Barbados’ centuries-old legacy of spirit craftsmanship has earned new global attention, after a homegrown gin produced at the island’s Stade’s West Indies Rum Distillery claimed top honors at one of the spirits industry’s most prestigious international competitions. Citadelle Bajan, a 100% Barbadian-made gin, took home a Gold Medal at the 2026 Gin Masters, an annual tasting contest organized by leading industry publication *The Spirit Business* that is widely counted among the most respected judging events for premium gins worldwide.
What sets Citadelle Bajan apart from other gins on the global market is its deep ties to Barbados’ iconic rum-making heritage. Unlike most traditional gins crafted from grain bases, the award-winning spirit is distilled from a molasses foundation, a nod to the island’s 323-year history of rum production. It is then infused with a signature blend of Caribbean botanicals: locally grown grapefruit, hibiscus, bay leaf, and lemongrass, resulting in a bright, layered profile that reflects the island’s terroir. Notably, grapefruit itself was first cultivated in Barbados in the mid-1700s, adding an extra layer of local identity to the gin’s flavor profile.
In a statement following the award announcement, Andrew Hassell, Managing Director of Stade’s West Indies Rum Distillery, emphasized the win as a testament to Barbados’ enduring distilling expertise. “Barbados has an extraordinary distilling culture, and Citadelle Bajan is one more expression of what can be created here,” he said, crediting the on-island production team for the achievement. “This recognition belongs to the people behind it, the teams who worked together and brought a Barbadian point of view to a French gin brand.”
Citadelle Bajan is a regional offshoot of the globally renowned Citadelle Gin brand, which traces its origins to France. The parent brand has already cemented its reputation for excellence, collecting more than 180 international awards to date. Its past honors include Spirit and Gin of the Year at the 2024 Bartender Spirits Awards, and a Master Medal — the competition’s highest distinction — at the 2025 Gin Masters.
Stade’s West Indies Rum Distillery itself carries a long legacy of Caribbean spirit production. Founded in 1893 in Brighton, St. Michael, the facility spent more than a century producing iconic Bajan rum before it was acquired by French spirits conglomerate Maison Ferrand in March 2017. Today, alongside Citadelle Bajan, the distillery produces a range of award-winning spirits including Planteray Rum and Stade’s Rum.
The 2026 Gold Medal win puts a spotlight on a growing trend in Barbados’ spirits sector: the emergence of a homegrown gin industry that builds on the island’s existing rum-making expertise. Craft distillers across the island have adapted traditional rum fermentation and distillation techniques to create gins infused with native Caribbean botanicals, carving out a unique niche in the global premium spirits market. Citadelle Bajan is not alone in this space; it joins other local Bajan gin labels such as Perkins & Sons, produced by the family-run Hopewell Distillery, which also draws on rum-making traditions to craft its distinctive products.
Industry observers note that the expansion of Barbados’ gin segment offers a new avenue for the island’s spirits sector to grow its global footprint, leveraging the existing international reputation of Bajan rum to introduce a new line of award-winning products to consumers around the world.