Mount Gay Rum of Barbados tells the story of the world’s oldest and finest rum. It is an absolutely fascinating story of how a plantation in Barbados’ northern parish of St. Lucy can today boast of rich 300-year history of rum production. This unique story is excitingly told through presentations, artefacts, archival black and white photo galleries, datelines, an inspirational video show and taste-testings.
The Mount Gay Rum Tour is deservedly one of the island’s most popular tours. The tour begins by going back to the year 1637 just after the time when sugar was first brought to the island. You will learn about the original Gilboa Plantation, which later became Mount Gay, and the copper pot sills, ageing vats, and sun-driven fermentation processes involved in the making of rum. All tours include a visit to the bottling area that prepares over 15,000 bottles of Mount Gay Rum each day and culminate with tastings of various Mount Gay Rums. Three different tours are offered. The essential Rum Tour is available Monday through Friday, every hour from 9:30 to 3:30. Lunch Tours featuring a sumptuous Bajan Buffet are offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Another rum tour is offered by St. Nicholas Abbey, who has a long tradition of producing rum. Since St. Nicholas Abbey was purchased in 2006, the Warren family has meticulously restored the property to its original splendour. With its significant importance in Barbadian history as one of the last surviving and intact 17th century plantations on the island, it is their mission to develop St. Nicholas Abbey as a self-supporting plantation in order to sustain this exceptional legacy for future generations. As part of this vision, the Warrens have created a cottage industry of sugar-related products, spearheaded by its signature offering, St. Nicholas Abbey Rum.