July 2020 - Rum in the News

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                                  PLANTATION RUM

Plantation Rum announced that its brand name will evolve. The brand pledges to work with its stakeholders on this initiative and will communicate more specific details at a later date. Plantation Rum confirms that its rum production methods and the liquid inside the bottle will not change. “As the dialogue on racial equality continues globally, we understand the hurtful connotation the word plantation can evoke to some people, especially in its association with much graver images and dark realities of the past,” said Alexandre Gabriel, Plantation Rum Master Blender. “We look to grow in our understanding of these difficult issues and while we don’t currently have all the details of what our brand name evolution will involve, we want to let everyone know that we are working to make fitting changes.”  The Plantation portfolio is a collection of award-winning rums, several of which are produced at the company’s West Indies Rum Distillery in Barbados. Alexandre Gabriel, with the help of a loyal and dedicated team, has grown this family business over the last 30-plus years to exemplify creativity, teamwork and inclusiveness across all departments.

“We consider our company’s cultural diversity a fundamental strength,” said Angelique Jullienne, Marketing and Communications Director. “We have always drawn on our multi-culturalism to guide our actions, our communications and our relationships with customers and colleagues around the world. We strongly affirm our policy that everyone associated with Plantation Rum and West Indies Rum Distillery is treated with respect and dignity.” More than ever, Plantation understands that this is a time for global reflection and a moment to improve ourselves and the communities we live in. As a company, Plantation strives to support a better future and to show support for communities everywhere.

“We pride ourselves on making delicious rum for people to enjoy and never want any part of their experience to create feelings of discomfort,” said Stephanie Simbo, Plantation Rum Global Brand Manager. “To that end, we want to be on the side of actions and solutions. As you can imagine, evolving a brand name is a significant undertaking for a family business like ours. We humbly ask that everyone have patience as we move to make these changes as quickly as possible.” https://www.plantationrum.com/

          THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF DISTILLERS

                          ONLINE CHARITY AUCTION

The Worshipful Company of Distillers’ online charity auction raised over $ 73,000.00, with all proceeds going to The Drinks Trust’s Your Round appeal to support those in the drinks industry facing severe hardship as a result of Covid-19. The Drinks Trust has experienced a huge increase in demand for its services, with many individuals from the industry now in desperate need. All lots in this charity auction were donated by the members of the Distillers’ Livery Company.

The Drinks Trust is the community organization for the drinks industry, offering support and services to help its community thrive, to upskill, to broaden their knowledge, to network and to learn from one another. It will also be there to support them in challenging times, with wellbeing and financial assistance. Charitable giving lies at the heart of The Worshipful Company of Distillers’ purpose. The Distillers’ Charity was established in 1955. Its vision is to make a difference to young people by improving alcohol education, training and vocational opportunities and working with other Livery-related charitable causes, including within the drinks trade. Over 100 bottles of fine wines and rare spirits were donated by Liverymen of The Worshipful Company of Distillers. 

Without a doubt, the star lot at the auction was a cask of Caroni rum that was distilled at Rum Distillers of Trinidad & Tobago Distillery, Southern Road, Caroni in 1998, and is the HTR Heavy Type Rum produced on column stills and aged in American oak. It was stored on the island at the distillery until 2010, upon which it was shipped to the UK and entered into cool, damp warehousing in Liverpool, a traditional center for rum importation. The cask remained under bond and the rum will continue to mature in the cask. This cask was regauged on May 28th, 2020, and it was found that the cask now contains approximately 168.5 bulk liters at a cask strength of 63.1%. The cask sold for $ 27,184.22. Another high dollar rum sale was a single bottle of Havana Club 1519 - Aniversario 500 De La Habana 1519-2019. This bottle was produced for the 500th anniversary of the city of Havana and donated by Havana Club for the Distillers’ Livery Emergency Appeal. Havana Club’s Maestros del Ron Cubano began preparing for the city’s milestone anniversary as early as 1999, by selecting and blending barrels of rum from their maturing stock. Over the next 20 years, the Maestros repeated this process every five years, re-blending the rums and filling back to cask for further maturation. This comes in an individually numbered, mouth blown decanter inspired by the architecture of Havana. The presentation box features ornate gold detail which echoes the ironwork found in historic Havana Vieja. The case includes a certificate of authenticity written by Dr. Eusebio Leal Spengler, Historian of Havana City, and signed by the four Masters who created Havana Club 1519. This is decanter number 049 of 500 and sold for $ 6,574.79. https://www.distillers.org.uk/

