"Got Rum?" Magazine
Rum in the News
The most recent and noteworthy headlines in the rum industry, written by Mike Kunetka and published monthly in the "Got Rum?" magazine. To share your news with our readers, please send an email to Mike@gotrum.com
MOUNT GAY
Mount Gay, the world’s oldest running rum distillery, dating back to 1703, recently unveiled the Master Blender Collection: The Port Cask Expression. This is the third limited-edition in the exclusive series that celebrates over 300 years of expertise. Created by the Distillery’s first female Master Blender, Trudiann Branker, Port Cask pushes the boundaries of rum-making by incorporating the use of Tawny Port casks for the first time in Mount Gay’s history. The result, a beautiful complex blend that is in line with the signature Mount Gay Rum profile, but with a twist with cherry, dried fruit, oak, prune and almond on the palate. Located in Barbados, the birthplace of rum, Mount Gay has refined the delicate art of blending rich and flavorful rums for over three centuries and continues to enhance its distinctive portfolio, including the recent relaunch of the signature Black Barrel and XO blends. The Master Blender Collection, which showcases the brand’s passion for innovation, debuted in 2018 with XO: The Peat Smoke Expression created by former Master Blender Allen Smith. In 2019, the award-winning Pot Still Rum was unveiled as Trudiann Branker’s first release as the new Master Blender. “For this latest expression, I wanted to take our rum making to another level and utilize a cask that we don’t typically work with at Mount Gay, while still remaining true to over 300 years of brand heritage. After trying different casks and evaluating the resulting flavors, I selected Tawny Port casks for the bold expression of notes typically found in Port. I am thrilled to release this rich and multi-faceted rum, as well as create something unique and different as part of the Master Blender Collection.” stated Branker. For this small-batch release, Trudiann Branker found Tawny Port casks to be the most interesting; the Tawny Port marrying harmoniously with rum imparting flavors of almond and red fruit. To create the unique expression, she used a blend of rums distilled in a traditional column still aged for five years in Tawny Port casks, together with rums double distilled in a copper pot still aged for 14 years in American whiskey casks and finished in Tawny Port casks for one year. Bottled at cask strength (55% ABV), Mount Gay: The Port Cask Expression is non-chill filtered in order to preserve its rich aromas and precious natural color. It will be limited to 2,100 750ml bottles in the USA. https://www.mountgayrum.com/
DESTILERIA SERRALLES
Destilería Serrallés Inc., the producer of Don Q, Puerto Rico’s number-one rum, is proud to introduce Don Q Gran Reserva XO to the curated portfolio of aged rums made with the finest reserves from the distillery in Ponce, PR. Don Q Gran Reserva XO is a rebranding of the award-winning Don Q Gran Añejo, a signature blend of the distillery’s portfolio, presented in the new bottle design with the brand’s updated image, which evokes the refinement and elegance that has characterized the rums crafted by the Serrallés family for more than 155 years. The brand’s new packaging highlights Don Q’s values of heritage, quality and tradition. The Gran Añejo rum blend has earned over 60 medals and accolades since its original launch. “We updated the Don Q bottle design and packaging to better communicate our brand values and create a look and feel that reflected the quality and craftsmanship of the super-premium aged rum inside each bottle,” says Philippe Brechot, President and CEO of Destilería Serrallés. “This rum blend has been a stellar expression for more than 25 years. We wanted to keep the same great blend of aged rums but present it under the new name of Gran Reserva XO as it better articulates the exclusive nature of the reserve rums that are blended to produce it.” Gran Reserva XO is a blend of rums aged between nine and 12 years in American white oak barrels, with the addition of Solera rums aged up to 55 years, creating a unique balance and signature flavor. It is bottled at 40% ABV. https://donq.com/
RENEGADE RUM
Grenada’s pioneering Renegade Rum Distillery has begun production. Located on the north eastern coast of the Windward Island, Renegade Rum has a state-of-the-art distillery, the first of its scale to have been designed from the ground up for terroir-bred sugar cane. As well as cutting-edge still design and digital logistics, Renegade Rum Distillery is built on sophisticated technology for air filtration and water purification of waste streams, thus ensuring distilling systems run in rhythm with natural systems. Renegade Rum Distillery is the vision of Mark Reynier, CEO of the pioneering terroir-driven Waterford Distillery in Ireland, and who resurrected the Islay distillery of Bruichladdich in 2001.
