2016 Exclusive Interview with the "Got Rum?" Team

2016 Exclusive Interview with the "Got Rum?" Team 

We regularly receive email inquiries from our readers, wanting to know more about who we are and what we do. Some are investors who are thinking about starting a micro or mega distillery, others are consumers, distributors, mixologists or brand ambassadors. We strive to answer the questions one on one, but our work schedule does not always allow us to do so in a timely fashion. For this reason, instead of interviewing a notable figure from the industry, this month I decided once again to interview the wonderful team that comprises “Got Rum?” Magazine. Luis and I are very proud of our team, each and every member is devoted to helping us promote rum as a quality distilled spirit. Having over 100,000 readers each month, we feel confident we are on the right track.

Margaret Ayala, Publisher

Luis Ayala - Editor

Q: In last year’s interview you described what you do for the rum industry. Has anything changed since then?

Yes, somewhat. I am focusing much of my available time to setting up and running our own micro distillery in Texas. This has been a dream of ours for many years and finally in 2016 we saw the opportunity to expand our aging and bulk rum operations to include fermentation and distillation of our own rums.  This also fits nicely with our expanding Rum University curriculum, since we will be able to host more classes at our distillery throughout the year.

Q: Does this mean you are no longer offering consulting services to rum distilleries?

Not exactly, it only means that I am having to be more selective regarding which client projects I accept. I am also having to be even more efficient with my time than before. Thankfully we have an ever-growing team, which makes delegating tasks and growing the business less stressful than it would be without them.

Q: How will you remember 2016?

I’ll remember it as a crazy year, one full of extremes, but also as the year we took an important step towards fulfilling the last piece of our rum vision.

Q: Rum vision? Can you elaborate?

Yes, of course. Rum Runner Press, Inc., the parent company of “Got Rum?” magazine, has been offering a wide range of services to the rum industry. Professional training services are offered via The Rum University (and Moonshine University), consumer and trade  education/communication are done through the magazine and bulk rum/private label activities are conducted through Rum Central.

The “Rum Vision” refers to truly offering an encompassing, A-Z range of services to our clients. The only missing piece was the distillery, a place where we could truly custom ferment, distill and age rums for our own projects or our clients, where we could have enough space to bring inventory from our aging warehouses in Central America and in the Caribbean, to ship rum domestically to US -based clients. This, in my opinion, completes that vision.

Q: What can the rum community expect from you in 2017?

We have so many exciting projects to unveil in 2017! But maybe I’ll leave it to Mike Kunetka to explore them firsthand when he visits our distillery in the next couple of months! All I really want to say right now is that everything we’ve done in the past will come into sharper focus starting in 2017.

Q: Do you have anything else you’d like to share with our readers? 

Yes, regardless of which brand or style of rum you prefer, you owe it to yourself to explore offerings by other companies, especially in other countries or regions. Perhaps you’ll come back to your current favorite, perhaps you won’t. But you owe it to yourselves to try!

Paul E. Senft - Rum Reviewer

Q: Which distilleries did you visit this year and can you tell us a little about

your experiences?

In the last half of the year we were fortunate to visit Drum Circle Distilling and Wicked Dolphin rum distillery in Florida. Drum Circle Distilling produces Siesta Key rum and I was happy to see how much they have grown and expanded since our last visit. Wicked Dolphin is entering a new expansion phase both at their facility and with their line. It is going to be interesting to see how both companies evolve and strengthen their presence in the market place.

Q: What is the best way for someone to prepare for before visiting a distillery?

It helps to have a basic understanding of their product line, the equipment they use, and production methods. Visit the company’s website, read articles and press releases and if possible make arrangements in advance of your visit. A lot of distilleries, if they have tours at all, are only open to the public certain days.

Q: Have you identified pat terns while visiting these distilleries (challenges, obstacles) and how do these problems affect the final products?

With the rise of the craft spirit industry there is currently a glut of mediocre product. Companies are fighting for shelf space while trying to expand their existing product lines to meet customers’ demands. Competition is good, but when the consumer experiences one bad product after another it creates trust issues and is not good for the category of rum.

Q: Of all the rums you reviewed this year, is there one (or two) in particular that stood out the most for you and why?

