Jamaica Rum Distillery Map and Notes

Given the surprising popularity of my recently published Guadeloupe rum map, doing the same for Jamaica is a no-brainer. Although they’re shown on the map for reference, both Innswood and the W&N headquarters are not open to the public.

But wait, there’s much more!

If you’re reading this, it’s probably because you’ll be visiting the island at some point and hope to visit a distillery or five. If so, you’ll need to know how many active distilleries there are, which you can get into, and how far away they are from where you’re staying. I’ve got you covered!

Distillery Briefs

Below are some basic details for each distillery that can help you plan your Jamaican rum expedition.

My Tour Geek Factor rating is my 0/10 scale of how much you’ll experience from the perspective of someone who loves visiting distilleries and understands how rum is made at a deep level. Gift shops and tasting rooms are nice, but a real distillery tour has you peering down into fermenters and profusely sweating from standing 6 feet from an operating pot still. The more you see of a distillery’s day-to-day operations, the higher my rating.

Tour Geek Factor rating: 10. (Clarendon Distillery)

Appleton Estate (Joy Spence Rum Experience)

• Tours: Public

• Gift Shop: Yes

• Tour Geek Factor: 4/10

• Owner: Gruppo Campari

Hampden Estate

• Tours: Public

• Gift Shop: Yes

• Tour Geek Factor: 9/10

• Owner: Independent

• Recent Writeup: Jamaica’s Hampden Estate Rum Distillery in Photos

Worthy Park Estate

• Tours: Public

• Gift Shop: Yes

• Tour Geek Factor: 7.5/10 (But it goes way up if you get a sugar factory tour!)

• Owner: Independent

• Recent Writeup: Inside Jamaica's Worthy Park Rum Distillery

Clarendon

• Tours: Private

• Gift Shop: No

• Tour Geek Factor: 10/10

• Owner: National Rums of Jamaica

• Recent Writeup: Revisiting Jamaica’s Clarendon Rum Distillery

Long Pond

• Tours: Private

• Gift Shop: No

• Tour Geek Factor: 10/10

• Owner: National Rums of Jamaica

• Recent Writeup: Revisiting Jamaica’s Long Pond Rum Distillery

New Yarmouth

• Tours: Nope. No way.

• Gift Shop: No

• Tour Geek Factor: ∞ (No one gets in, so…)

• Owner: Gruppo Campari

Want more detail on each? Modern Caribbean Rum has a 60-page chapter devoted exclusively to Jamaican rum and its producers. Each of the above distilleries has a detailed writeup that includes numerous photos.

Getting Around Jamaica

It’s often surprising to first-time visitors that Jamaica is a large island. It’s also easy to underestimate how long it takes to get from Point A to Point B on a map. It’s only 11 miles from the heart of Montego Bay to Hampden, but driving there will still take an hour. The roads to most distilleries you’ll likely visit are narrow and very rural. Many locals are also prone to drive fast on these roads.

There are many drivers for hire at a daily rate. Just be sure to confirm your itinerary and cost before settling on one. Most cruise ship lines offer a distillery tour package. On these package tours, the odds are high that you’ll travel on a big bus on one of the aforementioned roads.

What Jamaican Rums Should I Buy There?

Hoping to buy all the exotic rums you can’t get at home? Hold up there, partner!

• There are very few distillery-only exclusives, and they won’t be inexpensive.

• Nearly all high-end and/or limited-edition rums made in Jamaica are exported to the EU, US, and elsewhere. Check what you can get in your home market before you get to Jamaica.

• In some cases, you may be able to buy the same bottle at home for less than in Jamaica. Of course, if brands like Worthy Park, Monymusk, and Coruba aren’t imported to your country, buy them while you have the chance!

• If it’s not bottled by a Jamaican producer in Jamaica, you won’t find it in Jamaica. That means independent bottlers. Don’t expect to find all the Velier, Doctor Bird, and Holmes Cay Jamaicans in Jamaica.

Some bottles you’ll only find in Jamaica. consider picking them up!

What is worth hunting for? Things not exported from Jamaica. Some current examples:

• The Wray & Nephew Parishes Collection – unaged overproof rum at 70% ABV.

• Captain Morgan – Made by Wray & Nephew and completely different from the Captain Morgan found elsewhere in the world. I consider it similar to Kingston 62, i.e., an inexpensive, lightly-aged rum that’s not particularly funktastic.

• Charley’s JB & Conquering Lion – Unaged Jamaican overproofs at 63%. The Charley’s JB is effective W&N’s answer to Rum Fire.

Getting Your Rum Home

Live in the US and worried about how much you can bring home? TL;DR – Bring home all you want. At most, it may cost you $25 or so. However, be aware of how US import duties work and the duty-free limit. Most people completely misunderstand how it works. This article sorts everything out for you: Over Your Duty Free Limit! What Happens Next?

For more tips on being a rum geek in Jamaica, see this article: The Rum Nut’s Quick-Ref Guide to Visiting Jamaica.