Rum in the News
CARICOM 50th ANIVERSARY RUM BLEND
Last month, the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, the Honorable Philip J. Pierre, presented the new CARICOM 50th Anniversary Rum Blend from the Saint Lucia Distillers Group to His Excellency Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana and Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The CARICOM Chairman received the rum blend during the ongoing 46th Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government being convened in Guyana. The blend is attractively packaged under the Saint Lucia Distillers Group Chairman’s Reserve Brand, and this new expression honors the achievements of the Caribbean Community over the past 50 years. It is a specially selected blend of 12-year-old rums from the distillery’s unique collection of pot and column rum stills and aged in various oak casks and is one of several being developed by members of West Indies Rum & Spirits Producers’ Association (WIRSPA) to commemorate the Caribbean Community’s 50th Anniversary. The products being showcased by regional rum producers will be distributed to CARICOM, with limited quantities being available for sale in local markets. The Saint Lucia Distillers Group is the first WIRSPA member to make a 50th Anniversary presentation to CARICOM. https://caricom.org/
BREWDOG DISTILLING
Last month, BrewDog Distilling Co. announced the official launch of its DUO White Rum. BrewDog’s Duo Rum series is an interesting marriage of Caribbean and Scottish rums, offering flavors of tropical fruit like pineapple and guava across natural hints of caramel, toffee, and vanilla. Steven Kearsley, Managing Director of BrewDog Distilling Co., remarked: “We have been making our white rum for a while now, as it’s used in our Wonderland canned mojitos. This is the first time we’ve bottled and released the liquid as its own standalone brand. We think white rum is somewhat untapped, and ours is a wonderful expression of how aromatic and flavorful this style of rum can be. Smooth and subtly complex, with notes of toffee and tropical fruits, DUO White will stop you in your tracks.” Duo White will join BrewDog’s existing rums, DUO Spiced Rum and DUO Spiced with Caramelized Pineapple Rum. https://www.duo-rum.com/
EASTSIDE DISTILLERY
East Side Distillery’s acclaimed spiced rum, Nomad Oscuro, has been awarded a Gold Medal at the distinguished Rum & Cachaça Masters 2024. Organized by The Global Spirit Masters, this esteemed competition seeks to recognize and reward the finest rum and cachaça brands on the global stage. Chaired by a panel of leading spirits specialists, the blind-tasting competition attracted nearly 300 entries from around the world. Nomad Oscuro distinguished itself as one of the elites, landing in the exclusive top 1.7% of spiced rums globally. Jai Anand, Founder of East Side Distillery, congratulated the team saying, “We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved with Nomad Oscuro. This Gold Medal not only celebrates our commitment to quality but also positions us favorably in a competitive global market. It’s an honor to see Nomad Oscuro recognized on such a prestigious platform, and it reaffirms our dedication to excellence in the art of blending.” Nomad Oscuro has been created by Victor Benito, Head Distiller of Eastside. https://nomadoscuro.com/
MAISON FERRAND
Maison Ferrand is excited to announce Uncut Stories, a platform that showcases unpublished projects and news about the Ferrand brands (Citadelle Gin, Ferrand Cognac, Planteray Rum, Ferrand Dry Curacao, Mathilde Fruit Liqueurs, etc.) and the Ferrand Distilleries (Citadelle Gin Distillery/France, West Indies Rum Distillery and Stade’s Rum Distillery/Barbados). In addition, you’ll find stories such as R&D experiments with new fermentations, sourcing raffia from Madagascar, Master Blender Alexandre Gabriel’s concepts about the use of different wood barrels for cognac aging, and much more. With Uncut Stories, Maison Ferrand will share with you the behind-the-scenes of their companies: the research, the challenges, and even the mistakes. Join them to discover their world where each sip tells a story of passion and commitment. https://news.maisonferrand.com/
CRUZAN
The St. Croix Source reported that the Cruzan Rum Distillery is now welcoming guests back to its doors after a four-year closure. With a fresh look and updated facilities, the staff is excited to offer visitors an immersive experience into the world of their award-winning rum. To ensure the safety of all guests and staff, The Cruzan Rum Distillery has implemented a reservation system for booking tours of the distillery. This system will allow it to control the number of people in the facility at any given time and provide a more personalized experience for each visitor. During a visit, a customer will have the opportunity to learn about Cruzan Rum Distillery’s rich history, witness the art of rum making firsthand, and sample some of its finest products. https://www.cruzanrum.com/tours-and-experiences
