Topper's Rhum Distillery Tour in St Maarten: Taste 20+ Rums

Learn to taste rum the way the distillery does, then cook with it.

Topper's Rhum Distillery Tour in St Maarten is a hands-on tasting class where you learn the history and craft of rum-making, taste over 20 of the distillery's 124 flavored rums, and cook or mix drinks using Topper's spirits. The tour runs 90 minutes at a waterfront landmark building on the Caribbean's largest lagoon, includes a welcome rum punch, small-batch specialty tastings, and rum-infused gelato and food, with the option to volunteer as guest chef or bartender. Children from age 1 are welcome; you must be 18 to drink alcohol.

Step-by-step itinerary

Topper's Rhum Distillery Tour

• Arrive and receive rhum punch
• Join hands-on guided distillery tour
• Learn rum history and production
• Discover fermentation, distillation, blending
• Learn to nose and taste rhum
• Taste over 20 flavored rhums
• Sample rum cake and gelato
• Cook and taste rhum-infused food

The Experience

You arrive at a landmark building sitting directly on the Caribbean's largest lagoon and are greeted with a refreshing rum punch. A guide walks you through the distillery's fermentation, distillation, blending, aging and bottling process, explaining how Topper's—St Maarten's official rum and USA Today's Best Caribbean Rum Distillery for four years—maintains quality standards across its 124 different flavored rums. This is not a passive tour: you learn how to nose and taste rum like a professional, picking up the vocabulary and technique the distillery uses to evaluate its own spirits.

Over the course of 90 minutes, you taste more than 20 samples, including six of Topper's signature rums and 15 small-batch specialty releases. Between tastings, you sample rum cake, rum-infused Italian gelato, and food prepared with Topper's Rhum. If you want to go further, you can volunteer to be the guest chef or bartender of the day, actually making drinks or dishes as part of the experience. The distillery sits on a property that also houses a restaurant, bar, gelateria and gift shop, so you have the option to linger after the tour ends.

The building is fully wheelchair accessible, and infants and small children can come in a pram or stroller. Public transportation is available nearby. You must be at least 18 years old to drink alcohol in St Maarten, though children can attend the tour and participate in the non-alcoholic parts of the tasting and food experience.

What’s included

• Hands-on distillery tour with a guide.
• welcome rum punch.
• tastings of six signature rums and 15 small-batch specialty rums (over 20 samples total).
• rum cake, rum-infused Italian gelato, and food prepared with Topper's Rhum.
• instruction on how to nose and taste rum.
• option to volunteer as guest chef or bartender of the day.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Topper's Rhum

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to learn rum-making from the inside rather than just taste it—the hands-on instruction and the chance to cook or mix drinks with Topper's spirits sets it apart from a standard tasting room visit.

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Top questions

What exactly do I taste during the Topper's Rhum Distillery Tour?

You taste over 20 samples total: six of Topper's signature rums, 15 small-batch specialty rums chosen by the distillery, rum cake, rum-infused Italian gelato, and food prepared with Topper's Rhum. The guide teaches you how to nose and taste rum properly so you can evaluate the spirits yourself.

Can I participate in the tour if I'm under 18 or don't drink alcohol?

Yes. Children from age 1 are welcome on the tour. If you're under 18 or prefer not to drink, you can still attend the distillery tour, learn about rum-making, taste the non-alcoholic components like gelato and food, and participate in the hands-on activities like cooking or bartending if you choose.

What does "volunteer as guest chef or bartender" mean?

During the tour, you have the option to step into the role of guest chef or bartender for the afternoon, actually preparing dishes or drinks using Topper's Rhum as part of the experience rather than just observing or tasting what others have made.

How long is the Topper's Rhum Distillery Tour?

The tour runs 90 minutes from start to finish, including the welcome rum punch, the behind-the-scenes distillery walk, the tastings, and the food and gelato sampling.

Where is Topper's Rhum Distillery located?

Topper's Rhum Distillery is located on the Caribbean's largest lagoon in St Maarten, in a landmark building that also houses the distillery's restaurant, bar, gelateria, and gift shop. Public transportation options are available nearby.

Is the distillery accessible for people with mobility challenges?

Yes. All areas and surfaces of the distillery are wheelchair accessible. Infants and small children can be brought in a pram or stroller, and service animals are allowed.