International Rum Day at Worthy Park Estate

When I say rum, you say please. Rum? Please excuse me while I try to contain the excitement of basking in the sugary bliss of spirits. Tuesday was international rum day, and in honour of the special occasion, Worthy Park Estate invited members of different media houses to get a taste of the tour.

My tour began from the journey to the estate. Escaping the busy Kingston streets to breathe fresh air and be one with nature in the cool hills of St Catherine meant that we were already off to a fabulous start. Once we arrived at our destination, we were warmly greeted with a refreshing welcome drink, rum included, of course (yes, it’s 5 p.m. somewhere). Guests mingled among their cliques until the official presentation got under way.

‘Rummed’ and ready to go, Marketing Manager Tamika West thanked everyone for coming, giving us an overview of the Worthy Park Estate Distillery Tour. “Sugar is our core business, but we are rum people and are known being one of, if not the oldest estate in Jamaica. We’re in the heart and valley of St Catherine. And since it’s Jamaica 60 and international rum day, we wanted to celebrate with you.”

From there, she turned things over to our master of ceremonies, tour supervisor Shunna-Gaye Mitchell. She gave a riveting introduction into the day’s proceedings from grass to glass, highlighting that this is where the Wi-Fi is weak but the rum is strong. The theoretical approach to sugar and rum was also balanced in a pragmatic fashion. Attendees sampled the virgin sugar cane, which was one of 20 within their fruit portfolio. “We started making sugar in 1670 and were the first to produce rum,” she said.

We also tried the company’s molasses and sugar. Already aware of the three-part process of sugar cane from molasses to sugar, it was fascinating to learn that Worthy Park creates their own molasses, as opposed to others who import this thick and bitter syrup for mass production. Cheers for being locally made.

Following a video presentation on the brand’s rich history, hosted by Yendi Phillipps, the group was off on a wonderful sugar adventure via tractor. We noticed that umbrellas were being packed for the trip and we wondered: would we need shelter from the sun or the rain? We got that answer at the distillery when heavy droplets drowned out the voice of our tour guide. Shunna-Gay, affectionately called Sugah, remained unfazed by the weather and continued orating at a higher volume.

THE TECHNOLOGY INVOLVED IN MAKING RUM

We went from one storage facility to the next, learning about the technology involved in making the rum a truly magical experience. I was particularly pleased with the bottling process, although machine-operated, still relied on the human touch to ensure that the high standards were met. By the time we reached quality control, the shake, rattle, and roll technique caught my eye. This test, done manually, is put in place to make certain the quality is premium with every sip.

On our way out, we were introduced to the company’s senior blender, Craig Nicholson. And in true media fashion, he was met with several questions about his role and his hand in making the rums. Highlighting that he has been with Worthy Park for a little over a year now, he has been maintaining the brands already in existence and noted that he had a hand in the creation of the rum cream.

Edging closer to our favourite aspect of the day, the rum tasting, guests engaged in an interesting discussion encompassing the ageing process. Surrounded by barrels, the sweet aromas permeating the atmosphere were both refreshing and intoxicating.

Losing six per cent of the rum in the process of expansion and condensation was a small price to pay for the incredible results bottled for celebratory consumption. A brisk stroll through the property in the restored sunshine landed us at the exit. And that’s when Sugah joked about us walking back because she could not get a hold of the driver. Who was walking? In this heat? No way! We all had a good laugh before the ride picked us up.

The drive back gave us an even greeted appreciation for what was in store for us. At the hub, we tried five of the products. Rum-Bar Silver. Let’s talk about strength! Strength of a woman and man, in one. Next up, the Rum-Bar Gold gave an initial vanilla scent, then came the oaky toasty notes a swirl or two later.

Worthy Park Select, released in January 2021, is a smooth blend of ages, four-year minimum to a 12-year maximum. It is recommended that it is sipped neat or on ice. As a mix, coconut water or pine and ginger will kick this rum into high gear. Medium-bodied, the swirl gave raisin and oaky toasty scents and had a great taste. The fourth, Worthy Park Single Estate Reserve, is a full body with thick legs. I immediately shouted, “That’s me!” And it was my absolute favourite. Aged between six to 10 years, we saw the green ring of ageing as proof that this one is top tier. Picking up citrus and vanilla notes, the taste was out of this world divine.

And for ‘dessert’, we were treated to a Rum Bar Rum Cream. I love me some rum cream so this was a nice finish to what was a thrilling adventure with spirits.

So is Worthy Park Estate worth the trip? The answer is yes!

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com