Exclusive Interview with with Happy Raptor Distilling
Q: What are your full names, titles, company name and company location?
Mark Taliancich, Co-Founder & CEO
Meagen Moreland-Taliancich, Co-Founder & Chief Brand Officer
Peter Rivera, Co-Founder & COO
Happy Raptor Distilling
1512 Carondelet Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
Q: What inspired you all to partner up together and get into the spirits industry and why rum?
Meagen: When I look back on it, we were planning this company for years before we realized it!
Mark: Meagen and I got married in Martinique in 2015, which is where we first discovered the tradition of rhum arrangé, a practice of infusing spices, florals, and fruit into white rum to create rich flavors without a cloying sweetness or artificial ingredients.
We bought a spice infusion packet at a market while on the island, brought it home, and created our first infusion just for fun. I was already a big rum enthusiast.
Peter: I got roped into this because we were next door neighbors. I lived in the other half of a shotgun house we rented in the Navarre area of New Orleans. By this time, Mark’s brew and wine equipment had taken over half their house and their son’s nursery. We were always tinkering with new ideas in our spare time and customizing equipment to get just the right outcome. After a while, we started saying “What if we opened a distillery?”
Meagen: When we started saying “what if”, Mark and I thought right away about that infusion we’d made after our wedding. It’s not a common way to make rum in the United States, but it’s so fitting for New Orleans. We had about a third of the original bottle left, but we had thrown away the spice packet and couldn’t find the street vendor again. It took Mark about two years to recreate and perfect the recipe. That became our first product, 504Hibiscus.
Mark: Right. Then we just had the simple task of raising a bunch of money, renovating a location in downtown New Orleans, and building a company from the ground up!
Happy Raptor 1
Q: Where did each of you gain your knowledge about the spirits industry and in particular, rum?
Mark: By the time Meagen and I started dating, I was already brewing beer and wine at home. I gained my knowledge basically from reading books, searching for techniques and information on the Internet, and talking to other members of the spirits community. Rum came about because I prefer it, I come from a family of sailors, and we have easy access to the best ingredients here in Louisiana. At this point, I’ve got several years of experience but it was one step at a time when I started out.
Meagen: I honestly didn’t know much about rum or the spirits industry when I met Mark. Through our travels and through osmosis, I became quite the rum snob without realizing it. My passion has been building the company and interacting with the community. It’s been through my work as co-founder that I’ve become versed in the impact of this industry and the potential for craft spirits as a whole.
Peter: I’m just here for the rum. No, seriously, I’m especially passionate about the technical side of the business. It’s exciting to transform natural ingredients into something special in a centuries-old process.
Q: Each of you works a different side of the business. Can you tell us what each of your roles are?
Meagen: Of course! We all share the title of Co-Founder. I’m also the Chief Brand Officer and handle all aspects of marketing, branding, communications, and partnerships.
Peter: I’m the Chief Operating Officer and Assistant Distiller. I’m an engineer by trade, so I also oversee the functioning of our equipment.
Mark: And I’m the Head Distiller and CEO, so I get to make the rum and develop new recipes, but I also get all that “fun” business and tax paperwork.
Q: Your company has a very catchy name with an interesting story behind it. What inspired you to call it “Happy Raptor”?
Meagen: Mark and I have a son that’s almost four years old now. At the time we were trying to come up with a name for our company he was an infant. When he was happy or excited, he used to make a sound that sounded like a little velociraptor. Now that our company is open, it’s been fun to hear other parents relate to the name. They’ll say “My kid sounded like a pterodactyl!”
Q: You are very fortunate to live in a state with abundant sugarcane and sugar mills. What type (grade) of molasses are you using and are you sourcing it from a single mill?
Mark: Absolutely. We source blackstrap molasses from a mill near Donaldsonville, Louisiana called Lula-Westfield. As the mill only uses sugarcane from the surrounding fields, we love knowing the source of all of the sugar and molasses we use. We’re still small enough that we actually drive to the mill ourselves to pick up the molasses and bring it back to our distillery in the Central City neighborhood of New Orleans.
504Rum
Q: What rums are you currently producing?
Peter: Our signature product line is called 504Rum. We offer four varieties right now.
