Rekke

The West Indies Rum Refinery was built by George Stade, a German engineer, in 1893. This was the islands first column still and interestingly, was built in the beach, away from the sugar cane plantations. Its’ purpose was to distil sugar cane for local rum producers rather than produce rum itself. It became a rum producer early in the 20^th century and distillery rapidly became the largest and longest continuously operating distillery in Barbados, now producing approximately 85% of the islands’ rum mostly for export. Over the past few years, their rums have won several gold medals.

Rum starts life as sugar, but not just any sugar. Steeped in the history of Barbados, made with a by-product of sugar cane production – molasses. Considered to be a waste product, it wasn’t long before plantation workers learned that molasses could be fermented and distilled to create a potent spirit.

Sugar cane was first brought to Barbados by the Portuguese in the early 1500’s. The climate, the flat landscape with rich fertile soils and sources of pure water meant the sugar cane plantations thrived; and as sugar production increased so did the rum production. In the early years, the spirit was strong and harsh; known locally as Kill-Devil or Rumbullion. “kill devil” is referred to in the writings of Richard Ligon, a loyalist that fled England for Barbados in 1647 during the Civil War. “The drink of the Island, which is made of the skimmings of the Coppers, that boil the Sugar, which they call Kill-Devil” It was thought of as an unsophisticated drink mainly consumed by labourers and sailors.

By the end of the 1800’s Barbados rum production was a fraction of what it had been the 200 years prior. When George Stade arrived, it was with a plan to change the island’s rum industry with a new type of distillery which quickly became the new backbone of the island’s rum. The competition from sugar beet was having a significant effect on both the sugar and rum industries it was costing more to process the sugar cane than they could make from the products. The high cost of pot distillation, a batch process, was not profitable. Although continuous distillation was being used elsewhere in the Caribbean, it wasn’t in Barbados. Stade’s plan was to showcase the ultramodern distillery using a continuous still.

Stade had named his distillery the West India Rum Refinery and sold bulk rum to blenders. In the 20^th century, with continued increase in demand, pot stills were installed to provide a wider range of rum profiles. The distillery eventually changed its name to West Indies Rum Distillery in the 1990’s.

Current owner, Alexandre Gabriel, had been growing his own Plantation Rum brand (now Planteray) in France for over a decade, by purchasing aged rum and maturing in Cognac casks, so owning a distillery was the next step. Today, the distillery still produces cask matured rums for second maturation elsewhere; many rums can be produced entirely in Barbados, thus the Stade’s brand was created, named for the distillery’s founder.

Today, rum is an integral part of life in Barbados; from the rum shops and taverns in each village to the rum-fuelled Crop Over festival; a 200 year old tradition which honoured the end of the sugarcane season, and was resurrected in the 1980’s, now running over six weeks in the summer with dusk-to-dawn parties and food fairs, it’s difficult to resist getting swept up in the party. Immerse yourself in the rich legacy of Barbados rum with a visit to the West Indies Rum Distillery, founded by George Stade in 1893.

Your journey into the history of rum making starts in “Pot Still Alley”; an exclusive collection of historic stills including the worlds’ oldest surviving pot still. Entering the hallowed grounds of the Distiller’s vault, a team of experts with a treasure trove of recipes, blueprints and experiments spanning decades perform their alchemy that converts the humble molasses into the meticulously crafted Stade’s and Planteray rums. Your odyssey continues in the Ageing Bond warehouse where the magic continues, rums maturing in casks and barrels. Here you will experience a tasting straight from the barrel, followed by a curated sampling of four rums on the Brighton Beach Lookout Deck, offering views of the azure Caribbean Sea.

With the backdrop of turquoise waters, your rum tasting and beach experience begins with a welcome cocktail. Delve into the history and techniques used in rum production with the wall exhibit in the visitor centre, then taste the diversity of styles and flavour profiles with a guided tasting of four exceptional rums carefully selected from the Stade’s and Planteray Rum ranges. Finish your visit with a moment of serenity on Brighton Beach with the soft sands under your feet and the gentle rhythm of the waves.

As with many other businesses, as well as keeping the legacy of the distillery alive, Stade’s takes its’ environment responsibilities seriously, aiming to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Visit Stade's Rum Distillery