Rum Distilleries in Martinique

Martinique rum, the only AOC rum in the world, is a €400 million industry, employing 3,900 people in direct and indirect jobs.

Martinique produces 16 million liters of rum per annum, accounting for 1% of rum worldwide.

It exports 12 million liters of rum per year (75% of production), with exports growing annually by 5%.

When you visit a distillery, you will discover the fascinating stages of the rum-making process and understand why Martinique is home to some of the finest rums in the world, with an AOC label of origin. 

As you approach some of the island’s biggest distilleries, the fields of sugar cane dancing in the tropical breeze will give you an immediate sense of where it all begins.  

You will quickly come to realize that each distillery is quite unique. Some will astonish you with the beauty of their gardens, others with art exhibitions, their authentic character or their state-of-the-art facilities.

In the mid-17th century, Martinique was home to nearly 200 sugarcane mills. It was even known as a “sugar island”.

Later, in the early 19th century, the Caribbean sugar industry was unable to withstand the competition from beet sugar. And so the West Indies adopted a new strategy, abandoning sugar production in favor of “rum agricole”, a rum made from pure cane juice. 

Your discovery of the world of rum and rum-making will then take you to the stills where the magical transformation takes place. As you delve deeper into this exciting sensory world, you will see how sugarcane is pressed and learn how rum is made from molasses or vesou (cane juice), from the process of fermentation through distillation and aging.  

In Martinique, most of the rum produced is rum agricole, made from sugarcane juice. Distillery and rum factory tours are run by passionate professionals, so fire away and ask any questions you may have.
Depending on the distillery, you might see copper stills – in the more traditional ones – or other more modern facilities and techniques.