Cruzan Rum Distillery, St. Croix
Rum labels
Rum bottles
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Cruzan Rum |
History
Cruzan Rum distillery was founded in 1760.
The Cruzan Rum Distillery is built among the ruins of greathouses and sugar mills in Estate Diamond, Frederiksted, St. Croix.
New home of Cruzan Rum facilities
By Marsha Munchez
Virgin Islands Rum Industries, Inc., distiller of Cruzan Rum, has a new home, and, ironically enough, it's in an old rum distillery on the company's property.
Built in 1920 in Estate Paradise under the direction of Peter Christian, Diamond Great House, the distillery's new administrative headquarters, was hit by hurricanes San Phillipe in 1928, Hugo in 1989 and Marilyn in 1995. But it never lost its top.
Christian, father of Ann Abramson, former commissioner of Public Works, was asked to construct the roof of the great house when mason workers were on strike. The wooden structure was assembled by mortise and tenon and it has successfully weathered all storms.
When construction workers began the restoration project two years ago, they were amazed to find not one nail in the roof structure. What deterioration they did find was largely due to termites.
The restoration project was carried out using the original wall, with the design being maintained in fact as well as in spirit. Indeed, nostalgia pervades this great house and its rich history.
It was in 1851 that Robert Skeoch arrived on St. Croix to begin a new career as overseer of Estate Paradise sugar plantation. He probably never anticipated the generations of families who would follow his footsteps.
When Skeoch's son Malcolm purchased the plantation in 1910, he knew that the land was good for sugarcane. He soon discovered that a small distillery on the property could be made operative again. This lucrative operation made the difference between success and failure of the plantation.
However, prohibition came along in 1920 and put the family out of the rum business. After prohibition's repeal in 1933, the factory was begun again, and the first rum was distilled a year later.
Several members of the Nelthropp family came to work for the Skeoch's. Nelthropps became partners in the company and eventually bought the firm.
In the subsequent years the Nelthropps have maintained the company's standing as a successful family-owned enterprise. Today at Virgin Islands Rum, the family proves there's no substitute for age and experience.
Donald C. "Hardy" Nelthropp, Sr. groomed his children Gary, Donald Jr. and Karen in the rum business from the time they were knee-high. Gary is now vice president of sales and distillery operations, Donald Jr. is vice president of plant operations, and Karen (now Lowe) is the visitor's pavilion manager.
In 1994, Virgin Islands Rum Industries was purchased by Todhunter International, a Florida-based alcohol-producing firm. Todhunter kept the Nelthropp family on to run the company and invested substantially in capital improvements to the plant, increasing production capacity from 1,100 cases to 16,000 cases per day.
"The synergy between V.I. Rum and its parent company has worked well for the betterment of the plant and the Virgin Islands as a whole," the senior Nelthropp said.
Over $50,000,000 is paid annually in excise taxes to the local government by V.I. Rum, and government bonds are secured solely on the strength of the company. V.I. Rum is an Industrial Development Commission beneficiary and its policy is to hire and buy locally.
V.I. Rum also invests in the community by aiding local organizations.
"Each year," said Marvin Pickering, vice president and chief financial officer of the company, "the University of the Virgin Islands receives $25,000 from V.I. Rum toward scholarships."
Also benefiting from its generosity are the Olympic committee, Queen Louise Home, Caribbean Community Theater and V.I. America's Cup Challenge.
V.I. Rum is the only manufacturer of rum in the Virgin Islands since Brugal in Frederiksted went out of business three years ago, bottling several labels under the Cruzan Rum name. The Nelthropps take this responsibility very seriously.
Said Gary, "The goal of the Nelthropp family is to educate the public to raw versus aged rum. On each of our bottles there is an age statement. If the label says two years, it means the youngest drop of rum that went into that bottle was two years old.
"The aging process guarantees a smooth quality of rum," he said.
Cruzan Rum is a big seller in stores and restaurants in the mainland and as far away as Japan, South America and Russia. It is the largest authorized export producer of rum into the United States and is usually priced well below rivals Barcardi and Don Q.
Look for new labels and new packaging on Premium Dark and Light Crucian Rum bottles. New products to try are The Cruzan Estate N a blend of full-bodied 4 to 10-year-old rums aged in oak barrels) and Junkanu Citrus Stash (a natural citrus-flavored rum) in beautiful hand-blown bottles.
Virgin Islanders will be able to see the new look and try the new products next month when they reach local stores. V.I. Rum is distributed by Premiere Wine & Spirits.
In the 1930’s, and until July 1944, St. Croix Sugar Cane Industries, Inc. was a corporation, comprised of The Diamond Rum Company and Santa Cruz Distillers. Its primary purpose was to distribute their rum products in the United States. The investors of The Diamond Rum Company were the same investors as those of St. Croix Sugar Cane Industries, Inc. Some were also investors in Santa Cruz Distillers.
