Rum in the News
ROLLING FORK
Rolling Fork Rum announced the launch of its first new rum since 2020. Amburana Odyssey is a blend of four 9- and 11-year-old rums from Barbados’ renowned Foursquare Distillery that was aged in responsibly harvested Brazilian Amburana oak casks. Rolling Fork, known for innovation and experimentation, is well aware that spirits aged in Brazillian Amburana oak can be polarizing. However, as Rolling Fork Co-founder Jordan Morris says, “Some people love what Amburana brings to the party. The barrels can impart exotic notes including tobacco, cedar and cinnamon. While some people are defiantly ‘anti-Amburana,’ others love spirits aged in Amburana, and we think this one turned out beautifully.” To preserve the character of the rum, Rolling Fork aged it for six months in Amburana oak casks and then transferred it to hand-selected, low-char, heavy-toast bourbon and rye whiskey casks for additional aging. The resulting flavor profile is balanced and approachable, featuring notes of cinnamon, cocoa, and a subtle hint of cola, balanced by sweet vanilla and molasses flavors from the rum itself and the toasted bourbon and rye whiskey casks. “At 120.6 proof, (60.3% ABV), it’s an elegant sipper to be enjoyed neat, with an ice cube or splash of distilled water if you like,” adds Morris. For the first time ever, Rolling Fork Rum and Ohio Liquor (OHLQ) are teaming up for an exclusive release of hand-selected, single cask rums. Earlier this year, the Rolling Fork team hosted the OHLQ team at their warehouse to taste through and select some single cask rums for the Ohio market. Among their selections were:
- Cask No. 224029, a 9 year rum distilled in Barbados by Foursquare Distillery. It was aged 8 years in Barbados in bourbon casks and another year in a wheated bourbon cask by Rolling Fork. It was bottled without additives and non-chill filtered at cask strength, 111.6 proof | 55.8% abv.
- Cask No. 224070, a 10 year rum distilled in Barbados by Foursquare Distillery. It was aged 8 years in Barbados in bourbon casks and further aged 2 years in a toasted bourbon cask by Rolling Fork. It was them bottled without additives and non-chill filtered at cask strength - 111.8 proof | 55.9% abv.
- Cask No. 224130, a 16 year rum distilled in Barbados by Foursquare Distillery. It was bottled without additives and non-chill filtered at cask strength - 124.6 proof | 62.3% abv.
https://rollingforkrum.com/
DENIZEN
Denizen® Rum showed a revitalized look that mirrors the dynamic rums nestled inside each bottle. The name Denizen draws inspiration from the Latin term “Deintus,” which refers to those spirited explorers who roam the world seeking new experiences. A long-time bartender favorite thanks to the rich character and layered flavors that are ideal for crafting cocktails, Denizen’s new visual identity honors the brand’s commitment to creating an elevated spirit through sourcing and blending some of the best small-batch rums from throughout the Caribbean. The updated packaging encompasses design elements that beckon enthusiasts to delve into the Caribbean’s vibrant culture, curious spirit, and the legacy of rum merchants who explored the region. Each label pays tribute to the culture, flora, and fauna of the unique blend’s region. The compass, symbolizing the explorers who charted the Caribbean’s seas, embodies the adventurous spirit of Denizen. The Tufted Coquette, a bird that flies across the Caribbean collecting pollens, is a symbol for Denizen Rum’s commitment to sourcing small-batch rums from across the Caribbean. Maintaining the bottle shape, the new packaging integrates lighter, eco-friendly glass that incorporates a higher portion of recycled materials. Brian Radics, CMO of Hotaling & Co., states “Our new labels honor the intricate flavors in Denizen rums while positioning Denizen at the forefront of modern rum mixology and the exploration of authentic flavors one seeks in rum cocktails. Importantly, while our appearance has evolved, the exceptional liquid inside remains unchanged, ensuring the same extraordinary taste that bartenders appreciate, and consumers enjoy.” Their current products are:
- Denizen Aged White, a blend of rums predominately from Trinidad aged up to 5 years and resulting in a finished product with multi-dimensions of flavor that is uncommon in most mixing rums. The new label for this remarkably complex mixing rum prominently features a blue hue denoting the expression along with the crocodile and crabier birds indigenous to Trinidad. It works great in a Classic Daiquiri & Hemingway Daiquiri.
