations regarding and protecting the production of rum, but the soil and climate of different islands can also impact the flavour of the final product.
The history of rum
As well as celebrating today’s vibrant cultures of the Caribbean, rum is also inextricably linked to the darkest era of colonial history.
Sugar cane is an ancient crop with a long history of its own, but is believed to have been introduced to the Caribbean by Christopher Columbus in 1493. The region’s tropical climate proved perfect for growing sugar cane, and the islands presented Europeans powers - such as Spain, France, and England - with the opportunity to produce sugar on a commercial scale. As European demand for sugar soared between the 17th and 18th centuries, almost every island was covered with plantations using enslaved African labourers.
As a by-product of the sugar-making process, rum was inextricably linked with both the sugar trade and the Atlantic slave trade: rum was used as a currency to buy slaves in Africa who were transported to the Caribbean to grow and harvest sugar cane. For many European planters this self-perpetuating system meant their refined sugar trade operated at full profit, and as they expanded their plantations the region suffered widespread deforestation. In this way colonialism left an indelible mark on both the landscapes and societies of the Caribbean, and also introduced rum to North America, Europe and Africa, making it arguably the first global drink.
Today there are over 75 rum producers in 24 different countries and territories across the Caribbean. Below we explore some of the most notable regions and distilleries (and even a few cocktails!) to help you get the most out of your next Caribbean cruise.
Barbados
Beautiful Barbados is hailed as the birthplace of rum (and also happens to be the embarkation point for Ambassador’s new Caribbean Fly-Cruises). Following the introduction of sugar cane cultivation by British settlers in the 1640s, it was on Barbados that the distillation techniques to produce rum from (otherwise worthless) molasses originated. The first use of the word rum was also recorded on Barbados, seemingly derived from “Rumbullion”; an old English word meaning “a great tumult or commotion” that may have referred to the liquid’s flavour or the consequences of over-consumption!
Of the four rum distilleries on Barbados, including St Nicholas Abbey and West Indies Rum, Mount Gay is reputed to be the oldest in the world. Mount Gay produce award-winning rums using Caribbean molasses and coral-filtered water from the same well that was first dug by their founders in 1703. While the distillery in the northern part of the island is open for tours, Mount Gay also has a visitor centre in Bridgetown where you can enjoy lunch and a rum-tasting experience.
A relative newcomer, Foursquare was established in 1996 on the site of a former sugar plantation in the south of the island. In a nod to the history of Barbados estate rum (and in a bid to support the struggling local sugar industry) Foursquare use both sugar cane juice and molasses to produce their rum. Their use of traditional techniques and modern innovative technology (such as vacuum distillation), alongside a notable commitment to sustainability, earned Foursquare the 2024 Rum Producer Trophy at the International Wine and Spirits Competition.
Cuba
Cuban rum was undoubtedly shaped by the Cuban Revolution in 1959, and subsequent trade embargo, when the Bacardí family fled to Puerto Rico, taking their product with them, and Havana Club was nationalised. However the more significant influence was Spanish colonisation, which saw rum tailored to the Spanish crown’s preference for more delicate and crisper flavours; a style which prevails to this day.
Established in 1934 Havana Club is the largest of Cuba’s rum distilleries, and has a significant presence among the faded grandeur of the country’s capital despite not being produced there. Other notable brands include Ron Santiago De Cuba and Eminente, all of which have to adhere to strict regulations, such as using only molasses from Cuban-grown sugar cane, distilling in column stills (which give the spirit that lighter character) and maturing the spirit in white oak.
If you are picking up a bottle of rum in Cuba, be sure to look for the green authenticity sticker which guarantees it has been made in the country with 100% Cuban ingredients. While there you could also explore Cuba’s cocktail culture, which flourished during Prohibition in the United States, by sipping on a Mojito, a Daiquiri or a Cuba Libre (all of which are served on board an Ambassador sailing)!
