Distillery of the Year 2012 and Best Boutique White Rum
St. Nicholas Abbey returned to London’s annual RumFest for its fifth consecutive year, having first showcased its premium rum at the event in 2008. Hosted at the Excel Centre in October 2012, RumFest is the world’s premier rum exhibition, providing the ultimate rum experience for thousands of enthusiastic aficionados and participating trade members.
St. Nicholas Abbey shone at the 2-day exhibition, culminating with outstanding success at the Golden Barrel Awards & Dinner, winning both Distillery of the Year 2012 and Best Boutique White Rum. These prestigious awards reflect the Estate’s passion for quality and its mission to create uniquely premium artisan rums. The Warren Family, owners of St. Nicholas Abbey, are encouraged by the award for Best Boutique White Rum, a product that has only recently been brought to market.
Larry Warren notes that establishing a premium brand exacts both patience and persistence, one of the primary reasons the Family returns each year to participate in the RumFest exhibition. Their display reflects the traditional values and heritage that made Barbados Rum famous over 350 years ago.
St. Nicholas Abbey has shunned mass production and complex mechanical systems in favour of the time-honoured pot-still distillation method, which preserves the nuanced flavours of the fermentation process. Sugar cane grown on the Estate is crushed in the 1890 steam mill, creating syrup commonly known as ‘sugar cane honey’. This syrup is then fermented in the pot still, producing the original Barbadian ‘see-through’ rum of years gone by, a sweet and sugary spirit with a fresh, clean nose of marshmallows, coconut and vanilla. This rum is the same essence of the premium rum, which is aged in oak barrels, producing a complex fruity spirit with a smooth finish.
As part of the Distillery’s exhibition at RumFest, they demonstrated how the Premium 12-year Rum is hand-bottled straight from the barrel in an elegant glass decanter, which can be personalized with custom-engraved messages. Such engravings are done daily at the Distillery, and reflect the artisanal passion for detail St. Nicholas Abbey is known for.
The Warren Family is dedicated to preserving the St. Nicholas Abbey Estate for future generations to both learn from and enjoy. Through a unique integration of heritage tourism and manufacturing, the Estate is developing a cottage industry focused on its premium rums and other sugar-based products, sustaining its significance as one of Barbados’ great historic treasures. Visitors can tour the meticulously preserved Great House and grounds, observe the rum distillation process and enjoy a delicious apertif with a member of the Warren Family, creating a memorable experience that ensures a return visit.
For more information on visiting St. Nicholas Abbey and its award-winning rum, please visit their Profile . We look forward to welcoming you.