- 504Silver is the base rum for all of our products. It’s a heavy, flavorful, Caribbean-style white rum distilled at a lower proof that is meant to stand up to the strong flavors in our infusions. Our rum is made in a copper still that was custom-made for us right outside of Waco, Texas, and we don’t climate control our fermentations, so the process fluctuates a bit with the climate. 504Silver has been very popular with those who appreciate Caribbean rums, which we consider a big compliment. Our flagship product has been 504Hibiscus, the infusion that started it all.
- 504Hibiscus is infused with real hibiscus petals, lime we dehydrate by hand, and a collection of spices. It’s very versatile in cocktails, from complex recipes to mixed simply with lemonade.
- Our 504Gold is a surprise for folks because we infuse it on a combination of light, medium, and dark toasted oak chips for several days, which gives it the depth of flavor and complexity normally reserved for a barrel aged spirit. It appeals to drinkers who prefer a dryer spirit (such as a whiskey) but it retains all the characteristics of a good rum. We make a very popular Rum Old-Fashioned with the 504Gold, and it’s proven to be really versatile in other more playful cocktails.
- Finally, we’re officially releasing a new product in October, our 504Bananas Foster Rum. This rum is infused with real banana (that we dehydrate), vanilla, cinnamon, and a collection of spices. I think the community will be pleased to find subtle notes of banana and spices (not artificial banana flavoring) and only a slight sweetness from natural molasses to give it that richness of flavor we love in the iconic New Orleans dessert.
Meagen: Folks may not realize at first glance that we never add artificial ingredients to any of our products and we don’t back-sweeten, except that little touch of molasses in the 504Bananas Foster. We’re so used to a syrupy sweet taste when we drink flavored rum in the U.S., but what you’ll find in all of our products is a strong, pure rum with natural flavors.
Q: Where are your products currently available for purchase?
Mark: We just opened in February 2020, so we’re only distributing in the greater New Orleans area for now. You can find a list of stores to pick up a bottle next time you’re in town on our website (https://www.happyraptor.com/where-to-buy.html). We do have plans to expand distribution in the future, although local restrictions prevent us from shipping direct to consumer and it’s been very difficult to establish relationships with online distributors during covid. That has been a significant challenge.
Q: Do you have plans to produce additional rums?
Meagen: We do! We like to say our mission is to create premium infused rums inspired by our culture, our community, and the things that bring us joy. 504Rum is meant to be fun, creative, joyful, and even experimental. We won’t release any new products after 504Bananas Foster for at least another year, but Mark is working on a new infusion right now. We’ll keep it a secret here but we might let you taste test if you come see us in New Orleans.
Peter: We’re also planning a couple new products – departures from rum – in the future. We’d love to explore brandy made with local ingredients.
Q: Every distillery faces its share of challenges, from sourcing goods, building/designing the distillery to the development of the tasting room. What were each of your biggest individual challenges prior to Covid-19 and what are they now?
Meagen: We opened for the first uptown Mardi Gras parade, and only had one month in business before the pandemic shut down businesses in our area. We were extremely fortunate to meet our construction deadline and experience a successful Mardi Gras thanks to our neighbors and community who showed up to welcome us to the neighborhood. I would say our biggest concern at the time was absolutely the budget. We are a very small company.
Peter: The budget, being overextended with our super small team, and not finding that balance between demand and production.
Meagen: When the shutdown began, we just held on for dear life. Craft distilling is a growing industry in Louisiana with a lot of enthusiasm and support from the community. Not to mention New Orleanians know how to party no matter what. We remain open for to-go orders of 32oz. pre-batched sealed cocktails, bottles of rum, and hand sanitizer thanks to our permitting, but our colleagues in the restaurant and bar industry continue to shutter their doors every day. In a way, ignorance is bliss because we can’t make any sales comparisons to know what we’re really losing compared to a previous year. As the pandemic has continued, however, we’re feeling the weight of lost potential revenue and fatigue from constantly shifting revenue streams. Strong restrictions in Louisiana against direct-to-consumer sales options for craft distilling have absolutely impacted our business, as well.
Mark: It’s a strange reality that to-go drinks have been approved in cities and towns across the country but they’re banned in New Orleans. For us, the principle challenge has been staying relevant and rolling with the punches, because new developments and pivots are happening almost daily.