In July, 1944 St. Croix Sugar Cane Industries, Inc became a partnership d/b/a/ St. Croix Sugar Cane Industries, after the merger of The Diamond Rum Company and Santa Cruz Distillers.
In December, 1953 the above partnership was dissolved and the company once again became a corporation, St. Croix Sugar Cane Industries, Inc.
Cruzan became part of Beam Global in 2008.
Pictures gallery
Old sugar mill
Estate's greathouse
19th cent. chimney
New building
Seed tanks
Beer still
Maturing
Filtering
Bottling
Tightening
Labeling
Bottling machine
Rum
Barrels
Painted barrels
Danger
Here are full texts from the labels
vi_13: Wirgin Islands White Cruzan Rum; West Indies Rum; Imported; Cruzan Rum Distillery Co., St. Croix, Virgin Islands
vi_15: Wirgin Islands Gold Cruzan Rum; West Indies Rum; Imported; Cruzan Rum Distillery Co., St. Croix, Virgin Islands
vi2: Imported; Light Dry Cruzan Premium Virgin Islands Rum; Only the highest quality ingredients and careful aging will produce the clean flavor of Cruzan Rum; Distilled and shipped by Cruzan Rum Distillery Co., St. Croix, Virgin Islands; 40% alc. by vol. (eighty proof)
vi3: Proprietors Reserve Rum; Adged 4 years in selected oaken casks Cruzan Estate; Distilled, aged & crafted by Cruzan Rum Distillery Co., St. Croix, Estate Diamonds, St. Croix, V.I.; 40% alc. by vol., 80 proof; D.C. Nelthropp Master Distiller
vi21: Hand-crafted; Since 1760; Cruzan Single Barrel; Estate Rum; Distilled, aged & crafted by Cruzan Rum Distillery Co., Estate Diamond, St. Croix, V.I.; 40% alc. by vol.; 70 cl; D.C. Nelthropp Master Distiller
vi5: St. Croix; Premium Light Cruzan Rum; Double distilled and aged a minimum of two years in select oaken casks and charcoal filtered for smoothness. Only the finest quality ingredients, the rich traditions of the master distillers' art and careful aging and blending will produce the distingtive rich taste and aroma of premium light Cruzan Rum; Cask adged 2 years; Distilled, adged & blended by Cruzan Rum Distillery Co., St.Croix, Virgin Islands; 40% alc. by vol., 800 proof; 044286560506, 044286560353
vi_14: Virgin Islands Gold Cruzan Rum; West Indies Rum
vi4: St. Croix; Premium Dark Cruzan Rum; A premium blend of carefully selected older rum, aged a minimum of two years in select charred oaken casks. Only the finest quality ingredients, the rich traditions of the master distillers' art and careful aging and blending will produce the distingtive rich taste and aroma of premium dark Cruzan Rum; Cask adged 2 years; Distilled, adged & blended by Cruzan Rum Distillery Co., St.Croix, Virgin Islands; 40% alc. by vol., 800 proof; 044286561503, 044286561350
vi_11: Cruzan Single Barrel Estate Rum
vi_6: Cruzan Estate Diamond Rum
vi_3: Cruzan Clipper Rum, 60%
vi_4: Cruzan Rum, 75%
vi15: Cruzan Estate Light Rum; Virgin Islands
vi14: Cruzan Estate Dark Rum; Virgin Islands
vi13: Cruzan Estate Diamond Rum; Virgin Islands
vi_18: Cruzan Estate Light Rum; Virgin Islands
vi_33: Cruzan Aged Rum
vi_34: Cruzan Aged Rum
vi_36: Cruzan Aged Rum 151 Overproof
vi_55: Cruzan 9 Spiced Rum
vi12: Cruzan Clipper Spiced Rum; Cruzan Rum Blended with Natural Spices & Flavors; Produced by Cruzan Rum Distillery Company, St. Croix, Virgin Islands; 40% alc by vol [Eighty Proof]
vi_30: Atocha Gold Spiced Rum; Cruzan Rum Company
vi_31: Cruzan Rum Cream; Cruzan Rum, Rich Liqueur and Natural Flavor
vi_5: Cruzan Rum Cream
vi_7: Cruzan Banana Rum; Premium Cruzan Rum With Natural Banana Flavors; The Taste Is Real; 27.5 % alc by vol
vi_8: Cruzan Pineapple Rum; Premium Cruzan Rum With Natural Pineapple Flavor; The Taste Is Real; 27.5 % alc by vol
vi_9: Cruzan Orange Rum; Premium Cruzan Rum With Natural Orange Flavors; The Taste Is Real; 27.5 % alc by vol
vi_10: Cruzan Coconut Rum; Premium Cruzan Rum With Natural Coconut Flavors; The Taste Is Real; 27.5 % alc by vol
