Rum School Experience from Salcombe Distilling

The Salcombe Distilling Co. has launched a new Rum School experience. 

Located at their waterside distillery on Island Street in Salcombe, one of the world’s only distilleries directly accessible by boat, Salcombe Rum School allows enthusiasts to learn about the art of rum distillation and cask ageing, distil their own 70cl bottle of rum and create a bespoke rum cocktail. 

Salcombe Rum School runs every Thursday afternoon (2pm – 5pm), £110 for one person or £160 for a shared experience for two and can be booked online.

During the session visitors receive a complimentary Salcombe Rum cocktail on arrival.  They then visit the still room where they learn from an experienced team of distillers all about rum production and how the distillation process works on traditional copper pot rum stills.  

Rum School label

The spirits are distilled in ‘Provident’, a 450-litre bespoke copper pot still which stands proud behind glass doors at the waterside distillery in Salcombe.  Drawing influence from the famous 19th century Salcombe fruit schooners and their precious cargo, Salcombe Distilling Co. uses only the finest fresh citrus fruits and spices to create its range of multi-award winning products.

After the still room tour, it’s time for guests to distil their own original bottle of rum in the R&D laboratory.  With the guidance of expert distillers, each student gets creative and formulates their own rum recipe picking from the range of botanicals supplied, or they can bring their own if they wish.  They’ll also have the chance to name and create a personalised label for their finished rum and be given a white wooden presentation box for their newly created 70cl bottle.  A second complimentary rum cocktail will be enjoyed during the distillation part of the session.

Rum School

While the attendees’ rums are distilled, they are taught about cask ageing and how it affects the quality and flavour of rum, before having the opportunity to sample some exclusive cask aged rum. To complete the Rum School experience, guests visit the Distillery bar to mix some of their newly created rum into a cocktail and unwind while reflecting on what they have learnt.

The premium ‘Island Street’ rum is a blend of single estate gold rum produced in Salcombe, with the finest exotic rums and spices from the Caribbean.  Created in honour of the transatlantic trading history of the Salcombe Fruiters, first a gold rum is produced by fermenting molasses, then distilling and ageing in Salcombe. 

Hand-sourced three year old pot still gold rum from Jamaica and three year old column still rum from the Dominican Republic are then blended with the Salcombe gold rum, along with a unique spiced pineapple distillate, to produce Salcombe Rum ‘Island Street’.