With a jam-packed calendar of Jamaica Food + Drink events ahead, the JFDF team and a group of hand-picked guests last Saturday escaped to the cool hills of Lluidas Vale, St Catherine, for Jamaica’s newest rum tour attraction.

The experience — a celebration of one of the island’s oldest sugar and rum producers — began with a virtual tour of the estate’s sugarcane fields and factory guided by vibesy tour supervisor Shunna-Gay “Suga” Mitchell; though, it was hard to concentrate with the aroma of Worthy Park rums wafting through the air.

Enter Senior Blender and Quality Control Manager Craig Nicholson, armed with the rums’ storied history and eager to lead guests through a rum-tasting featuring four of Worthy Park Single Estate premium rums.

The first release under the Worthy Park range of bottlings: the Single Estate Reserve was the first pour, followed by the 109 Proof. Then it was time for the new kid on the block. “We went into the lab with our marketing department and began brainstorming on how to prepare a more premium overproof rum experience. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Worthy Park White Overproof Rum,” said Nicholson. Cue applause.

“I think we’ve got you buzzed enough, so now it’s time for dessert… I call this the perfect sleep aid, the perfect creamer in coffee: Worthy Park Rum Cream,” continued Nicholson. Guests imbibed the full-bodied cream liqueur, cautiously though; sleep was not on the agenda as Suga rounded everyone up for a walking tour of the state-of-the-art distillery, ageing warehouse and bottling facility.

JFDF Calendar

Pork Palooza: Pig Out Thursday, November 2

Picante: Spices + Spirits Friday, November 3

Meet Street + The Market Meet Up Saturday, November 4