Nothing beats discovering rum on its home turf. Shaken and stirred with some of the finest spirits in the world, there is no shortage of rum-fueled cocktails and rummy punches in the Caribbean. Although they’re popular crowd-pleasers, those familiar fruity watered-down concoctions served in coconut shells can get old. For something a little stronger, head to the source and take a tour through a rum distillery to see how the real stuff is made, sip the gratis samples and learn how to create a creative cocktail guaranteed to impress. From time-capsule distilleries that still use old copper pots to ultra-modern ones that churn out thousands of bottles a year, rummin’ around a rum distillery is a liquid history lesson worth learning.
Habitation Clement | Martinique
Sandwiched between the fields of sugar cane and the Atlantic Ocean on the east side of Martinique, Habitation Clement is where Rhum Clément has been distilled for more than a century. A historical landmark registered with the Ministry of Culture since 1996, the plantation is equal parts distillery, museum, botanical gardens, fine arts gallery and gorgeous venue for weddings, not to mention the only Creole plantation that is entirely open to the public. The family mansion, decorated with the original furnishings and keepsakes, is time travel through the pages of French West Indian history. Formerly known as Domaine de l’Acajou, the shrine to fine rum is open every day of the year from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. with the last tour getting underway at 5 p.m. Self-guided with audio in English, tours last 90 minutes and cost about USD$13 or 12 Euros. Courtesy of the catwalk that passes above the two wings of the distillery, rum-philes can see where the aromatic rums are aged, fermented and stored. Yes, the rum tastings are the big draw but stay awhile and peruse the gift shop with its shelves of rare bottles and petit versions of rum barrels (holds four gallons and costs about USD$180), which just may make your at- home bar the hippest on the block.
