Barbancourt is Haiti's most celebrated rum distillery, founded in 1862 by Dupré Barbancourt, who brought the double-distillation method from the Cognac region of France. Unlike most Caribbean rum production which uses column distillation Barbancourt's original method involves two pot-still distillations, producing a heavier, more complex distillate. The rum is then aged in Limousin oak (the same French oak used in Cognac maturation), further distinguishing the style from the American white oak ageing standard across the English-speaking Caribbean.

Haiti is the island where France's influence on Caribbean spirits production is most directly expressed in the production method itself Barbancourt is the product of a Charentais transplant. The 4-year (Three Stars), 8-year (Five Stars), and 15-year (Reserve du Domaine) age grades provide a clear ageing ladder. For programmes wanting to demonstrate the breadth of Caribbean rum production traditions English, French agricole, Spanish-heritage, and the distinctive Haitian pot-still/French-oak model Barbancourt is the essential reference for the Haitian tier.