We work with French oak barrels with thick staves. That’s a very deliberate choice, because thicker staves allow us to reuse the barrels over time and give us much better control over wood influence. We don’t want the wood to dominate the spirit. We want balance.

French oak is known for its elegance. It contributes flavours like soft vanilla, gentle spice, subtle toast, hints of clove and nutmeg, and refined tannins that add structure and mouthfeel without harshness. It supports the spirit rather than overpowering it.

Our barrels are medium toasted and medium charred. Medium toast brings out sweetness and aromatic complexity, while medium char adds depth and structure without introducing heavy smoke or bitterness.

We use barrels of 10, 30, and 200 liters. The smaller barrels allow for faster interaction between spirit and wood, while the larger barrels give us the time and patience to let flavours develop more slowly and harmoniously. Choosing the right barrel size is just as important as choosing the right oak.

Toasting and charring are two very different ways of treating the inside of a barrel, and they each influence the spirit in their own way.

Toasting is a gentle, controlled heating of the wood. It slowly breaks down the oak and releases aromatic compounds. This is where flavours like vanilla, caramel, light spice, and toasted bread come from. Toasting adds elegance and complexity. It’s about aroma and finesse.

Charring is more intense. The inside of the barrel is exposed to an open flame, creating a layer of charcoal. That charcoal acts as a natural filter, softening the spirit as it ages. Charring brings deeper notes like toasted sugar, cocoa, and a bit of structure, but without needing smokiness if you keep it moderate.

At Cadushy, we use medium toast and medium char because we want balance. The toast builds flavour, the char adds structure, and together they allow the spirit to mature without losing its own identity. The wood should guide the spirit, not take over.

Aging is a conversation between the spirit, the wood, and time. Once the spirit goes into the barrel, it starts moving in and out of the oak as temperatures change. That movement allows it to extract flavour, colour, and texture from the wood.

At the same time, aging smooths the spirit. Sharp edges soften, aromas become rounder, and different flavour layers begin to connect. Oxygen slowly enters through the wood, helping the spirit mature and develop complexity.

At Cadushy, we age our spirits under tropical conditions. That means the process is more intense. In tropical aging, it is mostly the spirit itself that moves out of the barrel through evaporation. This concentrates the remaining liquid and accelerates flavour development.

We taste our barrels regularly. Aging isn’t about waiting for a fixed number of years, it’s about knowing when a spirit is ready. Sometimes that moment comes earlier than planned, sometimes it needs more time. When everything comes together, balance, depth, and harmony, that’s when we decide to bottle.

The Angel’s Share is the part of the spirit that naturally evaporates while aging in a barrel. Wood breathes. As the spirit rests inside, small amounts escape through the oak into the air. That loss is what distillers around the world call the Angel’s Share.

It’s not a mistake or a flaw. Without this evaporation, a spirit would never properly mature.

On Bonaire, the Angel’s Share is significant. We age our spirits under tropical conditions, and that makes a real difference.

Here, we lose around 10 percent per year. In Europe, that number is typically around 2.5 percent per year. The warm climate accelerates evaporation considerably.

With tropical aging, it is mostly the spirit itself that moves out of the barrel. That may sound painful, and sometimes it is, but it also means the remaining spirit becomes more concentrated, richer, and more expressive in a shorter time.

We don’t see the Angel’s Share as a loss. It’s part of the exchange. The angels take their share, and what remains gains depth, character, and maturity.

We age our spirits at tropical temperatures, which makes the process much more intense. Because of that, we actively monitor our barrels.

Every two months, we measure and taste all barrels. When a barrel drops below half full, we combine two barrels from the same batch into one full barrel. If a barrel gets too empty, evaporation can speed up dramatically, and an empty barrel is of no use to anyone.

By managing our barrels this way, we keep control over aging, evaporation, and quality, while making the most of tropical maturation.

No, we don’t chill-filter our spirits. Chill filtration removes certain natural compounds so a spirit stays perfectly clear when it gets cold. That may look nice in a glass, but those compounds also carry flavour and mouthfeel.

For us, flavour always comes first. Chill filtering would take away an important part of the flavour profile and texture of our spirits, and that’s not a compromise we’re willing to make.

