The River Antoine Estate is home to the oldest rum distillery in Grenada, where the original owners began producing rum in 1785. Today’s owners continue the tradition. Rum is a huge part of Grenadine culture and history and the distillery offers a glimpse (as well as a small taste into the production of one of the country’s most famous exports.
Visitors can learn about and witness the production process, from the initial picking of the sugarcane plant–which is compressed by a water wheel and boiled–to the fermentation and distillation processes. The site’s water wheel is actually the oldest in the whole of the Caribbean. Of course there are opportunities to sample and taste the famous finished product, which is completely organic. Some guided tours combine a visit to the River Antoine Estate with stops at other distilleries on the island.
- Two different strengths of rum are produced here, one of which is illegal to bring on a plane as it contains more than 70% alcohol; a less potent option is also for sale.
- Other popular exports of Grenada, which is known as the Isle of Spice, are chocolate and nutmeg.
- Some tours include a stop at nearby Lake Antoine, which powers the distillery’s water wheel.
The River Antoine Rum Distillery is located on the northeast coast of Grenada, about an hour away by car from St. George’s. It’s open Monday through Friday, from early morning until late afternoon Lake Antoine is about a 6-minute drive from the distillery. Guided tours typically provide roundtrip transportation from Grenada hotels and the cruise ship port.
River Antoine rum is made entirely from sugarcane juice during Grenada’s dry season (January to May) and supplemented with molasses in the wet season (June to December). Overall, expect to encounter the largest crowds during the dry season. Grenada typically doesn’t get as busy as other Caribbean islands because it doesn’t receive as many cruise ships.
The island’s best-known and largest distillery, the Clarke’s Court Rum Distillery has been operating since 1937 and is located on the southern part of the island, less than 15 minutes from St. George’s by car. Like River Antoine, here you can learn about the distilling, aging, blending, and bottling processes and sample the rum.
