Callwood Rum Distillery: A Taste of History

Callwood Rum Distillery, located in the scenic Cane Garden Bay on Tortola, British Virgin Islands, offers a unique glimpse into the history of rum production in the Caribbean. As one of the oldest continuously operating pot distilleries in the region, Callwood has been producing rum using traditional methods for over 200 years. The distillery's story dates back to the late 1800s when a buccaneer named Richard Callwood acquired the Arundel Estate for his son. The estate, already equipped with sugarcane fields and a rum distillery, became the foundation for the Callwood family's legacy in rum making. Today, the distillery remains in the Callwood family, with the fourth generation continuing the time-honored traditions. Visitors to Callwood Rum Distillery can witness the rum-making process firsthand, from the harvesting of sugarcane to the fermentation and distillation in copper pots and wooden aging casks. The distillery has resisted modern industrialization, preserving the historic methods that define its character and the distinctive taste of its rum. Tours are available, providing insights into the distillery's history and the unique qualities of its rums. You can walk among sugar cane, see the fermenting barrels, the 300-year-old pot distillery, and the cane-crushing machine. The tour concludes with a tasting of Callwood's smooth and complex rums. The distillery operates out of the same stone building it did when it opened over a century ago. The walls are blackened by fire and history and lined with aging barrels and bottles labelled with a family's name and pride. The air is filled with the aroma of sugarcane and smoke.