                                          DIAGEO

Diageo, maker of Bundaberg, Captain Morgan and Ron Zacapa rums, has announced a new global program to support pubs and bars to welcome customers back and recover following the COVID-19 pandemic. “Raising the Bar” will be a two-year program available from July 2020. Through “Raising the Bar”, Diageo will provide $100 million to support the recovery of major hospitality centers, including: New York, London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Belfast, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Sydney and beyond.  Diageo designed the program following a global survey of bar owners to identify what they need to reopen after lockdown. Their top priorities include hygiene measures, digital support and practical equipment to transform how their outlets will work. It will provide targeted support to help pay for the physical equipment needed for outlets to re-open. From June 24th, 2020, bar owners will be able to register their interest for the “Raising the Bar” program via www.diageobaracademy.com globally and www.mydiageo.com in the UK and Ireland. Bar owners will receive regular updates on best practice training and resources and be able to participate in global surveys to share insights, as they build back their businesses. Ivan Menezes, Chief Executive of Diageo commented: ‘Pubs and bars sit at the heart of every community. We have launched “Raising the Bar” as so many outlets have been impacted by this crisis and badly need help to open their doors again. We are calling on governments around the world to provide long-term recovery packages to help the hospitality sector. These businesses play an essential role in bringing people together to socialize and celebrate, something that we have all missed so much during this terrible crisis, and sustain hundreds of millions of jobs, which provide a first foot on the employment ladder for young people.’ This $100 million program includes the $20 million Community Fund announced in the United States on June 12th, 2020. Continuing its efforts to support under-represented groups and communities, especially those in the hospitality industry who have been so badly affected by COVID-19, Diageo created the Diageo Community Fund to help address the urgent needs of Black communities and businesses who have been disproportionately harmed by Covid-19. “Diageo has no tolerance for racism, injustice and unequal treatment. We stand together with the Black community in this defining moment”, said Ivan Menezes. “We are committed to taking every step necessary to champion equality everywhere and, while we have made progress, there is so much more to do. The Diageo Community Fund is just one of many steps we will take on this journey.” Diageo has long-standing partnerships with the National Urban League and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and has already pledged over $1 million to these organizations and 100 Black Men of America, Inc., to support their work for racial equality and social justice. https://www.diageo.com/ 

                          SCOTTISH RUM FESTIVAL

The Inaugural Scottish Rum Festival, scheduled to take place in Edinburgh this summer, will now continue as a virtual event. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the festival could not continue as planned and will now be online. Trade members will now be able to participate on Friday, July 24th and the public can join in on Saturday, July 25th. Virtual attendees will receive ten 30 mL samples of Scottish rums, a branded Glencairn tasting glass and access to an array of talks, tastings and brand experiences through a series of live-streamed sessions with some of Scotland’s leading rum distillers and blenders. The festival will also be raising money for Scottish drinks industry and hospitality charity The Ben. Dr. Kit Caruthers, owner and head distiller at Ninefold Distillery, told Spirit Business “This is a great opportunity for the burgeoning Scottish rum sector and I am delighted to play a part in the inaugural Scottish Rum Festival. There is a growing band of producers who make rum authentically and honestly here in Scotland and we’re looking forward to giving everyone a great rum experience.” Public tickets are priced at £34.95 (US$45) each and are available to purchase from scotrumfest.com. A total of £5 (US$6) from each ticket purchased will be donated to The Ben. Confirmed producers include Matugga Distillers, Ninefold Distillery, Spirit of Glasgow, VS Distillers, Wester Spirit Co, Brewdog Distilling Co, Deeside Distillery, The Glasgow Distillery Co and Rumbarra Scotland, with others still to be confirmed. https://www.scotrumfest.com/

                           OLD SAM DEMERARA RUM

CBC Newfoundland reported that the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corp. has pulled a rum brand off the shelves after the producer said it’s reviewing whether the label that appears to depict an elderly Black man is appropriate. The rum is imported from Guyana and blended and bottled in St. John’s, according to the company’s website. It has been sold in other Canadian provinces including Alberta, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The Old Sam figure appears in black and white illustrations on product labels. The corporation’s website says the recipe originates from 1797, when Edward Young & Co. first imported barrels marked “Old Sam” from Guyana to London, England. A vague description of the character’s backstory appears on the Old Sam Rum website, saying he was based on the Demerara River in Guyana in the 1700s. It says the rum “has a personality as unique as its namesake. Sam was a man who demanded much of himself, his workers and his rums, but brimmed with generosity for guests and friends, merchants, naval officers and New World adventurers alike who found their way to his post on the Demerara River to share a story, a laugh and a taste of the latest blend.” The image on Old Sam rum bottles could be of the distillery’s original founder, a white man, but the research has been inconclusive, so management has decided to remove the logo anyway. “We do not believe the image perpetuates negative racial stereotypes,” NLC chief merchandising officer Peter Murphy told CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. “However, we also accept that there are limitations on the information available about the product. Although we may believe the imagery is not related to negative racial stereotypes, we cannot conclusively state that those linkages may not exist or be perceived in that light.” CBC reported the Newfoundland and Labrador Crown Corporation, which blends and bottles the rum had put the branding under review. NLC said it saw “a potential issue” with the rum’s branding in light of increased awareness and public debate related to diversity and inclusion. Employees raised concerns about the image of the man and whether it’s rooted in a stereotype. The brand dates back to 1797, and it was difficult to find information on who the man was, so the company has decided to keep the name and remove the image. The review came as companies confront racial stereotypes in their branding because of anti-racism protests in the United States and Canada. https://nlliquor.com/

