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.
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.
