May 2017- Rum in the News

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May 2017- Rum in the News

ADMIRAL NELSON PINEAPPLE RUM

Heaven Hill Brands, the country’s largest independent, family-owned and operated spirits producer, will build upon the successful Admiral Nelson’s Rum franchise with the release of Admiral Nelson’s Pineapple Rum this spring. Bottled at 70 proof, the natural fruit flavor is blended with light Caribbean rum, creating the perfect base for any cocktail. The sweet flavor is also highlighted in the packaging with yellow and brown accents and will be supported by an array of retail point of sale items with the brand message “Admirably Smooth. Perfectly Pineapple.” As the second-largest brand in the spiced rum segment and with four percent brand growth, the franchise is poised for success with this this premium, fresh, flavor that is sure to bring out an adventurous spirit with each sip. “Admiral Nelson’s continues to chart its own course offerings that deliver a smooth, premium taste that consumers look for at an approachable price,” said Heaven Hill Brands Senior Brand Manager Hannah Venhoff. “Admiral Nelson’s Pineapple is a natural extension, capitalizing on the flavor trend and providing a fresh, tropical flavor profile suited for dynamic and everyday experiences.” Acquired by Heaven Hill in 2011, Admiral Nelson’s Spiced Rum continues to be one of the best-selling spiced rums in the spirits industry.

PENNY BLUE VSOP RUM

Penny Blue has launched its first VSOP aged rum through the Indian Ocean Rum Company, a joint venture between Berry Bros & Rudd and Medine Distillery. Made from the finest Single Estate sugar cane, their VSOP is aged in ex Cognac, Bourbon and Whisky barrels before being blended by Master Distiller Jean-Francois Koenig and Doug McIvor from Berry Bros & Rudd. The VSOP retains the characteristic complexity of Penny Blue rums, but is more approachable than the award-winning Penny Blue XO and Single Cask releases. Fruity and complex, VSOP can be enjoyed neat or as part of rum cocktails. There have been four XO releases so far and one single cask. Penny Blue Single Cask #28 is rum from a single cask that was selected for its exceptional quality from within the Medine Distillery reserves by Master Distiller Koenig. Rare, with only 197 bottles released, Penny Blue Single Cask is truly special. Penny Blue Single Cask is non-chill filtered and natural in color.

RON ZACAPA EDICION NEGRA

Last April, I mentioned that Ron Zacapa had created a special Edición Negra release exclusively for the Travel Retail Market. Finally, the rum has been released to the American market. The original press stated that “every part of the production process is carefully monitored by the Master Blender Lorena Vasquez, who is known for creating a rum with a powerful character in terms of appearance and taste.  Zacapa Edición Negra is inspired by Guatemala’s natural elements, volcanoes and dark hot fire. It has been aged twice in charred American oak barrels, creating a dark rum with a smoky intensity, while accented by woody and spicy notes. This rum is different from the previous editions that have clear sweet caramel tones and flavor of vanilla. Zacapa Edición Negra will have instead a deeper unique taste of dark chocolate, wood and balanced smoky notes.” Zacapa Edición Negra is a blend of aged rums from 6 to 24 years old that undergo extra aging in double charred American oak whisky barrels. To differentiate it from Zacapa 23, Zacapa Edición Negra comes in a slender and elegant bottle with the distinctive Zacapa woven Petate band, this time in black.

MARAUDA STEEL PAN BLEND

Steelpan rum was inspired by the people of Trinidad, who turned discarded steel barrels into drums, creating music that is synonymous with the Caribbean today, just as their ancestors had turned a byproduct of the sugar industry into rum.

Steelpan begins with rum from Angostura in Trinidad from a column still, aged 3 years. This is the base that allows the notes of the blend to form a melody. From there, the folks at Marauda go to Guyana to add a column still Demerara rum, aged 3 years, bringing a slightly heavier, distinctive body to the blend. And finally, to Jamaica, finishing Steelpan with a heavy, pot still rum from the Worthy Park distillery, also aged 3 years, that gives the blend its “funky” depth. Each rum in Steelpan’s blend is distilled and aged according to tradition that bars the use of additives and colorings. The blend is aged in 55 gallon bourbon barrels, each made of American white oak and each used only once. Steelpan is blended at cask strength and bottled at exactly 80 proof.