Alcohol by Happy Raptor
Q: What are some of the things your company is doing to help your community during these difficult times?
Mark: There is no way we would be open today without our community. Our budget is really small, but finding creative ways to give back has always been at the heart of our business. Our events space (when it’s open) is 100% free for local nonprofit organizations. We’ve donated almost $4,000 worth of hand sanitizer to local organizations, first responders, and teachers. We’ve also regularly partnered with local nonprofits since the shutdown to help animate their mission in the midst of crippling losses to their annual contributions as a direct impact of the pandemic. Additionally, since the pandemic began, we’ve offered substantial, ongoing discounts for first responders, nonprofits, healthcare and hospitality professionals, and teachers.
Meagen: We’re also taking steps to launch our first distilling apprenticeship in hopefully the not-so-distant future. Distilling is a marketable, professional skill, but it is not accessible. Our product is inspired by our community, so our skills and expertise should be available to young people – and especially those in underrepresented communities – who are passionate about the industry.
Q: Did you or are you currently offering tours and tastings at your distillery? Are reservations recommended/required?
Peter: We do offer tours by appointment when the distillery is open. Bars in New Orleans are still closed, which technically includes our tasting room despite the availability of to-go orders. We expect to offer tours again as soon as bars reopen. Our tour begins with a free cocktail, ends with a free tasting, and we try to show everybody a good time. The best place to follow along for updates on tours is on our website at www.happyraptor.com or by following us on Facebook and Instagram.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about what a customer will experience when they arrive at your distillery?
Mark: A bunch of people saying “hey!!” because we’re just so happy to see you!
Meagen: That is so true. Honestly, it’s important to us that the distillery feels like a comfortable and laid-back space to anyone who walks in. When we planned the layout and thought about our menu, it was essential that both tourists and locals felt at home. I think we’ve done a really nice job of continuing to make everyone feel welcome during the shutdown. Our building is a small renovated warehouse that served as an auto mechanic garage from the early 1920s. These days, we might throw open the refurbished garage door and greet folks who simply run in for 5-10 minutes at a time just to pick up their order. Our company’s mission is every bit about making memories as it is about rum. It’s really fulfilling to brighten someone’s day even for a minute in these really stressful times.
Happy Raptor Distilling 2
Q: What are some of the most popular drinks you serve at the bar? And which one would you say is your favorite and why?
Mark: The most popular drink in our tasting room, hands down, is the 504Hibiscus Lemonade. It’s interesting that it goes so fast because it’s simply our 504Hibiscus rum mixed with your lemonade of preference. So easy, but I think it appeals because it’s a beautiful pink color and it’s perfect for a hot New Orleans day. It was huge during Mardi Gras, especially. My favorites are the Hibiscus Hurricane (our take on a classic) and the Sister Suffragette – a big crowd-pleaser we rolled out during Fourth of July with muddled lemon and mint, simple syrup, and 504Gold.
Meagen: The 504Hibiscus Daiquiri is the most sentimental menu item for me. When we were creating the infusion for 504Hibiscus, we always made a traditional daiquiri to taste-test the batch. We’ve recently added the Tropical Storm, made with 504Hibiscus, ginger beer, and mint simple syrup. I find myself making it at home again and again.
Peter: It’s hard to pick favorites, but I’ll go with the Sparking 504Hibiscus Lemonade. That’s the standard cocktail topped with sparkling water. We use Key Lime La Croix in the tasting room. I also really love the 504Hibiscus Mojito.
Meagen: You can find all these recipes on our website!
Q: If people want to contact you, how may they reach you?
Meagen: Folks can find all our individual contact information on our website at happyraptor.com, or they can reach out on Facebook and Instagram (@504Rum).
Q: Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
Mark: At the end of the day, we’re extremely grateful to be here, to be open, and to be doing what we love.
Meagen: In a roundabout way, we’ve learned some essential lessons in survival and compassion in our company’s first seven months in business. We feel grateful to have a chance to build our company’s foundation based on what we’ve learned and we’re excited to keep growing!
Peter: Thank you so much for having us!
Margaret: Again Meagen, Mark and Peter, thank you so much for this interview and I wish you and the rest of your team much success.
Cheers!
Margaret Ayala,
Publisher
