In the center of a courtyard is an old well. Most Bahamians have never heard of it. A great black hole - more than seven feet in diameter and 65 feet deep, has been at the Buena Vista Estate for more than 200 years. Legend has it that the chief justice who lived in the grounds could escape through a tunnel at the bottom, which opened out at the British Colonial Hilton just down the hill. New investors in the property are eager to find out. For Jose Portuondo and Pepin Argamasilla, it is exactly this myth, intrigue and history that makes John Watling's Distillery the most intoxicating business concept in The Bahamas.
In an exclusive to Guardian Business, investors behind the up-and-coming attraction provided a tour of the site. "We want people to enjoy the environment," said Portuondo, looking down on wooden casks and steel tanks. "We want to go back to a time when people didn't have smartphones. When all you have is what the land is giving you." Beginning in February, John Watling's Distillery will be open to the general public and tourists alike. The tours are free. And while the proposition might find meaning in its history, the distillery also promises to have a major economic impact. Wielding mighty jackhammers and delicate brushes, 30 Bahamians are working around the historical facade to craft an authentic experience.
Striding up the estate's worn steps, guests will first receive a brief history lesson on the property. They are then guided through the back to a landscaped courtyard. Portuondo told Guardian Business that this space will be offered for weddings, corporate events and other functions. A crumbling wall, using original stone from a nearby cottage, will be located on the western side, while on the east is the site's giant well. Investors plan to attach an apparatus to the outside of the great hole so brave guests can perilously lean up against it, giving tourists a similar feel to the glass floor at the CN Tower in Toronto.
Tours continue through the courtyard and into the heart of the operation - the distillery itself. More than 1,000 barrels have been set aside for the aging of fine liquors, resting anywhere from one year to six. From an elevated platform, guests can actually watch the process first hand, literately, in the sense that nothing is left to machines. The distillery will hire 20 Bahamians right off the bat and an additional 15 in short order, according to Portuondo. Argamasilla points to his nose. "The air will be absolutely delicious," he said. "You'll want to drink the air." The reason for that is "Angel Share", the term given to the smell emitted from the rum as it ages and wafts through the casks.
The distillery will churn out three different variations of John Watling's rum, a Red Turtle vodka filtered with the pink sands of Eleuthera and a gin infused with botanicals from Andros and the Family Islands. "We're trying to make this as Bahamian as possible. It's made by Bahamians. There is no machinery. This is what we collect naturally and it's a celebration of the country," according to Argamasilla. It's also big business. As guests cut back through the courtyard, they ascend stairs back into the main house and into the retail shop. Tourists are permitted to try a few samples before buying.
Customers finally spill out into a full bar with a patio, revealing the observatory on Crystal Cay in the distance. The distillery is targeting up to 150,000 visitors in its first year of operation by harnessing the millions of passengers disembarking in Nassau Harbor each year. Portuondo said the distillery is working with local tour companies to become a regular stop on the itinerary. The investors - Pepin Argamasilla, Leon Argamasilla, Mario Portuondo, Jose Portuondo and Guillermo Garcia-Lay - consider the tour to be the first of many business opportunities.
The property has plenty of space to work with, including a large top floor space with panoramic views of the capital. One of the separate cottages is also being eyed as a restaurant down the line. More immediate will be wholesale opportunities, Portuondo said. "We are looking at wholesale distribution and we're open to all parties, whether it be Burns House, Bristol Sellers, the Bahamian Brewery and Beverage Company or Darville's.
Then there are all the bars, restaurants and hotels. They have been very receptive so far," he added. Equally receptive to the idea has been Graycliff Hotel, located just down the street. This historical site recently opened its very own chocolate factory, joining the long-standing cigar factory already on site. Both destinations are trying to turn back the pages of history to help create the future of tourism in Nassau.
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