MALIBU NOW INTO BEER

United States Beverage recently announced the upcoming launch of Malibu® Beer, a first-of-its-kind product aiming to redefine the Summer beer landscape, bringing more flavor and more fun to a growing consumer space. This refreshing golden lager is flavored with a hint of natural coconut for a light tropical note and features 5% ABV. The product is slated for roll out May 1 in the Miami, San Diego and Ann Arbor markets. Produced in the Caribbean, Malibu® Beer will be imported into the U.S. market by United States Beverage under exclusive licensing from the Malibu® brand. The introduction of Malibu® Beer was based on extensive research done over the past several years that identified consumers’ desire for a mainstream lighter-bodied beer with flavor. “Research confirmed that a beer that embodies the flavor and fun personality traits of the Malibu brand is an innovative concept that appeals to the US beer consumer,” said Justin Fisch, VP/General Manager at US Beverage.

CASTLE BRANDS AND GOSLINGS RUM

Castle Brands Inc., a developer and international marketer of premium and super-premium branded spirits, today announced that it has acquired an additional 20.1% stake in Gosling-Castle Partners Inc. (GCP), its strategic global export venture with the Gosling family. GCP holds the exclusive long term export and distribution rights for Goslings Rum and Goslings Stormy Ginger Beer for all countries other than Bermuda. The transaction increases Castle Brands ownership of GCP to 80.1% and will enable consolidation for tax purposes. In a related development, Castle Brands announced that GCP’s exclusive export agreement with Gosling’s Export (Bermuda) Limited and exclusive distribution agreement with Castle Brands have been extended through March 31, 2030, with ten year renewal terms thereafter. “Since Castle Brands joined forces with the Gosling family to form GCP in 2005, sales of Goslings Rum have grown rapidly in the United States and internationally. Sales were approximately 170,000 cases during the 12 months ending December 31, 2016. In addition, we have worked together to launch and grow Goslings Stormy Ginger Beer, used in the trademarked Dark ‘n Stormy® cocktail, an important driver of Goslings Rum sales. Sales of Goslings Stormy Ginger Beer were approximately 1,325,000 cases during the 12 months. We are very glad that we have increased our ownership of GCP and have extended the terms of our Goslings agreements,” stated Richard J. Lampen, President and Chief Executive Officer of Castle Brands. “The Goslings family has produced Goslings rum in Bermuda for 200 years. Because we realized that the brand had great potential in the U.S. and internationally, we initiated sales in the U.S. almost 20 years ago. By joining together with Castle Brands in 2005, we sharply accelerated that growth by gaining a very strong sales force, top-tier distributor relations and substantial infrastructure to support operations. We are excited to be taking these important steps to expand the relationship with Castle Brands,” said Malcolm Gosling, President and Chief Executive Officer of GCP. Goslings Rum has been blended in Bermuda for over 200 years by Gosling’s Brothers Ltd., the oldest company in Bermuda. Seven generations of the Gosling’s family have built the brand into the “National Drink of Bermuda”. Goslings Black Seal® Rum, Goslings Gold® Rum and Goslings Old® Rum are all award winners. Because of its rapid growth, Goslings Rum was named a “Hot Prospect” by Impact Magazine. In addition to the United States, Goslings is now sold in 20 countries globally. Goslings Dark ‘n Stormy® cocktail is one of the few trademarked cocktails in the world and Goslings Stormy Ginger Beer, launched in 2009 to fuel the growth of this cocktail, has become the leading Ginger Beer in the United States.

BUNDABERG RUM

Earlier last month, Bundaberg Master Distillers’ Collection Solera was awarded Best Dark Rum in the World at the London World Drinks Awards, and was followed up shortly after with the announcement that Solera was also awarded a Gold Medal at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The rum was deemed ‘exceptional’ by the 43-member judging panel. The Master Distillers Collection Small Batch also got in on the awards action, being named Australia’s Best Gold Rum at the London World Drink Awards. Duncan Littler, senior brand manager at Bundaberg Rum, was ecstatic over the international accolades. “It’s an honor to see the distillery’s craft recognized once again on a global scale. “The 2016 Master Distillers’ Collection releases had some big shoes to fill following the Bundaberg Blenders Edition 2015 winning the World’s Best Rum last year, but Bundaberg Solera and Small Batch have delivered world class results. These are two of the most complex rums the distillery has ever created.”

