Making rum from Guadeloupe: between culture and tradition

When we talk about Guadeloupe Islands, we think of coconut trees, sandy beaches and turquoise waters. But it's easy to forget one of the island's historic specialties: rum. However, it is an integral part of the local Creole culture. Many distilleries still produce high quality alcohol. It is no coincidence that the Route du Rhum passes through the Islands of Guadeloupe.

The rum tradition in the Antilles

The Rum from Guadeloupe and of the Antilles is also called”Rhum z`habitant“. In Guadeloupe, two types of rum are produced. Agricultural rum made from sugar cane must be distinguished from industrial rum, which is made from molasses. Industrial rum is more commonly produced in predominantly Anglo-Saxon and Spanish countries.

The Antilles, Martinique and other French territories are engaged in the production of rum from pure sugar cane juice. This type of process has a history dating back to the 18th century. The Guadeloupe region offers new flavors to local rum production: pineapple, coconut, banana. In addition, rum is also widely used for ti punchs, mojitos, pina coladas and others. Cocktails from the French Antilles.

The stages from harvest to maturation

For Grow sugar cane, sunlight, soil and water, and plenty of water are indispensable. The sugar cane is harvested, ground, the juice is fermented, and the wine is distilled to produce rum.

The sugar cane is ground in a mill and the juice, also called Vesou, is extracted and sent to fermentation tanks. La fermentation is then carried out using yeasts. The sugars in the juice are transformed into alcohol during maceration. After passing through a distillation column, the alcohol is then refined through an evaporation process and takes on the characteristics of rum. Finally, depending on the type of rum desired, some of the alcohol is aged. Les vintage rums can thus age for more than 50 years.

Rum from Guadeloupe: a protected geographical indication

The particularity of Guadeloupean rum of agricultural type (or Guadeloupe rum) is its unique aroma, associated with the delicacy of sugar cane from the islands of Guadeloupe. Since 2015, rum from the islands of Guadeloupe has won the title ofProtected Geographical Indication (PGI). This label indicates that Guadeloupe rum is made exclusively from cane sugar and not molasses.