- Denizen Vatted Dark, a 100 Proof blend of full-bodied dark Guyana rums fashioned in the old vatted style, originally formulated in the mid-18th century, and fresh unaged Rhum Agricole from Martinique. Vatted Dark will be released in the new Denizen visual identity in 2024. An eye-catching shade of green and illustrations of the Jaguar and Blazon snake, powerful figures native to the regions of Guyana and Jamaica respectively will adorn the new label. Possible drinks could be a Dark Daiquiri & Rum Manhattan
- Denizen Merchant’s Reserve, a blend of small-batch Caribbean rums including Plummer style Jamaican pot still rums and a rare component of Rhum Grande Arôme from Martinique. Centuries ago, merchants would mix their aged Caribbean rums and save the best blends to sell in Europe as “Merchant’s Reserve.” The dark red label features illustrations of the Blazon snake and Crocodile that hail proudly as emblems from the Jamaican and Martinique Coat of Arms. Crafted as the ultimate cocktail rum, Denizen Merchant’s Reserve is perfect in a Mai Tai.
https://denizenrum.com
BACARDI
To wrap up National Rum Month, BACARDÍ launched the third installment of the limited-edition cask finish series with the new BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho Sevillian Orange Cask Finish. Following the success of the two previous launches, Sherry Cask and Rye Cask Finish, the new premium rum expression serves to continue the five-year aged rum series which will see BACARDÍ unveil a new cask finish offering annually through 2025. Blooming with notes of orange peel, dried stone fruits, and finished with a smoky wood aroma, the BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho Sevillian Orange Cask Finish is a blend aged at least eight years in American oak barrel under the Caribbean sun and finished for an additional 3-6 months in Vino de Naranja casks from Seville, Spain. The premium, citrus forward blend boasts a dark golden color with a slight orange hue, resulting in a smooth taste that works perfectly for sipping or in elevated cocktails. “The third installment in our popular Cask Series, Sevillian Orange continues our brand legacy of producing premium rums that match consumer tastes. This exceptional expression harmoniously blends our finest aged rums with the essence of Vino de Naranja from Spain, delivering a delightful burst of flavor,” said Lisa Pfenning, Vice President, BACARDÍ for North America. “Inspired by tradition, yet infused with innovation, the Sevillian Orange Cask Finish is destined to captivate the palates of both rum connoisseurs and dark spirit aficionados alike. As the world’s most awarded rum, we’re excited to add a new and deeply flavorful expression to our vast premium portfolio.” Created to be the perfect pairing for an Old Fashioned, BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho Sevillian Orange Cask Finish serves as a great alternative to traditional sipping spirits. As one of the most classic cocktails in history, and one that has seen a 24% jump in popularity over the last few years, the Old Fashioned is as popular as ever, but with BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho Sevillian Orange Cask Finish, the cocktail gets a refreshed taste thanks to the liquid’s meticulously balanced citrus and smoky notes. https://www.bacardilimited.com/
HOLMES CAY
Last month I had the pleasure of meeting Eric Kaye at a tasting at Trevor’s in Phoenix. Trevor’s is an amazing bottle shop that has one of the best rum selections in town. He was sampling tastes of his two latest, limited releases, the Barbados 2009 Premier Cru and the Trinidad 2012 Eleven Year. The first is a very special Barbados rum from the Foursquare Distillery. It’s a blend of pot and column still rums tropically aged in ex-bourbon casks in Barbados for 8 years and in the UK for 4 years. Then, Eric brought the rum to New York to place into a First Growth Premier Cru Bordeaux cask for 2 full years. Only one barrel of this rum has been bottled at 55% ABV. As far as he knows, it’s the first rum distilled at Foursquare to be released after aging in Bordeaux. It was delicious. Then, there is the Eleven Year version of his Trinidad 2012 Ten Cane rum. The original 10 Cane brand was discontinued in 2015, and the distillery, custom built to produce this artisanal rum in the early 2000s, no longer exists. Fresh cane juice underwent a five-day, low temperature fermentation with specialized yeast strains. It was then double-distilled in small batches in French pot stills and aged in French oak ex-cognac barrels for one year. During the brand’s existence, there were several different 10 Cane formulations: the first was a pure cane juice, pot still version, the one chosen for this edition. It was distilled in 2012 in Trinidad, aged there for 4 years, then spent 7 years aging in the temperate climates of New York and Liverpool before being bottled in New York State in 2023 at 59% ABV. At the other end of the price spectrum, Eric was also pouring samples from new additions to his Single Origin Editions and