Rum in the News
August 2018- Rum in the News
ALTA GAMA RUM
Some rum producers add sugar to their rums to highlight some flavors in the rum. Others add sugar to hide flavors or critical errors in the distillate. This is the essence of the sugar addiction problem - in some cases the sugar addiction is used in a well-meaning cause and in other cases it is used as smoke and mirrors. At Alta Gama Rum, they are completely open about the addition of sugar to their different rums. Their base blend holds no added sugar and is in itself superbly balanced, with a beautifully integrated alcohol and great taste - an extremely well-composed rum blend. With this blend they demonstrate the basic quality of their rum, and additionally offer versions with a gradually higher sweetness. Alta Gama does not think it’s bad to add sugar to rum, although it is often being criticized by spirits purists. They do not think it’s a problem if you’re honest about the addition - especially in their case when you can taste the starting point of the rum without sugar added, as in the case of Alta Gama Rum Brut Nature. Alta Gama uses the same terms as in the Champagne category: Brut Nature (0 grams of sugar); Extra Sec (12 grams - 17 grams of sugar); Sec (17 grams - 32 grams of sugar) and Demi Sec (32-50 grams of sugar). The four editions contain all the same rum blend, only the sugar content varies. Brut Nature has been aged from 5 to 15 years in the tropics of Guyana. The blend consists of aged molasses based rums distilled by the three iconic stills; Port Mourant, Enmore & Uitvlugt. The rums are matured in ex-bourbon barrels of American white oak. 0 g/L of sugar has been added to this rum. Extra Sec Guyana is the same blend as the Brut Nature, but 25 g/L of sugar has been added to this rum. Sec Guyana is also the same blend from Guyana, but the sugar addition has been increased to 25 g/L of sugar. Finally, Demi Sec has the largest dosage, 35 g/l. All four rums are bottled at 41%. The tradition of rum production in Guyana goes a long way back, and Guyana is known for producing some of the world’s best rums. Rum enthusiasts will recognize the three old classic stills, the Enmore Still, the Port Mourant Still and the Uitvlugt Still. The Enmore Still is a Wooden Continuous Coffey Still, and is today the last fully functional example of its kind. Enmore Still is identical to the very first continuous still, designed and patented by Aeneas Coffey in 1832. Port Mourant Still is a Double Wooden Pot Still which originates from the plantation of the same name, founded in 1732. The device has previously been installed at the Uitvlugt Estate, but was moved to Diamond Distillery in 2000, where it can be found today. The Uitvlugt Still is a continuous metal Savalle Still, which was inherited from the Uitvlught Estate and dates back to the 18th century.
RUM JOURNAL’s BEST AMERICAN RUM
Every year for the last five years, the Rum Journal, a derivative of the internet website the Caribbean Journal, compiles a list of their favorite American rums. (Note – they consider, right fully so, rums from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Island as Caribbean rums and exclude them from the list). Obviously, these folks have a great deal of experience in Caribbean rums and I always marvel at which rums from the States they choose for their list. Here are the 2018 winners:
• Siesta Key Rum (Florida) Still the leader, this Sarasota, Fla.-based boutique distillery has grown to become one of America’s most beloved rums, from its traditional spiced to its limited-batch expressions like the brand’s Toasted Coconut. It is as good as spiced or flavored rum gets. Period. (If you need more proof, it even took home the top honors against the best spiced rums in the Caribbean at this year’s Caribbean Rum Awards in Saint Lucia).
• Papa’s Pilar (Florida) For years, this brand blended a range of rums from around Florida and the Caribbean Basin to make what is a delightful sipping rum — now, though, the Hemingway Rum Company is distilling its own rum at its new factory in Key West, adding an extra dose of authenticity. Either way — this is terrific rum.
• Richland Rum Single-estate American rum? That’s precisely the result at this Georgia rum plantation, which grows its own cane and distills its rum in a copper pot still. Everything happens on the estate, from farm to glass. The result? A terrific aged rum.
