The home of the world's oldest rum brand

The British colonized Barbados in 1627, and within decades, rum was born on the island. Thirsty imbibers across the globe can thank the sugar trade, as along with those settlers came sugarcane, which quickly flourished.

Sugar production peaked at 200,000 tons annually and at the time, molasses was simply an unwieldy, unwanted byproduct. But soon it came to be known as the "black gold" of the island, worth more than the sugar itself.

Rum's birthplace is Barbados, and there the oldest existing brand of rum in the world, Mount Gay, still resides citing 1703 as its official origin. That's based on a title deed in a will dated February 20, 1703, and if equipment was being passed on in a will at that date, then assuredly rum production was already taking place for quite some time — years or perhaps even decades prior.

"It's the oldest proven document we've found, but the search continues," says Allen Smith, Mount Gay's master blender. As the company's history continues to be explored, it wouldn't be unexpected to find that the brand's origins actually stretch back as early as the mid 1600s.

Whether it's 1703 or even earlier though, there's no doubting Mount Gay's credentials. "We're the oldest rum producer in the world — no, the galaxy," exclaims Smith with a hearty chuckle.

Barbados celebrated 50 years of independence in 2016, and today, much of the island's identity and pride comes from those deep rum roots, including Mount Gay and the island's other distilleries. Perhaps the best way to get a feel for Bajan culture and heritage then, is to explore the oldest rum in the world firsthand, and experience how deeply integrated it is with Barbados and its people.

The Mount Gay Distillery is not open to the public, but the visitor's center offers plenty for the rum enthusiast, including interactive tasting sessions and cocktail classes. Of course, a bottle of the oldest rum brand in the world can be easily found at any of the island's ubiquitous rum shops.

Browse the gallery above to go behind the scenes of Mount Gay Rum's distillery, cane fields and barrel warehouses. Tour reservations for the visitor's center in Bridgetown can be made at mountgayrum.com.