Of the rums I have reviewed for Got Rum? Magazine this year I have had a lot of fun introducing folks to the Pusser’s Gunpowder proof. It is a versatile product that works well in a range of cocktails on top of being a decent sipper. I have also enjoyed exploring the Mezan and Hamilton product lines and will be curious to see what they bring to the market in the future.

Q: There are many new rum festivals being organized in the USA and in the rest of the world. Which ones do you think are better received by consumers and why?

This year we witnessed Federico Hernandez have successful shows in Chicago and San Francisco, which he is looking to repeat in 2017 with the addition of a new show in New York City in late September. Frank Martucci completed the second New England Tequila and Rum festival this year and I heard nothing but positive things about the experience he provided. 

I think the consumers prefer the experiences where they can interact with the brands and learn in a positive environment. When the organizers are willing to listen to everyone that participates in their event and make positive changes everyone wins. We have seen that happen with Federico’s events as well as the UK and Berlin rum festivals.

Q: Which festivals are you planning to at tend in 2017?

At this time I am evaluating my travel schedule and deciding what shows I might be able to attend.

Q: What was your most memorable rum- related experienced in 2016?

Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans provided me was some fantastic experiences this year. It began with the National Daiquiri day tour and ended at Latitude 29 visiting with members of my extended Rum family. The “When is rum not a rum?” seminar was top notch, meeting with rum companies, and the time spent with friends and colleagues in the Spirits industry was positive for me on so many levels.

Q: In addition to your “Angel’s Share” section in “Got Rum?”, you have also been writing for other outlets and conducting several rum seminars. Can you share more details about these activities with our readers?

2016 has been a good year of personal growth in the industry and I have had ups and downs as a freelance writer/seminar host. I have been providing content for Distiller.com and the Distiller phone app which has been rewarding as I have enjoyed working with that team and writing to a different audience.

During the year I have hosted several seminars and have just wrapped up the 2016 seminar series at Trader Vic’s Atlanta. I like sharing new products with an audience who has varying levels of rum experience. Watching someone have that “ah-ha! ” moment when they make a personal discovery is what it is all about.

Q: What do you have in store for us in 2017?

I am already developing my seminar schedule for 2017 and am open to the opportunities that life brings. I am also hoping to explore some parts of the United States with my wife that we have not visited before. I also have made a promise to myself to visit more distilleries and document my experiences at them. This is the time of year where we get to dream a little bit and I hope the New Year provides a wealth of new rums for us to explore in the pages of Got Rum? Magazine.

Philip Ili Barake - Tobacco and Rum

Q: It is hard to believe, but this month’s pairing will be number 47, almost four years sharing your views and advice with our readers! Where does your inspiration for the pairings come from?

Yes, it has been a long time since I started and when I look at the early pairings, I clearly see an evolution, a maturation, a cleared focus that can only be gained through time spent trying to share experiences. My inspiration sometimes comes from everyday activities and other times it comes from trial -and-error. The important thing for me is to never lose the focus, the goal of making an impression on our readers, something new and appealing that –hopefully- they will be able to replicate and to form their own opinion.

Q: Which of all the pairings from 2016 did you like most? In other words, was there one in particular that you repeated more than once afterwards, to re- live the experience?

I really enjoyed the Pot Still Negroni, I was able to enjoy it on more than one occasion: once at home and again at a bar with friends. But I also enjoyed the Rum Martini very much, I was really impressed by this pairing. I never thought a white rum could be enjoyed this way. I remember drinking several Rum Martinis until I ran out of cocktail onions!

Q: Most people don’t know this, but you opened up your own bar in Chile, how are things going at the bar and what are your plans for it in 2017?

Yes, I believe that the dream of every manager in the hospitality industry -especially those involved with the beverage aspect of it- is to have their own establishment. About 10 months ago, one of my colleagues (who already has his own soda fountain) proposed the idea to me and, as you now know, I’ve taken on the challenge, with a lot of sacrifices. We went through a lot of names for the bar, finally we chose Red Frog Bar (a combination of the name of the Panamanian island and the concept of “Mr. Frog”), with a simple American bar concept, aimed primarily at the local consumers. I know many people are thinking, why not a rum and cigar bar ? This is, for sure, part of the plan, but we are leaving it for phase  2. We are planning to have a “bar within a bar,” but not like a speakeasy that is simply a  private lounge, this will have a hidden door and will only be accessible by invitation. The offerings at this place will include at least 80% rums, especially those rums that are hard to find in Chile, which is not as difficult as it sounds, given that there are very few rums in Chile to start with. The cocktail list will be short, with no more than 5 offerings of classic cocktails with a rum twist (like Rum Manhattan, Rum Old Fashioned, etc…). Basically, this will be a place where I can hang out with my friends, almost as if we were at my house, smoking good cigars and enjoying good rums.