BRUGAL
Born from the passion of five generations of Maestros Roneros and 135 years of Rum Mastery, Brugal unveiled its newest masterpiece, a permanent edition prestige sipping rum, Maestro Reserva. The rum making process for Maestro Reserva utilizes an innovative cask toasting technique in prestigious American sherry oak casks called “Dark Aromatic Toasting” to create a one-of-a-kind rum, carefully crafted for sipping. Driven by passion, each generation of Brugal family Maestro Roneros enrich the art of rum making and leaves behind a legacy that endures through the ages. Brugal family member and fifth-generation Maestra Ronera, Jassil Villanueva Quintana, upholds this as she introduces her legacy, Masetro Reserva. Using the “Dark Aromatic Toasting” technique, Jassil has produced a rum born from years of practice and patience, passed down from generation to generation. With her expertise, she discerns the precise moment when the rum’s elements reach perfection, resulting in a liquid characterized by a naturally smooth, well-rounded, and intricate sweetness. “My family deeply embraces the elegance and soul of Brugal rum, and I’ve absorbed a wealth of wisdom from the generations of Maestro Roneros who came before me,” shares Jassil Villanueva Quintana. “By leveraging this knowledge and my unwavering passion, all while paying homage to the Brugal family legacy, I’ve crafted a rum that is “moment perfect.” My hope is that Maestro Reserva graces all of life’s big celebrations, alongside cherished ones, forging moments that will endure for centuries to come.” Brugal’s proprietary “Dark Aromatic Toasting” process naturally sweetens the liquid to create a rum that is free of external sugars and additives. After aging in premium American sherry oak casks, the rum is emptied and carefully placed aside. The American sherry oak casks are immediately toasted using precision, mastery and expertise to extract natural caramel pearls that are drawn from the sugars in the wood. The casks are then re-filled with the rum, absorbing the delicate caramel pearls created in the wood before being carefully aged under the Dominican sun. The result is a smooth and rich liquid defined by sweet vanilla creaminess, velvety caramel and awakened by a hint of smoke. https://www.brugal-rum.com
STAR & KEY
Cobblestone Brands announced the launch of their second spirit brand, Star & Key Rum, a single estate rum from Mauritius. Made with fresh cane juice to capture the unique terroir of this isolated island on the far side of the world, this rum is distinctly different. Star & Key Single Estate Rum is made by Nick Wiehe, one of the Cobblestone owners, on the 8th generation Wiehe family estate, Labourdonnais. One of the oldest estates in Mauritius, Nick’s family pioneered the cultivation of high-quality cane on the island. Labourdonnais’ distillery is nestled amongst 1500 acres of sugar cane and fruit orchards where everything is grown, harvested, distilled and aged. To create a rum that captures the island’s, and indeed, the estate’s unique terroir, Nick uses only fresh cane juice. The mix of rich volcanic soil, and a subtropical, maritime climate on Mauritius have proven perfect for sugar cane to flourish over the last 400 years. The year-round, steady warmth and Indian Ocean air also plays a pivotal role in the aging process. Star & Key Rum is tropically aged, on the Estate of course, significantly accelerating the maturation process and intensifying the flavor the rum draws from the oak casks. “Star & Key Rums capture a sense of place with unparalleled authenticity and character,” says Gary McLoughlin, Marketing Director of Star & Key. “Mauritius was one of the first places in the world to cultivate sugar cane and hundreds of years later, it is still the island’s main crop. Fresh cane juice retains everything it draws from the soil and climate throughout the growing season. Star & Key Rums utilize both red and yellow cane varietals grown on this one-of-a-kind estate to produce distinctively different rums.” The company will start with two expressions, Star & Key Passion Fruit Rum and Star & Key VSOP. Star & Key Passion Fruit Rum is made using 2-year-old Cognac and Bourbon cask aged rum, infused with fresh passion fruit also grown on the