Barbados Rum Experience offers education, heritage

The Barbados Rum Experience (BRE), now in its fourth year, remains the only national event dedicated exclusively to Barbados rum as the unique week-long event blends education with immersion into the island’s 300-year-old rum heritage, according to one of the organisers, Gayle Seale.

Hosted at the Radisson Hotel, this year’s event has attracted participants from around the globe, including rum enthusiasts, industry professionals, and cultural explorers from countries such as Canada, Poland, Italy, and parts of the Caribbean.

Seale described the experience as “an educational event teaching about the history of Barbados rum and its importance locally and on a global scale”.

Emphasising the event’s educational approach, she said: “It’s like a week of university, so we have three days of lectures, and our speakers are all Barbadian.”

“The core of the Barbados Rum Experience is the seminar educational series, where we take a deeper look at Barbados rum history, the Caribbean colonial past, the origins of the word ‘rum,’ and more,” she said.

Among the presenters are notable scholars and experts such as historians Professor Richard Drayton, Dr Lennox Honychurch, Dr Geoff Ward, and distiller Richard Seale.

Seale further expressed pride in the increased representation of women this year, which includes master blender Trudiann Branker, historian Dr Tara Innis, Samantha Sobers of Mount Gay Distilleries, and Jacklyn Broomes, an agronomist.

“This year, we have a much bigger female contingent, which I am very proud of as a woman,” she added.

The week is carefully structured to provide a comprehensive understanding of Barbadian rum and culture, featuring both lectures and hands-on experiences.

“We do lectures on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday…. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we do behind-the-scenes VIP distillery visits to Mount Gay, St. Nicholas Abbey, and Foursquare,” Seale shared, stressing that these tours go beyond typical consumer experiences.

“This is deep diving into university-style education,” she said.

The Barbados Rum Experience further includes a range of activities, each designed to give attendees a sense of the island’s heritage and local flavours.

“On opening night, we host an event at George Washington House to give them a bit more of the history… because it’s such a great venue to do it at, with a museum inside,” the organiser Seale said.

Throughout the week, participants enjoy activities such as a rum and cigar night, a fully sustainable Barbadian dinner, and a catamaran cruise to explore the island’s landscapes and lifestyle.

Seale noted that this year’s itinerary includes an afternoon lecture session at Coco Hill, “allowing participants to experience Barbados’ agricultural richness”.

The Barbados Rum Experience aims to educate not only on the technical aspects of rum but also on the island’s unique geology, history, and natural resources.

The event is capped with a Meet the Makers gathering, where guests connect with individuals such as Larry and Simon Warren from St. Nicholas Abbey, followed by the cruise to further explore the island’s vistas.

Seale proudly noted that over the years, the event has transformed visitors into island ambassadors, returning home as champions of Barbados’ culture and heritage.