Rum Factory of Porto da Cruz

Engenhos do Norte – Madeira’s Liquid Gold Since 1927
Tucked away in the rugged beauty of Porto da Cruz, Engenhos do Norte is more than just a rum factory – it’s a living, breathing time machine that still runs on steam. No joke – the original machinery from 1927 is still doing its thing, puffing and hissing like a happy old dragon.

Once upon a time (well, between the 15th and 16th centuries), Madeira was the world’s sugar king, producing what was then called “white gold.” The sugar cane that built empires is still grown here, and this distillery is one of the few places in Europe that produces agricultural rum (made straight from sugar cane juice, not molasses).

Here’s why this place is awesome:
🚂 It still uses steam-powered machinery — full industrial steampunk vibes
🌱 It processes only Madeira-grown sugar cane — including rare local varieties like POJ 2725 and NCO 310
🥇 It’s part of the proud IGP “Rum da Madeira” designation – aka protected origin status
💪 It takes 12 kg of sugar cane to make just 1 litre of 50% rum – that’s some serious squeezing!

Want to see (and smell!) real rum being made the old-school way? This is the spot. History, science, sugar and booze all in one delicious tour.

Oh, and don’t leave without a tasting. Just saying. 😉