If a spirit becomes slightly cloudy when chilled, that’s not a flaw. It’s a sign that it’s still complete, still natural, and still exactly as we intended it to be. We prefer character over cosmetic perfection.

We bottle our liqueurs at 20 percent alcohol because, in our opinion, that’s a very pleasant and balanced strength for a liqueur. It allows flavours to shine without becoming heavy or overpowering.

Our spirits are bottled at 40 percent. That level gives a spirit body, structure, and presence, while still being very drinkable. It’s strong enough to carry character, but not aggressive.

Our products are made to be enjoyed, not to get people drunk. Balance, flavour, and drinkability always guide our choices.

Because age is just a number. And with spirits, it really is.

Some young spirits can taste fantastic, full of energy and character. And some old spirits can taste horrible. The common belief that older automatically means better simply isn’t true.

We don’t want people to be guided by a number on a label. We want them to taste for themselves. Balance, flavour, texture, and character matter far more than age alone.

At Cadushy, we bottle a spirit when it’s ready, not when a calendar says so. We trust our senses more than numbers, and we invite our guests to do the same.

Because we’re working with natural ingredients and real processes, not industrial formulas. Small variations are part of authentic distilling.

Things like fermentation behavior, temperature, yeast activity, and even the way a barrel breathes will never be exactly the same twice. Aging plays a role as well. Each barrel evolves in its own way, even when everything is done as consistently as possible.

We manage those differences carefully through tasting and blending, but we don’t try to erase them completely. A bit of variation means the spirit is alive. It shows that it was crafted, not manufactured. For us, consistency means staying true to the character of the spirit, not forcing every batch to be identical.

Once a spirit is bottled, it no longer ages in the way it does in a barrel. Aging needs wood and oxygen, and in a sealed bottle those interactions stop.

That said, a bottled spirit can still change very slightly over time. Flavours may become more integrated and rounded, especially if the bottle is stored properly, away from light and extreme temperatures. But those changes are subtle.

The real maturation happens in the barrel. That’s why we take so much care in deciding when a spirit is ready to bottle. When it leaves the barrel, it should already be exactly where we want it to be. The bottle is there to preserve that moment.

Cadushy works with a food safety plan based on HACCP principles. This system helps us identify risks, control critical steps, and guarantee both safety and quality throughout the entire production process.

For us, quality and food safety are not separate topics. They go hand in hand. Every step we take is aimed at delivering products that are safe, consistent, and crafted to the highest standard. That responsibility is something we take very seriously.

Our volume increases every year, but growth has never been our primary goal.

During the COVID pandemic, when the island came to a standstill, we invested heavily in the future. We expanded our production capacity with the manufacturing and installation of our new and largest still, new fermenters, and additional mixing tanks. That allowed us to grow without compromising quality.

In 2025, we produced approximately 48,000 bottles. For Bonaire, that is a significant volume. In the global spirits industry, it is still very small.

And that’s exactly where we are comfortable. We don’t chase mass production. Spirits decide their own pace. Aging, evaporation, blending, and tasting determine when a product is ready, not a production target.

Every bottle that leaves the distillery must meet our standards. If that means producing less, that’s a choice we’re willing to make.

Master’s Note:
Volume should always be the result of craftsmanship, never the starting point. If you respect the process, growth follows naturally.

We make four expressions of Rom Rincón, each with its own character and purpose.

Our Premium expression is aged for a minimum of three years. It’s a very versatile rum. It even won a Trophy at the International Wine & Spirit Competition for Best Rum & Cola, but it’s also a beautiful sipping rum on its own. Balanced, approachable, and full of character.

Next is our Private Stock, aged for a minimum of six years. This expression is fuller and smoother, with more depth and roundness. It’s made for people who enjoy taking their time with a glass and exploring layers of flavour.

Then there is our Limited Edition. This one is blended by the Master Distiller from a selection of our oldest casks, combined with some younger barrels for balance and freshness. Every Limited Edition is different, because the recipe changes slightly each time. It’s about creativity and expression rather than repetition.

Finally, we make our First Edition. This is a very special expression, made from some of the very first Rom Rincón barrels that were distilled back in 2009, when everything started. It’s a piece of our history in liquid form.

Together, these four expressions tell the full story of Rom Rincón, from accessible and playful to deep, rare, and truly historic.

