July 2017- Rum in the News

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July 2017- Rum in the News

ST. LUCIA DISTILLERS

St. Lucia Distillers will unveil new packaging for its flagship export rum brand, Chairman’s Reserve, which has been timed perfectly with the scheduled re-launch of the brand in the United States on July 1st. Reminiscent of its old-world pedigree, the new label supports the premium aesthetic of the brand, catapulting St. Lucia style rum into the global premium spirits spotlight. Chairman’s Reserve is a unique blend of aged rums from pot and column stills. “The juice in the bottle speaks for itself,” explains Benjamin Jones, director of North America for the brand. “Chairman’s Reserve has always been recognized amongst the finest rums in the world, and now with an elegant refreshed look, Chairman’s Reserve will return the spotlight to St. Lucia as an island with a rich and an original legacy for producing world-class rum.” To create this new packaging, Chairman’s contracted the services of an international design agency, highly regarded for their work with other prestigious brands including Grey Goose and Remy Martin. In addition to having successfully given Chairman’s Reserve the exceptional look that it deserves, the new labels are still recognizable by the current Chairman’s Reserve’s rum enthusiast community. Chairman’s Reserve will no longer be understated. The distinctive taste of this symbolic St. Lucian rum is reflected in the design elements of the new label. The bold new look signals Chairman’s Reserve’s return as one of the finest English-style rum on the world stage. The brand embodies the true essence of St. Lucia and allows Chairman’s Reserve to compete more effectively at the international level in the premium rum category as well as against all premium aged spirits. With this same approach, St. Lucia Distillers will re-release the brand “1931” as a limited reserve expression in the Chairman’s portfolio. Now to be known as “Chairman’s Reserve 1931”, this rare aged rum will round off the new, polished portfolio of Chairman’s Reserve rums.

GOSLINGS

When the America’s Cup announced their decision to bring the 35th running of the event to Bermuda in 2017, Goslings instantly decided to do something to mark the occasion by creating a special edition product in a handmade crystal decanter. As the 7th generation President & CEO of Gosling-Castle Partners, Inc., Malcolm Gosling explained, “We knew this was huge. I mean, seamanship and rum have gone hand in hand for centuries. Our Black Seal Rum has become the defacto rum of sailors worldwide. So, we decided then and there to create something truly exceptional.” To begin with, Mr. Gosling tapped the last of their oldest rum barrels, dating back to 1968. “Of course, we couldn’t put this rarest of rums in just another fancy bottle,” said Mr. Gosling. “We wanted something that was outrageously different and I said, ‘spare no expense.’ ” The result is a limited edition, serial-numbered, handmade wooden chest that houses a 750 ml bottle of the prized rum with a handmade crystal decanter. If the decanter looks familiar, that’s because it was designed to replicate a smaller version of the America’s Cup “Auld Mug”, the oldest trophy in international sports. Also, in the chest is a solid glass stopper for the decanter, a leather book describing the entire fabricating process and a small tasting journal to jot down dates and notes of each sipping occasion. The leatherlined, polished wooden chest was crafted by Moran’s Wood Components in England. It features a pull-out drawer for the rum bottle and book, and an etched glass door that showcases the decanter itself. The decanter was created by Dartington Crystal, the UK’s premier name in hand crafted glassware. It incorporates a sterling silver handle, individually fashioned to fit each decanter, by T.R. Sterling of Essex, England.

CASA BACARDI

CASA BACARDÍ has announced that Wesley Elizabeth Cullen will be its new General Manager, responsible for the complete visitor experience and showcasing the more than 155-year history of the iconic BACARDÍ® rum brand. As the second-most visited tourism venue in metro San Juan, CASA BACARDÍ plays host to approximately 200,000 visitors a year to learn the unique history of the Bacardí family and brand, as well as its craftsmanship and sustainable production techniques. “CASA BACARDÍ is a storytelling and consumer engagement gem. I am excited to join such a vibrant, well-regarded brand with such a unique history,” says Cullen. “The BACARDÍ programming around music and arts aligns with two of my passions, and the importance of CASA BACARDÍ for tourism in Puerto Rico creates incredible potential. I look forward to creatively bringing our stories to life across many dynamic platforms in new and engaging ways.” Cullen reports to Thibault Ruffat, Global Brand Homes Director for Bacardi, responsible for the venues and experiences for all the brand homes of all Bacardi spirits. “Wesley’s expertise in hospitality and music is a great asset to further connect the brand home experience to BACARDÍ rum and its cultural pillars,” adds Ruffat. “Under Wesley’s leadership, we can better focus on showcasing the premium, high-end spirit that is incredibly drinkable and complex while increasing the profile of this world-class brand home already recognized as an outstanding destination by TripAdvisor ”.  Among the attractions available at CASA BACARDÍ are the “Rum Tasting Tour,” a tour focused on the tasting of and sensory experiences of BACARDÍ rums; “Mixology Tour,” which is characterized by its unique experience of giving consumers the opportunity to go behind the bar to learn how to make cocktails including the BACARDÍ Cuba Libre, BACARDÍ Mojito and BACARDÍ Daiquiri; and the “Historical Tour,” a must-do for visitors to learn about the past, present and future of the world’s most awarded rum. The tours include a welcome drink, a commemorative 12-ounce acrylic glass and a booklet of recipes with different drinks made with BACARDÍ rum.