Bundaberg is now offering a ‘Blend Your Rum Experience’ at their distillery in Queensland, Australia. For nearly 130 years, the art of blending Bundaberg Rum has been solely a pursuit for Bundaberg’s Master Distillers. That is until now. During the Blend Your Own Rum Experience, you will be exposed to the art of blending their world famous rum. You will spend 60 minutes with two of their expert Blend Your Own Rum Guides who will teach you the art of tasting rum straight from the barrel. Once you have selected your favorites, the guides will teach you the art of blending, and help you craft your very own personalized blend. You will then pour it yourself, direct from the barrel, cap it, label it and leave that very same day with two of your very own bottles with your name on them. One to keep. One to enjoy.

SAILOR JERRY RUM AND HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES

Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, created to honor the father of American old school tattooing, Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins, has aligned with the iconic, American Harley-Davidson Motor Company for a multi-year partnership. To commemorate the kick-off of the partnership, Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum will be unveiling a series of twenty-two customized Harley-Davidson motorcycles designed by high profile artists and visionaries from around the United States including Harley-Davidson’s own Styling Team, at a celebration this spring. This 360-partnership will come to life in bars, restaurants, Harley-Davidson dealerships and joint celebrations around the country. Consumers can expect a series of shared events and moments from the two iconic brands, leading up to Harley-Davidson’s 115th Anniversary in 2018. The first official venture together is the series of customized motorcycles created by acclaimed artists from around the country. The participating artists include a range of innovators with backgrounds in tattoo design, mural paintings, street art and automotive design. Acclaimed tattoo artists Jonathan Valena aka JonBoy, Oliver Peck, and Megan Woznicki aka Megan Massacre have designed a selection of bikes as well as popular Miami-based muralists, Alexander Mijares, celebrated automotive designer, Michael “BuckWild” Ramirez and artist L’Amour Supreme. Each artist was tasked with interpreting the infamous flash art style of Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins into their unique motorcycle design. Members of the Harley-Davidson Styling Team round out the group of artists and use their deep knowledge of Harley-Davidson history to inspire their unique designs. The motorcycles will be unveiled in a celebration at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee on May 2, 2017 that will be open to consumers and include exciting festivities for all attendees. Following the celebrations, these bikes will not become a part of the exhibit, but instead be available for viewing around the United States all summer 2017 at liquor retailers, Sailor Jerry’s Fleet Week New York celebrations, at the Harley-Davidson Museum and more. Fans of Harley-Davidson and Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum will have a chance to win a motorcycle through a sweepstakes program kicking off on May 15, 2017. There will be twenty-two total bikes available to win. To enter, participants can log onto www.SailorJerry.com/Harley-Davidson and can receive additional information on the sweepstakes.

MEZAN RUMS

Mezan continues to capture the depth and diversity of the Caribbean and offer a taste of its purest, most authentic flavors. Distilleries old and new, some founded centuries ago, others no longer in operation; all are subject to their quest. Unsweetened, uncolored and only lightly filtered, these vintage rums represent the finest, truest expression of their producer and country of origin. Their latest releases come from Jamaica, Trinidad and Panama.

Jamaica 2005 comes from the Worthy Park distillery, Northwest of Kingston. A working sugar estate since 1720, the Clarke Family acquired the Estate almost a century ago and it has remained privately owned and managed ever since; the new distillery was completed in 2005. At Worthy Park the rum is entirely produced from molasses and double distilled in a Forsyth’s copper pot still. The company produces light and heavy rums using the estate’s proprietary yeast strains for fermentation.

Panama 2005 starts with a soft molasses base and is distilled in modern multi-column stills. The estate still produces its own sugarcane and the distillery was rebuilt in 1976 and is equipped with the new multi-column stills. The company grows their own yeast culture which adds to the individual and characterful rums.

Trinidad 2007 was distilled at Trinidad Distillers Limited in multi-column stills after 48 hours of fermentation with a yeast grown on the property. This rum comes from an assembly containing a high proportion of lighter distillates, distilled between 80% and 95% alcohol. It aged in the Caribbean in bourbon barrels before being shipped to the United Kingdom, where it was transferred to barrels containing old Trinidad rum.