Q: Why do you think cigars and rum match together so well? Is there another distillate that you enjoy with a cigar more than rum?

I have always stood by pairing tobacco with aged distillates. As time passed by I found some products that went against this rule and that I enjoyed very much (perhaps for the novelty of it) but even then, good cigars (naturally-flavored) are very satisfying in the palate, leaving the mouth full of complex flavors and tannic, which undoubtedly pairs well with barrel aged spirits. This is my opinion, but is also shared by most of those who enjoy spirits and cigars.

Besides rum, I also enjoy Scotch Whisky, which I almost always drink neat. I say “almost always” because one should always be open to trying spirits in cocktails.

Q: What do you think of the “craft” movement, both in the USA and in Chile? What advantages or disadvantages do you see for craft rums, compared to those from transnational corporations?

I am amazed by the number of craft distillers emerging in the USA, I hope this trend makes it to Chile as soon as possible. Here in Chile we’ve been experimenting with craft beer and wine, with good overall results. I doubt there will be a big market for craft rum here, since even the transnational companies are having a hard time selling their rums.

On a global level, I think the term “craft” is being misused or, more precisely, it is being overused. I believe that to be considered “artisan,” a product must meet a certain number of criteria, not just a production volume. I remember when I was young, “artisan” producers did not have access to large scale distribution so, if we wanted to buy their products we had to go to where they were made. Things have changed since then, for sure, but the point of the story is that artisan products were part of something special, unique, they are closely related to the people who make them, this is what makes people fall in love with them. Another example is the world of the craft cachaças’ today, which are made that way, and I’m not referring to the aroma and taste, which can be attained by many distilleries, I ’m refer ring to the production methods.

Q: Are there “craft” producers in the cigar world?

If we are using the same definition of “craft ” as in the previous questions, there are always small producers at the tobacco plantations, in Cuba they are known as “Chinchales.” These are places where retired workers from cigar factories continue to work, using the “secrets” they learned while at the large factories. Chinchales were born out of necessity, first ran by small families, selling their cigars on the streets, competing with the large factories as much as their production capacity allowed them. Today you can still find a few good Chinchales.

Another thing is cigars or “Puros” that come from a very specific geographical region, you could call them cigars with terroir, just like with wines. An example of this is “Le Hoyo de San Juan” from Hoyo de Monterrey, made with tobaccos from the San Juan y Martinez area, which has a protected denomination of origin. But even if this is good for the smokers, it is not necessarily “craft ” as defined earlier on.

Q: What advise do you have for young people who are star ting their careers in the world of distilled beverages, especially for those aspiring to become brand ambassadors for a company?

I have a few tips that have served me well and that I have learned during the years I have been in the industry:

Within the world of distilled beverages and cigars, there are two distinct roads that even though they seem to go in the same direction, they are handled in different ways. 

1. The first one is Marketing, which usually has more resources, but which has a very special way of conducting promotional campaigns. People with a lot of technical knowledge about the industry have a tough time fitting in here. The advantage here is that there are a lot of tools available to learn about many areas related to a brand, also there are opportunities to learn skills such as public speaking, non-verbal communication, public relations, social networks and many others that help in today’s market.

2. The second one, and perhaps the most difficult, is to not be tied to a single brand, but to defend or promote a beverage category as a whole. This route requires more passion and an ability to keep an open mind regarding all the sub-categories that one could find, like them or not. It requires understanding that each product in the category has a purpose and a market and that its consumers need to be respected.

Normally one would start on the first path and, if one develops a passion for the industry, one ends up choosing the second path. But regardless of the path chosen, one must always have humility and must always remember that life is a constant learning experience. Every person can be the source of a different lesson and you will never run out of space where to store this knowledge. The more knowledge stored in your warehouse, the more impressive it is for those visiting in the future.