• Koloa Rum Company (Hawaii) Hawaii has quietly become a powerhouse of rum production, as more and more rum producers continue to pop up across the chain of islands — a part of the world with a long history of sugar production, if not rum production. The standard-bearer for Hawaiian rum has long been Koloa, based in Kauai, which makes a range of rums from white to spiced to flavored to aged — but we’re partial to the classic “dark” rum, which has a wonderful cacao-accented personality.
• Ko Hana Hawaiian Agricole Rum (Hawaii) Rhum agricole? From America? From Hawaii? Yes, that’s exactly what Ko Hana is making at its Manulele Distillers plant, using locally-grown sugarcane. The result is a range of three rums, a white, a “barrel aged” and a cask- strength, the last of which packs a true punch at between 55 and 63 degrees.
• Thomas Tew Rums (Rhode Island) Colonial America was a hive of rum activity, so it’s almost essential that an American rum be made in the heart of New England. Enter Thomas Tew, a rum made by Newport Craft Brewing and Distilling. While there are two Thomas Tew rums, an overproof and an aged expression, the three-to-five-years aged single barrel rum is the one to go for – it’s hearty, bold and punchy — it’s what you’d imagine a Rhode Island rum might have tasted like centuries ago.
• Bayou Rum (Louisiana) Made from local cane and molasses, this Lacassine, Louisiana based copper-pot-still rum has been steadily growing in popularity (and distribution) over the last few years. While Bayou offers a range of four rums from unaged to three years, the spiced has long been Bayou’s best offering.
• Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum (Hawaii) If you haven’t guessed already, Hawaiian rum is booming. And former Van Halen front man Sammy Hagar was one of the pioneers of rum in Hawaii with his eponymous Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum, a Maui - distilled expression that’s long been a Rum Journal favorite. The catch? You can only buy it in Hawaii.
• Cane & Abe Rum (Wisconsin) While the state is known for beer, Madison, Wisconsin-based distillery Old Sugar is making a name for itself with its small -batch, oaky rum.
• Mermaid Rum (Florida) Given its rich sugar production tradition, it’s no surprise that Florida continues to churn out quality rum distilleries. One of the newest Florida rums to enter the scene is Mermaid Rum, which offers a blend of three-year-old Florida rum and Caribbean rum aged in whisky barrels. The result is, well, a very unique expression.
LONG POND DISTILLERY FIRE
A fire started in the cane fields near the Long Pond Distillery at midday on July 16th and “quickly spread”, reaching part of the fermentation room and fresh rum stocks. Though production materials and buildings were damaged, the distillery itself and the stills were unaffected, and no staff members were injured in the fire. “As we don’t store or age rum at Long Pond Distillery, the aged rum stock was not affected,” the statement continued. “We are currently assessing the full extent of the damages” Winston Harrison, CEO of National Rums of Jamaica, said. “ In the middle of this difficulty, I know I can count on my team as well as our owners, the Jamaican government, Maison Ferrand and Demerara Distillers Ltd. “We are all committed for Long Pond to distill again this one-of-a-kind rum as soon as possible.” In 2017, Maison Ferrand acquired West Indies Rum and became co-owner of National Rums of Jamaica, which owns the Clarendon Distillery and Long Pond Distillery. In a Facebook post, Maison Ferand later said “We are relieved to announce that nobody was harmed in the fire at Long Pond Distillery in Jamaica and that damages only affected the production materials and buildings. As of this morning, July 17, the fire is contained, except for the bagasse dump at the Sugar Factory which is still burning at this point. Firefighters are working to bring it under control. The distillery itself including the stills have not been affected. The fire started in cane fields near the Long Pond distillery, midday on July 16. It quickly spread touching some part of the fermentation room and the fresh rum stocks (approximately 65,000 liters have been destroyed). As we don’t store or age rum at Long Pond Distillery, the aged rum stock was not affected. We are currently assessing the full extent of the damages. The entire team of Long Pond and National Rums of Jamaica are working actively toward getting our stills back to normal production schedule. As part owner of Long Pond Distillery, the hearts and thoughts of the entire Plantation Rums team are going to our team in Jamaica.” Several days later, the Jamiacan Observer reported that National Rums of Jamaica Limited, owners of the Long Pond Distillers Limited is expected to begin limited production at the facility within weeks. “The section that we actually do the distillation is still intact and we believe in another couple of weeks, with some adjustments and some modifications, we may be able to start distilling again, but with limited production,” Winston Harrison, chief executive officer of National Rums of Jamaica Limited told the Jamaica Observer. He revealed that the fermentation and storage areas of the distillery were totally wiped out by the blaze, which is said to have spread from burning bagasse at the bordering Long Pond Sugar Factory.
