If you are going to spend money on one paid experience in Barbados, make it the Mount Gay rum tour. On top of a genuinely fascinating history lesson and tasting experience, you can buy all the different rums at the gift shop at prices you will not find anywhere else on the island — so stock up before you head home.
Mount Gay is the world's oldest rum brand, founded in 1703 — which means it has been making rum here since before most countries existed. The distillery is located on Spring Garden Highway, not far from the start of the self-drive island tour route, and about a 20-minute walk or a short taxi from the Bridgetown cruise port.
If you are visiting Barbados on a budget and this feels like a splurge — it is worth it. Book the lunch tour.
The Tour Options
There are a few different Mount Gay rum tour options. You can opt for the basic rum tasting tour, which is the shorter and cheaper version. My recommendation is the lunch tour. The food is a typical Bajan buffet and it is excellent. Also, bottomless rum punches — need I say more?
Book in advance if you are visiting on a cruise day. The tours can fill up, particularly when multiple ships are in port.
How the Tour Runs
The History
Your tour starts in the chattel house on your way to the gift shop. Here you will learn the history behind Mount Gay — how rum came to be made in Barbados, what makes Bajan rum different from other Caribbean rums, and the story of the brand from 1703 to the present day. You get your first rum punch here, naturally. There are some of their special rums on display, including the coveted red caps — which sailors receive if they take part in one of the Mount Gay regattas.
The Process
After the history section you watch a short video about distillation and the rum-making process. Then the fun starts — the tasting. The tasting works its way up from mixing rums to sipping rums.
Eclipse — the first rum you try, a mixing rum and the one used in Barbados' famous rum punch recipe.
Black Barrel — considerably smoother than Eclipse, can work as a mixer or a sipping rum.
XO (Extra Old) — the premium sipping rum. Do not mix this. Just drink it slowly.
The Distillery
After the first tasting you head downstairs towards the bottling factory. No photographs allowed here but it is fascinating to see the scale of the operation — this is the only place Mount Gay is produced and bottled, and thousands of bottles are made every day. A genuine piece of Barbadian industry.
One interesting fact: bottles sold in Barbados have a slightly higher alcohol percentage than the exported versions. Another reason to stock up here before you leave.
The Final Tasting
Back inside to the bar for the last two rums of the tour.
Silver — Mount Gay's white rum. Not as smooth as the others, firmly a mixing rum.
Mauby Rum — the most unusual one. Mauby is made from tree bark and is a traditional Barbadian flavour — like nothing else you have ever tasted. Some people love it and some people find it too distinctive. I bought a bottle. It is brilliant mixed with sprite and lime.
After the tour there are additional rums to try if you want them — the Volume 1 and 2 sets and the extraordinary 1703, which at $15 USD a shot is not cheap, but is without question one of the smoothest, most complex rums I have ever tasted. Do not mix 1703 with anything. Just drink it.
The Lunch
If you booked the lunch tour, this is where it gets excellent. Help yourself to the buffet — make sure you have some flying fish, which is the local speciality and genuinely delicious here. For dessert there are mini rum cakes that can be drizzled with Ponche Kuba, a local cream liqueur. Enjoy as many bottomless rum punches as you sensibly can, then head to the gift shop.
Stace's Tip
Buy a bottle of Mount Gay XO before you leave — you will not find it cheaper anywhere else on the island. If you loved the Mauby rum, get one of those too as it is only available here. If your budget is tight, there are mini bottles and gift sets that make brilliant souvenirs and do not cost much at all.
After the Tour
Remember: do not drink and drive after the Mount Gay rum tour. Hop in a taxi and hit the beach to take the edge off. Pebbles Beach is about a 15-minute ride from the distillery and a perfect afternoon destination. Read the south coast local guide for more on what is around the Bridgetown area.
For more Barbados rum culture, the top rum punch spots guide covers the best places to have a proper rum punch once you have learned everything about what goes into one.
Practical Information
Location: Spring Garden Highway, St Michael, Barbados
Getting there: 20-minute walk from the cruise port, or a short taxi ride. Easy to combine with the start of the island tour.
What to wear: Smart-casual. You are going inside — light clothes are fine but leave the beachwear until after.
How long: Allow around two hours for the basic tasting tour, three to four hours for the lunch tour.
Booking: Book in advance at mountgayrum.com, especially if you are arriving on a busy cruise day.
Frequently Asked Questions
The basic rum tasting tour costs around $20 USD per person. The lunch tour — which includes the full tasting, a Bajan buffet lunch and bottomless rum punch — costs more and is significantly better value for the experience. Prices are subject to change so check the Mount Gay website before you go.