CRUZAN

Just in time for the kickoff of summer, Cruzan Rum is excited to announce the launch of its “Cruzan Bucket List,” a multi-channel marketing campaign encouraging rum fans to celebrate the moment, no matter how big or small, with family and friends of legal drinking age.  Combined with the introduction of the brand’s newest flavor, Cruzan Tropical Fruit Rum, it’s the perfect mindset to kick off summer time. Inspired by the brand’s popular rum punch bucket cocktails, the new campaign offers a fun twist on the traditional concept of the bucket list, emphasizing not the grandiose, but the simple pleasures that make a summer memorable. “Our bucket list isn’t just about taking a trip around the world or breaking a world record,” said Rashidi Hodari, Senior Marketing Director for Cruzan Rum. “It’s about exploring all of life’s flavors, whether that’s watching a sunset on the beach or simply catching up with an old friend while enjoying a refreshing Cruzan cocktail. There’s no time like now to start doing all the things you want to do, and the ‘Cruzan Bucket List’ offers the inspiration our fans need to start checking things off their lists.” Cruzan Tropical Fruit Rum offers an authentic spirit bursting with the fresh flavors of the island it calls home, juicy pineapple, tart passionfruit, and sweet guava accented with bright notes of fresh citrus.

ANTIGUA DISTILLERY MOLASSES SPILL

Following a first of its kind occurrence in the Antigua Distillery’s 85-year history, Managing Director of the company Anthony Bento says the company has moved into swift action to minimize any negative results from the recent molasses spill. On June 10th, following receipt of a 2000 metric ton delivery of molasses the previous day, it was discovered that molasses was overflowing from the distillery’s 2500 ton capacity storage tank. Upon physical inspection, it was found that a thick layer of foam had formed on top the molasses. The foam was found to be leaking through the vents under the roof of the tank. The ship was immediately notified to stop pumping and mitigation measures were put in place. Once these measures had been carried out and the overflow of foam had subsided, pumping resumed later that evening and was completed by 10.30 p.m. No further overflow was observed from the tank that day except the residual on the side of the tank from earlier in the morning. On the morning of Sunday 11th, the main storage tank located at the deep-water harbor began foaming over again. A vacuum truck was called to remove the spill-over molasses and additional truckloads of backfill were brought in. By later that day, the foaming had subsided. Efforts to remove the spill have been underway since Saturday evening. Truckloads of backfill and a backhoe had been brought in to spread the fill, and to absorb the excess molasses both inside the distillery compound, and on the main road in front of the distillery. A water truck was also brought in to wash the main road of any residual molasses that may have traveled onto it from the storage tank. According to Bento, “ the company has always placed an emphasis on ensuring the environment is not endangered as a result of our activities.” He adds, “for the past two years, the company has been involved in a pilot study with a US biotechnology firm to find ways of managing its effluent. This is a Caribbean wide problem in the rum industry.” The Antigua Distillery takes full responsibility for this incident and is currently conducting further investigations into what caused the accident. Among the initial indicators is the fact that the pumps customarily used to transfer the molasses, standard positive displacement pumps, were not available owing to a different system used by that vessel. At no time prior to this incident was the Antigua Distillery informed of issues related to the condition of the molasses these details by the supplier Rosadani Sourcing Corporation, nor the ship itself.

