Spice Island Road Trip
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The Spice Island of Grenada is a top 10 Caribbean vacation destination and celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2024. With rum distilleries, resorts, and gorgeous beaches, this island has it all. Rum-making has a long history here. You can step into the past, and see the future of rum on one island.
Grenada is part of the Lesser Antilles Volcanic Arc, with a north-to-south mountainous spine and narrow coastal plains. Volcanic mudslides in the south, lush rainforests, and a tropical climate made this a sugarcane-growing economy in colonial times. The dry season is between January and May when the sugarcane is harvested.
Grenada has two smaller islands to the north; Carriacou and Petite Martinique. And, about five miles off the north coast is an active volcano called Kick ’em Jenny volcano but it’s under the ocean’s surface. Neighbouring islands are St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the north and Trinidad and Tobago to the South. Rum is a huge part of Grenada’s culture and history. Today, there are three working distilleries, and two other producers based here.
Back to The Future
River Antoine Estate
In the parish of Saint Patrick, River Antoine Distillery was established in 1785, and is the oldest rum distillery in Grenada. Located in Tivoli, just inland from Grenada’s northeast coast, and just over an hour’s drive from the capital Saint George’s. Rivers Royale Grenadian Rum is simply called Rivers by locals.
This is a pilgrimage site tour for rum nerds because of its traditional methods. A glimpse into the past, much remains unchanged in centuries-old rum making. As you walk around the estate, you are immersed in an old-world production site that includes the Caribbean’s oldest working water wheel. The water mill is not always working, it depends on the river water level.
You’ll learn about the rum-making process from harvesting sugarcane to fermentation at this historical site where rum is created by hand. It gets busy, and tours stop for a lunch break, so we recommend to plan ahead. You can even bottle your very own bottle of Rivers Rum. But beware, this overproof rum is bottled at 69%, just under the banned 70% for travel on planes, some people have had their bottles confiscated at customs.
Next to the distillery is the Rivers Restaurant & Bar. If you’re on a day trip from the south of the island, there’s much to see nearby, like Lake Antoine (above), a crater lake of an extinct volcano. Belmont Estate is a few minutes’ drive away, it’s well worth visiting the 17th-century plantation.
Belmont is a working farm turned agritourism business that has tours, cocoa-making facilities, a museum, a local artists co-op, a small bird sanctuary, and a great restaurant. Next to Belmont is the Grenada Chocolate Company Factory where you can tour and taste this internationally sold local chocolate. It makes sense to see these places at the same time.
Renegade Rum Distillery
Just 10 minutes down the road from River Antione, in the parish of Saint Andrew is Renegade Rum Distillery. It’s the newest on the island, opening in 2022, and they have invested heavily in reintroducing cane growing.
Update: As of the end of February 2024, Renegade Rum Distillery has launched distillery tours, visit their website to book and you’ll be walked through the entire production process from cane to cask.
The large blue modern buildings stand out on the landscape. Their vision blends modern design with sustainability, solar power, data-driven agriculture, and efficient waste and water management. Harnessing technology, their operation promises a glimpse into the future of rum-making. When tours start, it will be a fascinating experience to see how they share their story.
Unique in the world of rum, their terroir-driven rum, presents field-by-field variations in flavour. By reintroducing sugarcane cultivation in Grenada, they also supply neighbouring distiller River Antione. Their sister company Cane & Co. was created to supply the distillery with cane to make rum. It took two years of growing trials and now they bottle by field name and cuvee blends winning praise across the globe. It’s one of the most ambitious rum projects in the world.
Although you can’t try it on a visit, you can taste their rums at bars and restaurants across the island.
Pro Tip: Silversands Hotel in St George’s has a cigar and rum lounge called Puro (pictured above), with the whole first batch of Renegade rum. If you’re looking for a high-roller experience, this is the spot.
Clarke’s Court Distillery
Grenada Distillers at Clarke’s Court Distillery was established in 1937 and is the largest distillery in Grenada. It’s in the capital St George’s, so it can get busy with cruise and coach tours. The site is full of old machinery dating back to the late 1800s. Which includes a large historical water wheel, cane presses, and other old equipment from when it was a sugar refinery. It stopped producing sugar in the 1980s.
Even if you don’t drink, it can be fascinating to wander around. The tour covers the rum distillation process and finishes with a tasting at Nick’s Barrel House.
The distillery makes Pure White Rum unaged overproof for the local market, flavoured rums, Old Grog brand, and aged rum for export. When you buy rum there, you’ll get a receipt for US Customs. And, the prices here are better than at the airport and even at your hotel.
Westerhall Estate
Westerhall Estate is at the southern end of the island in the parish of St. David, 20 minutes from St George’s. You can reach Westerhall Estate by bus from St. George’s, and it’s worth calling ahead to book to see if there’s a tour guide on.
Westerhall rums are not made here, the site is a self-guided tour to walk around the old ruins of a colonial sugar plantation. There’s a small shop to sample rum and buy souvenirs. The eclectic museum on the estate takes you back in time. Your tour ends with a tasting of the various rums that Westerhall produces.