Heritage Blends. I really enjoyed the Réunion Island Grand Arome Rum, a traditional, molasses, unaged high ester grand arome rhum from the Distllerie de Savanna of Réunion Island. The edition was distilled on the Savalle copper column still from molasses after a long fermentation. It was bottled in New York State at 57.5% ABV. My other favorite was the Heritage Blend Esotico Blend, a tribute to three rum traditions that arose in the Caribbean basin. The components of the blend were chosen to celebrate the diversity of rum, ron and rhum. It includes a blend of column and pot still, molasses based, Barbados rums, a column still, molasses based ron from Venezuela and a column still, cane juice rhum from Martinique. Bottled at 43% ABV, this is a very approachable rum. https://www.holmescay.com/
RENEGADE RUM
Renegade Rum, the terroir-driven rum project from the Caribbean Island of Grenada, has announced an expansion across new markets nationwide under new distribution partnerships, beginning with Empire. The collaboration comes via Renegade Rum’s new importer partner, MORF Brands, a luxury beverage importer based in Texas, known for its expertise in developing and distributing innovative brands. “We are thrilled to help play a role in Renegade Rum’s continued distribution growth in the US. Consumers across the country will soon be able to purchase these unique rum offerings in many other states this year,” says Vic Morrison, CEO of MORF Brands. With Empire onboard, Renegade Rum’s products, which range from complex cuvées to rums made from a single field of sugarcane, will now be available in TN, GA, CO. In addition to Empire, the following distributors will now be handling additional markets for Renegade Rum as well. Solcum & Sons will handle CT, Frederick Wildman will handle NY & NJ, Horizon will handle MA, Greenlight Distributor will handle TX and Heritage will handle KY. The line-up available will also include the new launch of Renegade Rum’s flagship range, including the All-Island Cuvée: Nova, Single Farm Cuvée: Dunfermline, Cuvée: Aura and MicrOrigin: Hope. Renegade Rum is a radical new distilling project that brings wine inspiration and whisky practices to the rum industry. With unrivaled transparency, the distillery harvests, mills and distills fresh sugar cane only — no molasses — from individual farms, one terroir, one field, at a time, using the innovative distilling techniques gleaned from founder Mark Reynier’s experience in the whisky industry. Renegade Rum’s CEO Mark Reynier says: “We are very excited to bring our new ultra-high provenance rums to the American stage. This is a radical new take on rum, one based on full traceability and transparency with an unsurpassed production ethos. We view our rums as agricultural produce, not a manufactured product, and believe that the drinkers of tomorrow will be aligned with our view that authenticity trumps luxury.” https://renegaderum.com/
FLOR de CAÑA
Flor de Caña is the world’s first spirit to be both Carbon Neutral and Fair Trade certified. It was recently named “Best Sustainable Rum Distillery” by The Ultimate Awards, a competition that seeks to recognize companies leading the industry in terms of sustainable practices and committed to a greener future. Flor de Caña’s carbon neutral certification by Carbon Trust (UK) means the company offsets all carbon emissions during the entire lifecycle of its products, from field to market. On the other hand, the fair trade certification by Fair Trade USA ensures consumers the rum is produced sustainably and ethically in compliance with over 300 rigorous labor, social and environmental standards. Some of the brand’s eco-friendly practices include capturing and recycling all CO2 emissions during the fermentation process, distilling the rum with 100% renewable energy and planting one million trees since 2005. Flor de Caña’s commitment to sustainability goes beyond its eco-friendly production process, the brand aims to share and promote this value among consumers and trade. With this in mind, the brand launched the Sustainable Cocktail Challenge, a global initiative that promotes and awards sustainable mixology in eco-conscious venues in order to build a greener future together. Flor de Caña is a family-owned, single estate rum brand that dates back to 1890. Its rums are naturally aged in bourbon barrels for up to 30 years without sugar, artificial ingredients or additives of any kind. The quality and excellence of its premium aged rums have earned the brand numerous international awards, including “Global Rum Producer of the Year” by the IWSC in London. Flor de Caña is a sustainably crafted premium rum that’s Carbon Neutral & Fair Trade certified. From an 1890 family estate, it’s distilled with 100% renewable energy and naturally aged at the base of an active volcano without sugar or artificial ingredients. The brand is recognized as a global leader in sustainability, receiving distinctions such as “Green Distillery of the Year” (Caribbean), “Ethical Award” (UK) and “Green Award” (Hong Kong). www.flordecana.com.
