Behind the St Johns Bay Rum Brand

Learn how we’ve stayed true to tradition for over 75 years.

UNAPOLOGETICALLY MASCULINE.

Seventy five years ago, US Navy Officer Capt. John Webb, blended the local bay rum with the island’s tropical bay leaf oils and spices as the genesis of our collection of distinctive men’s fragrances. Our iconic hand woven palm frond bottles were inspired by Virgin Island fishing baskets, and we continue that Caribbean tradition today.

Bay leaf oil has always been sacred to Caribbean culture due to its healing nature and rich fragrance, and once Capt. Webb caught wind of this, he knew the whole world could benefit. Bay leaf oil plus native spices equals an unapologetically masculine scent—which is why St Johns Bay Rum® has been going strong for 70 years and counting. We know the importance of staying true to tradition, which is evident in every whiff and every handwoven Fishpot Weave® bottle. Quality like this doesn’t come along often...so when it does, it’s best to not tamper with perfection.

OUR TIMELINE: OVER 175 YEARS OF FASCINATING HISTORY

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    The Invention of Bay Rum In 1838, Danish chemist Albert Heinrich Riise became interested in this local remedy and discovered that by mixing St John bay leaf oils with fine Virgin Island rums, it created an amazing fragrance. His unique invention was awarded the Centennial Medal in 1876, as well as awards in New Orleans and Chicago.

    The Invention of Bay Rum

    1838

  3. Virgin Island Bay Rum

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    Virgin Island Bay Rum The positive reputation of St John bay leaf oils spread worldwide, and in 1903, the Danish Plantation Company purchased 237 acres at Cinnamon Bay to cultivate St John bay trees. Others soon followed, and by the early 1920s, bay rum became an important Virgin Island export. At its peak, historians estimate that 1,000 gallons of pure St John bay leaf oil were blended into over 35,000 gallons of Bay Rum.
    1903
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    Prohibition and Bay Rum In 1921, the national prohibition of alcohol meant Virgin Island bay rum could no longer be exported to the United States. By adding aspirin to bay rum, manufacturers were able to skirt the law, and word spread that drinking bay rum not only made you feel good, but also relieved aches and pains. Virgin Island bay rum production reached a peak of over 100,000 gallons annually.

    Prohibition and Bay Rum

    1921

  5. World War II

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    World War II The onset of World War II forced AH Riise Enterprises, the largest Virgin Island bay rum company, to buy their own boats to transport bay rum to Miami. They also brought back food and merchandise to help ease the
    1939
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    Bay Rum is Back U.S. Naval Officer, John Webb of Minneapolis, was stationed in St Thomas during WWII. With knowledge and inspiration from bay rum producers that preceded him, he set out to revive bay rum in the Virgin Islands. He began producing St Johns Bay Rum® and designed the soon-to-be-famous "FishPot Weave®" bottles, each carefully crafted by hand using native palm fronds. The combination of St Johns Bay Rum®'s distinct fragrance and beautiful packaging were a recipe for success, and the demand increased. The group of local weavers in the islands grew to more than 200 families, creating a huge local industry that produced tens of thousands of bottles annually.

    Bay Rum is Back

    1947

  7. The Mad Men Years

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    The Mad Men Years img In 1957, John Webb hired a Madison Avenue agency in New York City to represent St John® in the United States and soon it could be bought in America's leading stores such as Lord & Taylor and Saks Fifth Avenue. Between 1957 and 1963, a series of outstanding ads were placed in the New Yorker magazine.
    1957
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    BECOMING AN AMERICAN ICON

    In this post-war, “Mad Men” era, looking like a “gentleman” becomes a priority and men start paying more attention to grooming and their overall appearances. With this in mind, John Webb enlisted a Madison Avenue advertising agency in New York City to represent St Johns Bay Rum® in the United States. Men’s focus on grooming, coupled with the "FishPot Weave®" signature bottle design and ingenious ad campaigns in The New Yorker magazine, contribute to tremendous growth and national distribution of St Johns Bay Rum® in the 1960s. St Johns Bay Rum® soon became a household name, with presence in leading retailers such as Lord & Taylor and Saks Fifth Avenue. With the worldwide market in mind, consumer products giant, Warner- Lambert, acquired St Johns Bay Rum® in 1963.