SPIRIBAM

Spiribam announces its debut in the American spirits market with a distinguished portfolio of fine boutique rums. Formerly Clément USA, the company’s new name, Spiribam, reflects a new extensive focus on unique rums with different origins. Spiribam’s collection of spirits includes Rhum Clément and Rhum J.M. from Martinique, Rhum Damoiseau of Guadeloupe, and the newest addition, Chairman’s Reserve from St. Lucia. Benjamin Jones, Managing Director of Spiribam, said “As the great-nephew of Homère Clément, the founder of Rhum Clément, the passion for rum is in my blood, literally. From the very early days, it was important to understand all types of rum when we introduced Rhum Clément and rhum agricole to the American market. Along the way, we discovered that there are several wonderful rums in the world that are misunderstood and hidden from the public eye.” Spiribam’s mission to bring the taste for rhum agricole to American shores dates back to 2006 when Clément USA introduced their namesake Martinican rhum brand to the United States. The initial ambition was to organize a direct route-to-market for Rhum Clément in the United States, but the role of the company quickly evolved into an educational one focused on the advancement of rhum agricole as a category, and attracting more attention to all styles of notable premium rums of different origins, including Rhum J.M, Rhum Damoiseau and now most recently Chairman’s Reserve. After nearly a decade of exclusively housing rhum agricole from the French West Indies, Spiribam in 2017 proudly welcomes St. Lucia Distillers rums to its portfolio. The re-launch of Chairman’s Reserve in the USA will be followed by Bounty Rum and Admiral Rodney rum. These are diverse and versatile English-style rums. Crafted from distinctive blends of unique pot-still and column-still rums, each of the brands has tremendous individual character and personality, and each proudly carries an undeniable St. Lucian identity in regards to their style.

NAKED TURTLE RUM

June 16th was World Sea Turtle Day, which was founded as a way to raise awareness of and respect for the world’s endangered sea turtles. To honor the special day, and the creatures it aims to save, the Sea Turtle Conservancy teamed up with Naked Turtle Rum to benefit the world’s endangered sea turtles. For 2017’s benefit the fifth collaboration between the U.S. Virgin Islands distiller and the conservancy, the rum maker unveiled its “Every Bottle Saves a Turtle” initiative, which will benefit the Sea Turtle Conservancy with every bottle sold. “We’ve been able to save at least 234,000 sea turtle hatchlings and conduct conservation programs that are improving sea turtle survival,” said David Godfrey, executive director of the Sea Turtle Conservancy, in a statement provided to The Washington Times, adding that the partnership is also supporting a conservation program in Costa Rica to monitor and protect the largest remaining colony of endangered green turtles in the Western Hemisphere. “We’ve achieved so much in such a short amount of time together, and I’m excited to see what further impact we can have on sea turtles now with The Naked Turtle’s new ‘Every Bottle Saves a Turtle’ initiative,” Mr. Godfrey said. The two entities have also teamed up on an initiative called “Kill the Lights, Save the Turtles” to raise awareness about the impact artificial lights have on hatchling turtles. The effort sought to darken over 20 miles of Florida beaches in order to save thousands of hatchlings per year from light disorientation. “Naked Turtle is a brand that actually cares about this cause, and that’s evident in how much education they offer to their consumers,” Mr. Godfrey said of the rum distiller. “Naked Turtle White Rum wants to show people it’s really not hard to play a part in conservation efforts by being more mindful of your actions at the beach and being thoughtful about your daily choices of products.

FLOR de CANA

Flor de Caña 25 Years, the crown jewel of Nicaraguan premium rum brand Flor de Caña,  continues to position itself at the top of the ultra-premium rum category worldwide by being named the “2017 Best Rum of the Year ”, the highest distinction awarded by the prestigious International Rum Conference in Madrid, Spain. This is the latest in a series of distinctions that Flor de Caña 25 Years has earned in the past, including “Among the Finest Products in the World” for its Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, “Best New Rum of the Year” by the Caribbean Journal, “Design Masters” by The Spirits Business of London and “Best Packaging” by the International Rum Conference in Madrid in 2014 and 2015. Flor de Caña 25 Years is an ultra-premium rum aged for 25 years, with a deep and elegant dark amber color. It has an aroma that integrates vanilla, wood and dark cocoa notes, which mingle smoothly on the palate with fruity, nutty and caramel notes. Additionally, other  products of the Flor de Caña portfolio also received important recognitions during the 2017 International Rum Conference in Madrid, including: Flor de Caña 18 Years – Double Gold Medal; Flor de Caña 12 Years - Silver Medal; Flor de Caña 7 years Gran Reserva - Gold Medal; Flor de Caña 5 Years Añejo Classic - Gold Medal; and Flor de Caña 4 Years Extra Dry - Gold Medal.

