Rum in the News
APPLETON ESTATE
Last month, Appleton Estate announced the launch of the limited-edition 17-Year-Old Legend, an exclusive and faithful recreation of the legendary 17-Year-Old rum crafted by J. Wray & Nephew on the Estate in the 1940’s. The J. Wray & Nephew 17-Year-Old is known around the world as the storied inspiration for the creation of the Mai Tai cocktail. Legend has it that this exquisite spirit caught the imagination of one notable bartender in particular, Victor Bergeron, founder of the famous Trader Vic’s bar in San Francisco. While experimenting with friends, it’s said that he reached for a bottle of the 17-Year-Old rum, blended by J. Wray & Nephew, which would become his rum of choice. Medium-bodied, beautiful, and golden, the hues were evocative of the Jamaican sun. Protective to not overpower this special blend, Victor paired it with a subtle range of ingredients, to complement the rum’s top notes. Shared with his friends from Tahiti, it was declared ‘Maita’i roa a’e’, or simply translated, ‘the best’, and thus, a legend was born. The rum has become one of the most sought-after bottles in the world, and today, a tribute to this legend of cocktail history returns to the world stage as a limited offering, good news for both rum connoisseurs and classic cocktail enthusiasts alike. Referencing original manuscripts and formulas, legendary Master Blender Joy Spence created this one-time release using four very rare distillates set aside to rest on the Estate to best recreate the taste profile of the prized golden blend. “With our 17-Year-Old Legend, we knew we had a special story to tell,” said Spence. “This project has been years in the making and truly one of the most challenging of my career. In carefully re-creating the beautiful taste profile of the original rum, we’ve created an expression that is a tribute both to our own heritage, and to the heritage of the classic cocktail craft.” Spence told Forbes contributor, Tony Sachs, “We had the formulation, we had the specification, so we know what the technical composition was, and what the sensory flavor profile is. We worked assiduously to develop these special marques of rum. There’s one particular marque that is so unique, and you had to set the ferment in a particular way and distill in a particular way, which is not what we’re doing now for the other estate marques.” 1,500 bottles of this special expression have been produced and are available for sale. Last month, 36 NFTs redeemable for bottles of Appleton Estate 17-Year-Old Legend were made available on BlockBar.com. Appleton Estate has collaborated with Jamaican Visual Artist, Oneika Russell to develop the artwork for each NFT exclusive to BlockBar, a first from Appleton Estate. The 17-Year-Old Legend will also be available at select premium retailers starting in June, in the United States, Jamaica, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Austria, Denmark, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, New Zealand, Japan, and Hong Kong. 17-Year-Old Legend is a 100 per cent pot-distilled rum, bottled at 49% ABV. https://appletonestate.com/
HOLMES CAY
Holmes Cay Rum is releasing two distinct styles of unaged rum, Rhum Agricole and Grand Arôme, from Distillerie de Savanna of Réunion Island, as a part of its Single Origin collection. Reunion, a tropical island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Madagascar, is a French overseas department. Its fertile volcanic soil has yielded sugarcane for centuries. The Savanna distillery produces both cane juice and molasses rums. Réunion Island Agricole Rum is made from fresh pressed cane juice distilled on a Savalle copper column still. It is bottled unaged at 50% alcohol by volume. Réunion Island Grand Arôme Rum is a molasses high ester expression produced after a ten-day fermentation period. Also distilled on the Savalle copper column still, it is bottled unaged and at a high proof, 57.5% alcohol by volume. Holmes Cay Rum founder Eric Kaye says, “These unaged expressions from Reunion have never been sold in North America before. Both are special, small batch rums distilled from native sugarcane. The Rhum Agricole and the Grand Arôme very much fit the profile of the Holmes Cay Single Origin line, offering exciting and accessible younger expressions to broaden serving opportunities. These two expressions cannot be mistaken for one another, nor could they be mistaken for light-flavored white rums made in other distilling styles. The Réunion Island Agricole and Grand Arôme expressions are delicious and distinctive expressions of the terroir of Reunion, ready to be sipped or used in cocktails that highlight their special qualities.” Eric Kaye founded Holmes Cay Rum in 2019. Frustrated that access to cask strength rums without additives was limited in the United States, Kaye saw an opportunity to focus on the hard-to-obtain aged expressions that he had encountered in Europe and the Caribbean, while championing increased transparency across the category. Kaye’s extensive knowledge of rum and relationships with highly regarded distilleries worldwide enable him to select, bottle and import rare casks, unusual expressions and exciting blends. https://www.holmescay.com/