DDL CERTIFIES ‘DEMERARA RUM’ GEOGRAPHICAL TERM

Demerara Distillers Limited has been certified as the registered proprietor of geographical indication, ‘Demerara Rum’. This is according to a notice in a recent edition of Stabroek News from the Intellectual Property Office of the Commercial Registry. The notice said that the certification was issued in accordance with Sections 12 and 21 of Act No. 15 of 2005 and as there was no objection to the said geographical indication within the prescribed period.  Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge had said that recapturing the name provides opportunities for producers to obtain market recognition. “GI protection for those products means that a given name, Demerara, can only be used for products made or originating in Guyana and if production is moved out of Guyana they will no longer enjoy that domain feature,” Greenidge stated at the opening of the GI Conference at the Marriott Hotel, Kingston. Greenidge had stated that Article 145 of the EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) makes provision for the protection for geographical indications however; products must first be protected in its own country. The Minister noted that Guyana currently was not benefiting from this provision since there were no registered GIs locally. “Geographical Indications are now therefore developing quite fast they represent an important instrument for trade, rural development, protection of know how and tradition as well as products promotion and tourism,” GIN A quoted Greenidge as saying then. CARICOM’s Assistant Secretary General for Trade and Economic Integration, Joseph Cox had noted that GIs are essential to enabling Caribbean countries to compete on international markets. Cox noted that there are already products within CARICOM that show the need for legal protection of these products. Guyana’s move to acquire the legal right to the Demerara name prevents the usurpation of the value of the products. “The work here in Guyana will therefore give significant impetus to our progress across the region with the application for three Geographical Indications,” Cox had stated.

RUMJAVA

RumJava Artisan Crafted Rums are all natural and inspired by a passion for Caribbean culture, rum and coffee. Born from Java’Mon Coffee based cocktails made in Cruz Bay, St. John, RumJava handcrafted collection of fine Rums are infused with five favorite coffee blends and other natural flavors. RumJava is twice distilled at 160 to 180 proof in a copper stack pot from Florida cane produced in Clewiston, Florida. Artisan crafted in small batches, RumJava has nurtured every part of their proprietary process from formulation, to mixing, testing and tasting. After making the gluten-free rum, they infuse freshly roasted Java’Mon Coffee beans to extract the perfect amount of coffee flavor and add other natural ingredients for added depth and balance. With subtle notes of vanilla, hazelnut, chocolate, caramel, coconut, cinnamon, oak and coffee the result is a unique collection of smooth, silky, flavorful rums unlike any other.

Here are their first six releases. Signature is a rich molasses rum that is infused with Java’Mon Signature Coffee and a touch of coconut, vanilla and caramel. Cacao’Mon ia a robust chocolate rum, made from cacao nib and infused with the Java’Mon Coffee Chocolate blend. Mahtini’Mon was their original inspiration. Sweet and savory vanilla rum is infused with Java’Mon Espresso, chocolate, hazelnut and oak. Cinna’Mon Bay is their finest rum with a touch of cinnamon, hazelnut and a natural Java’Mon Cinnamon Bay Coffee infusion. Caffe Con Horchata is a rich horchata infused with a touch of coconut and a blend of Java’Mon Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and Kenyan blend. Limited Edition Espresso Rum Cream is their Mahtini’Mon Espresso Rum blended with naturally fresh cream; simply delicious.

DENVER INTERNATIONAL SPIRIT COMPETITION

Wine Country Network, Inc., producers of the highly respected Denver International Wine Competition and The Denver International Beer Competition, conducted the 6th Annual Denver International Spirits Competition last month. The double blind competition was based on a 100 point scale A prestigious panel of 20 of America’s most respected spirits authorities participated in the largest professional spirits competition in the Rocky Mountain Region.

Judges cast their votes for the best spirit entries in as many as 102 different categories. They were award medals for first (GOLD), second (SILVER) and third (BRONZE) place for each qualifying category and best of show. Rum awards included a Double Gold medal for Flavored or Infused Rum to Hilton Head Distillery for their Two Expressions Expresso Rum; a Double Gold medal for Spiced Rum to South Hollow Spirits for their Twenty Boat Spiced Rum; a Double Gold Medal for Spiced Rum to Bayou Rums for their Bayou Spiced Rum; a Gold Medal for Spiced Rum to Hilton Head Distillery for their Redlock Spiced Rum; a Gold Medal for White Rum to Hilton Heads Distillery for their Two Traditions Platinum White Rum; a Gold Medal for Flavored or Infused Rum to Ski Bum Rum Distillery for their Edelweiss Coconut Rum; a Gold Medal for Dark or Gold Rum to Southern Champion for their Pelican Harbor Dark Rum and a Gold Medal for Other Rum to Blue Chair Bay Rum for their new Key Lime Rum Cream.