PLANTATION “THE COLLECTOR” JAMAICAN RUM and THE FERRAND PLANTATION FOUNDATION
Steve Remsberg has one of the largest and most interesting private collection of premium and rare rums in the world, totaling more than 1,000 bottles. When he was an attorney for the Merchant Marine he would always return from his duties in the Caribbean with suitcases filled with treasures found in the islands’ rum shops. He is now retired from the Merchant Marines, but he continues to collect exceptional bottles of rum. When he first met Alexandre Gabriel, master blender of Plantation Rum, he gave him a challenge. Mr. Gabriel remembers the moment. “At a Master Class I taught in New Orleans, an elegant gentleman approached me with a challenge. He said he had several bottles of old rums at home, among them one that he considered one of ‘the best rums in the world.’ It was a special old Jamaican rum that has been out of production for decades. He had only four bottles remaining in his collection and said that would not be enough to last him through his golden years! He challenged me and thought that I would be the one capable of recreating it.” As a result of this challenge comes Alexandre Gabriel’s new limited-edition Plantation “The Collector” Jamaican Rum, which features Steve’s face on the label. Produced with rums made in the legendary Long Pond Distillery in Jamaica, only 999 bottles of “The Collector” will be released in the U.S. and Europe. At this year’s Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, the first taste of “The Collector” Jamaican Rum took place at a private dinner attended by some of the world’s most celebrated rum experts and aficionados. Hosted by Alexandre Gabriel with Steve Remsberg as the guest of honor, the evening began with an air of mystique as guests were not told the reason for the dinner. At this dinner, Alexandre proudly announced to the guests the launch of “The Collector” Jamaican Rum and the creation of the newly-established Ferrand Plantation Foundation. In 2017, Plantation Rum owner Maison Ferrand purchased an 18th-century estate in France, with plans to transform the site into a permanent home for the Ferrand Plantation Foundation, the brand’s foundation dedicated to the preservation of rum. This estate will become a location dedicated entirely to rum research and education. It will include vintage documents, books and papers amassed by Maison Ferrand founder Alexandre Gabriel. Currently undergoing extensive refurbishment by a team of artists, once open, the Ferrand Plantation Foundation will welcome rum aficionados, collectors, scholars and fans. Remsberg will be donating his rare rum collection in its entirety to the Ferrand Plantation Foundation. Within the foundation’s home in France, a room will be dedicated to the collection, offering visitors the chance to watch videos of Remsberg explaining the history of each bottle and how they were acquired. Remsberg said: “ I’m very excited about Alexandre’s plans and dreams for this Foundation. “My intention in putting together the collection, for the last 25 or so years anyway, has been that somebody in the future could use if for research into rum history or rum heritage. So, I’m very, very optimistic. I know that Alexandre is committed to it, to keep it in one piece and what more of a heritage could anybody ask.
TIKI LOVERS RUM
New Jersey based importer Worldewide Libations has added the Tiki Lovers rum brand to its offerings.