KULEANA
The folks at Kuleana describe themselves as Farmers, Distillers and Blenders. As Blenders, Kuleana sources rum from distillers around the globe for their Huihui, Nanea and Hōkūlei core products. Every once and a while they are offered a gem, a rare single barrel of some forgotten rum. Since a single barrel is not enough to create a core product, Kuleana has offered these special rums as Special Releases. When I was on the Big Island in December, they had just released 200 bottles of Jamaica 11, a bold, funky Jamaican rum that was delicious. Later this month, Kuleana will be releasing 200 bottles of Panama 15 at the Kuleana Rum Shack in Waikoloa Village on the Big Island of Hawaii. The journey of Panama 15 began in February 2004, when it was distilled in Panama using a molasses fermentation. In 2014, the barrel was emptied, and the rum (about 157-liters of rum) was transported to the United Kingdom, where it was re-barreled and nurtured for five additional years. It was not until 2019 that this hidden gem was discovered via barrel sample in a warehouse in Europe by Kuleana Rum Works, waiting to be shared with discerning rum enthusiasts around the globe. “While we don’t know much about the origins of this particular barrel, we do know that it exudes an extraordinary level of deliciousness,” says Steve Jefferson, Founder and CEO. Jefferson added “In addition to making one of the world’s finest rum agricoles from fresh-pressed Hawaiian heirloom kō (sugarcane), we search the globe for world-class rums to create innovative blends. Our Special Release program is how we share the most rare and remarkable rums we find, directly with you, as we find them.”
In other news, Kuleana is off to quite a start in 2023. Their Hōkūlei, which is a blend of seven rums from Hawaii, Panama, Nicaragua, Barbados and Trinidad, won a Platinum Medal from the Beverage Testing Institute (BTI), a prominent authority in the beverage evaluation field, and a Gold Medal from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Their Hawaiian Rum Agricole earned a Gold Medal and an impressive score of 93 points from BTI. This recognition from BTI further cements the Hawaiian Rum Agricole’s status as a world-class rum that showcases the unique terroir and culture of Hawaii. Kuleana’s Huihui, a blend of their Hawaiian Rum Agricole, a Martinique Rhum Agricole and a light rum from Papua New Guinea, also won a Gold Medal in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. “We are immensely proud of the recognition and awards received by our rums,” said Jefferson. “These accolades validate our unwavering commitment to quality and authenticity. We take pride in our process and in our products which are gluten-free and have no added sugars, flavors, or coloring. We aim to deliver exceptional spirits that embody the spirit of aloha. These awards serve as a testament to the hard work and passion of our team.” https://kuleanarum.com/
PLANTATION RUM
Plantation announced the release of the second series of the Plantation Rum Vintage Collection called ‘Under the Sea,’ featuring six exceptional bottlings produced in limited quantities, all selected by Alexandre Gabriel, Owner and Master Blender of Plantation Rum. Each bottling is from a different rum-producing country, distinguished by the iconic colors and local marine animals native to six of the great terroirs of rum, inviting fans to plunge into a new world of rum.
PANAMA 2008, 45.7% ABV (91.4 proof) – Panama is the home of Alcoholes del Istmo distillery, which produced this 2008 vintage. Panama 2008 is made from molasses from the locally grown sugarcane. Distilled in a column still and aged for 12 years in ex-bourbon barrels in Panama’s tropical atmosphere, it was transported by boat to France to mature an extra year.
JAMAICA 2007 – Clarendon MSP, 48.4% ABV (96.8 proof) - Jamaica is the home of the venerable Clarendon Distillery, which produced this vibrant expression. Made with molasses from locally grown sugarcane, this vintage was distilled in a Vendome Double-Retort copper pot still that produces an elegant aromatic profile, lighter than the traditional pot still Jamaican rum.
FIJI ISLANDS 2009, 49.5% ABV (99 proof) – Fiji is the home to the Rum Co. of Fiji Distillery. This 100% pot still rum is the product of an exceptional terroir combined with artisanal savoir-faire and traditional production methods. After a four-to-five-day fermentation, the molasses is distilled in a traditional copper still. The rum is aged for 10 years in the tropical climate, followed by three additional years in the continental climate of France.