Keep in mind that, as time goes by, you will become more of a public figure and that your comments can be interpreted the wrong way. The older you get, the better you will be at speaking and giving presentations. Always think before you speak, understand that there can always be arguments because people think in different ways. Don’t make enemies because of your ego, earn them instead by protecting your principles, just not your ego.

The longer you stay in the industry the more friends and enemies (followers and critics) you will have. Some of those critics will not agree with your philosophy, others will simply be envious of your job. Either way, do not let this sadden you, keep your head up and keep working without fear.

Do not change who you are, success and fame should not alter who you really are. Remember that a brand ambassador is the voice of the brand, you will get paid to share the brand’s voice, not your own.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Hahaha, I think that after they read my last answer they won’t want to read anymore! :-)

Marco Pierinin - Rum Historian

Q: This year you mainly focused your research on American Rum, why did you decide to go this route? What was the most shocking or surprising information you discovered?

Some years ago, while I was studying the origins of rum and its early, massive diffusion in the British Empire, I discovered the enormous importance of rum in Early America. So I decided to study the role that rum played in the birth of the United States.

One year later, I can confirm that rum played an important role in the everyday life of colonists: they drank a lot and they drank mainly rum. Moreover, rum was often used as currency and a real indicator of the value of goods while it was also present in all the rituals which mark life: births, weddings, all kinds of festivals and celebrations, funerals.

On the other hand, to my surprise, I have discovered that the importance of rum as one of the causes of the Revolution is often over rated. But about this point I ask you to wait for my next articles.

Q: You have shared so much information with our readers about the history of rum in North America. Have you thought about writing a book on the subject?

Yes, actually I am already working on it. I need some more research but I hope to finish the work soon.

Q: Will 2017 be devoted solely to American rum as well? If not, what other subjects do you want to explore?

I have so much interesting, thought-provoking material on American rum that I think I will devote all of 2017 to it. After that, I would like to go back to my beloved “Quest ” into the origins of rum. I have discovered new evidence that I would like to explore, but I have not decided as of yet.

Q: You attended several rum festivals this year, which ones are you looking forward to attending next year and why?

Firstly, the International Rum Conference in Madrid next June which I have at tended since the very first edition in 2012. In Madrid professionals and experts meet for two days to talk openly, among peers, about rum and its future. It is a great place to improve your knowledge, to do networking and business too.

Then, the German Rum Festival, next October in Berlin. I am always impressed by the quantity and quality of the rums present, the location and the great number of visitors. In the last edition I especially appreciated the perfect organization of the Awards, with two groups of judges working for two days. Finally, in November, the Rum Day in Milan. It is organized by bartenders and its masterclasses and seminars are focused mainly on the trends of bar tending, rum consumption and mixology. It is the most widely attended rum event in Italy and the visitors are mostly professionals. I think it is very helpful for producers that want to enter the Italian rum market. Besides, there are many other events I would like to participate in, in particular The Paris Festival in May: I am increasingly interested in Rhum Agricole, and I increasingly like white agricultural rums

Q: At your bar, La Casa del Rum, you have made extraordinary efforts to expand your rum portfolio so that consumers can appreciate rum’s range of flavors. Your portfolio now includes your own rums, can you tell us why you decided to develop these rums and how they are being received by your customers?

At the beginning we ran a rum bar on the beach. Then we began to distribute premium rums in Italy, which we bought from importers. Two years ago we decided to become Selezionatori (Selectors) and to bottle rums with our own labels. We are very satisfied with much more exciting to look for, choose and blend our own rums. Moreover, this enables us to oversee the whole process.

Q: Would you say your consumers’ palates have changed from last year to this year?

I would say there are two main trends. Seasoned consumers increasingly ask for high quality, authentic rums, among which the new, good, white ones. At the same time new consumers are entering the rum world through the gateway of spiced rums.

Q: One hundred years from now, how do you think the history books will describe 2016?

I usually distrust futurology because to foretell the future is, fortunately, impossible. But as a European I am very concerned about the consequences of Brexit. And I see three possible scenarios. First, very little changes and the European Union continues to get by in the stagnant waters where it has been floating for years. Second, other countries exit, other crises, and the EU collapses. And last, but not least, the shock of Brexit urges the EU to radically rethink itself towards a real European Federation. I greatly prefer this last scenario, but I am not very confident.