Using the same methodology as France’s greatest vignerons, Reynier’s ambition is to create the world’s most profound rum by extracting flavors from Grenada’s isolated parcels of sugar cane grown on the diverse and fertile volcanic terroirs, with complete individuality from cane to cask. In the face of severe Covid-19 restrictions and consequent ban of commissioning experts, the distillery’s vast components from 10 different countries, including mill, horizontal fermenters and pot and column stills, were commissioned by the home-grown Renegade Rum team under remote guidance. On the afternoon of September 21, after milling sugar cane grown on the La Sagesse farm, head distiller Devon Date made the cut to hearts, and the distillery was finally making Renegade Rum. CEO Reynier said: “I started planning the project after an initial exploratory trip to the island. Immediately I felt this was the right home for Renegade after a fruitless 10 year search. It has been a veritable rollercoaster of a ride since then and several times I was on the point of giving up, frustrated by the lack of progress, dead ends and delays. Several times I wondered whether I had bitten off more than I could chew. We had the chance to make something really special here, with the latest thinking, drawing on our distilling experience from Scotland and Ireland to support the unique underpinning Renegade philosophy: rum defined by Grenada’s geology, farm by farm, field by field. Unusually this project has been both back to front and upside down: first we had to propagate cane where none existed to prove it was worthwhile building a distillery; then we had to design it backwards, from the end waste streams back to the incoming cane. Now we have a landmark, state-of-the-art-distillery, the envy of the industry, built and run by Grenadians to use Grenadian cane, the veritable spirit of Grenada. After all the blood, tears, sweat of determination and technical ingenuity, not to mention a global pandemic, we are delighted that the Renegade Rum Distillery is alive.” https://renegaderum.com/
RON IZALCO
On the heels of the highly successful launch of super-premium Ron Izalco 10 Year Old Rum, Phenomenal Spirits announced the debut of ultra-premium Ron Izalco 15 Year aged, 110.6 Proof, Cask Strength expression. The new offering is a blend of Central America’s most exquisite rums that have been straight aged a minimum of 15 years in ex-bourbon barrels. It is the only cask strength, non-solera aged, Spanish-style rum crafted with no sugars or additives providing a singular and exceptional offering to rum connoisseurs, purists and cask strength brown spirits enthusiasts alike. Phenomenal Spirits Founder & CEO, Karthik Sudhir commented, “High-end spirits and rum connoisseurs are eager for new expressions that are complex yet beautifully balanced, full-bodied and made with no sugar and no additives. We developed Ron Izalco 15 Year Old Cask Strength to provide a more pure and authentic drinking experience specifically with these consumers in mind. Ron Izalco 15 Year Old Cask Strength first greets the drinker’s eyes with its iridescent display of dark amber tones adorned with fiery ruby hues. Examined closer, the cask strength and high congener character entice the nose with an array of intensely fruity aromas, evoking memories of finely aged bourbon or single malt whisky but presented in the warm context of a full-bodied rum. On the palate, the complexity increases even more, revealing a rich layer of soft tannins, baked pineapple and several layers of spices. The flavors dance elegantly with the taste buds, yielding a rewarding experience that lingers extensively. Ron Izalco 15 Year Old is generous and intense, offering the ultimate satisfaction for the true rum aficionado. It is made to be sipped, savored and shared.” Founded in 2017 by Karthik Sudhir, Phenomenal Spirits mission is to invoke phenomenal moments for phenomenal people through handcrafted, authentic and exceptionally high-quality spirits. To accomplish this mission, Sudhir and his team are focused on identifying unfulfilled opportunities in the spirits category and developing exceptional spirits to fill those gaps. The journey began with Ron Izalco 10 Year Old and is now followed with Ron Izalco 15 Year Old Cask Strength. Sudhir added, “At Phenomenal Spirits, we are on a very focused mission to create exceptionally high-quality spirits. We have invested in building our own blending facility to achieve scale and operational efficiency and we control the quality and consistency of our products along with all aspects of product development. We have created something quite extraordinary and unrivaled in the Rum category with Ron Izalco 15 Year Old Cask Strength and are eager to share it with the world.” https://www.izalcorum.com/
ANGOSTURA