GUYANA 2007, 51% ABV (102 proof) - This exceptional Guyanese rum is a blend of rums resulting from one-week fermentations distilled in three historic stills, including the Port Mourant double wooden pot still. First matured for thirteen years in 200-liter ex-bourbon casks in the tropical climate, it is then further aged for two years in France.
BARBADOS 2013 (50.2% ABV, 100.4 proof) - This exceptional rum was selected from the cellars of West Indies Rum Distillery by Alexandre Gabriel, with the help of Andrew Hassell, Managing Director and rum historian, and Don Benn, Master Distiller at WIRD. A combination of rums from both pot and column stills, this blend was first matured for 8 years in the cellars of West Indies Rum Distillery, then further aged for another year in France.
VENEZUELA 2010 (52% ABV, 104 proof) – Venezuela is home to Destileria Sofa, a family-owned distillery with more than 200 years of rum making expertise. Distilled in a column still and aged for eight years in their cellar, carefully selected casks were then aged for an additional four years in France.
https://www.plantationrum.com/
MONTANYA DISTILLERS
Montanya Distillers is celebrating its 15-year anniversary in 2023. What began as a small, family-run business is now a successful brand selling rum across the United States and in 7 countries in the UK and Europe. The original Distillery (2008-2011) was on Blair Street in Silverton in a 100 year-old, 800 square foot building. The complete operation took place on three levels: fermentations in the dirt-floored basement, distilling and tastings on the main level, and aging and bottling upstairs. The Tasting Room was often packed shoulder to shoulder with skiers and hikers drinking double White Room cocktails. It was a grand adventure. In 2011, Karen Hoskins and her family decided to move to Crested Butte to open up more opportunities for the whole family and their businesses. Today, Montanya Distillers occupies over 10,000 sq. ft of commercial space and is poised for continued growth after a challenging few years of expansion and pandemic. There have been many challenges and set-backs along the way. “Access to capital, competition against larger companies, and the fact that we don’t have a famous celebrity representing us are a few of the many hurdles,” says Hoskin. “In addition to the fact that rum was so far outside the norm, American mountain rum no less, when we started.” Despite the odds, Hoskin has scaled her business and increased production ten-fold. Montanya will release various limited-edition anniversary items throughout the year, including limited-edition glassware, hats, and t-shirts. They will also be releasing their first-ever rum liqueur this summer (only available in their tasting room initially), which will feature a burst of vanilla, clove, orange, and lemon. https://www.montanyarum.com/
KILCHOMAN DISTILLERY
Islay Scotch whisky maker Kilchoman announced planning permission has been received to build a rum distillery on the island of Barbados. Nine acres of land and a derelict mansion house were purchased at Bentley Mansion in the Parish of St. Philip in August 2021. The plan is to erect buildings to house the distillery, mill and cask warehouse, purchase sugar cane from the fields surrounding Bentley Mansion, crush it on site and produce rum from sugar cane juice and cane syrup. Production will be from two copper pot stills followed by maturation and bottling on site. Anthony Wills will be teaming up with Frank Ward, former Mount Gay Managing Director, who will be consulting on the project and advising on specific rum production methods. This will offer a combination of existing expertise in single malt whisky production and Mr. Ward’s vast knowledge in rum production. Kilchoman has developed a network of distributors around the world and plan to utilize the same distributors for our premium rum. Anthony Wills commented, “this is an exciting development for Kilchoman and we look forward to sharing more news as the project takes shape.” https://www.kilchomandistillery.com/
MOUNT GAY RUM
Mount Gay Rum has unveiled the latest addition to its Master Blender Collection series, The PX Sherry Cask Expression. The limited-edition rum series debuted in 2018 and celebrates Mount Gay’s heritage and expertise in rum making. The first release in the series was the XO: The Peat Smoke Expression, created by former Master Blender Allen Smith. In 2019, when Master Blender Trudiann Branker took over, she released the expressions Pot Still Rum, The Port Cask Expression, Andean Oak Cask, and The Madeira Cask Expression. For this year’s release, Branker chose barrels from Pedro Ximenez Sherry that previously held fortified wine. The PX Sherry Cask Expression blends both pot and continuous still rums that have spent at least twenty years in American whiskey barrels and aged them another year in the sherry barrels. Branker said “Going through some of our oldest rums to find the right ones was an incredible journey, tasting rums that have been placed in our bonds two decades ago. I was thrilled to find 20-year-old rums that stood up in terms of body and character to benefit from being finished in PX Sherry casks, and I’m honored to add this to our Master Blender Collection.” https://www.mountgayrum.com/
TAKAMAKA RUM
Drinks International reported that Takamaka Rum from the Seychelles has released the second round of two of the most popular expressions from its St Andre Series, Pti Lakaz and Grankaz. Master Blender Steven Rioux worked closely with co-founders Bernard and Richard d’Offay to reimagine the liquids as part of the natural evolution of the collection.
