Traveltalkonline.com Forums


SXM Cruise Schedule TTOL Sponsors SXM Travel Calendar
Forum Statistics
Forums39
Topics38,431
Posts310,076
Members26,538
Most Online2,218
Jan 21st, 2020
Top Posters(30 Days)
RonDon 115
pat 42
Todd 40
jazzgal 40
Member Spotlight
Aries4
Aries4
Morrisville, PA/West End, Tortola
Posts: 437
Joined: July 2006
Show All Member Profiles 
Today's Birthdays
ecco, OceanDrop, vincent
Who's Online Now
35 registered members (OceanSong, cabokid, CJIMI, bailau, Zanshin, Donaegada, caribbeangirl13, timnboston, RickG, Fran, eightzerobits, Bernd, kaba, SURICK, Michel_Benarrosh, Kennys, tradewinds, JeanneB, steve74, SacoFrank, blooming, SXMScubaman, RonDon, 12 invisible), 979 guests, and 66 spiders.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Toppers wins rum contest #185121
02/23/2019 08:59 AM
02/23/2019 08:59 AM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,478
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline OP
Traveler
Carol_Hill  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,478
Central Florida!
Daily Herald link

Has anyone here taken the tour of the distillery? I was surprised there was a charge for it. It was a long time ago I did it, but I thought the tour of the Bacardi factory was free?


Carol Hill
SXM Sponsors
Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: Carol_Hill] #185128
02/23/2019 10:02 AM
02/23/2019 10:02 AM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 112
STATEN ISLAND NY
R
Richie Offline
Traveler
Richie  Offline
Traveler
R
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 112
STATEN ISLAND NY
We were there in August when they did the first TTOL tasting ,and they charged $12.00 they let you try all the different rums they market,they also had food as part of the tasting !!

Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: Richie] #185129
02/23/2019 10:06 AM
02/23/2019 10:06 AM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,478
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline OP
Traveler
Carol_Hill  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,478
Central Florida!
According to the story, they are charging $20 a head for the tour. Just wondered what you get for $20.


Carol Hill
Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: Carol_Hill] #185133
02/23/2019 11:31 AM
02/23/2019 11:31 AM
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,398
Peaceful Eastern North Carolin...
GaKaye Offline
Traveler
GaKaye  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,398
Peaceful Eastern North Carolin...
I don't know the answer, but I do think that it's a cruise excursion. I'll ask Dave, who's running the tours.

Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: GaKaye] #185144
02/23/2019 01:45 PM
02/23/2019 01:45 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,478
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline OP
Traveler
Carol_Hill  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,478
Central Florida!
Would be interested to hear what you find out, but the cruise excursion could be different from the walk up tour. That just seems like a lot of money just for a tour of the factory, even if it includes some free samples.


Carol Hill
Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: Carol_Hill] #185163
02/23/2019 04:07 PM
02/23/2019 04:07 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 769
Western MA
S
SandS Offline
Traveler
SandS  Offline
Traveler
S
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 769
Western MA
We went Thursday. Walk in tour is $20.00. You start with a glass of rhum punch. You go into a little room like a classroom and get the history of rhum & how the rhum is made. The whole lecture is riddled with jokes and is very informative & enjoyable. Everyone gets a shot of Devil’s blood I believe it was called which came with a story. Then you get to choose two shots from the flavors that are under development and not marketed yet. My husband & I shared so we got to taste 4 different ones. Wide range of flavors. My favorite was licorice that had a crazy name. From there we went to the production area. We saw it being bottled, the caps being put on by hand & a shrink wrap safety seal being put on by hand. Then you got a shot of each of the flavors they sell (maybe 6) and a piece of rhum cake. You can then go back to your favorites and have as many as you like. Before you leave you can shop for rhum, t shirts, shot glasses etc. We thoroughly enjoyed it & thought we got our money’s worth. My only complaint was you didn’t get to see it being made. There were excursion people there that were continuing on to the restaurant for lunch. I don’t know what they paid.

Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: SandS] #185175
02/23/2019 05:19 PM
02/23/2019 05:19 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,478
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline OP
Traveler
Carol_Hill  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,478
Central Florida!
OK, sure sounds like the tour is pretty heavy on the rum tasting and most folks would be feeling no pain after!!! crazy Driving afterward sounds dicey...


