By ANNELIA NIXON

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

John Watling’s Distillery hosted a mixology and rum tasting session at its Buena Vista Estate location following the soft launch of its ‘We B Learnin’ Rum Academy.

Following that launch almost two months ago, John Watling is offering rum tasting and mixology experiences at $80 per head with groups of 10 persons or more receiving discounts. It is also offering a ‘bottle your own experience’, where visitors “can bottle your own bottle of John Watling’s rum, a 250 ml bottle”, according to Pepin Argamasilla, John Watling’s managing partner, after partnering with Bahamas Botanicals, Commonwealth Brewery and Graycliff.

“We offer two experiences right now - a rum tasting and mixology,” Mr Argamasilla said. “Both last for around 45 minutes, and basically the rum tasting will take you through six different rums. Included in that is also a visit to the warehouse, where we open up a barrel and we actually let you taste rum directly from the barrel.

“Then we take you through our different expressions all the way up to our John Watling’s Bullion, which was awarded last year - the most respected award in the industry - which was a gold medal at Monde Selection in Belgium. And then the mixology. We partnered up with Commonwealth Brewery as well as Bahamas Botanicals to make two cocktails - a Cascarilla Sunrise and the Skylarking cocktail.

“With the bullion that we do for the rum tasting, we also partner with Graycliff and give a sample of their chocolates. We have a very strong belief that we all have one product. And that product is The Bahamas,” he added.

“We either get that right or get it wrong. If we get it right, then there’s a benefit to everybody. If we get it wrong, then there’s a problem to everybody. And we saw that during COVID when no tourists were coming. So we believe in partnering up with as many people as we can to create a greater experience and a better product.

“We’ve already built the the free tour. We have a retail store, and we also have a tavern. And we’ve got a multitude of tourists coming every year, ridiculous amounts. And we partner with all the companies that move people around the island, like Pirate Jeep Tours, Bahamas Experience, Majestic, Leisure, etc,” Mr Argamasilla said.

“And it was a natural progression to be able to go in and to do these types of experience to, again, give something new to returning guests, who we have a lot of, and also offer something new to the property.”

Andy Fowler, senior vice-president at Bahamas Botanicals, said the partnership was a win-win for all.

“We are creating an experience that’s authentic, that’s Bahamian,” Mr Fowler said. “Bahamas Botanicals uses the fruits, plants, The Bahamas. John Watling’s has done a very good job in creating a brand, a rum that’s unique to The Bahamas. It’s Bahamian-made. So the merger of those two, it just makes sense - Bahamian, Bahamian. And at the end of the day, the Bahamas benefits. Tourists sees these various products being featured.”

Joy Jibrilu, the Nassau/Paradise Island Promotion Board’s chief executive, described the mixology and rum tasting experience as a “full circle moment”, revealing that when it launched she could not see the potential, though she was willing to support it.

“I’ll never forget the day that Pepin and Jose came into Office of the Prime Minister when, at that time, I was in the role of director of investments,” Mrs Jibrilu said. “This [Buena Vista] was an absolute wreck. It was a shambles and they were talking about the vision that they had, and I’m looking at them like we could help them, because I didn’t see what they were seeing at the time.

“And working with them because saying, ‘Okay, if you believe, and if you’re that committed to the transformation of this historic Buena Vista site, we will work with you’, to see what they have done and how it continues to evolve.... the amount of people who come here, Bahamians, visitors, and enjoy this experience. I’m actually so proud of them. It’s a full circle moment, and it’s one of those, you look at it, it’s like almost a baby that you see growing up. This is a great moment.”

Latia Duncombe, the Ministry of Tourism’s director-general, added: “It’s all about ‘We B Learnin’, learning a little bit about our country, but also about our spirits and our Bahamian businesses; Bahamas Botanicals, pairing together with Commonwealth Brewery, and also here at John Watling’s, and we are learning about the essence of the products that they offer, the atmosphere that they’ve created, the well known Bahamian mixologist, it’s home to John Watling’s as well.

“And again, for me, what’s more important, it’s another experience for my visitors to enjoy. John Watling’s is located in walking distance from the cruise port. On a busy day, we can have 4,000 visitors, and so it’s an opportunity to improve and enhance the visitor experience.”