Takamaka creates blends using their own cane and molasses rums, their own pot and column distilled rums and Caribbean aged Bajan Rum. Pti Lakaz (45.1% abv) blends traditional, pot-distilled Seychellois cane rum, lightly aged in new French oak and ex-ruby port barrels, with a three-year-old pot and column distilled molasses rum aged in first fill ex-bourbon and an eight-year-old ex-bourbon molasses rum from Barbados’ acclaimed Foursquare. Grankaz (51.6% abv) blends traditional pot-distilled Seychelles cane rum with column and pot-distilled molasses rum, respectively aged four years in medium toast virgin French oak and three years in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels. These are blended with an eight-year-old Bajan Foursquare molasses rum. https://www.takamakarum.com/
KAVO RUM
The CoreBev Group announced the release of its latest brand, Kavo, the world’s first Greek rum. Made with locally sourced Greek-island ingredients, Kavo is a new rum brand that promises to deliver a unique and premium rum experience unlike any other. The product will be available in Greece starting in June and will later expand to the United States and Canada starting summer of 2023. “I wanted to create an authentic product that was unique to my roots and upbringing,” says CoreBev founder and CEO Stelios Stavrianos, whose parents are Greek immigrants. “I’m very passionate about where I came from, and I wanted to take that passion and put it into a bottle. And this is the first of its kind.” Kavo is a premium, white rum that takes inspiration from the rich cultural heritage and natural beauty of Greece’s picturesque islands. The use of unique fruits and botanicals, such as mandarins from Santorini and mastic from Chios, in addition to sugar cane and other herbs and spices found only on Greek islands, give Kavo a distinct fresh and sweet flavor and aromatic profile that sets it apart from other rums on the market. Kavo is perfect for those seeking a new and exciting experience in the rum category. “Kavo has been almost 3 years in the making, and we obsessed over every single detail.” Dimitrios Zahariadis, CoreBev’s Chief Operating Officer, who worked closely on the Kavo brand, added “this is a proud moment for us to finally release this product.” https://www.corebev.com/
KOLOA RUM COMPANY
Koloa Rum Company has partnered with Allied Beverage Group to expand distribution of eight premium rum products into the New Jersey market. Available now for purchase, rum enthusiasts and patrons can choose from a diverse portfolio of flavors including White, Gold, Dark, Spice, Coconut, Cacao, Coffee, as well as the five-year, Kauai Reserved Single-Barrel Aged rum. Koloa Rum products are artfully distilled, blended and bottled in Kalaheo, Kauai. Pure cane sugar and pristine rainwater from Mount Waiʻaleʻale come together to produce single-batch rums with remarkably rich flavors and smoothness that capture the essence of “The Garden Isle” in a delicious range of premium rum products. “To meet the steadily increasing demand for our premium rum products, it is critically important that we align with the absolute best distribution partners in each of the markets we serve, and New Jersey is no exception,” said Bob Gunter, president and CEO of Koloa Rum Company. “New Jersey is our latest project launch and we’re ecstatic to share The Spirit of Aloha from The Garden Isle to The Garden State. “We’re excited to represent Koloa Rum, known as Hawaii’s Spirit of Aloha,” said Sara Harmelin VP of Digital & Innovation at Allied Beverage Group. “Koloa Rum fits perfectly into our brand portfolio with its uniquely crafted premium rums. The response from our customers is remarkable and the company has truly exceeded our expectations.” https://koloarum.com/
-Mike Kunetka-
