Custodian of legacy: Stade’s West Indies Rum Distillery
Founded in 1893 by George Stade, a genius distiller with 44 patents under his name, Stade’s West Indies Rum Distillery has played a central role in shaping Barbados’ rum heritage for more than 130 years.
Stade’s West Indies Rum Distillery is home to two brands. Planteray, one of the world’s most iconic premium rums, has won more than 600 awards for its exceptional quality and unmistakable character, including Rum Brand of the Year at The Spirits Business Awards 2024. Celebrated by bartenders and enthusiasts around the globe, it stands alongside the distillery’s historic Stade’s Rum, which has been revived to tell the story of this remarkable place.
Two pillars define the work at Stade’s West Indies Rum Distillery: creativity and community. Rum here is not seen as the result of a single person’s effort, but as the shared outcome of farmers, distillers, blenders, and the wider community of people who care deeply about rum.
As Alexandre Gabriel, owner and master blender of Maison Ferrand, the parent company of Stade’s, says: “It takes a community to make rum.”
That community also extends to the land. At Kendal Farm, one of the oldest estates in Barbados, and now part of the distillery, sugarcane and coconuts are cultivated to support agricultural activity. The warehouses hold more than 45,000 casks of rum, with capacity for an additional 20,000. In partnership with the Barbados Sugar Cane Breeding Station, the distillery researches heritage and new cane varieties, drawing on the past to create the rums of tomorrow.
Innovation runs through every stage of production. Yeast is cultivated in an open-air nursery located just a few metres from the sea, where even seawater can be part of fermentation. This approach is unique in the Caribbean, where no other rum distillery operates directly on the beach.
History is preserved and explored in the Distiller’s Vault, where more than 130 years of archives are carefully studied under the guidance of Andrew Hassell, managing director of the distillery. These records inspire the revival of traditional techniques and historic stills.
Today, Stade’s West Indies Rum Distillery operates the largest collection of working stills in the Caribbean, including the Rockley, the oldest copper rum still, which is still in operation, and the Vulcan, the only original three-chamber still that is running in the world.
The ambition first imagined by George Stade, to create the world’s finest rums, remains alive. The distillery, owned by Maison Ferrand – also known for Citadelle Gin and Ferrand Cognac – continues to pursue that vision with humility, honouring history, investing in research, and focusing on rums that are meaningful, authentic, and full of character. At Stade’s West Indies Rum Distillery, the birthplace of rum continues to shape its future, keeping Barbados at the heart of rum’s story, with Planteray Rum as its proud ambassador.
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