When Old Road Rum was named Rum of the Year at the 2025 Bartender Spirits Awards, the accolade resonated far beyond the judging panels and trade headlines. For Ben Taylor and Jack Widdowson, co-founders of the St. Kitts-based brand, it marked a meaningful affirmation of a vision rooted in respect for place, process, and patience. From its historic home at the Old Road Rum Distillery—believed to be the oldest surviving rum distillery in the Caribbean, founded in 1681—the brand has distilled more than just spirits. It’s bottling a sense of island identity, tropical terroir, and craft integrity.

Taylor and his team launched with a bold choice: a 12-year tropically aged molasses-based rum, bottled at 46% ABV and completely additive-free. It’s a decision that speaks to their ethos of authenticity and flavor over trend. As they begin to look toward broader international expansion, they’re doing so with the deliberate pace and grounded pride of a producer who knows the weight and opportunity of history.

Image: Co-founder Jack Widdowson.

Old Road Distillery has a rich history dating back to 1681. How does this heritage shape the way you produce your rum today?

The history of the Old Road Rum Distillery and Wingfield Estate brings with it a responsibility to strive for authenticity. This touches everything we do, from how we impact the local community to how we choose to story tell. We chose to launch the brand initially with a 12-year-aged product as it just felt right from the oldest surviving rum distillery in the Caribbean. Although it's more than likely that they would have fermented using fresh cane juice as well as molasses back in 1681, it is widely understood that British-influenced techniques are more molasses-based (as opposed to French-influenced being more fresh cane juice) - for that reason, we went with molasses. We chose to blend and bottle to 46% ABV, not only to add value to the product from a more 'craft distilling' point of view, but also because we think it drinks the best at this strength.

Image: The Distillery landscape.

Your 12-year-old rum is tropically aged in ex-bourbon casks, with no added sugar, color, or flavoring. How does this approach influence the final flavor profile and overall character of the spirit?

As summarized in Ian Burrell's book, 'A Rum Tasting Course' (highly recommended), higher temperatures and humidity in tropical climates cause rum to mature faster than in temperate regions like Scotland or France. For example, a rum aged 3 years in the Tropics can show maturity characteristics similar to 8-12 years in cooler climates. The 'Angel's Share' (evaporation from the cask) is much higher in the Tropics - often 6-10% per year, compared to 1-2% in Europe... this leads to greater concentration of flavors but also more volume loss, making older tropical-aged rums rarer and more expensive. There are other benefits around flavor development and barrel dynamics, but in summary, a 12-year-old rum aged in the Caribbean is not the same as a 12-year-old Whisky aged in Scotland - the environment matters. Although rums were not aged intentionally back then (aging was a result of products being transferred from country to country), they would have used oak from trading partners in Europe or North America. We're lucky that American oak ex-bourbon casks are so available and can have such an amazing effect on rum. Old Road Rum is additive-free, which includes no added sugar - this aligns with our values around authenticity and allows you to really taste the juice without it being interfered with. In short, Old Road Rum has a rich, dry, spicy character with a natural sweetness and a hint of the bourbon barrel it lived in for 12 years, more complex than your average rum yet more approachable than most 'cask-strength' offerings.

Image: Old Road Rum - Bartender Spirit Awards Winner - Rum of the Year 2025

Is Old Road Rum currently available in the U.S.? If so, where can consumers find it—be it retail stores, chains, or online? And beyond the U.S., which international markets are you focusing on or already present in?

Old Road Rum is currently only available in St. Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, St. Martin, St. Barts, and Bermuda. We plan to launch in the US and Europe in 2026/2027.

Supporting importers and distributors is crucial for a brand’s success. What do you do to help your partners move stock and build momentum in their markets?

We are very hands-on. We support our partners by showing up regularly to meet consumers and bartenders, and for events and pop-ups. We supply premium merchandising and POS material, as well as high-end digital content and activity. We find that a lot of engagement in all our markets can be won via on-trade collaborations, both physical and digital.

What sort of marketing efforts are you currently investing in? Any standout campaigns, events, or collaborations helping to raise the brand’s profile?

Because of our unique brand home and story, much of our communication is centered around the history of the distillery and the island of St. Kitts. As well as St. Kitts & Nevis Independence Day, St. Kitts has two major events during the year. Firstly, there is Sugar Mass Carnival, when the whole population and thousands of visitors to the island dance in the streets from December 26th to January 2nd. Secondly, there is St. Kitts Music Festival, a 3-day event in late June showcasing major stars from around the region and the wider world. We execute multiple activations during these moments, the key marketing elements being our gorgeous Old Road Rum Mini Moke buggy, consistent premium merchandising, and consistent premium digital communication. We also collaborate a lot with our on-trade partners, from local beach bars right through to 5-star Hotels. For example, we currently produce an in-room ready-to-drink cocktail collection in partnership with the Four Seasons Resort Nevis, a collaboration we're extremely proud of and that aligns with our brand very well.

Image: Ben Taylor(left) and Jack Widdowson(right), founders of Old Road Rum, with the Mini Moke buggy.

With sustainability becoming a growing priority in the spirits industry, what steps are you taking to reduce your environmental impact, from production through to packaging?

Being based on a small island comes with advantages and disadvantages in this regard. For example, because St. Kitts & Nevis is so small and we run our own distribution, it's relatively easy for us to recycle our bottles. On the flip side, shipping is a constant challenge, so we have to plan very carefully to keep costs down and minimize our impact. 

Winning ‘Rum of the Year’ at the Bartender Spirits Awards is a major achievement. How do you plan to make the most of this award in your marketing? Do you see it influencing any changes in your branding or future product development?

First of all, we are over the moon with the award! As the premium rum of St. Kitts, there is a genuine pride felt for Old Road Rum on the island - we aim to share our success as much as possible with the local press, local influencers, government, and tourist agencies, and of course, our on-trade partners. This will be via a mix of press releases, digital announcements, point of sale communication at the distillery, and tasteful boasting!. 'Bartender Spirit Awards Winner - Rum of the Year 2025' will now headline much of our communication in the near future.

Image: Shelf Talker of Old Road Rum - Rum of the Year 2025.

Finally, what’s your go-to cocktail that really brings Old Road Rum to life? We’d love a recipe that captures the essence of your spirit.

This is a tough one because the most popular way Old Road Rum is consumed on the island is with fresh 'jelly water' (young coconut water) - it's very refreshing and not too sweet, so it lets the rum do the talking. We understand that most places in the world don't have this readily available, so for our export market, we usually recommend a Rum Old Fashioned, a Luxury Daiquiri (with a few splashes of bitters), or a Ting with a Sting (Ting is the local grapefruit soda). We also serve it with just a large ice cube made from coconut water.

Image: The island of St. Kitts.

Conclusion:

Old Road Rum’s journey is not one of shortcuts, but of considered steps that honor both heritage and quality. While the distillery’s reach is still local, its ambitions are far-reaching, anchored by a deep commitment to storytelling, sustainability, and genuine connection with bartenders, distributors, and drinkers alike. With a win like Rum of the Year now on their label, the brand has a fresh wind at its back. But as Taylor makes clear, their real goal isn't just global growth—it’s to carry the spirit of St. Kitts into every glass, wherever it's poured.

In conversation with Malvika Patel, Editor and VP, Beverage Trade Network.

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