Origin of St. Croix. 1760. The legendary rum of St. Croix. Gary Nelthropp master distiller. Aged a minimum of 2 years in American oak barrels. In 1760, a sugar mill began crushing cane at the current site of the Cruzen Rum distillery on the island of St. Croix. Since the early 1800's, the Nelthropp family has lived on and been an integral part of this legendary island's rich history. Drawing on this heritage, the Nelthropps use only natural ingredients then carefully distill and age Cruzen Aged Rum....