Domaine de Severin

Domaine de Séverin at Sainte-Rose has been distilling since the nineteenth century and still turns its mill with a water wheel fed from a channel off the river, which is unusual anywhere and rare in the Caribbean. It makes rhum agricole from fresh cane juice rather than molasses, in the French island manner, and the estate around the buildings grows cane, coffee and crayfish in ponds. A small train runs a circuit of the plantation.

What you actually see

• The water wheel - the mill still driven by water from the river channel.
• The agricole process - rum distilled from fresh cane juice rather than molasses.
• The crayfish ponds - the freshwater crayfish farmed on the estate.
• The estate train - the small train circuit through the plantation.

When to go

December to April is the driest. The cane harvest and distilling run from around February to June. The train runs to a schedule and may not operate daily.

Honest expectations

Distilling is seasonal and outside the harvest the plant is idle. The train is aimed at families and costs extra. Tastings are short and the shop is prominent.

Nearby

Sainte-Rose is nearby, and Sofaia is above.