All Island Liqueurs are based on traditions from the Dutch Caribbean islands.

Before creating each liqueur, I travelled to the islands myself to do research. I wasn’t looking for flavours to copy, but for stories, traditions, and cultural roots that could be translated into a liqueur. Each island has its own identity, but there is also a shared Caribbean soul that connects them.

For Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire, Statia, and Saba, we found traditions that inspired a liqueur. Each one became a liquid interpretation of that island’s heritage.

There was one exception: Sint Maarten. Despite extensive research, I couldn’t find a tradition that felt authentic enough to translate into a liqueur. And rather than forcing something, I chose a different path.

Instead of creating a liqueur for Sint Maarten, I created one for the Kingdom that binds the islands and the Netherlands together. And especially for the King and Queen of the Netherlands.

That became Orange of Orange Liqueur. A refined alternative to the traditional orange bitter that is traditionally drunk on the King’s birthday.

On October 30, 2011, when Willem-Alexander and Máxima visited Rincon, they tasted the liqueur, approved it, and took a bottle home with them. That moment gave the liqueur its true meaning and place within the Island Liqueurs line.

Master’s Note:
Not every idea needs to become a product. Sometimes, the most honest choice is knowing when not to make something.

Captain Don’s Whisky is made from three different types of grain: rye, corn, and sorghum. Each grain brings something unique. Rye adds spice and structure, corn brings softness and gentle sweetness, and sorghum gives depth and an earthy character.

During the process, the sorghum is smoked with peat. That adds a subtle smoky layer, not overpowering, but clearly present. It gives the whisky its distinctive edge and a quiet nod to traditional whisky-making, interpreted in our own way.

The whisky is aged for a minimum of three years in French oak barrels. During aging, we add Cuban tobacco leaves inside the barrel. This is a very deliberate choice. The tobacco contributes additional aromatic complexity, creating deep, warm notes that develop slowly over time.

Everything about Captain Don’s Whisky is about respect. Respect for the man, for the island, and for the craft. Nothing is rushed, and nothing is accidental. It’s a whisky built layer by layer, with character and purpose.

We make two expressions of Captain Don’s Whisky.

The Premium expression is aged for a minimum of three years. It’s the core expression of the whisky, balanced and approachable, while still carrying the character and depth that define Captain Don’s name.

Then there is the Limited Edition. This expression is a blend of older and newer casks, selected and composed by the Master Distiller. Each Limited Edition is slightly different, depending on the casks available and the character we want to express at that moment. It allows us to explore complexity and creativity while staying true to the whisky’s identity.

Together, these two expressions show both sides of Captain Don’s Whisky: consistency and craftsmanship in the Premium, and creativity and exploration in the Limited Edition.

I always say: “Whisky is distilled beer.” So in theory, beer shouldn’t have been unfamiliar territory for me. And yet, for a long time, I had never actually brewed a beer myself.

Still, I had this persistent idea to create a beer that would truly fit Bonaire. A beer with character, rooted in craftsmanship, and inspired by classic brewing traditions. There was just one small problem: I had no hands-on experience in brewing beer.

Then one day, Wim walked into the distillery. Wim is an experienced brewer from Belgium, and he proposed something beautifully simple: why not develop a Bonairean beer together, using a Belgian base? That moment changed everything.

Together, Wim and I developed the recipe for Tripple B. Tripple B stands for Bonairean Belgian Beer. Belgian brewing knowledge on one side, Bonairean character on the other. While working on the recipe, I learned the tricks and techniques of brewing step by step. It wasn’t just about creating a beer, it was about understanding the process from the inside and shaping a genuine cross-ocean collaboration.

We chose a blond style because it’s balanced, expressive, and very drinkable in a tropical climate. It has character without being heavy, and depth without losing accessibility.

We introduced Tripple B during our 10-year anniversary celebration in 2019 and let the guests decide its future. Two bins were placed at the party: one labelled “Stop” and one labelled “Go On.” By the end of the night, the “Go On” bin was overflowing with empty Tripple B bottles. The “Stop” bin contained just one bottle. A Heineken. That moment told us everything we needed to know.

Kadushi is the cactus. Its scientific name is Cereus repandus, and it’s the plant that inspired us to start this business in the first place. Kadushi is deeply rooted in Bonaire’s culture and traditions, and it was the original spark behind our first products.

