Rum is the Caribbean’s signature spirit, its production documented in the region since colonial times. Just as there are dozens of varieties of rum, Caribbean travelers can select from a wide variety of rum distillery tours. The one offered at Cruzan Rum Distillery highlights the rum-making prowess of the 19th-century Nelthropp family, considered Cruzan rum royalty by many. The Nelthropp family endeavored to craft a spirit incorporating the “warm, tropical breezes that circulate through the open-air warehouses of the distillery.” A sip after your tour will allow you to judge whether they managed to capture St. Croix in a bottle.
Flags of all the nation that have claimed St Croix fly over the ruins of a windmill at Cruzan Rum Distillery, Frederiksted, St Croix, US Virgin Islands, West Indies.
Brian Jannsen/age fotostock
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Drink Like a Crucian at the Cruzan Rum Distillery
While a favorable tax situation for rum manufacturers may have lured Captain Morgan to St. Croix’s shores, Cruzan is still king and no first-time visit would be complete without a visit to the distillery. (Just please don’t pronounce it with a “z” sound! The correct pronunciation is “krew-shun”.) They do a great job taking visitors on an informative journey that turns sugarcane into one of the best spirits around... Then they prove it with a tasting! (Tip: Personally, I like to steer clear of all the flavored rums and stick to the Cruzan Single Barrel. Yum!)
Taste History at The Cruzan Rum Distillery
Make no mistake about it, Cruzan Rum is THE rum of the Virgin Islands, its pedigree confirmed by more than 250 years of excellence in rum production on St. Croix. Few rums made anywhere are more closely tied to the heritage of their birthplace with the brand’s very name “Cruzan” derived from “Crucian,” the word used to describe the people of St. Croix. You simply can’t tell the story of St. Croix without Cruzan Rum, making a tour of the Cruzan Rum Distillery a must for lovers of history… and spirits.
Cruzan Rum Distillery
Sugar never tastes so good as when it’s distilled into rum. And a visit to the Cruzan distillery, founded in 1760, is not only a treat, it’s an island classic. The same family has been producing this rum for eight generations. Guided visits weave through the factory’s operations, past bubbling liquids and wooden casks, with guides explaining the spirit-making process from distilling to bottling. Tours conclude with sample cocktails, and purchased bottles can be packed for travel.
Cruzan Rum Distillery
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