While Nevis was once the sugar capital of the Caribbean, full-fledged rum-making has been a lost art on the island for hundreds of years. 

That changed several years ago when international rum expert Mark Theron debuted his Clifton Estate Spiced Rum on the island, a rum that’s quickly vaulted to the top slot among the Caribbean’s spiced rums. 

It’s an aged, naturally-flavored spiced rum, and one of the rare spiced rums you can actually take neat — and one that’s becoming increasingly in demand as a way to “spice up” cocktails like the classic daiquiri and the old fashioned. 

Clifton Estate is quickly finding itself on shelves across the region, particularly popular for its unique barrel-shaped bottle. 

And now Theron has opened up his boutique factory and bar to the public, with a delightful rum experience at the facility just outside of Charlestown. 

It’s the essence of artisanal rum-making: the rum is hand-crafted at every step of the process, then bottled and sealed by hand, too.

And the Clifton Estate experience actually lets you actually bottle and seal your own bottle of Clifton Estate. 

You fill the rum, you put in the stopper and you seal it in hot wax, ready for your name (and a signature by Theron, too). 

It’s the signature rum experience in Nevis, and a great way to take a little bit of the island back home with you. 

For more on the tour, contact mark@cliftonestaterums.com.