Rum with the label "Made in Louisiana"? KPEL's Nathan Pike has the story.

Just less than a week after the Jeff Davis Parish Police Jury voted unanimously to allow the rezoning of a tract of land in Lacassine, Louisiana Spirits has started construction of a rum distillery there.

Company president Trey Litel says the 18,000 square foot facility will employ anywhere from 17 to 20 people and will showcase Louisiana's sugar cane and rum culture.

"People are really fascinated by the process by which rum is made," Litel says. "It's just a pride thing to know that it's a value added product to the agriculture that's being produced in this area."

Litel says none of this could have been down without the support of local government.

"The local government support has been amazing," he says. "They accepted us with open arms."

Litel hopes this new rum will take off.

"Our hope is that the Louisiana citizens will embrace a rum from their state, and we are doing everything in our power to make it a rum product that the state will be proud of," he says.

Nathan Pike, Newstalk 96.5 KPEL.

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