Become a Certified "RumMaster" on the Caribbean Island with the Oldest Surviving Distillery

Category: Culture & History

Become a Certified
There’s enjoying tropical rum cocktails when you’re in the Caribbean on vacation… then there’s becoming an actual “RumMaster.” Now you can spend a day with kindred ‘spirits’ immersing yourself in the history and the practice of rum on an island with a rich rum history and a growing unconventional rum scene.

St. Kitts Tourism has launched its “Kittitian RumMaster” program a pair of courses led by two of the island’s prestigious rum experts.Travellers to the island who complete both courses are given a certificate – imagine waving that at home at your next cocktail party as you shake up some rum.

While many of the islands have a long history with the spirit distilled from cane sugar, as St. Kitts’ minister of tourism says, “The history of Caribbean rum and its influential impact can be seen throughout St. Kitts.'

You don’t have to be a rum expert or a qualified barchef, you just need an enthusiasm for rum. This first-of-its-kind, one-day program gives participants a deep-dive into the history of rum and distilling rum, gain hands-on experience in creating spiced rum and the methodology of creating rum-based cocktails.

Part I: Visit Wingfield Estate – home of Old Road Rum, andthe oldest surviving rum distillery in the Caribbean:
  • Introduction of Rum
  • History of Rum in St. Kitts
  • Rum production methods
  • Learning How to Taste + Identify Flavor Profiles
  • Tour the estate
  • Label your own rum bottle
The first part of the program is at Wingfield Estate, home of the Caribbean's oldest surviving rum distillery. During thisKittitian RumMastercourse, rum expert Jack Widdowson (Founder ofOld Road RumCompany) will teach rum theory and the history of rum production methods.
The recently excavated distillery is found on the 18th-century sugar cane plantation owned by a direct ancestor of U.S. Founding Father Thomas Jefferson.
While sipping Old Road Rum and learning the history, guests will see a preserved aqueduct, chimney, mill house, boiling house, and lime kiln and learn how to label their own rum bottle.
Part II: Visit Spice Mill – home of Hibiscus Spirits:
  • Learn how to create spiced rum
  • Methodology of creating classic rum drinks
  • Learn nuances of creating rum cocktails
  • Rum appreciation methods
The second course takes place at the Spice Mill Restaurant on Cockleshell Bay and is run by rum expert Roger Brisbane. He continues to innovate the rum space for St. Kitts with Hibiscus Spirits. Hibiscus Spirits rum is created by infusing handpicked and locally grown Roselle Hibiscus calyx, known as sorrel, to flavour the rum and create a natural red color.
This course showcases spiced rum creation methodology, rum-blending techniques, and cocktail creations using tasting procedures and elevating nuances in different types of rums.
In addition to giving visitors a unique immersion into rum and St. Kitts’ rum culture, the program gives you the chance to spend meaningful, one-on-one time with Kittitian rum producers and owners that makes your vacation on the island even more memorable and meaningful.

Start Your St. Kitts Trip!


Image courtesySt. Kitts Tourism

All rights reserved. You are welcome to share this material from this page, but it may not be copied, re-published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Don't miss any Travel News or Limited Time Offers!