Jamaica
Jamaica may be best known for its laid-back vibe and “no problem” attitude, but its rum is subject to strict legislation. Unlike Cuban rum, it can be made from sugar cane juice and/or molasses, and does not have to be aged, but it must be distilled in copper pot stills.
Jamaican rum is probably best known for its bold and funky character; a result of production methods such as the use of ambient yeast during fermentation and “dunder and muck”. Dunder is the liquid left in the still following distillation, which can be used in future fermentations for additional flavour, while muck is essentially the contents of a compost pit, which may include (amongst other things) decaying vegetation. Unsurprisingly, muck is infamous for its potent aroma, but it links a rum to its surroundings and also creates complex character.
Established in 1753, Hampden Estate is renowned for its use of dunder and muck which can deliver overripe tropical fruit flavours as well as notes of baking spices and - occasionally - olive brine! Appleton Estate on the other hand, which predates Hampden by just a handful of years, shuns the use of dunder and instead establishes a sense of “terroir” (or place) by using only sugar cane grown on the estate to make its rum, and adding the same mineral-rich limestone water that is used to grow the sugar cane to the final liquid too.
If you want to drink like a local, seek out a rum bar (it shouldn’t be hard - Jamaica has the most rum bars per square mile in the world!) and pair your choice with “Ting” (a fruity carbonated soft drink). But beware the popular Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum; it comes in at a potent 63% ABV!
Martinique & Guadeloupe
The first French settlers arrived in Martinique and Guadeloupe in 1635, but both are now overseas departments and regions of France known respectively as the "Island of Flowers" and the “Island of Beautiful Waters”.
Not unlike Jamaica, rums from both islands are often categorised by their terroir, and how the local soil, climate, and sugar cane affect the final product. Although Guadeloupe isn’t subject to the same strict Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée rules that govern production in Martinique, both islands produce "rhum agricole” using 100% sugar cane juice which gives the rum fresh grassy and herbaceous flavours.
The most authentic way to experience rhum agricole is in a Ti' (meaning little) Punch. Made with 50% ABV rhum agricole, lime and raw cane sugar or syrup (which are often served on the side, so the drinker can mix it according to taste) this small but mighty cocktail is traditionally served at room temperature and without ice.
St Lucia
With fertile volcanic land ideal for growing sugar cane, stunning St Lucia was fought over by England and France throughout the 18th century, changing ownership a dozen times. The island’s sugar industry boomed until the mid-20th century when cheaper European-grown sugar beet flooded the market causing the closure of St Lucia’s last processing plant.
Today St Lucia is an independent country with just one distillery which produces a wide range of styles and brands, including Chairman’s Reserve, Bounty Rum and Admiral Rodney. While all of St Lucia Distillers’ rums are made using molasses imported from Guyana, its production methods are inspired by the island’s French and British heritage, with the resulting rum said to deliver notes of honey, dried fruit and warm spices. The distillery has also recently been granted Geographical Indication status which is thought might attract more distilleries to the island, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled!
If that’s whet your appetite why not peruse Ambassador’s Caribbean Cruises, perhaps with a tot of rum in hand?
About the Author:
Sarah Miller is a freelance drinks writer, judge and consultant. Having developed a love of gin - and an uncanny knack for winning gin competitions(!) - in 2014, Sarah launched her blog ginadingding.com in 2016.
Since then Sarah has become a regular judge at a number of international drinks competitions - including The Global Spirits Masters, the World Drinks Awards, the American Distilling Institute International Spirits Competition and the Great Taste Awards - specialising in gin, vodka, RTDs and Low/No drinks.
Shortlisted for the IWSC’s Emerging Talent in Spirits Communication Award and Consumer Drinks Communicator of the Year in the People’s Choice Drinks Awards, Sarah also writes for a variety of publications and was appointed as the spirits columnist for New Zealand’s Drinksbiz magazine in late 2023.
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