Mauritian Rum

Rum has been an integral part of Mauritian culture for centuries, deeply woven into the fabric of the island’s history. Much like the rhythmic beats of Séga drums that once echoed through the sugarcane fields, rum has long been considered the drink of the common people. The story of Mauritian rum begins with the introduction of sugarcane to its shores in 1639, when the first fermented drink, arrack, made its appearance. It was a Dutch settler named Jan Harmansz, residing in the district of Flacq, who first experimented with brewing the sap of the latanier palm. This marked the humble beginnings of what would later become a thriving rum industry. When the French settled on the island, they brought with them more sophisticated distillation techniques. Mahé de Labourdonnais, a prominent French governor, established a sugar refinery and distillery in Villebague, laying the foundations for organized rum production. The evolution of Mauritian rum took an interesting turn in the mid-19th...