Cayman Spirits Co. Is Reinventing the Way Rum Is Made - AFAR

"Founded about ten years ago as the Cayman Islands' only distillery, this small-batch craft operation grew from a waterfront shack and five-gallon still into a 5,000-square-foot custom-built facility that emphasizes hands-on distilling rather than automated, high-volume production. Its signature Seven Fathoms Rum is first matured in Louisville bourbon oak casks and then uniquely aged by submerging the barrels at 42 feet (seven fathoms) off the island for up to three years, using ocean movement to agitate the wood and extract sugars—resulting in a seriously smooth amber spirit with earthy, sweet notes of caramel, cinnamon, dark chocolate and a subtle bourbon character. The distillery also produces Governor’s Reserve Rum, Gun Bay Vodka, H.H. Hutchinson’s Liqueurs and an upcoming gin; demand has grown to the point that it requires about 100,000 pounds of sugar annually (some sugarcane is sourced from Grand Cayman’s East End while molasses and raw brown sugar are imported) and now produces roughly a million liters a year. Visitors can enjoy a $15 tour with tastings, and products are available locally at beach bars like Calico Jack’s and through retailers in the Cayman Islands and the United States." - Ashley Mateo