Rum production has been a Guadeloupean tradition since the first sugar cane fields were cultivated. Two types of rum are produced there, the agricultural rum made from sugar cane juice, and industrial rum, also called traditional rum, made from molasses, a by-product of sugar manufacturing. Although the number of distilleries, and consequently the amount of rum produced, has declined sharply over time, Guadeloupe is still known for its rum, with its nine distilleries: Bologne in Basse-Terre, Montebello in Petit-Bourg, Longueteau in Capesterre-Belle-Eau, Séverin and Reimonenq in Sainte-Rose, Damoiseau in Le Moule, and Bellevue, Bielle and Poisson on the island of Marie-Galante.
While old rum, so popular with connoisseurs, is enjoyed neat as an aperitif or digestive, white rum is ideal for making punch, ti-punch or cocktails such as mojitos, but also in cooking to add flavour to dishes, cakes and pancakes, and to make bananas flambée.
At the Rum Museum on the Reimonenq distillery estate, in the municipality of Sainte-Rose, you can learn about the history of rum and the manufacturing process. Guadeloupe's distilleries are open to the public and during the cane harvest season - between February and June - they give tours of their plant in operation. These are a must for anyone wanting to know all about the various stages in the making of the famous West Indian rum!