The spirit of the island
The sugar and rum story
The story of rum starts with sugarcane, which was first introduced to Mauritius by the Dutch settlers in 1638. The island’s climate and soil were ideal for growing sugarcane and the first plantations took root in no time. While proper rum wasn’t on the cards just yet, the thirsty settlers dabbled in making a sort of rudimentary rum called arrack. At first they distilled palm sap and coconut to create this clear, alcoholic liquid and later used molasses, a by-product of sugar production.
When the French took over in 1710, and 100 years later, the British, the true economic benefits of sugarcane were realised. Back then, sugar was worth its weight in gold and soon the business of producing and exporting it was booming.
Rum was patiently waiting in the wings and it was only in 1852 when Mauritius’ first commercial rum distilleries were fired up. Luckily for us, otherwise Beach Bum Rum wouldn’t be here today.
Not just any sugar and rum
Beyond the sun, sea and sand, slightly more inland, Mauritius is all about sugarcane. With almost four centuries’ experience in growing the stuff and just the right terroir, the island is geared for producing some of the best quality sugar in the world.
About 27 types of sugarcane are grown on Mauritius and, bringing their own distinctive characteristics to the mix, a little bit of each one goes into making Beach Bum Rum. We follow the traditional method to make our rum and add an extra kick of island flavour by infusing it with vanilla and coconut. You can’t get any more Mauritian than that.
Not just any coconut
The coconut is the undisputed mascot of island getaways. Like sugarcane, Mauritius’ first coconut trees were planted by the Dutch East India Company. The species is an heirloom variety from Java in Indonesia, and, when making our Gold and Silver rums we use the finest coconut to give an exciting taste of the tropical.
Not just any Vanilla
In 1819, French entrepreneurs shipped vanilla fruits to the islands of Mauritius, Réunion, Comoros, Seychelles and Madagascar, along with instructions on how to grow them successfully.
By 1898, the islands produced a combined 200 metric tons of vanilla beans – about 80% of world production! We use a mix of first class vanilla in both our Gold and Silver rums to add smoothness and complexity to the blend.