Cadushy, on the other hand, is the brand of The Cadushy Distillery.

When we started the company, I wanted the name to stand out while still honoring that inspiration. And since my name is Eric, with a “c”, I simply liked the look of the letter “c” better than a “k”. It felt more elegant, more distinctive.

There was another detail as well. On Aruba, the cactus is often written as “Cadushi” with an “i” at the end. I felt that a “y” looked more graceful than an “i”, so we chose to end the name that way.

That’s how the brand name Cadushy was born. Today, Cadushy is a registered brand in multiple countries around the world, but it will always trace its roots back to the Kadushi cactus and the island that inspired everything we do.

Very simply put: Kadushi and Cadushi are the cactus. Cadushy is the spirits brand. The cactus inspired us. The brand grew from that inspiration.

For quite some time, we did. But since July 2022, we no longer use Kadushi cactus in our alcoholic beverages.

Around the world, awareness is growing when it comes to sustainable and ecological production. At Cadushy, we believe quality and responsibility should go hand in hand. That’s why we made a conscious decision to give nature conservation an even more important place in the production of our iconic Cadushy of Bonaire Liqueur.

Although Bonaire is blessed with an abundance of Kadushi cacti, we chose to stop using the plant itself. Today, the flavour of Cadushy of Bonaire Liqueur is created in a nature-friendly and sustainable way, using carefully selected alternatives. This allows us to preserve the essence and taste of Bonaire without placing pressure on this characteristic cactus.

From July 2022 onward, this ecological version became our standard. We have a deep love for the Kadushi cactus and feel a strong responsibility to help protect this unique part of Bonaire’s natural heritage. By using the flavour instead of the plant, we can safeguard both the authenticity of our liqueur and the island’s biodiversity.

That said, Kadushi remains an essential part of our story. At The Cadushy Experience in Rincon, we still show how the Kadushi cactus is traditionally harvested and used on Bonaire, in food, drinks, and everyday life. In that way, the cultural significance of the Kadushi lives on, even though the plant itself is no longer part of our production process.

The idea didn’t come all at once. It grew.

It started with a simple question: how can an island like Bonaire, with such a rich culture and history, not have its own distillery? Not something imported, not something copied, but something that truly belongs here.

From there, curiosity took over. Curiosity about local traditions, about ingredients, about stories that were slowly disappearing. Kadushi soup was one of those traditions, and that became the first spark. From that moment on, one idea led to the next.

Cadushy was never about chasing trends. It was about translating the spirit of the island into liquid form. Listening, experimenting, learning, sometimes failing, and trying again. The idea didn’t arrive fully formed. It revealed itself step by step, just like a good spirit does.

The biggest myth is that distilling is mainly about machines. People often think that if you have the right still, good spirits will automatically come out. That’s simply not true.

Distilling is about decisions. Every step matters. From fermentation to distillation cuts, from barrel choice to aging conditions. The still is just a tool. It doesn’t make choices, the distiller does.

You can have the most beautiful equipment in the world, but without understanding the process and paying attention every single day, you won’t make great spirits. Craft comes from knowledge, experience, and knowing when to intervene and when to let things happen.

It’s both. But in the end, it’s more art than science.

Of course, there’s science involved. Chemistry, physics, fermentation science, all of that matters. You need to understand the process, the reactions, and the limits. Without that foundation, you can’t make consistent spirits.

But knowledge alone doesn’t create something special. What makes a spirit stand out are the choices made along the way. Those choices are based on experience, intuition, and feeling. When to cut, when to wait, when to blend, when to stop aging. Those decisions can’t be calculated, they’re sensed.

At the end of the day, it’s the distiller who gives a spirit its personality. Science gives you control. Art gives you character.

I hope these questions and answers have given you a deeper understanding of how we work at Cadushy, and why we make the choices we do. Not to convince you, but to invite you into the craft, the thinking, and the curiosity behind every spirit.

Of course, reading is only one part of the story. The real experience happens when you see, smell, and taste it for yourself. At The Cadushy Experience in Rincon, you can walk through our distillery, see how our spirits are made, and discover the stories behind them. And when I’m there, you’re always welcome to ask me your questions in person. I enjoy those conversations as much as the distilling itself.