Estate. The passion fruit is peeled and pulped by hand, then carefully added to a small amount of cask strength rum, in equal parts passion fruit and rum. This 50:50 mix remains in the cask for a number of weeks so that they get just the right amount of fruit flavor into the spirit. The seeds and pulp are filtered out and then married with the rest of the rum casks over two more weeks. Star & Key VSOP Rum is a Single Cask Release, it is a smooth yet complex 4-year-old sipping rum aged exclusively in Cognac casks. The French oak Cognac casks make this a rich, deep and warming rum to take your time with. The nose is sweet with toffee, butterscotch, nutmeg, vanilla, plums and figs. The taste is rich and smooth with dark toffee, honeycomb, hazelnut, orange and apricot with subtle vegetal undertones. The finish is cinnamon, toasted oak spices and chocolate orange. The brand name is inspired by an old nick name of the island that is still shown on the country’s crest. Mauritius was known as “The Star & Key of the Indian Ocean”. https://www.starandkeyrum.com/
RUMCHATA
RumChata is introducing RumChata Pineapple Cream, a new flavor made with RumChata’s signature premium Caribbean rum and natural pineapple flavors. Pineapple Cream is available now nationwide at major retailers, with an ABV of 13.75%. “Last year, our fans’ enthusiasm for tropical flavors was evident with the success of RumChata Coconut Cream. As summer approaches, we’re thrilled to unveil our latest innovation, RumChata Pineapple Cream, which is reminiscent of summer Tiki drinks,” said Brandon Lieb, Vice President of Marketing for Spirit of Gallo. With a burst of pineapple that brings the bright, refreshing taste of summer, RumChata Pineapple Cream can be enjoyed on its own or in the RumChata Colada, a Piña Colada-inspired drink made with equal parts RumChata Pineapple Cream and Coconut Rum. Pineapple Cream joins three core products in the RumChata portfolio, Original, Limón and Coconut Cream. Pumpkin Spice and Peppermint Bark are also available during the fall and winter months. https://www.rumchata.com/
WISE MONKEY RUM
Nirvana Works International has officially announced the launch of Wise Monkey Indian Spiced Rum, a new addition to their lineup of unique blends. After the success of their limited batch release, the purely-molasses based rum garnered quite the attention from rum fanatics. The latest offering from the award-winning brand brings in a truly Indian experience to add on to your bar collections. With an all-organic spices’ infusion, the rum pays homage to the lesser credited land that celebrates both rum and spices, India. Speaking of the product, the Director of Nirvana Works, Mr. Jagdeep Singh says, “This blend has been a long time in the making, and honestly, I can say that it’s been worth every possible minute. It’s everything we’ve anticipated and wanted to offer to a crowd who’d appreciate a well-crafted spiced rum.” Wise Monkey’s Indian Spiced Rum marks the third blend in their lineup which includes the Wise Monkey Café Rum and the Mauritius White Rum. Each of their blends uncovers a story of inspiring craftsmanship and innovation. Wise Monkey Café Rum and Indian Spiced Rum won Silver Awards at The Rum & Cachaça Masters 2024. The competition, organized by The Global Spirit Masters, saw over 300 global rum brands and experts come together to find the finest rum offerings. Speaking of the latest achievement, Mr. Jagdeep Singh (Director of Nirvana Works) said that they’re “absolutely thrilled and humbled to see Wise Monkey being recognized on such a prestigious platform. We’re excited to continue pushing boundaries and bring exceptional drinks to our fellow rum enthusiasts worldwide.” https://wisemonkeyrum.com/
RON BARCELÓ
Ron Barceló is proud to introduce three new expressions: Barceló Imperial Porto Cask, Barceló Imperial Mizunara Cask, and Barceló Imperial Maple Cask, as part of their ultra-premium Rare Blends Collection. This collection is a series of reserves, aged for an extended time in barrels from different latitudes to heighten Ron Barceló’s commitment to innovation and sensory experiences. These three unique blends are crafted from the finest cane fields of the Dominican Republic to carry a legacy of prestige and excellence, making it one of the most awarded Dominican rums globally. “We’re thrilled to bring three new expressions, Barceló Imperial Porto Cask, Barceló Imperial Maple Cask, and Barceló Imperial Mizunara Cask, to our consumers in the US,” said Otto Flores, Brand Ambassador for Ron Barceló. “These expressions are an exhilarating journey of flavors, offering a rare combination of silkiness and