Callwood Rum Distillery, Cane Garden Bay, Tortola BVI

Callwood Rum Distillery in Cane Garden Bay

At over 400 years old, Callwood Rum Distillery sits in the middle of Cane Garden Bay and is a historical site being one of the world’s oldest distilleries. The original boiler still produces rum from pure sugar cane.

How Rum Is Made

Four centuries of outdoor distilling create a flavorful pure cane sugar rum delight. Cane is pushed through a crusher, a receiver collects the juice before it is transferred to large copper boilers. It boils for a few hours over a fire of repurposed crushed cane stalks, coconut husks, and local wood. Transferred to barrels, the rum ferments naturally into wine over about eight to ten days. At the completion of fermentation, transference of the mixture to the still pot for a full day of boiling and distilling. The alcohol vaporizes and then condenses through a water-cooled, coiled pipe. This pipe sends the liquid indoors for the first time, for bottling, storage and aging.

Dark Rum, White Rum, and Premium Rum

Dark rum ages for four years in oak casks while white rum ages in glass demijohns. Kervin Callwood, kin to the original owner and operator, Richard Callwood Sr., recommends the premium rum, aged for ten years: “It’s much smoother. You can drink it with just sugar and lime or honey and lime,” he says. Enjoy further reading about the Callwood Distillery History here: http://www.bviwelcome.com/articles/Local_Spirits/

Captain’s Note:

Take the day and tour the distillery. Enjoy samples of this famous rum. The original guard shack is now an art gallery featuring local artists’ work and a gift shop.

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