USA TODAY 10Best
Sip and savor Caribbean rums from these top 10 distillers
Best Caribbean Rum (2024)
Outside of the picturesque white sand beaches, the Caribbean is best known for its rum. First distilled on the islands in the 17th century, Caribbean rum producers have been working on perfecting their distillation process for centuries.
To find the best rum offerings, we asked a panel of Caribbean travel experts to nominate their favorite distilleries. Then, readers voted for their top picks to decide the winners. Here are the 10 best Caribbean rum makers.
- Westerhall Estate Rum - St. David's, Grenada
- St. Nicholas Abbey - St. Peter, Barbados
- Callwood Rum Distillery / Arundel Cane Rum - Tortola, British Virgin Islands
- Clarke's Court Rum - St. George's, Grenada
- Appleton Estate - St. Elizabeth, Jamaica
- Brinley Gold Shipwreck - St. Kitts, St. Kitts and Nevis
- Cruzan Rum Distillery - St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
- Flor de Caña - Chichigalpa, Nicaragua
- The Cadushy Distillery - Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean
- Topper's Rhum - Cole Bay, St. Maarten
Photo courtesy of Careem Gilbert
No. 10:
Westerhall Estate's 10XO rum — aged 10 years — is its claim to fame, but fans also praise its overproof and lighter products. On an island known for its spicy agriculture, Grenada boasts the finest sugar processed in column stills that visitors can witness cane to cocktail.
Photo courtesy of St. Nicholas Abbey
No. 9:
St. Nicholas Abbey has been producing rum for nearly the entire history of the spirit. Visitors to the Barbados estate can tour the facility — one of the only on the island making rum from its own sugar cane syrup rather than molasses.
Photo courtesy of Callwood Rum Distillery
No. 8:
Callwood Rum Distillery is one of the oldest continuously operating pot distilleries in the Caribbean, producing a line of blended rums. Visitors to the family-owned and -operated facility can still see some of the old equipment used throughout the distillery’s history of making rum.
Photo courtesy of Clarke's Court Rum
No. 7:
Clarke’s Court has been making rum on Grenada since the 18th century. Much of the molasses they use to produce their rums is imported from Guyana, but the classic flavors of Clarke's Court have been maintained. Enjoy a taste of Grenada in their lineup of rums, from special dark rum to 12-year-old blends.
Photo courtesy of Photo courtesy of Appleton Estate
No. 6:
Appleton Estate, Jamaica's largest and oldest distillery, made its first batch of rum in 1749. Today, the estate produces a line of rums, from its signature spirit to 12-year-old rare casks. They welcome visitors to tour their facilities, learn how the rum is produced, and sample some of Appleton's numerous varieties of rum. A well-stocked gift shop at the end of the tour gives ample opportunity for adult souvenirs.
Photo courtesy of Brinley Gold Shipwreck
No. 5:
Brinley Gold Shipwreck specializes in small-batch Caribbean rum, handcrafted on the island of St. Kitts. The lineup includes a white rum distilled from blackstrap molasses, a four-year-aged spiced rum, and flavored rums infused with vanilla, coffee, mango, lime, or coconut.
Photo courtesy of Cruzan
No. 4:
Cruzan Rum has deep roots in St. Croix, dating back to 1760. A mixture of water from tropical island aquifers, molasses, and sugarcane are fermented and distilled, turning out the smooth and slightly sweet rum that Cruzan is known for. Their lineup includes standards like aged dark rum, as well as flavored rums like vanilla, banana, mango, and coconut.
Photo courtesy of Flor de Caña Rum
No. 3:
Established at the base of a volcano in 1890, Flor de Caña prides itself on its sugarcane grown in rich volcanic soil and its deep heritage. Tours take in the rum's sustainable production and sample its oft-awarded rums aged in bourbon barrels.
Photo courtesy of The Cadushy Distillery
No. 2:
Founded in 2009 as Bonaire's first and only distillery, The Cadushy Distillery produces Rom Rincon, a high-quality rum that's named after the old capital of Bonaire and is spiced according to Caribbean tradition. Sample it (and myriad other spirits) in their lovely, shaded courtyard.
Photo courtesy of Topper's Rhum Distillery
No. 1:
Visitors to this 6,000-square-foot facility in St. Maarten gain insight into the history of rum-making while seeing the blending and bottling process firsthand. Visitors also get to sample new flavors in development, along with the full lineup of artisan rums, such as mocha mama and banana vanilla cinnamon. Those who'd like to take some Topper's home can even bottle their own.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Jillian Dara
Jillian is a lifestyle journalist with a focus on... Read More
Jillian is a lifestyle journalist with a focus on travel, wine, spirits and culture. Growing up in Bermuda, Jillian quickly became comfortable on planes and intrigued by the concept of the unfamiliar. Traveling, eating, and imbibing may be part of the "job" but Jillian truly believes in the whimsical power of a local experience or meeting over a traditional spirit to bond strangers in the most chance of circumstances. Outside of 10Best, Jillian's work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Decanter, Wine Enthusiast, Forbes, Elite Traveler and Hemispheres.
Jillian Dara
Jillian is a lifestyle journalist with a focus on travel, wine, spirits and culture. Growing up in Bermuda, Jillian quickly became comfortable on planes and intrigued by the concept of the unfamiliar. Traveling, eating, and imbibing may be part of the "job" but Jillian truly believes in the whimsical power of a local experience or meeting over a traditional spirit to bond strangers in the most chance of circumstances. Outside of 10Best, Jillian's work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Decanter, Wine Enthusiast, Forbes, Elite Traveler and Hemispheres.
Melanie Reffes
Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in... Read More
Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in Manhattan, she now lives on the sunny island of Montreal and covers the Caribbean for a variety of publications including USA TODAY 10Best, CaribbeanTravel.com and MarryCaribbean.com. A journalist with a boatload of writer awards under her belt, Melanie's affection for the Caribbean started young when her family vacationed in Puerto Rico. An avid fan of spicy food, Melanie enjoys the diversity of Montreal - especially during the warmer months -when she's not en route to the Caribbean. She holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Toronto.
Melanie Reffes
Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in Manhattan, she now lives on the sunny island of Montreal and covers the Caribbean for a variety of publications including USA TODAY 10Best, CaribbeanTravel.com and MarryCaribbean.com. A journalist with a boatload of writer awards under her belt, Melanie's affection for the Caribbean started young when her family vacationed in Puerto Rico. An avid fan of spicy food, Melanie enjoys the diversity of Montreal - especially during the warmer months -when she's not en route to the Caribbean. She holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Toronto.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
