In this blog, I’ll be sharing my experiences visiting various distilleries during our trip in January 2024 to Barbados and Grenada. Each distillery has its own unique story and production methods, offering a fascinating glimpse into the rich traditions of Caribbean rum production. Our journey took us through the heart of these islands, where we discovered not only the art of distillation but also the culture and history that make these spirits so special. I hope you’ll join me as we explore these remarkable places and the flavours they create.
River Antoine Distillery is a small, historic rum distillery located in the northeast of Grenada, in the Lesser Antilles, about 140 kilometres north of the Venezuelan coast. We visited Grenada in January 2024, and on our second day on the island, we decided to tour the distillery with a guide. Our guide, a truly pleasant gentleman, drove us to our destination while explaining various cultural and historical aspects of the island. Only later did I realise that we could have reached the distillery by scooter, saving the 70 USD per person that we spent. If you decide to visit Grenada and are not a fan of two-wheelers, I recommend renting a car, as Grenada’s roads are rugged, winding, and often steep.
Grenada was spotted by Christopher Columbus during his third voyage to the West Indies, although he did not land there. It was the French who conquered the island in 1649, settling for a few years without developing a significant long-term presence. During the French era, Grenada produced vast quantities of rum, reaching six million litres per year. In 1762, the British took the island from the French, and by around 1775, there were 106 sugar extraction factories exporting approximately 3.7 million litres of rum.
The abolition of slavery, however, dealt a severe blow to the sugar cane industry, marking the beginning of an inevitable decline. From 1834, when the British officially abolished slavery, to 1940, annual rum production dropped from over three million litres to less than two hundred thousand. Only two distilleries survived: River Antoine and Grenada Distillers Ltd. Many of the island’s farmers began cultivating other products like cocoa, nutmeg, fruit, and spices. I recommend visiting the Laura Herb and Spice Garden, where you can see and touch many of the spices produced on the island. Grenada is also known as “The Spice Island” due to the wide variety of spices it exports.
Grenada gained independence in 1974. In 1979, a far-left party (PRG) came to power but was overthrown by the Americans in a swift invasion in 1983. In the following years, hurricanes caused significant damage, creating further difficulties for the agricultural industry and forcing Grenada Distillers Ltd. to import molasses needed for rum production.
But let’s return to the visit. The guide dropped us off at the distillery and waited for us during the tour. The entrance fee (about 10 USD per person) included a guide who accompanied us throughout the visit. The first stop was the gigantic water wheel, which immediately gave us the impression of being in a place untouched for the last 200 years. The mill, made in England, was installed in 1840 and is powered by water from the nearby river. Its purpose is to crush and grind the sugar cane to extract its juice, which is then drained into a building where it is boiled and reduced. The sugar content in the juice ranges between 6 and 15 BRIX, and sometimes molasses must be added to reach the minimum of 18 BRIX, essential for ideal fermentation.
The sugar cane juice is boiled in large pots to evaporate the water and obtain a reduction (or “honey”) rich in sugars. This process takes place in five large pots, where the juice is boiled for about 45 minutes in each and manually transferred using a long stick with a container at the end. It’s a delicate job, as excessive heat would turn the sugar into caramel, making it unsuitable for fermentation.
Fermentation takes place in the same building in nine open concrete containers. The only ingredients used are syrup (reduction or honey) and water. No yeasts are added, as fermentation is completely natural. Once fermentation is complete (about 8 days), the containers are not cleaned in order to preserve the natural yeasts, which contribute to River Antoine rum’s distinctive flavour profile.
During this stage, molasses imported from Trinidad can be added to reach the 18° BRIX needed for optimal distillation. At the end of fermentation, the product contains between 4% and 4.5% alcohol.
Leaving the juice reduction room, we arrive at the distillation area, where we can see two double retort pot stills, one made by Vendome and the other by John Dore. Both are fuelled and heated by wood fires generated from crushed sugar cane waste (bagasse) and other types of wood. Once distillation is complete, the product reaches about 75% alcohol.
The final stop on the tour is bottling, which takes place on-site. The island faces issues with glass supply, so bottles are recycled. Grenada Distillers Ltd. (producers of Clarke’s Court Pure White Rum) and River Antoine use the same bottles for their white rums, recycling them reciprocally. In the bottling room, bottles are washed and sanitised before being labelled.
River Antoine produces two unaged rums: one with an alcohol content of 69% and the other at 75%. The first can be transported by plane, while the 75% rum is not permitted for air travel.
At the end of the tour, there is, of course, a tasting of the two rums. If you’ve never tried such high-proof rum, I recommend taking it slow, as it’s not easy to handle. I don’t remember every flavour precisely, but I’ll try to list what stood out to me. At first impact, I was truly surprised by the explosiveness — not just alcoholic, but aromatic — of the flavours: fruity notes, mineral tones, spices, and herbal nuances. It’s a rum that locals drink neat, without the addition of non-alcoholic beverages. River Antoine produces rum mainly for the island, and the export of their products is virtually non-existent.
The visit to River Antoine Distillery was a journey through time, an opportunity to see rare production methods up close and appreciate an authentic rum deeply rooted in Grenada’s history and culture. In an era when many distilleries are modernising their processes, River Antoine stands as a bastion of tradition. This rum is not just a drink but a living testament to the resilience and passion of the islanders. Leaving the distillery, I realised that the true flavour of Grenadian rum lies not only in its fruity and spicy tones but also in the history and the hands that produce it. If you have the chance to visit this wonderful island, don’t miss the opportunity to savour a piece of liquid history.
