Home of Bayou Rum in Jeff Davis Parish turns Louisiana sugar cane into spirits
By Amanda Black
LACASSINE, La. — Bayou Rum is handmade at Louisiana Spirits Distillery in Lacassine in Jeff Davis Parish.
Using traditional methods and state-of-the-art technology, the distillery currently produces two spirits: Silver Bayou Rum and Spiced Bayou Rum.
When the craft distillery opened last year, it joined a small group of rum producers in the United States. By using locally grown sugar cane, Louisiana Spirits is recapturing the state’s role as a sugar cane rum producer. The state is the second largest producer of sugar cane in the country behind Florida.
“History tells us that rum was made here,” said Trey Litel, president of Louisiana Spirits. “We thought why not bring back this tradition, and wouldn’t our fellow Louisianans want to purchase superior quality rums made right here.”
Here’s a TV news report on the distillery: Click here to watch the video
Those who are curious about how the rum is made will enjoy taking a tour of Louisiana Spirits.
“We opened the doors on November 16 of last year,” Litel said. “We are offering quite a fun time with our tours.”
The experience begins with a video explaining the ingredients and how they’re grown. From there, the tour moves to the viewing rooms, where the stills are behind a large viewing window. The accompanying exhibits focus on the history of sugarcane and rum making.
The 20- to-30-minute tours end with a tasting and chance to browse the gift shop.
Tours are available Tuesday through Saturday. Groups of 20 or fewer can make reservations online for the regularly scheduled times. Larger groups should contact the distillery directly to make reservations for their visits.
Set on 22 acres, the distillery features a renovated historical 1903 farmhouse, ponds surrounded by Louisiana cypress trees and a sugar cane field. Easy to access from Interstate 10, exit 48, the distillery is located 15 miles outside of Lake Charles. The parking lot can accommodate three motorcoaches at a time.