Carol Hill
Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: Carol_Hill] #185179
02/23/2019 05:37 PM
02/23/2019 05:37 PM
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,288
P
PelicanPirate Offline
Traveler
PelicanPirate  Offline
Traveler
P
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,288
We just went to buy rum. We didnt pay for a tour, but you can see some tanks and they were putting labels on bottles. They poured sample cups of all the flavors including the standard ones like Mocha Momma and some specialty ones like salted caramel. If you drank all they poured, you might want to have a Driver. We just sipped. And Bought big and small bottles.

Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: Carol_Hill] #185182
02/23/2019 06:04 PM
02/23/2019 06:04 PM
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,225
Middle Tennessee
T
TravelHat Offline
Traveler
TravelHat  Offline
Traveler
T
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,225
Middle Tennessee
If I remember correctly the Bacardi one was free but you only get two drink tickets and the Cruzan one is free and you get two mixed drinks and get to taste 8 flavors.

Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: TravelHat] #185191
02/23/2019 06:50 PM
02/23/2019 06:50 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,478
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline OP
Traveler
Carol_Hill  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,478
Central Florida!
TravelHat--we did the Bacardi tour a long time ago, but we certainly got more than two drinks. Just can't figure out why the cost for this tour. Seems out of whack.


Carol Hill
Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: Carol_Hill] #185197
02/23/2019 07:30 PM
02/23/2019 07:30 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,566
Auburn, WA
SXMScubaman Online content
Traveler
SXMScubaman  Online Content
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,566
Auburn, WA
When we did the Bacardi tour it was free. Had many drinks. Not just two

Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: Carol_Hill] #185204
02/23/2019 08:16 PM
02/23/2019 08:16 PM
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 656
Maine
SXMbeacher Offline
Traveler
SXMbeacher  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 656
Maine
I think a Toppers tour would be neat to see, but 40 clams for the two of us i might think about. Bacardi definitely owes me a free tour! LOL



Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: Carol_Hill] #185220
02/23/2019 10:56 PM
02/23/2019 10:56 PM
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 181
W
WLE Offline
Traveler
WLE  Offline
Traveler
W
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 181
We did the tour two weeks ago and paid the $20/person, the history story of rum was so-so and the 8 samples of rum total about 2 shots
It's just a tourist trap to get people to buy rum, clothing and other stuff with Topper logos.
And they don' t really make it there, they flavor what they import and put it in fancy bottles.
If you want to see the a rum distillery go to Boca, they will show the whole process in back of the new restaurant.
The Topper tour was very misleading.

Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: WLE] #185222
02/23/2019 11:08 PM
02/23/2019 11:08 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 769
Western MA
S
SandS Offline
Traveler
SandS  Offline
Traveler
S
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 769
Western MA
I agree it is a tourist trap but we had a good time and learned something. Didn’t you get to drink as much as you wanted? We certainly did. Why don’t you think the rhum isn’t made there? I know Ma Dou Dou isn’t made in St Maarten but I don’t see how they can win an award if it really isn’t made there. What is Boca?

Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: TravelHat] #185224
02/24/2019 12:30 AM
02/24/2019 12:30 AM
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,253
Boynton Beach, FL
EdB Offline
Traveler
EdB  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,253
Boynton Beach, FL
I may be learning something that i never knew.. Bacardi and Cruzan factory tours on SXM???? Where are they located? I have been going to SXM for almost thirty years...and NEVER KNEW that they had plants on the island. Info please.

Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: EdB] #185227
02/24/2019 02:00 AM
02/24/2019 02:00 AM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,566
Auburn, WA
SXMScubaman Online content
Traveler
SXMScubaman  Online Content
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,566
Auburn, WA
Not in SXM. They are in Puerto Rico.

Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: Carol_Hill] #185230
02/24/2019 07:03 AM
02/24/2019 07:03 AM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,561
St Maarten
BillandElaine Offline
Traveler
BillandElaine  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,561
St Maarten
Have you ever tasted that stuff? Vile, sweet syrup. hangover


Elaine
*********************************
God Bless the broken road....
Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: Carol_Hill] #185241
02/24/2019 10:01 AM
02/24/2019 10:01 AM
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,398
Peaceful Eastern North Carolin...
GaKaye Offline
Traveler
GaKaye  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,398
Peaceful Eastern North Carolin...
Here's what Dave Herbert, who conducts the tours, told me: "The tour takes up to 90 minutes (depends on the number of people), a welcome Rhum Punch, a brief history of Rhum, our story, then they see the bottling and packaging, and 9 samples of Rhum. We are adding a little bit about barrel ageing but we have just started this so just starting to work it into the tour."