complexity. All three expressions are a testament to our commitment to push the boundaries of excellence and innovation in the world of rum.” Each expression sources carefully selected Dominican sugarcane cultivated in a Barceló-owned field following an aging process in oak barrels with varying degrees of toast, yielding an organoleptically complex spirit. Barceló Imperial Porto Cask undergoes additional aging in authentic Tawny 10 port wine barrels from Portugal, imparting a complexity and unique flavor that defines this exuberant spirit. Barceló Imperial Maple Cask, undergoes 8 to 10 years of aging in ex-Bourbon casks, followed by an additional year in maple staves. The result is a rich and nuanced spirit, embodying the essence of carefully selected ingredients and meticulous craftsmanship. Barceló Imperial Mizunara Cask, the third in this collection, is the result of aging the brand’s prized rums in oak barrels with varying degrees of toast, meticulously selected by Galíndez. Following the blend, Mizunara Cask undergoes further aging in virgin Japanese oak barrels, https://ronbarcelo.com/
TAKAMAKA
Zepis Kreol, the latest offering from the Takamaka Distillery in the Seycehlles draws its character from both oak and the local spices. A blend of pot and column distilled molasses rum, macerated with locally grown natural spices before being pressed with ex-merlot wood fines. An 8-year Bajan Foursquare rum is added before finally letting it rest for 60 days inside very old ex-bourbon casks before bottling. The result is rich with warming spices and just a hint of that island sweetness. Gold medal winner 2024 Spirit Business Global Rum & Cachaça masters. Zepis Kreol, has been their best seller on their home islands for some time. Our unique recipe driving vanilla, papaya and that level of sweetness you would expect from this style of rum proving to be really popular. Personally - mixed with a proper ginger beer this is a winner! But we always have aspiration to produce a spiced rum that was more of a “sipper”. Something that was rum forward but really worked to combine those flavors of oak and natural spices. https://www.takamakarum.com/
CLUB KOKOMO SPIRITS
Club Kokomo Spirits, created by Beach Boys co-founder Mike Love, has added a line of premium rums to its range of rum- and gin-based ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails. “The spirit of Kokomo is the serenity and good vibrations you feel when hanging out with your closest friends or family, preferably on a sandy beach,” said Love, “We took it, distilled it and bottled it for everyone who takes a sip to enjoy, anywhere. Much like a Beach Boys song.” To make this all possible and to ensure product quality and consistency, Club Kokomo uses award-winning spirits in every product. Both their rums and gins are designed and produced exclusively for them by Geoff Longenecker at the acclaimed artisan distillery in San Diego, California, Seven Caves Spirits. Geoff is a renowned distiller in San Diego and known amongst spirits enthusiasts as a master at his craft with ludicrously small batches. Geoff’s dedication to the best spirits on the market is the “why” for the Love family in hand-selecting him as their partner in the Club Kokomo endeavor. The new rum range has three expressions: a white rum, a barrel-finished rum and a Tahitian Vanilla Rum. Artisanal White Rum contains a unique blend of demerara cane sugar rum distilled on-site and traditional Jamaican pot still rum. Blended and bottled by hand, this rum offers harmonious hints of honey, pineapple, melon, and mango with no added sugars or flavoring. An exceptional choice for both sipping and enhancing Kokomo inspired cocktails. Bottled at 45% ABV. Tahitian Vanilla Rum is an exotic tribute to the azure motus of Tahiti and the white sand beaches of the Caribbean. Fragrantly ripe whole Tahitian vanilla beans rest with our Artisan White Rum, slowly imparting their exquisite flavor without added sugars or flavoring. Our proprietary steeping process is closely monitored by our master distiller until the rum is bottled by hand in our facility. Relax and enjoy this rhythmic dance of Tahitian and Caribbean sensibilities. Bottled at 40% ABV. Our Barrel Finished Rum features a proprietary blend of 8- and 10-year-old Jamaican, Barbadian and Dominican rums, aged in new oak, ex-whiskey and port casks. Blended exclusively by our master distiller, Geoff Longenecker, and finished in hand-selected bourbon barrels, our ultimate rum expression delivers notes of vanilla, caramel, stone fruit and whiskey with no added sugars, flavoring or colors. Bottled at 46% ABV. https://clubkokomospirits.com/
