When you think of rum, your mind probably goes to the Caribbean and Latin America, but sugar cane spirits are made all over the world, like Fiji! Sugar cane which is native to Asia would have been planted in Fiji long before it was brought to the Americas. The country is made up of over 300 islands which together have a landmass about twice the size of Jamaica and produce about 160,000 tonnes of sugar annually. The sugar cane planted is an old variety which was wiped out by disease in the Caribbean in the late 19th century but still thrives in Fiji.
Today there are a number of rum producers on the island including the South Pacific Distillery and the Rum Co. of Fiji. The latter produces two brands, Ratu and Bounty, though you do see independent bottling from the likes of Plantation and others. The style of Fijian rum combines some of the weight and intensity of Jamaica with the elegance and balance of Barbados.