THE HISTORY
History, Pride, Heritage and Legacy of Rum in Barbados
THE BIRTH OF A BEVERAGE
Barbados, Caribbean, 1631. On 21 miles of palm-fringed island, the spirit rum was born. Molasses formed the basis of the drink, a viscous by-product of the sugar plantations. That sticky syrup was mixed with water. The result? Drinkable alchemy.
First known as ‘Rumbullion’ and ‘Kill-Devil’, 17th century rum was not the smooth spirit it is today. It was hard, unsophisticated and dangerous — “a hellish and terrible liquor”. Back then, nobody dreamed that a tiny island paradise would spawn a beverage revolution; that sliver of sand in the North Atlantic, that paradise of sugar…
IF SUGAR WAS KING, MOLASSES WAS QUEEN
From 1643, sugar and rum production became the mainstay of the market, with the drink transcending class and race. Pirates, sailors, plantation workers and society’s upper echelons all enjoyed a glass…or case. Windmills dotted Barbados’ landscape, powering over 500 sugarcane factories. The island’s rum trade was booming — transitioning from grass roots endeavor to global undertaking.
TODAY’S ROARING RUM TRADE
Today, Bajans drink over 250,000 cases of rum a year and 1600 rum shops operate on the island. The country attracts over half a million visitors in tourist season thanks to pristine beaches and that mighty molasses. But there is one Barbadian rum that truly captures the spirit of the people, delivering notes of aromatic spice, tantalizing tropical fruits, luxurious vanilla, and silken caramel.
BAJAN 1966 carries on age-old Caribbean traditions with a rum worthy of its name. It’s the epitome of a nation and its visionary people, brimming with culture, heritage and taste. The motto of Barbados is ‘Pride and Industry’ which perfectly captures the spirit of the country. On a tiny island, in the middle of the Atlantic, we made something out of nothing.
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