As to the cost, people are obviously willing to pay, as the tours are quite popular. They also have a cruise excursion that includes transportation and a visit to Maho beach to watch the planes. Not sure how much that one costs.

Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: EdB] #185244
02/24/2019 10:11 AM
02/24/2019 10:11 AM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,478
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline OP
Traveler
Carol_Hill  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,478
Central Florida!
Ed--as Scubaman said, the Bacardi tour is in San Juan. We also went to the Brugal factory, which is in the Dominican Republic. I think at the Brugal factory, I don't think there was any 'tour' per se, but you could buy a bottle of gold rum for $2! laugh The Bacardi tour was quite interesting, and you actually did see the huge barrels where the rum was actually made. That one, I would do again. I personally think I will pass on this one, as to ME, it's not worth the money.


Carol Hill
Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: Carol_Hill] #185267
02/24/2019 12:52 PM
02/24/2019 12:52 PM
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,398
Peaceful Eastern North Carolin...
GaKaye Offline
Traveler
GaKaye  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,398
Peaceful Eastern North Carolin...
I completely agree; not a fan of Toppers or their rum. Thankfully for our friend Dave, others are!

Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: BillandElaine] #185268
02/24/2019 12:53 PM
02/24/2019 12:53 PM
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,000
North Kingstown, Rhode Island
RI Bob C Offline
Traveler
RI Bob C  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,000
North Kingstown, Rhode Island
Which one - Bacardi or Topper's? Have had many of both and Topper's is very sweet so you sip it straight and have Coca Cola with the other.

Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: Carol_Hill] #185271
02/24/2019 01:04 PM
02/24/2019 01:04 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,313
Granville, MA
PreK176 Offline
Traveler
PreK176  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,313
Granville, MA
We have done the tour many times as Dave is a good friend of ours. The stories are funny and informative. You are tasting some rhums that might never make it to market which make them special. A few of them are available for purchase. Always good to sample before you buy! The rhum cake is very tasty. We always buy some of the regular rhum to bring home. We think it is well worth the $20. If you don't want to pay for the tour/sampling you can certainly go in and just buy the rhum.


[Linked Image]
[/url]
Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: SandS] #185273
02/24/2019 01:07 PM
02/24/2019 01:07 PM
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 181
W
WLE Offline
Traveler
WLE  Offline
Traveler
W
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 181
The name of the rum is Soualiga and is owned by the guy that owns the Boca Marina restaurant, Prestige Value, and Europcar car rentals.
You can find the rum at both Carrefour and Super U.
Most of the flavors are 80 proof and one that is about double that.

Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: WLE] #185312
02/24/2019 04:45 PM
02/24/2019 04:45 PM
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 181
W
WLE Offline
Traveler
WLE  Offline
Traveler
W
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 181

Correction, Most of the Soualiga rum is 40 proof and some more than that

Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: EdB] #185316
02/24/2019 05:20 PM
02/24/2019 05:20 PM
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,225
Middle Tennessee
T
TravelHat Offline
Traveler
TravelHat  Offline
Traveler
T
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,225
Middle Tennessee
Originally Posted by EdB
I may be learning something that i never knew.. Bacardi and Cruzan factory tours on SXM???? Where are they located? I have been going to SXM for almost thirty years...and NEVER KNEW that they had plants on the island. Info please.


Cruzan is in St. Croix. We did Bacardi in 2014 and we each were handed 2 drink tickets. I tipped the bartender pretty good and he didn’t look for any tickets after that.

Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: GaKaye] #185322
02/24/2019 06:02 PM
02/24/2019 06:02 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 13,141
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
islandgem Offline
Traveler
islandgem  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 13,141
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
The samples we had at Brad and Lora's party were very good Georgia. It was fun tasting all of them. Yes, some were sweet, but some were delicious! I like to have some bottles to serve to guests and share SXM memories.




Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: islandgem] #185332
02/24/2019 07:40 PM
02/24/2019 07:40 PM
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,398
Peaceful Eastern North Carolin...
GaKaye Offline
Traveler
GaKaye  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,398
Peaceful Eastern North Carolin...
Elizabeth, I guess that's why they make chocolate and vanilla, lol. I didn't like them at all.

Re: Toppers wins rum contest [Re: Carol_Hill] #185339
02/24/2019 09:20 PM
02/24/2019 09:20 PM
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 410
the Long Island
the captain Offline
Traveler
the captain  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 410
the Long Island
They won but based on what best flavors? Theres like 6 flavors


Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.6.1