Q: Do you have a special message you would like to share with your readers?

Not a message, just a simple recommendation: look for quality and authenticity and try to avoid the snares of marketing. And keep on reading “GOT RUM ?”.

Mike Kunetka - Rum In The News

Q: What are some of the most noteworthy rum stories (news) you reported to our readers during this year (and why)?

I would have to say Plantation O.F.T.D. The story actually started in 2015 at the Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans. A secret meeting of Rum Royalty was called by Alexandre Gabriel, Master Blender for Cognac Ferrand and Plantation Rums.

The Royalty included Jeff Berry, Tiki author and co-owner of Latitude 29 in New Orleans; Martin Cate, author and co-owner of Smuggler ’s Cove in San Francisco; Paul McFadyen of Trailer Happiness in London; Paul McGee, co-owner of Lost Lake in Chicago; Scotty Schuder, co-owner of Dirty Dicks in Paris and David Wondrich, author and cocktail historian. The purpose of the meeting was to create a tasty dark overproof rum. After much discussion and sample tasting, Gabriel takes his notes back to the Maison Ferrand Estate in France where he creates several barrels samples. Then he invites the Council of Six to join him in France, where they taste these blends and compare them to classic overproof rums of the past. After much tasting (hard work indeed, but they were committed to the task) and tweaking, they find the perfect blend and yell “O.F.T.D.” The label states that O.F.T.D. stands for Old Fashioned Traditional Dark, but under the conditions that it was uttered, I suspect there might be other meanings. The rum is a powerful blend of marks from Jamaica, Guyana and Barbados that comes in at 138 proof.

Q: How is your rum book collection? What were some of the additions you made to it this year?

I enjoyed Martin and Rebecca Cates’ Smuggler’s Cove: Exotic Cocktails, Rum and the Cult of Tiki. I have often written about being stuck inside in Colorado during a blizzard reading a good book by the fire with a glass of fine rum. This is that book! First off, the deeply engraved cover just oozes exotica. The 350-page book not only tells the story of Cates’ successful Smugglers Cove, it is a loving and extensive history of Tiki and its founders. It is divided into five sections. The first covers Tiki history, from the Golden Era to the present. The next section tells how the Cates recreated that history at Smuggler ’s Cove. The third Section covers the history, production and types of rum and how each type contributes to different drinks.

Next, the Cates cover the mystique and technique of Tiki drinks. The final section describes how to create the look and feel of paradise in your own home. Simply put, this is a beautiful book, well designed and well writ ten by knowledgeable and passionate people. If you are looking for a Christmas gift for that drink connoisseur, this could be it.

Q: I know you are also a big beer aficionado, do you see any parallels between the beer and the rum industries?

I think the momentum of the craft beer movement will feed the craft distillery movement. Craft beers took off because people were tired of the limited selection of beers; people were looking for good, new, different beers. I think that craft distilleries are the logical next step. People want to try new handcrafted spirits.

The blessing and the curse for craft distilleries will be the customer base will be more sophisticated, and therefore harder to impress. Plus, there are a lot of really good spirits, including rums, out there. I visited a small distillery here in Colorado recently and the distiller told me that his goal was to sell that ‘second’ bottle to someone. A customer will buy the first bottle out of curiosity, or because they visited the distillery or because the distillery is local. This distiller ’s goal was to create a product so good that the customer will buy that ‘second’ bottle.

Q: How is the craft rum movement (or the craft distillery in general) in Colorado?

It is absolutely amazing. I think I saw over eighty Colorado distilling licenses listed on the TTB website. Even Coors has a distilling license. A few are focusing just on rum, but most are including rum in their portfolio. Our distillers have high aspirations at high altitudes. Some feel obligated to follow traditional techniques and materials and others are completely open to new innovations in ingredients, distilling and aging. We talked about the craft beer people developing new and tasty beer styles. I expect we will see the same with the craft distillers and look forward to see what they can do with rum.

