Rum fills with color the Caribbean islands. The three traditional varieties-white, golden and dark-are multiplied when blending with some sweet liquor, a tropical fruit juice or a typical spice. Every island elaborates its own rum.

The variety of rums that can be found in every corner of the Caribbean is endless.

None is equal. The characteristics of the soil influence on the sugar cane quality, the different methods of distillation and fermentation are translated into original and unique drinksfor every palate.

Anguilla Pyrat has been the most representative rum of the island. Elaborated and bottled in Anguilla, a mixture of the best Caribbean rums, aged in oak casks. The factory is equipped with a tasting room open to visitors, located at Sandy Ground road, from 8 a.m. a 5 p.m., from Monday to Friday. Koal Keel Restaurant offers a rum-tasting room where visitors can enjoy over 40 different rum varieties while smoking one of the best Cuban cigars in the Cigar Room. Koal Keel Restaurant The Valley Phone: 497-2930 Web: www.koalkeel.com Anguilla Rums Ltd. Distillery Pyrat Rum Box 1023 The Valley, Anguilla BWI Phone: 497-5003/5006

ANTIGUA AND "SUGAR KING" "The Betty's Hope" was the first large plantation of Antigua Island marked by the history of Sugar King dating from the 17th century, the date where the first British settlement occurred. Two old mill towers and the ruins of the house now under restoration.

BAHAMAS' RUM Yer Hó, Jack Malatan or Chick Charney are among its most famous rums. You can also taste liquors of tropical flavors as pineapple, coconut or banana. They all make a perfect blend with different liquors and achieve the most exotic flavors.

GRENADA, THE RUM LAND Grenada has distilleries as Westwerhall Estate Ltd. which manufactures rums as Run Sipper, Westerhall, Super Light or Jack Iron. River Antoine Estate Distillery manufactures Rivers rums while Dunfermline Estate Distillery makes Dunfermine and Spicy Jack rums. Clake's Court Rum from Grenada Sugar Factory distillery has been recognized in three editions of the World Rum Festival .

GUADELOUPE AND ITS RUM Guadeloupe has fundamentally two types of rum: The farm rum, is made by distilling the fermented sugar cane. The other type is the industrial-manufacturing rum, made of molasses after extracting sugar. One cannot leave Guadeloupe without tasting the delicious rum and of course without visiting the "Musée Du Rum," (Museo del Ron). At Domaine de Séverin hacienda, you can see a genuine distillery under operation. A colonial house lodges this distillery equipped with a paddle wheel. The facility is located in the midst of a jungle-like zone and there visitors can observe and learn the different processes of rum manufacturing. But Guadeloupe does not end here, because in Marie-Galante, one of its islands, you can taste a fantastic rum and see the Gran-Bourg, the Murat Castle and its mill, built in the 18th century. Mareau Punch, located at a mile toward north, is the birthplace of one of the most famous legends of the island by which it is said that slaves who were fighting for their freedom during the French Revolution, poured all the sugar and rum found on their way inside an artificial pond and set fire to make the largest punch in history. Among its most famous rums are Pére Labat, made by Poisson Distillery and Damoiseau Rum manufactured by a distillery located at Grand Terré, which offers guided visits. A room is devoted to rum tasting in a separate building from the distillery. Dorado Oscuro is another rum from Guadeloupe archipelago is perfect to drink it alone, though is also good for blending.

INTERESTING DATA Farm rum distillery: CODERUM Zone Industriele de la Pointe Jarry BP 2015 97191 Jrry Cedex Phone: 05 90 26 62 12 Fax: 05 90 26 86 76 E-Mail: coderum@rhumagricole.com

SPAIN'S RUM In Canary Islands, Spain, sweet rums are manufactured as Miel Guajiro Rum from Guajiro Distillery, Arehucas and Miel Guanche Rum from Arehucas Canarias Distillery or Ron de la Aldea (Village Rum) from De la Aldea Distillery.

CAYMAN ISLANDS AND RUM Aged in oak casks, Tortuga Gold Rum is a five-year aged rum, Premium category. Tortuga Rum has been awarded in the three last editions of the World Rum Festival.

DOMINICA Shilhinford Estate Ltd. is the largest Dominican distillery and the only official one in the island that manufactures rum from local sugar cane. In Dominica "especiado" (spiced rums) means those rums to which an indigenous plant or any spice rendering a special flavor has been added.

UNITED STATES Bowman distillery, Virginia state, keeps the tradition of mixing the best ingredients with the human technique and the most advance technology to manufacture rums as Bowman's Ruport Rum. In Louisiana, Celebration Distillation Corporation produces, N.O Rum, made of the best selection of home-made rums, distilled, aged and bottled in New Orleans Celebration Distillation Corporation 2815 Frenchman Street New Orleans. Lousiana 70122 Phone: 504 945 94 00

JAMAICA

Appelton is Jamaica's oldest sugar hacienda, located in the fertile Na Jan valley. In Jamaica's rum manufacturing, dunder-the product that remained in the boiler when the whole alcohol content and a large amount of fermented liquid were eliminated by distillation-, was used in addition to sugar cane. Wray & Nephew Society continues manufacturing rum at the style of Appelton Hacienda where the production stages are under controlled. Appelton Hacienda has, among its numerous rum brands, Appelton Special Jamaica Rum, distilled in the very Appelton Hacienda and other sparkling rums of all-encompassing taste, distilled in traditional pans and also lighter rums distilled in oak casks. Appelton Estate V/X Jam Rum, is another Appelton rum, a mixture of hacienda rums and the result is one of the best rums, made of: cultivated and matured sugar grown at local lands and spring waters naturally. The product has a golden color and a nice taste, is soft and pleasant for the palate. Appelton Estate 21. Y.O. is an old and fine blend of hacienda rums. The label states that this is a 12-year aged rum. Because of its soft taste and daring nature can only be compared to the finest aged brandys. Another rum is Appelton White Jamaican, its manufacture is different to that of other white rums. The Appelton is aged and then slowly filtered through a special bed of charcoal.

INTERESTING ADDRESS: APPELTON JAMAICAN RUM E-Mail: webadm@appeltonrum.com Web: www.jamaica-irie.com Phone: 876/ 920-3832 876 963 9215-7 Fax: 876 693 9218 Another world-known Jamaican brand is Lamb´s Navy, established in 1889. Among its well-known brands are Sangster's Old Jamaica Spirits Rum that only use aged rums, carefully prepared. ADDRESS: Sangsters Old Jamaica 17 Holborn Road. New Kingston, Jamaica Phone: 876 926 8888 Fax: 876 929 8465

OTHER SANGSTERS PRODUCTS: Rum creams: In different flavors, coffee, banana and coconut. Rum liquors: With wild orange taste, this is one of the typical drinks tasted in Christmas.