Rum Journal

Rum Journal: A Caribbean Overwater Bungalow Bar
All-Inclusive

Curaçao Is Getting a New Marriott All-Inclusive, a 300-Room Adults-Only Resort That You Can Book With Points

 curacao beach

Two of the most influential forces reshaping Caribbean tourism over the last several years are now intersecting in Curaçao. The first is Curaçao’s steady rise as a destination attracting new hotel investment, expanded airlift, and a broader mix of travelers drawn by the island’s culture, diving, and year-round appeal. The second is the rapid expansion of […]

Rum Journal

Rum Journal: The Rum Awards 2015

There’s something different about sipping a glass of fine rum. Sure, there are great spirits from around the world. But when you drink a glass of rum, you’re tasting something else — history, culture, love, torment, romance. You are tasting a place. Often, you are tasting the Caribbean. And that’s what makes rum not just […]

Rum Journal

Rum Journal: A Very Old Rhum From Marie-Galante

THERE ARE more rhum distilleries per capita on the island of Marie Galante than anywhere else on earth. Three, to be exact, and each is among the best distilleries you’ve likely never heard of. It is the kind of place where you do your rum shopping right at the distillery, not the liquor shop, something that […]

Rum Journal

Rum Journal: A Coconut Rhum You Need to Try Right Now

If you’ve been to the French Caribbean, it’s likely you’ve encountered a very nice after-dinner tradition: the homemade punch. It’s usually free, a gift of the proprietor for choosing his or her restaurant, and it’s usually delicious — a blend of rhum agricole and some combination of fruits and spices. We always prefer the coconut […]

Rum Journal: A Very Old Rhum From Marie-Galante

 The minute you leave the airport in Grenada, you notice something. There’s an aroma. The air there is different. It’s because of the spice. Grenada is one of the world’s leading producer of Nutmeg, and it hasn’t just led to the nickname the Spice Isle. It’s given the island its own smell. It’s a sweet, […]

Rum Journal: Martinique’s J Bally Reserve de la Famille

 IT’S ONE OF the world’s most famous rum bottles: J Bally’s “pyramide,” the pyramid-shaped bottle containing the dark amber-coloured rhum agricole from Martinique. Of course, it’s also one of Martinique’s best rums, whether in the seven year or the twelve year variety. J Bally is one of the island’s oldest rum brands, dating back to 1917, […]

Rum Journal: The Best Rum Bar in the British Virgin Islands

 A great little rum bar on Cooper Island It’s a trend we like. More and more hotels are starting to celebrate the glory of rum by creating bars tailored around the spirit. That means rums not just from local distilleries but from across the wider Caribbean. And one of the best to come on the […]

There’s a Major New Caribbean Rum Shop at This Airport

 A big new rum portal By the Caribbean Journal staff There’s a major new rum shop in the Caribbean — and it’s inside an airport. The duty free area at Barbados’ Grantley International Airport has opened a new “Caribbean Rum Collection” area including more than 80 rums from across the Caribbean region. The shop is […]

Rum Journal: Tasting Martinique's Rhum HSE XO

 You may not have heard of it. Indeed, beyond Martinique and the Metropole, it remains far under the radar. But there’s a rhum from Martinique that needs your immediate attention. Without a US distributor (yet), the work of Martinique’s terrific Habitation Saint-Etienne plantation is a bit hard to find, unless you’re in Martinique or in certain corners of […]

Rum Journal: A Very Cool All-Inclusive Bar in Puerto Plata

 It’s not like any all-inclusive bar in all of the Caribbean. It’s not really like any other bar, either. And that’s a very good thing. This is the Vintage Club Bar at the all-inclusive Gran Ventana Beach Resort in Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. It’s been open for less than a year, but it’s […]

Rum Journal: A Sweet Ti’ Punch in St Martin

 Another take on a Caribbean classic GRAND CASE — There is another way to make a Ti’ Punch, the simplest, purest, greatest cocktail in the West Indies. The usual way is with brown sugar, lime and rhum agricole blanc. Or, perhaps simple syrup in lieu of the sugar. But Philippe Auger, who has managed the bar […]

Rum Journal: A Flavored Rum That’s Perfect for a Summer Afternoon

 We’ll be frank. When it comes to rums from Cruzan, we’re partial to Cruzan Single Barrel. It’s a delicate, robust rum that’s always among the region’s best. But Cruzan has long carved a sizable niche with its flavored rums, the kind you find all over the Virgin Islands and in the mainland US (and beyond). […]