The Callwood Distillery
The Callwood Distillery is one of the great traditions of
the British Virgin Islands. Towards
the end of the 18th Century, Richard Callwood, a known buccaneer planter who
owned Thatch Island, bought the
Arundel Estate on Tortola for his son, also named Richard. The rum distillery was already in use on the estate, which
remains in the hands of the Callwood family today, producing rum in the old
traditional manner.
No-one is completely sure exactly how long rum has been
distilled at the Callwood Distillery.
The British style of the stone and brick architecture suggests that it
might date back to the mid 1700s and, although the roof has been replaced
several times because of hurricane damage, the building is pretty much the same
as it always has been. There is a
patch of sugar cane behind the distillery which is but a small representation of
the fields that once covered large areas around.
It’s clear to see that Callwood is the Caribbean’s oldest,
continuously operating pot distillery.
The Callwood Distillery rum making process
The process of actually making the rum begins when cut
sugar cane is put through a pressing mill, its juice then flowing into large
iron cauldrons, known as coppers. These
are boiled on a fire made by the dried husks of cane and the resulting fermented
mixture is reboiled to a temperature at which alcohol is produced and run
through a coiled cooling system. The
rum is then ready to be stored in either oak barrels, for dark rum, or glass
demijohns, for the white rum. According
to the current owner of the distillery, Michael Callwood, the continued use of
cane sugar instead of the more common contemporary use of molasses acts as a
preventative for hangovers – but I’m not going to guarantee that promise!
If you’re staying around Cane Garden Bay, the Callwood
Distillery is within easy walking distance, otherwise it’s fairly
straightforward to drive to – everybody around there will give you directions.
When you first see it, you’ll probably find it hard to countenance the
idea that the distillery is still operational.
From the hand printed sign at the entrance to the distinctly ruinous
appearance of the buildings, you’ll think you’ve stepped back in time.
Considering the fame of the distillery, there are few obvious concessions to
tourism – what you see is most definitely what you get!
The tour itself - $2 last time I went – is a totally
fascinating experience. Michael or
one of his family will show you around and explain the whole process for you in
as much detail as you want. At the
conclusion of the tour you’ll be given a free shot of the rum – personally I
prefer the spiced rum, but that’s just me.
It’s slightly similar to Captain Morgan spiced rum – but better.
You can buy yourself a bottle to bring home – but remember how tight
the customs are now about bringing things back, so you might as well buy
yourself a bottle or two to drink whilst you’re in Tortola.
The bad news is that they don’t produce enough to export so you have to
make the most of it while you can.
This really is a great way to spend a few hours of your
time. And, here’s a final tip: if
you do bring a bottle home and you don’t want your visitors to drink all of
your rum, just show them a photo of the still where it was produced.
That usually does the trick- then you can finish it when they’ve gone!
Click here to return to Tortola Sightseeing from Tortola The Callwood
Distillery
.
Click here to return to Tortola Beaches Home from Tortola The Callwood
Distillery.
|