The Eastern Caribbean Rum Company is also based nearby in Westerhall but doesn’t receive visitors. They source and blend rum from elsewhere. You can try their rum in local supermarkets or bars; Barrel Jack overproof rum, Cannes Royale, or Dunfermline Rum.
Back in St George’s if you’re interested in the island’s colonial past, the National Museum is worth visiting. Established in 1976, it explores the local history of slavery, the first inhabitants, and the plantation economy. It helps visitors understand the island better.
Foodie Adventures
With main producers Clarke’s Court and River Antione making lots of unaged ovenproof rum for the local market, there’s plenty of opportunity to try rum punch. A few favourite rum punch spots are Esther’s Bar in the Grand Anse Craft and Spice Market. Umbrellas Beach Bar on Grand Anse Beach is popular. If you enjoy a Tiki bar, check out Prickly Bay Tiki Bar and Restaurant at Prickly Bay Marina.
Some luxury hotel happy hours can be worth seeking out for a good rum cocktail. And, don’t forget to try a Guinness Punch (Guinness, milk, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg blended with ice) which you can find on other islands like Jamaica. Although, we feel it’s made better with a tot of rum in it!
Grenada is very much a foodie destination with markets, events, and food stalls all over the island. For an authentic taste of Grenada, foodies flock every Friday to the famous Gouyave Fish Friday event. Gouyave is a small town on the west coast of Grenada. From 6pm, streets buzz with locals and visitors, as grills fire up with fish and seafood, music, and rum signals weekend vibes.
Gouyave is also known for its nutmeg production. You can visit Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Station, a great place to learn about the history and cultivation of nutmeg. There’s also Douglaston Estate Spice Plantation is the island’s oldest and largest nutmeg plantation, you can buy spices like nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves. There are dedicated spice tours of the island where you can visit spice gardens and markets—a great addition to your rum adventure.
Island-wide, every weekend, local vendors set up BBQs on the street and serve up delicious pork and chicken. The national dish is called Oil Down, a one-pot wonder made with breadfruit, salted meat, vegetables, and spices.
In the capital St George’s with its colourful buildings, restaurants and shops, and buzzing markets sell local food and spices. Seafood is abundant, for a unique experience, head to the waterfront fish markets in St. George’s to enjoy the freshest service. St George’s is a popular cruise stop, so it gets busy when ships are in port.
Grenada produces 12% of the world’s fine cacao, Grenada is home to over 3,000 cocoa farmers, making tree-to-bar Grenada organic chocolate. And, the island hosts an annual chocolate festival which, this year is May 17th- 19th.
Diamond Chocolate Factory makes Jouvay Chocolate in Victoria, St. Mark which is a 45-minute drive from the Capital, St. George’s. It was built by French monks, and in a former Rum distillery! Set up by the local cocoa growers as a cooperative, you’ll see bean to bar and taste their excellent chocolates – the perfect pairing for your rum.
Back to Nature
Grenada has so much natural beauty to enjoy. You can hire a car, or take a full or half-day tour to explore the island’s incredible scenery. As a relatively small tropical volcanic island, many places are all within an hour’s reach. Popular spots include Concord Waterfalls, Annandale Waterfall (pictured above), Seven Sisters Waterfalls a series of cascading waterfalls, and Grand Etang Lake with its National Park where you can explore the hiking trails.
Go hashing, is a local custom where runners and walkers meet up to follow piles of shredded paper until they reach the finish line. The starting and finishing point is typically at a rum shack! Sailing is popular, and a sunset sail from St George’s with a rum punch in hand is something special. Grenada Sailing Week is from the end of January to Early February.
There are many beaches to snorkel or chill with Grand Anse Beach, Aquarium Beach at Magazine Beach, Morne Rouge, Sandy Island Beaches, Levera Beach, or the secluded La Sagesse Bay.
Planning tip: With many rural winding roads, it makes sense to group visits by area and take in other local attractions at the same time. Do this in the daytime to leave yourself time to relax and enjoy sipping rum cocktails in the evening!
Seasonal Events:
• Grenada Sailing Week is in late January or early February.
• 2024 is the 50th anniversary of Grenada Independence Day on 7th February, so big celebrations!
• Grenada Chocolate Festival is 17th- 19th May this year.
• Grenada’s Carnival is called Spicemas, held in July, or early August every year, it’s a 10-day celebration with competitions, great food, festivities, music, and parades of J’ouvert, Monday Night Mas, and Pretty Mas. It’s a big deal and happens all over the island, so you’ll not miss it when there.
• Christmas celebrations centre on St George’s, with masquerades, costumed parades, and colourful dances.
• For New Year’s Eve, the Grand Anse beach party and the street party in St. George’s. The New Year’s Day Junkanoo parade is also in St. George’s.
To learn more about vacations visit Pure Grenada
For rum distillery planning use the Grenada rum map
To read more about Grenada rum visit Cocktail Wonk
Do tell us about your Grenada adventures, and share or tag us on Insta or Facebook
Image credits to brand and travel platform user contributions.
