Bajan Sun Magazine - Caribbean Entrepreneurs Vol 1 Issue 11 | Page 128

RUM SHOP TALK A visit to Barbados is a visit to the birthplace of rum as we know it today. The fact that there are four distilleries on the 21 x 14 mile island, theres no other place where the rum culture more pronounced. From your first step on to the island, you will see one or more of the thousands of Rum Shops that cover our beautiful country. These are the real everyday watering holes of the island. This is a place you walk in order a bottle of rum, a mixer, a glass and a bowl of ice that you take to a chair or something you can sit on and enjoy your cocktail. You will find yourself with the rest of the locals playing dominos or cards, fellow tourists looking around in disbelief and everyone else of who know what origin. The countryside is dotted with old sugar mills and remnants of the once dominant sugar industry that made the island so important to the British in the 1700’s. There is a large sugar mill museum as well as several old cane crushing windmills left on the island. One of the more complete sugar plantations is the St. Nicolas Abbey. There they still grow the sugar cane, crush it, and make rum on the plantation. Larry Warren and his family have brought this majestic old sugar plantation back from the brink of collapse to a wonderful snipit of life in the colonial days in Barbados. While on the island, you would be remiss not to take the time to travel around the island and see all of the beautiful scenery. Visit a couple of distilleries and many rum shops, or take a trip around the island to see the destinations was as enjoyable as anything we say. No visit to Barbados would be complete without a tour of our local hang outs and enjoying local traditions. Not only in drinking of local brews but meeting the true Bajan’s and tasting our delicious dishes, recipes passed through generations. Explore our country with Strictly Bajan Rum Shop Tours. Keep in mind that the Rums of Barbados are wonderful, from the inexpensive rums to the finest anywhere. Old Brigand and Special Barbados Rums are great examples of inexpensive rums made in Barbados. If you taste calls for a more high end rum may I suggest Doorly’s XO, Cockspur 12 Yr Old or Mount Gay 10 Yr Old. Don’t miss an opportunity to see the island and sip the many fine rums that the island has to offer in one of the many Rum Shops. Drink the local Beer, Banks Beer and if you are drinking Rum try it with the local chaser Claytons Kola Tonic. Keep an eye out for cheap drinks offers theres always one. Also food in the Rum Shops is usually of a really good standard, particularly the flying fish. www.bajansunonline.com/MAGAZINE/ | [email protected] | @BajanSunOnline