I have had the opportunity to follow the genesis of a craft distillery called Hollow Woods. A good friend, Jeff Karpinski, is opening this distillery in our little town of Elizabeth. I am amazed at the amount of research and planning that goes into the design of a small distillery. Then there are the City, County and State government issues. This is all before the 200 days it takes the TTB to process the federal permit.

Q: Are you planning any rum- related trips in 2017? If so, to where?

I am planning a springtime trip to Got Rum’s new Rum Central facility in Austin, Texas. I would love to see the blending facility and turn the tables on the Ayalas and inter view them. I think readers might be surprised at all the services they offer. Next, California has many distilleries to offer, not to mention Martin Cate’s Smuggler ’s Cove. And then there is Cuba. I have to believe that as relations improve between Cuba and the United States, someone will put together a rum-centric tour of the history, culture and production of rum in Cuba. On a simpler note, I have not done justice to the many distilleries in Colorado, so I feel I need to put more effort into visiting them.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

May your laughter be loud, the food good, the rum great and your friends the best!

Cris Dehlavi - The Muse of Mixology

Q: In last year ’s interview you mentioned that it seemed to you that the bottled cocktail trend was on its way out . Looking back at 2016, did the prediction come true and why?

Yes it certainly has! I believe that the reason we are seeing less of the bottled cocktail trend is because it is really difficult to keep them consistent.

Many of the cocktails we make have citrus and when using fresh and natural ingredients, there is settling and separation in the bottles. This makes them visually unappealing if they are staying in the ottle for very long. If it is a cocktail on a menu that isn’t being sold often enough this is exactly what happens. The other factor is that many bar tenders were not only bottling the cocktails but also carbonating them. Depending on the method of carbonation, and how much time went by between bottling and consuming, the carbonation of ten went away. (think- flat champagne….not so appetizing!)

Q: It seems to me that more and more cocktails are being made with Bitters. In the world of mixology, what key role do Bitters play, especially with rum-based cocktails?

Bitters are the salt and pepper in our drinks. They round out flavors, and help to balance cocktails. I always tell people, bitters don’t have to make your drink BITTER ….they can really be used to flavor a drink and bring all of the complex ingredients together. Bitters also are a fantastic way to add unique flavors to a drink, such as cardamom, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, etc. Rum is a perfect spirit to pair with baking spices, and bitters can do this by simply adding a few drops.

Q: In one of your past articles you talked about infusions and gave our readers a recipe to try. Are home-made infusions becoming popular among bar tenders? How are they being received or perceived by consumers?

Home made infusions are huge in the craft cocktail world. By infusing a spirit you can take a base of anything and make it so much more complex. It also can save steps when you are a working bartender (and allow cocktails to be made much quicker). I love to add herbs, pices, and fruits/vegetables/peppers to spirits. I think consumers love it.

Q: Did you find yourself working a lot with new rums (rums released in 2016) or did you rely more on “traditional” or “classic” rums that have been around for a while?

Well I live in a control state so many of the new rums that have come out in 2016 we do not have available. However I will say that the ones that ARE in Ohio I have most definitely used and know that many bartenders here are as well. One of the most loved and popular is the Plantation Pineapple Rum.

Q: When you are behind the bar making cocktails, what is the one fruit you are more likely to reach for to use and why? What about when it comes to using spices?

I would say most used is lemon and lime. A vast majority of cocktails have a spirit, a sour element, and a sweet element. That sour element is typically lemon or lime and those are the ones that help to make a perfectly balanced drink. As for spices ? I guess it depends on the season, but I can say that a small pinch of salt really works in a ton of cocktails ! I am also a huge fan of cinnamon and nutmeg.

Q: You were recently inducted into the “Dame Hall of Fame” at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, Louisiana. What has this meant to you? What advice do you have for female mixologists who may be struggling to achieve recognition?

It meant the world to me! It was a huge honor for me to be recognized in that way and was a bucket list goal for me. My advice would be to work hard, be loyal and honest, and never ever settle.

Q: Do you have any special message you would like to share with your fans? Is there anything in particular that they can look forward to in 2017?

Well I am just thrilled that I have now been writing for Got Rum? for a year! I never considered myself a “writer” (not sure if I do yet or not, haha) but I have really enjoyed it. My goal for 2017 is try more rums, whether they are available in Ohio or not== and continue to broaden my knowledge by writing about them and sharing recipes :)