RON BARCELO LIMITED EDITION

Dominican Rum, Ron Barceló has partnered with neo-figurative artist Ruben Ubiera to create a limited edition bottle for Barceló Añejo Rum. The Dominican born, New York raised and Miami based artist was inspired by his own experiences and created the gorgeous bottle on a metallic gold background in his signature Postgraffism style. “The artwork created for this specific bottle is a marriage of the old and the new,” says Ubiera. “Some images that, for me, help define the modern Dominican person to the rest of the world, its love for its culture (Diablo Cojuelos), its music (Perico Ripiao), its fiery personality (from the sharks that surround the island to the “tigere” that survives on land every single day). Dominicans are known for being fun, happy, competitive, hard-working people. From baseball to dominoes, it’s all here, in melted gold sugar cane. All created in a Postgraffism style that defines new directions for the future and defies all who stand in front of it. Bold, fierce, in your face and very proud. Just like my people.” Barceló Añejo is a golden, amber rum with bold, rich notes. Find hints of wood, butterscotch, toffee with flavors of vanilla bean, caramel and spice. The Ruben Ubiera Limited Edition Barcelo Añejo 750ml bottle will be available at retail stores in the east coast markets of Florida, New Jersey and New York commencing June 2016. By July 2017, it will begin rolling out in other U.S. markets.

COOPER ISLAND RUM BAR & BREWERY

Cooper Island is a small island five miles Southeast of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. Located on the Northern tip of the island is the Cooper Island Beach Club, a family owned Eco–resort on the sandy shores of Manchioneel that is only accessible by private boat. Located on the property is one of the best rum bars in the Caribbean, according to the Caribbean Journal. Launched a few years ago, the Rum Bar began life as the biggest collection of rum in the British Virgin Islands. Today, thanks to continuous expansion and rum acquisitions, it’s one of the biggest rum bars in the Caribbean.

It’s got a seriously impressive collection from across the West Indies, including the famous Black Tot, the last extant British Royal Naval Rum. And there’s a great portfolio of Rhum Agricole, something that has been happily expanding its reach in the BVI in the last year, from Neisson to Bally to Rhum JM. This is a true rum destination, a place where every rum aficionado should go at least once in his or her life. If that were not enough reason to visit, the facility has its own solar-powered brewery, COOPER ISLAND BREWING CO. Since they already produce their own power and water from the sun, it made sense to make their own beer too. The microbrewery has been custom built by Willis European to be as water and power efficient as possible. For every 500L of beer produced, they use 570L of water and that includes cleaning down equipment and sterilizing the kegs to store the beer.

RUM CURIOUS

Last month I mentioned the happy arrival of two curious rum books, The Curious Bartenders’s Rum Revolution and Rum Curious. This was after the purchase of two dismal, self-published ‘rum recipe’ books from Amazon. I raved about the Curious Bartender last month, but didn’t have much time to write about Fred Minnick’s Rum Curious, as it was delivered 10 minutes after my column deadline. A quick summary, Rum Curious is 6 x 9-1/2 inches; 240 page hardback; three sections - one about the history, production and regulation of rum, one about tasting rums and an appendix/bibliography/acknowledgement section. The book begins with classic rum- related artwork and a laudatory introduction by none other than Martin Cate, owner of Smuggler’s Cove and author of another favorite rum book, also called Smuggler’s Cove. Both Minnick and Cate share a passion for abandoning the “hoary shibboleth” of white, gold, and dark as a rum classification method. (I must admit I had no idea what “hoary shibboleth” meant and had to look it up. I’ll let you do the same.) It becomes apparent very early in the book that Minnick is both knowledgeable and passionate about rum and concerned about the lack of regulation and transparency in the industry. He gives a good basic history of rum and explanation of distillation/production techniques. People new to rum may be shocked by his section on added flavorings and sugar at bottling time. Some rums add up to 40 grams of sugar to a liter of rum? The majority of the book is in the Tasting section, where the author reviews over 200 rums. He divides the rums into Unaged Rums, Aged Rums, Flavored Rums and Other Cane Spirits. I really like the fact that Minnick begins each group with a clear explanation of what attributes he is looking for in each category. For each rum he gives clear, simple notes on aroma and palate, makes suggestions on how to best enjoy and then gives the rum a score. For some rums he even gives a recommended cigar pairing. Appendix A gives interesting production notes on over forty distilleries, covering the subjects of water source, source material, distillation type, off-the-still proof, barrel entry proof, maturation, filtration and additives. Definitely, some good information here. Think of Rum Curious as a great travel guide in your further exploration of the world of rum. Highly recommended.