TIKI LOVERS is the Rum brand created by Stephan Berg and Alexander Hauck. Stephan and Alexander are also the founders of the highly successful worldwide brand THE BITTER TRUTH. While they had already branched out into the tropical category with liqueurs like Falernum and Pimento Dram, they had little interest in expanding the THE BITTER TRUTH portfolio into pouring spirits. During one of their many trips as ambassadors for their brand, Stephan and Alexander had an experience in a Tiki - themed bar, where the drinks – due to the chosen rums – tasted flat and in need of improvement. It was then the idea of creating a range of blended rums ideal for use in Tiki cocktails was born.
Both Stephan and Alexander have great affection for rum, rum-based cocktails and Polynesian pop culture, and have therefore created the TIKI LOVERS range, choosing the best rums from the Caribbean for the ultimate taste experience. TIKI LOVERS Rums are inspired by the heritage of mixing tropical drinks and the Polynesian- Anglo-American mixed influences on art and literature. High quality, flavorful rums to truly improve famous tropical drinks like the Mai Tai, Daiquiri, Rum Punch etc., with excellent, intense base spirits, but at sensible pouring costs. But not just for Tiki drinks or tropical cocktails, any rum-based drink will taste better with TIKI LOVERS Rum.
Throughout Stephan’s earlier years as a seafarer, he traveled the tropics and experienced rum making first hand in the Caribbean islands of Jamaica, Trinidad, Cuba and Barbados. It was there he learned about the heritage of rum making, blending and drinking. Alexander, a designer, bartender and passionate Rum aficionado, was an early admirer of Polynesian pop art & culture – even more so after his first visit at the »Mai -Kai« in Fort Lauderdale, a Tiki temple built in 1956 which is still in existence. It was there he – intoxicated by Polynesian dance performances and Tiki drinks – scribbled down his first ideas for the label of their new rum brand. All TIKI LOVERS Rums are all natural and at higher proof. Not only because this reduces pouring costs, but also because it improves the intensity, flavor and taste!
Tiki Lovers White Rum is a delicious blend composed of aged and unaged Rums from the Caribbean, with the backbone of TIKI LOVERS White Rum coming from the lush and fragrant shores of Jamaica. Distilled at some of the island’s most famous distilleries, Monymusk and Worthy Park, with the heritage of rum-making dating back to the year of 1741. Jamaican Rum is world- renowned for its distinctive flavor and high quality and was therefore our first choice when we were looking for saporous and tasty rums that would lead the aroma structure of our blend. The chosen unaged rums are potstill distilled and are heavy with esters, creating the impression of rich banana flavor and cooked fruits. The blending process, a fine art for centuries, includes rum, aged up to 5 years, from Trinidad’s most famous distillery. The rum is then stripped of color by charcoal filtration, but maintains its full flavor, intensified by the ageing time in black charred, old Bourbon barrels. In a final flourish, a crisp, fresh and crystal -clear column still rum from Trinidad is added, creating a premium white rum, at a sumptuous 50% Alc. Vol. with complex fruity and floral notes.
Tiki Lovers Dark Rum is bottled at a hefty English proof. At 57% Vol. it is the perfect marriage between unaged Jamaican pot-still rum from the famous Hampton Estate—Jamaica’s only distillery fully dedicated to heavy pot-still rums—and rum from Barbados, aged between 2 and 3 years, distilled at Foursquare distillery. Both Rums come from Caribbean islands where Rum has been distilled for centuries, dating back to the 1700s. The barrels of the chosen Barbados Rum age on tropical shores, exposed to the sea breeze, warm climate and are high on evaporation rate, leading to a more complex and balanced spirit. The final touch is a small blend of fresh column-still rums from both Trinidad and Guyana for ultimate complexity, rounded-off with 3-5 years-old Trinidadian Rum. TIKI LOVERS Dark Rum was created in 2011 and is a complex, rich and masculine rum with hints of vanilla, dark fruit, molasses and spice, evoking the flavor of the Caribbean Islands and its beloved rums that make drinks shine. TIKI LOVERS Dark Rum is fantastic on its own but shines bright in cocktails like the Mai Tai, Rum Punches, Fog Cutter and Zombie.