vi_2: Cruzan Junkanu Citrus Rum
vi_23: Cruzan Banana Rum
vi_24: Cruzan Citrus Rum
vi_25: Cruzan Coconut Rum
vi_26: Cruzan Mango Rum
vi_27: Cruzan Orange Rum
vi_28: Cruzan Pineapple Rum
vi_29: Cruzan Vanilla Rum
vi_35: Cruzan Guava Rum; Premium Cruzan Rum with natural Guava Flavor; The Taste is Real; 27.5% alc/vol;
vi36: Cruzan Banana Rum; Premium Cruzan Rum with Banana Flavors; The taste is real; 27.5% alc/vol; Award winning Cruzan St. Croix Rum
vi35: Cruzan Mango Rum; Premium Cruzan Rum with Mango Flavors; The taste is real; 27.5% alc/vol; Award winning Cruzan St. Croix Rum
vi37: Cruzan Orange; Cruzan Orange spirit; A blend of premium Cruzan Rum and natural orange flavors; Spirit of the Caribbean; 100 cl; 30% vol
vi_37: Cruzan Black Cherry Rum; Premium Cruzan Rum with Natural Cherry Flavors
vi_38: Cruzan Black Strap Rum; St. Croix, U.S.V.I.; Navy Tradition
vi_52: Cruzan Aged Rum; Origin of St. Croix; 40% alc by vol; Aged a minimum of 1 year in Americak oak barrel; Distilled, aged & blended by Cruzan International, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands; 1760
vi_51: Cruzan Aged Rum; Origin of St. Croix; 40% alc by vol; Aged a minimum of 2 year in Americak oak barrel; Distilled, aged & blended by Cruzan International, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands; 1760
vi_53: Original Cruzan Single Barrel Rum; 1760
vi_54: Cruzan Black Strap Rum; 1760
vi_50: Cruzan Aged Rum; Origin of St. Croix; 75.5% alc by vol; Aged a minimum of 1 year in Americak oak barrel; Distilled, aged & blended by Cruzan International, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands; 1760
vi_39: Cruzan Black Cherry Rum; Premium Cruzan Rum from the island of St. Croix with natural black cherry flavors; 27.5% alc by vol
vi_40: Cruzan Banana Rum; Premium Cruzan Rum from the island of St. Croix with natural Banana flavors; 27.5% alc by vol
vi_41: Cruzan Citrus Rum; Premium Cruzan Rum from the island of St. Croix with natural Citrus flavors; 27.5% alc by vol
vi_42: Cruzan Coconut Rum; Premium Cruzan Rum from the island of St. Croix with natural Coconut flavors; 27.5% alc by vol
vi_43: Cruzan Guava Rum; Premium Cruzan Rum from the island of St. Croix with natural Guava flavors; 27.5% alc by vol
vi_44: Cruzan Mango Rum; Premium Cruzan Rum from the island of St. Croix with natural Mango flavors; 27.5% alc by vol
vi_45: Cruzan Pineapple Rum; Premium Cruzan Rum from the island of St. Croix with natural Pineapple flavors; 27.5% alc by vol
vi_46: Cruzan Rapsberry Rum; Premium Cruzan Rum from the island of St. Croix with natural Rapsberry flavors; 27.5% alc by vol
vi_48: Cruzan Vanilla Rum; Premium Cruzan Rum from the island of St. Croix with natural Vanilla flavors; 27.5% alc by vol
vi_47: Cruzan Rum Cream; Origin of St. Croix; A rum cream luqueur with natural flavors expertly; Blended by Cruzan Rum; 15% alc by vol
vi~3: Cruzan Estate Dark Rum; St. Croix; Oak Cask Aged 2 Years; 40% alc/vol; 70 cl; Distilled, aged & blended by Cruzan Rum Distillery Co., St. Croix, U.S.V.I.; 5700359302576
vi~4: Cruzan Premium Rum; Diamond Estate; The Perfect Rum; Aged in Oaken Caska for Smoothness & Character. Produced by the CruzanDistillery Company, Ltd. in Estate Diamond St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands; Batch No. ED 577688; 40% alc by vol; 80 Proof
vi~1: Cruzan Mango; Premium Cruzan Rum with natural Mango Flavors; The Real Tropical Taste; 30% alc/vol, 70 cl; 5700359302675
vi~2: Cruzan Vanilla; Premium Cruzan Rum with natural Vanilla Flavors; The Real Tropical Taste; 30% alc/vol, 70 cl; 5700359301425
vi~5: Cruzan Pineapple Rum; Premium Cruzan Rum with natural Pineapple Flavors; The Taste is Real; 27.5% alc/vol; 089016004516
vi~6: Cruzan Coconut Rum; Premium Cruzan Rum with natural Coconut Flavors; The Taste is Real; 27.5% alc/vol; 089016004509