Minister of Tourism Cecil McKie has toured the facilities of the makers of the world’s best rum: Captain Bligh, a product of St. Vincent Distillers Ltd., located in Mt. Bentick, Georgetown.
At the World Rum Award in London in February, Captain Bligh, was adjudged as the World’s Best Rum.
The product is described as showing “a lovely balance of light wood, providing vanillas and a hint of cocoa. It is elegant and smooth with toffee, caramel flavours which linger on the finish.”
On Friday, McKie, CEO of the Tourism Authority Glen Beache, other officials of the Ministry of Tourism and media professionals visited SVG Distillers Ltd. for a congratulatory ceremony and a tour of the distillery.
McKie congratulated SVG Distillers on the recent award. He said St. Vincent and the Grenadines is known for many things and because of this achievement of SVG Distillers, rum has been added to the list.
The Tourism Minister pointed out that most Caribbean countries basically have the same things to offer but given the country’s 32 islands and cays, SVG is arguably the most diverse destination in the region.
McKie noted that he wants visitors not only to come to SVG for a vacation but also for a destination, noting that the distillery has been added to the list of destinations.
He said the Ministry of Tourism will collaborate with St. Vincent Distillers to maximize this opportunity.
He added that the ministry will continue to work with the distillery to further develop its products and the tour it offers.
McKie said the international airport under construction at Argyle on St. Vincent’s east coast will offer a greater opportunity for visitors to the island and this will create economic development in the country and on that side of the island where, the distillery is located.
Meanwhile Promotions Manager/Public Relations Officer at SVG Distillers Phillippa Greaves said the company’s success can be accounted for by the location of the distillery, the company’s consistency in rum fermentation and distillation and its excellent staff.
“These contribute to the production of authentic Caribbean rum,” she said.
Greaves said SVG Distillers Ltd. produces four rum brands and a rum punch and the brands are continually winning gold awards in rum taste test competitions regionally and internationally, noting that the most recent is the World’s Best Rum.
“The History of the distillery dates back to the late 1800 and early 1900’s at this very site,” she said.
Greaves noted that buildings have changed since then with the distillery passing through many owners. She said the current structure was built in 1925 to make use of the readily available molasses from the sugar factory which was conveniently located next door.
According to Greaves the Distillery then was called Mt. Bentick Distillery.
SVG Distillers Limited is the sole rum distillery in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
(A. Sam/API)
Anyone who knows anything about these ratings knows that associations like the World Rum Award group are non-independent member-financed self-promotion entities that annually rotate these awards among their fee-paying partners.
Don’t get me wrong, I like and drink both Captain Bligh and Sparrow rum but this is not a blind ranking by some impartial institute.
They are just like the in-house hotel association that ranked Buccament Bay Resort the best in the Caribbean last year.
Sorry i dont mean to rant about this however say whatever you want in any wich way you wan t and any language st vincent rum IS right there among the best in the world ,i only find it a pity that we cannot freely export the strong rum everywhere .
What a laugh after doing their best to close down said distillers because they refuse to give funds to gunsalves party to campain now suddenly his tourism minister can now visit what they were trying to destroy , looking for money again? Election is not far off maybe they want to get free rum this time to hand out when the money gets short to the rum for vote crowds in red .