A husband-and-wife team are opening the doors on their new artisan rum making school as they attempt to set a trend with the drink.

John and Georgina Bowell have set up their Goldstone Rum brand to distil their own premium spirit as the alcohol is quickly becoming the country’s favourite drink.

Now the couple are opening their rum and gin school in Henfield to introduce their take on the drink to consumers.

John, who is also a trained chef, said: “People have never tasted a rum like ours. We wanted a product to taste like rum should do.

“You can taste the difference with our product. Rum is such a diverse drink.”

He said the aim with Goldstone rum was to produce a drink which tasted premium and that customers could enjoy neat as well as with mixers.

The Argus: John and Georgina BowellJohn and Georgina Bowell (Image: The Argus)

The Goldstone white rum, which was recently distilled, has a very smooth taste which John described as having notes of vanilla and banana bread.

As well as the white and amber rum, John and Georgina are planning on introducing new flavours such as cola and ginger and lime in the new year.

The flavoured rums are modelled on classic combinations including rum and coke and the dark and stormy cocktail.

The couple, who live in Hove, have been balancing rum production with their jobs and working out of the rum distillery. Georgina said this involved working while commuting and long evenings to make the drink a success.

She added: “Rum is really just starting to pick up, I think we are still right at the beginning of the rum curve.”

Goldstone Rum is now in the process of fermenting and distilling the second batch of rum and have opened the distillery for tours.

The Argus: The Goldstone rum schoolThe Goldstone rum school (Image: NQ Staff)

The couple are also opening their rum-making school which will allow customers to create their own rum using different flavours.

Customers can make their own rum or gin which is made using small stills and produces one or two bottles.

Classes and tours can be booked on the Goldstone rum website.