Named for a famous British admiral who made his base in St. Lucia in the late 18th century, Admiral Rodney Rum will be produced in a limited edition and will be available throughout St. Lucia. St. Lucia Distillers Ltd. is the only rum distiller on the island and is operated by the Barnard family who have operated a distillery in St. Lucia since 1932.

To help fulfill the packaging requirements for this special commemorative spirit, the West Indies distiller and bottler of a myriad of rum-based products called upon Saxco International Inc., of Horsham, Pa., world-wide packaging specialists for the wine and spirits industry.

Focusing on producing an overall upscale appearance for this special edition super premium spirit, Saxco International recommended and supplied a very high quality 700mL flint square-shaped decanter with rounded shoulders which it sourced in Europe.

In addition, the packaging specialists supplied a handsome dark-stained wood and cork stopper which was produced and assembled by long-time Saxco supplier J.C. Ribeiro of Portugal.

According to Katherine Felix, St. Lucia Distillers' purchasing and shipping supervisor, "The rum's unique exterior packaging with its rich royal blue and gold embossing was done by J & D Graphics of Miami, Fla."

The label was designed by David Bromige of The Drink Consultancy of England and is being printed by Caribbean Label Craft of Barbados. The label itself will be a portrait of Admiral Rodney and a reproduction of a naval painting which depicts "The Battle of the Saints, 12th April 1782: End of the Action."

Keith L. Sachs, chairman of Saxco International, states that his company took six months to complete its role in the overall packaging process. "We're most gratified and excited to have been such an integral part of this product's package design."

The Barnard family had been making rum at their Dennery Factory Company for three generations before a joint venture merged the resources of the Geest Distillery and the Dennery Factory Company. The new company was formed to better respond to the changing business environment in St. Lucia and the Caribbean. When the island economy shifted from sugar cane to bananas, the Dennery Factory Company was faced with the increased costs and logistics of importing molasses, essential to the production of rum.

Today, St' Lucia Distillers Limited (St. Lucia Distillers Limited) is located on the site of the old Geest Distillery, once a part of the Sugar Manufacturers, just south of Marigot, on the west coast of St. Lucia. Since 1972, the joint venture that kept the Bernard family’s distillery interests alive has evolved in many ways. The equipment from the two aging distilleries, which formed the joint venture, was replaced in the second half of the last decade with a new two-column still. In 1987, East Caribbean Distilleries Limited was formed and another joint venture with Duncan, Gilbey and Matheson International Limited led to the diversification of other spirits that could be produced with the modern still. The introduction of gin, vodka, and brandy not only opened new markets for products distilled and bottled in St. Lucia, but also opened the door to the exportation of bulk alcohol to Europe and Africa.

As chairman of St. Lucia Distillers Limited, Laurie Barnard has overcome many obstacles in order to succeed in what he considers a small distillery. A commitment to quality control, as well as a diversity in production and distribution, is serving this company well. But to remain competitive in the growing market, many decisions must be made that will affect the future of the distillery.

St. Lucia Distillers Limited bottles a variety of rum products, from white fresh rum to aged and blended products. The most popular white rum is known locally as simply Denros or Strong Rum. As the label indicates in big red letters, this is strong rum. At 80% alcohol by volume, this is one of the strongest over proof rums in the islands. Notice that the label states 140 proof; this is British proof and translates to 160 US proof. Plenty strong, and the base for most of the spiced rum found in St. Lucia. Five-gallon plastic containers of this white rum are quite popular in the small rum shops, where it is combined with a variety of fruits and spices and known appropriately as “spice.”

The premium white rum, Bounty Crystal White Rum, with its blue-and-silver label, is popular as a smooth white rum. Bottled at 40% alcohol by volume, this rum is nicely suited for cocktails and the exotic rum drinks that have become so popular in North America and Europe in the last few years. The best selling rum in St. Lucia is Bounty Rum, a blended rum, bottled as clear and amber, available everywhere for slightly less than the imported rums sold on the island. This amber rum is representative of the Eastern Caribbean taste and is bottled at 40% alcohol by volume. For a heavier taste, Buccaneer Rum is bottled at 43% alcohol and, although not as dark as some of the heavy dark rums in the Caribbean, is popular in cocktails and the fruit-based punches served in most hotel bars.

Like the bottle suggests Old Fort Reserve Rum is a premium rum. Bottled at 40% alcohol by volume, Old Fort is blended to be the smoothest of the rums from this distillery and worth trying while you are in St. Lucia. As a result of the agreement with Duncan, Gilbey & Matheson Ron D’Oro Superior Rum was introduced in 1993. Blended at 43% alcohol by volume, this rum complements the other dark rums from the distillery.

Five Blondes, also bottled at 43% alcohol, was recently introduced as a blended light rum and certainly has the potential to attract attention on the shelf. Kweyol Spice Rum is the distillery’s bois bande spice rum. With all the romance in St. Lucia it’s not surprising that this is a popular rum.

KWEYOLE RUM

Kweyol Spice Rum with Bois Bande (80-Proof). Bois Bandé (Roupela montana, proteacea) is the bark of a tree famed in parts of the Caribbean for its properties as an aphrodisiac. What happens when you combine this tree bark with St. Lucian rum? Well, the result is Kwèyòl Spice Rum, a delightfully fragrant rum with aroma of vanilla and cinnamon. The taste is not as sweet as the aroma may suggest, yet it is intricate, with traces of oak, bitters and nuts. If you want to explore the world of aphrodisiacs, the mystery of the islands or simply want a change of routine, this rum is definitely worth a try.

READ MORE ABOUT RUM