At Cane Rat, we don't buy rum. We make it.

Founded in 2020 with the backing of hundreds of Kickstarter supporters, our distillery was built on a simple ambition: to create authentic rum, crafted entirely from scratch here in the UK. While most British rum producers source and blend imported spirit, we committed to the slower, more demanding path of fermenting, distilling and maturing our own. It's a philosophy that has shaped everything we've done ever since.

From fermenting organic panela to distillation, maturation and bottling, every stage of production takes place at our distillery in Buckinghamshire. It's a slower, more demanding way to make rum, but it's the only way we know.

We're proud to be one of only a handful of distilleries in the UK that craft rum this way.

By creating our own spirit from scratch, we're not simply producing rum, we're creating one that could only be made here. Every stage of the process leaves its mark, resulting in a rum with a character and identity that's unmistakably our own.

We don't chase shortcuts or industrial consistency. We focus on producing authentic rum in small batches, allowing every release to express the natural character that comes from traditional production.

Because authentic rum isn't bought, blended and branded. It's crafted from the ground up.

Our Distillery

At the heart of our distillery is a 600-litre direct gas-fired copper alembic pot still.

Using traditional pot distillation allows us to create a rich, full-bodied spirit with depth, texture and complexity. Every run is carefully managed by hand, with decisions guided by experience rather than automation.

The result is rum that reflects the choices we make throughout the entire process, from fermentation through to the final cut.

Why Cane Rat?

The cane rat lives among the sugar cane from which rum has been made for centuries. Resilient, resourceful and quietly determined, it represents the spirit of independence that defines our distillery.

Like our namesake, we're not interested in following the easiest path. We believe the best results come from patience, curiosity and a willingness to do things differently.

We're proud to be an independent British rum distillery, making authentic rum from fermentation to bottle…

one small batch at a time.

WE ARE A RUM DISTILLERY

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Our little ornamental still had been neglected for a while... The copper has reacted to form a beautiful blue compound (possibly a sulphate) along the inside surface.
Our still is a traditional copper alembic design and does not include any sophisticated Clean-in-Place (CIP) systems which automate the cleaning process. So, all cleaning is done manually, by hand, after every distillation. The reward justifies the
10 December 2023 That was the day the liquid entered our ex-Tokaji wine barrel, and every day since has been a trade-off between quality and quantity. But, quality wins every single time. We filled the barrel to approximately two-thirds capacity, a
Cobwebs... These casks haven’t been moved in months, and they likely won’t be for a few more years, when the liquid inside is ready to be bottled. Many brands are taking shortcuts by adding flavourings, sweeteners and colours to make the
Divine protection, for a fee. The angels certainly take their share when watching over our barrels. Over time, a small amount of liquid is lost to evaporation. The famous “Angel’s Share.” This can amount to several litres over
Out of sight... But not out of mind. November was the last time we opened this fermentation vat up. By then, the wash had already been sitting there for approximately 8 months. Long fermentation times mean more ester production, let's see how this
We keep talking about British rum… but what does that really mean? Very few distilleries in the UK make their rum from scratch. That means fermenting and distilling on-site, with even fewer maturing it. At our distillery, we make it all here
The Steam Clean Every so often, we distil a mixture of vinegar and water though the still. This removes any built up residue, ensuring the still is ready for the next spirit run.