                                ROCK SOUND RUM

Rock Sound Rum recently debuted in Austin, Texas.  Originally scheduled to launch with a huge splash at the 2020 South by Southwest Festival (SXSW), the brand dove directly into its distribution channel.  Rock Sound Rum feels that now, more than ever, consumers are looking to escape the pressures of modern society with their “Summer Vacation in a Bottle.” The brand is distributed by Republic National Distributing Company and will be available throughout Texas in the months to come and nationwide soon after. Rock Sound Rum is inspired by the beaches of Rock Sound, Eleuthera, The Bahamas, and is made for people who appreciate a killer cocktail and a whole lotta adventure. Original Light is bottled at 40% ABV (80 proof) and the delightfully unique Rock Sound Rum flavors of Smoked Coconut, Key Lime, and Grapefruit are handcrafted with natural ingredients and contain a 35% ABV (70 proof). https://www.rocksoundrum.com. 

         INTERNATIONAL SUGARCANE SPIRITS AWARDS

The International Sugarcane Spirits Awards aims to bring together producers, brands and independent bottlers from all over the world (“participants”) in order to unearth and highlight excellence, to promote the growth of sugarcane spirits around the world and to celebrate it internationally through major media coverage. As such, the International Sugarcane Spirits Awards plays an indisputable role on the European level and is soon to be the gold standard of excellence on a global scale. They advocate for global transparency. It is much less a trend than a real and durable consumer insight. Clear age statements and aging steps or proven sugar rates are nowadays demanded by all markets. It takes some real collective efforts to pull an entire category up. The competition will take their part of it by striving to always require such information for all tasting entries and publicly displaying them on their product database. While some companies are entirely focused on producing world’s most delightful spirits, it must be acknowledged that others are leaders in their ability to design and communicate their brands and product image. Marketing being an undoubtedly important part of the spirits industry, they will also run a dedicated competition for awarding such excellence. The International Sugarcane Spirits Awards will team up with experts who are amongst the most recognized and influential personalities worldwide, with the end goal to ensure relevancy in results on a global culture and category specific point of view. Their judges are recognized for their depth of experience with sugarcane spirits, and further offer a broad representation of geographical location. They generate individual scores, that combine to form overall rankings after the tasting sessions. https://www.iss-awards.com/

                              TRAVELLERS LIQUORS

Keeping with a tradition started over a decade ago, Travellers Liquors is celebrating the birthday of its founder, Jaime Omario Perdomo, with the 2020 release of Don Omario’s Vintage Rum. The ten-year old rum is made available every year in June and is the company’s salute to the man who founded a true Belizean family business. Perdomo’s legacy began back in the 1950’s with the opening of a bar in Belize City called Travellers, which catered to those either coming in or going out of the city during a time when Belize’s sugar industry was booming. Travellers initially sold imported liquors and beers as well as locally made rums.  In those days it was the practice of local bars to make their own rum blends for exclusive sale and Don Omario did not hesitate to follow that tradition.  He started to create unique blends for his bar by combining various flavors and essences. As Travellers’ rums grew in popularity, Don Omario searched for a way to provide consistency to his blends. During this time the recipe for the award winning One Barrel Aged Rum was developed. Growing competition in the rum manufacturing business made it more difficult to obtain spirits of consistently good quality.  Eventually he entered into a partnership agreement with Luis Alberto Espat who agreed to build the distillery in Belmopan. When Mr. Espat decided to relinquish his interests in the distillery in 1989, Travellers bought his share of the company, gaining for the first time, full control over all aspects of production. Since then the distillery has been upgraded to enhance the quality of the spirits manufactured.  The use of innovative techniques and new technologies assures the production of the finest rum available today.  The aging and bottling plant infrastructure has also been upgraded to meet strict export standards. The Perdomo family continues to ensure the Travellers tradition grows and the family legacy lives on. https://www.onebarrelrum.com/

                   BREWDOG DISTILLING COMPANY

Last October, Brewdog released Five Hundred Cuts Botanical Rum as “an interesting bridge between rum and gin”. It is made using sugarcane molasses that has been fermented using red wine yeast, is double-distilled using the brand’s copper pot stills and is infused with whole botanicals to produce a rum that tastes like “like Christmas cake in a glass”. Now Brewdog has released Distiller’s Cut, a bold, cask aged, handmade spiced rum.  They age a portion of the rum in ex-Oloroso sherry casks for 15 months giving a blast of stone fruit which is layered with blood orange peel and intense spiced botanicals, including Tonka bean, vanilla, blood orange peel, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice, ginger, cardamom and Szechuan peppercorn. https://www.brewdog.com/