    Become an American Icon

    1963
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    Virgin Island Ownership history_island Columbus, Ohio retailer Jerry Woodhouse purchased the St Johns® brand from Warner-Lambert, and moved his family to the Virgin Islands. Simultaneously, the brand’s footprint in the US continued to grow, entering retail powerhouses including Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus and Brooks Brothers to name a few. Even Hollywood took notice with the iconic FishPot Weave® bottle featured on episodes of M*A*S*H and movies such as Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Lenny and Scent of a Woman.

    Virgin Island Ownership

    1978

  11. A New Beginning

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    A New Beginning hestory3 Hurricane Marilyn in 1995 struck a severe blow to the Virgin Islands, destroying the St Johns Bay Rum® factory and most of the Tyre palms, used to create the famous FishPot Weave® bottles, on the island. Dedicated employees rallied to salvage what could be recovered from the wreckage and were able to resume shipping to customers within a few weeks.
    1995
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    E-Commerce store stre_img St Johns created its first E-Commerce store: stjohnsbayrum.com, extending its loyal fan base to Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and beyond. To celebrate St Johns’ 60th Anniversary, a unique limited edition FishPot Weave® bottle was produced.

    E-Commerce store

    2007

  13. St Johns Today

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    St Johns Today In June of 2015, the St Johns brand was acquired by a group of private investors. Together this team of industry veterans transformed St Johns into a small batch fragrance factory that exclusively produces all of St Johns award winning fragrances.
    2015
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    70 Years and Counting

    The Welles Family, consisting of four American brothers, become owners of St Johns Bay Rum®, and look to revitalize the classic and timeless brand, reminiscent of their grandfather’s era. In late summer/early fall, Hurricanes Irma and Maria strike the islands five days apart. The hurricanes leave the islands and the St Johns Fragrance factory devastated, ripping off its roof, wreaking havoc on the building and destroying most of the product and woven bottles. Even the palm trees used to make the famous basketweave bottles are demolished. Despite the damage, all was not lost for the St Johns Fragrance Company. Under the leadership of the Welles Brothers and CEO, Rhys Moore, they trekked forward, taking empty glass bottles and untouched fragrance and created a special “Hurricane Series.” The team commissioned an artist to design and digitally print the FishPot Weave® bottles, and donated a portion of the proceeds to Americares and island relief efforts. Additionally, the St Johns brand celebrated its 70th anniversary, producing a limited edition bottle to commemorate the milestone. The iconic FishPot Weave® bottle and bay rum brand continue its pop culture presence through the television show, Archer and television series, Feud: Betty and Joan.

    70 Years and Counting

    2017

  15. Present Day

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    Present Day Following the devastating hurricanes and with a new supply chain back in place, The St Johns Fragrance Company™ is stronger than ever and focused on creating its iconic, award-winning St Johns scents. With an extensive network of basketweavers in place and the palm frond supply flourishing, the famous FishPot Weave® bottle is still crafted by hand, making each completely unique and one-of-a-kind. To meet the needs of new customers and a loyal fanbase rapidly expanding internationally, the St Johns Fragrance Company continues to build on its full line of men’s grooming products. The company continues to maintain an important presence in the islands and has established a sales and marketing office on the mainland in Ridgefield, CT. Stay tuned for more to come in the rich history of St Johns Bay Rum®!
    2019

ALL ABOUT ST JOHNS BAY RUM

No, you can’t mix it in a cocktail, but it is quite versatile.

St Johns bay leaf oil is derived from the bay rum tree and has been an integral health and beauty remedy of the Virgin Islands and its people for centuries. With its unique climate and exceptionally rich soil, the island of St John provided an ideal place for bay trees to thrive, and St John bay leaf oils quickly acquired a worldwide reputation of being distinctive and superior. For over 70 years, St Johns Bay Rum® has blended the richest bay leaf oils and premium Caribbean spices to create its classic, distinctive and authentic scents.

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