What is a rum bar? It’s not a beach bar. It’s not a pub. It’s not a tiki bar. It’s not a rum shop. The way we see it, a rum bar is a bar dedicated to the glory of rum, with a list of rums large enough to do justice to the Noble Spirit and a relaxed but adventurous atmosphere that lives up to all of its natural romance. Rum must be the soul of the bar. And as the gospel of rum continues to spread across the globe, we thought we’d do something rather ambitious — put together a list of the world’s best rum bars, including both the best of the Caribbean and the wider world.

Papa Zouk — Antigua

Set on a nondescript street on the outskirts of St John’s Antigua, Papa Zouk is the essence of what a rum bar should be, with somewhere around 200 rums on offer, sweet-sounding zouk and a vibe that makes you feel like you’ve walked into a Bogart film.