TEN TO ONE & PRONGHORN
Pronghorn has announced its investment in Ten To One, the award-winning Caribbean rum brand founded by CEO Marc Farrell and co-owned by GRAMMY-winning artist, Ciara. Pronghorn will make a capital investment in the brand and will provide access to its supercharging services, designed to help Ten To One scale its business. According to Pronghorn, less than 1% of spirits brand acquisitions in the U.S have been Black owned. To generate wealth and drive acquisitions, Pronghorn will serve as a hybrid incubator and accelerator, making capital investments in Black owned brands, while also providing capabilities that allow brands to leverage industry-leading knowledge and resources to realize their brand’s ambitions. “Pronghorn’s goal is to cultivate the next generation of Black entrepreneurs, executive leaders, and founders within the spirits industry. We are thrilled to kick off the first of 57 investments in Black-owned spirits brands that will be made over the next ten years with Ten To One Rum,” said Erin Harris, Co-Founder, Pronghorn. “Diverse representation in entrepreneurship will drive innovation, and Ten To One is a leading example of that through its continued reimagination of the rum category.” Award-winning Ten To One Caribbean rum was founded in 2019 by entrepreneur and former Starbucks Senior Vice President, Marc Farrell. Through his creation, Farrell hopes to elevate the experience of consuming Caribbean rum and highlight its versatility. “Continuously challenging expectations has been core to our brand’s DNA from day one, and proven to be a major ingredient in preserving on a path to success – even against the backdrop of a global pandemic,” said Marc Farrell, Founder, Ten To One. “There remains an enormous opportunity to change the way people taste, experience and talk about rum, and with the incredible support of the Pronghorn team, we will not only be able to expand our footprint to other major metropolitan hubs, but also introduce consumers to new occasions for which rum should be considered the spirit of choice.” “Pronghorn’s team are spirits industry game-changers,” said Ciara, Co-Owner, Ten To One. “It’s rewarding to see these creative minds rally around a brand and a mission that I am so passionate about and enable a path to excellence that uplifts and supports Black entrepreneurs.” Pronghorn is focused on cultivating the next generation of Black entrepreneurs, executive leaders, and founders within the spirits industry. Through sustainable capital investments, incubation, and recruitment programs, Pronghorn removes barriers and grants access to critical resources that empowers untapped talent and emerging Black businesses to reach their full potential. The company was co-founded by spirits industry veterans Dia Simms, Erin Harris, and Dan Sanborn. The pronghorn is the fastest North American land mammal and can endure speeds for miles. Inspired by our namesake, Pronghorn believes creating real change is a marathon, not a sprint. www.pronghorn.co
SUNSHINE PUNCH
Sunshine Punch is a ready-to-serve, bottled rum and vodka cocktail with a citrus-flavored creme base. This nostalgically fresh beverage brightens up any gathering with its summer-ready, matte orange bottle design and smooth, citrus taste. Sessionable and shareable, the sun never sets on summer with Sunshine Punch. Beyond the bottle, Sunshine Punch is rooted in friendship. What began as the go-to-drink of their campfire jam sessions in North Carolina went through years of taste testing among friends to get the flavor profile just right. Founders Brian Thomason and Matt Hemmings are lifelong friends who bonded over a shared interest in creative pursuits, adventures and a love of music. Inspired by sound and sun, the former classmates teamed up with a band of friends to develop a unique drink designed to be savored wherever you find your sunshine. Today, Sunshine Punch is proudly blended and bottled in their home state of North Carolina and aims to bring you back to those same, sweet summer memories we all share. Sunshine Punch has a pleasant orange aroma up front that transitions into the perfect blend of orange and vanilla on the tongue, ending with a lingering cream finish that continues to develop with each sip. From beaches and pools to rooftops and campfires, Sunshine Punch is there wherever you find your sunshine. “There’s nothing like the feeling of reminiscing on the good times,” said Brian Thomason, Co-Founder of Sunshine Punch. “We thought, ‘What if you could bottle that?’ With Sunshine Punch, we’re proud to pour something that transports you to your sunniest memories. Our favorite way to sip Sunshine Punch is over ice. If you’re feeling more creative, we also love it mixed into your favorite cocktail, sipped in a slushy or enjoyed as a chilled shot.” “Sunshine Punch is inspired by the mood, the moments that you’re always chasing and would like to push pause on when they occur,” added Matt Hemmings, Co-Founder of Sunshine Punch. “Ultimately, we wanted to throw ourselves into something that we – and the entire team – could be genuinely passionate about and have a lot of fun with. We love sippin’ on Sunshine around the campfire or out on the water in North Carolina. We’re excited to hear of all the ways and places you find your sunshine with Sunshine Punch.” https://sunshinepunch.me/