At John Watling’s Distillery, crafting exceptional rum begins with sourcing the finest ingredients. Since The Bahamas lacks a native sugar industry, we carefully select hand-cut, freshly pressed sugar cane molasses and two distinct distillates—column and pot still—from across the Caribbean. These premium ingredients are transported to our distillery in Nassau, where their transformation into world-class rum begins.
At John Watling’s Distillery, rum production combines tradition and precision through pot still and continuous still distillation. Pot still rums are crafted in small batches, where copper stills remove impurities and create rich, full-bodied flavours. This artisanal method yields depth and character. Continuous still distillation, by contrast, produces a cleaner, lighter spirit as fermented molasses passes through a series of columns, ensuring consistency and purity. Together, these methods deliver the bold tasting notes of pot distillation and the smooth elegance of continuous distillation, reflecting the craftsmanship and heritage of our Buena Vista Estate.
Our column distillate undergoes a refined coconut charcoal filtration process, enhancing its flavor profile by removing impurities while preserving its essence. Both column and pot distillates then mellow through ageing in medium-charred American White Oak ex-Bourbon barrels. For specialty rums, we incorporate unique barrels, such as Sherry/Oloroso, Cognac, Port, or Vino de Naranja, creating complex flavour profiles that reflect our dedication to the art of rum-making.
As our rums age, they breathe through the wood, with about 5% evaporating each year—known as the “Angel’s Share.” Nassau’s warm, tropical climate accelerates this ageing process, giving JOHN WATLING’S Amber the complexity of an 8-year-old whisky, JOHN WATLING’S Buena Vista the richness of a 12-year-old Cognac, and JOHN WATLING’S Bullion the depth of a 25-year-old Scotch.
When the rum reaches its peak, our sixth-generation Master Blender, guided by over 175 years of family expertise, carefully evaluates each batch. Only those that meet his exacting standards move forward; others remain in the barrel to perfect their character. The rums are then hand-blended in small batches using time-honoured techniques passed down through generations.
Every bottle of JOHN WATLING’S rum is a labor of love, hand-filled, meticulously labeled, and individually numbered by skilled Bahamian artisans. The bottle’s neck features a hand-woven sisal plait, crafted by women’s cooperatives in South Andros or Cat Island, paying homage to the Buena Vista Estate’s history as a sisal farm. With each sip, you taste the dedication and artistry that define John Watling’s Distillery.
