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International News
The Beginning of Jamaican Rum duction and rum mills, Jamaica produces 50 million
liters of rum yearly. With only six remaining rum
It was Christopher Columbus, in 1494, who distilleries sugarcane, the oldest running industry
brought sugarcane to the shores of Jamaica. This in Jamaica is still a predominant labor source with
birthed an industry that although not as robust the employment of over 50,000 people. Jamaican
in size as it once was, still thrives today. With all rum makers produce large and diverse varieties of
things good, there is another side that is not as rum that are distributed around to world to more
sweet. The production of rum in Jamaica began than 70 countries. The six remaining rum distill-
in 1655. It was brought over by British colonial- eries are Worthy Park Estate, Appleton Estate, Long
ists who imported the art of rum-making from Pond Distillery, Clarendon Distillery, and Innswood
Barbados. Under British rule, rum was made by the Distillers Limited. The later three distilleries are
hands of enslaved labor. The mass production of owned by the National Rums of Jamaica.
rum during this time in Jamaica led to its popularity
around the world. There were approximately 148 Making Jamaican Rum
rum distilleries in Jamaica in 1893. When slavery
was abolished in the 1800s the free and now finally Who knew sugarcane is the key ingredient to this
autonomous rum laborer, was free to live as one deep rich spirit? With no sweetness on the palate
should. This emancipation led to a decline in rum when sipped that one would discern if they chewed
production. on sugarcane. The process of making Jamaican rum
is quite intriguing. Molasses, partially responsible
Where is rum today in Jamaica? In 1893 approx- for rums golden color is a sweet syrup with a thick
imately 31, 555 acres of sugarcane was cultivated consistency. Perhaps you have used it as an alter-
by sugar estates that housed and operated distill- native sweetener. Blackstrap molasses is full of
eries. Even with the reduction of the scale of pro- minerals and vitamins. With that said, a shot of
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