Angostura® has introduced new labels with advisories on its latest products. The upgraded labels on White Oak Watermelon Flavored Rum inform consumers about the number of calories per drink and warning signs such as underage consumption, driving under the influence, and drinking during pregnancy. This latest initiative puts Angostura® ahead of many of its international counterparts with the introduction of the new labels which will now increase the information on their rum products to consumers. The White Oak Watermelon Flavored Rum was launched in August and it’s the latest addition to Angostura’s rum portfolio. The labels on White Oak Sorrel and Coconut Flavored Rums also have warning signs and a responsibility statement. The advisory labels will be introduced to all new products and will be rolled out to existing products within the next year. Angostura’s CEO (Ag.) Ian Forbes says, “This is really a natural progression for us, because consumers need to better understand what they are purchasing and drinking. It has coincided well with the launch of several new and exciting products from us, such as our White Oak Watermelon Flavored Rum. Despite a difficult year for the industry with the pandemic affecting sales, we will continue to work towards ensuring these new labels are on all of our brands.” Mr. Forbes says while this is an expensive process, Angostura sees this latest improvement on the labels of its rum products as the company’s duty. He added that Angostura has always led by example and he hopes other companies will also follow suit. The West Indies Rum & Spirits Producers Association (WIRSPA) says the agreement with producers to improve their labels was made in mid-2019, with a commitment to implement within a 24-month period, to allow time to adjust packaging and to design and phase in new labels. CEO of WIRSPA, Vaughn Renwick says, “This is a ground-breaking commitment by rum brands, like Angostura, as it takes time to design new labels and to phase out old stock and sometimes even bottles have to be changed. It’s an expensive process. We are pleased to see that Angostura has been able to implement the changes on some brands already, especially bearing in mind the tremendous financial and logistical challenges posed by the COVID pandemic.” Angostura remains committed to ensuring that our customers are kept informed about all our products. http://www.angostura.com/
HOLMES CAY
In its final release of 2020, Holmes Cay - Single Cask Rum is offering a limited-edition Barbados rum with an additional year of secondary maturation in port casks. The Barbados 2009 Port Cask edition reached New York retailers this week. This blend of column and pot still rum was distilled at the Foursquare Rum Distillery in Barbados. The Barbados 2009 Port Cask was aged 8 years in Barbados and two years in the UK in ex-Bourbon casks. The rum then underwent a further year of secondary maturation and was bottled in New York State, for a total of 11 years of barrel aging. With this release, Holmes Cay - Single Cask Rum celebrates its one-year anniversary since launch and reaffirms its commitment to bring a variety of rare international rums to US spirits lovers. “The Barbados 2009 Port Cask is our first edition with secondary maturation. The secondary aging complements and highlights the existing character of the spirit,” said Holmes Cay founder Eric Kaye. The Barbados 2009 Port Cask is now available for sale in New York State. The Barbados 2009 Port Cask was made with no added sugars, colors or other adulteration, and is bottled at cask strength, 56% alcohol by volume. “The Barbados 2009 Port Cask is Holmes Cay’s fourth and final offering of 2020. With each of this year’s highly collectible editions, we try to show another aspect of what makes aged rum so special,” said Kaye. holmescay.com.
WIRSPA
Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) and the West Indies Rum & Spirits Producers Association (WIRSPA) are working together to support increased trade of rum and spirits between the Caribbean and Europe with the Absolutely Caribbean Virtual Expo, scheduled for November 17-18, 2020. The Absolutely Caribbean Virtual Expo will host some 50 exhibitors from across the Caribbean that manufacture products in the areas of sauces and condiments, natural products and alcoholic beverages. “The rum and spirits sectors are an important sector for trade in CARIFORUM and we have seen exports to the European Union grow by nearly 27% between 2017-2019” informed Dr. Damie Sinanan, Manager of Competitiveness and Export Promotion at Caribbean Export. Despite a contraction in sales in domestic markets and internationally due to the restrictions around lockdowns and social gatherings, Caribbean rum producers report continued interest in their premium offerings and are working to ensure that they capitalize on this interest once markets return to normalcy. Brands from Antigua & Barbuda, Belize, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti and Suriname will participate. Delphine Gardere, Managing Director of Rhum Barbancourt of Haiti says they’re pleased to be participating “the coronavirus has kept us from implementing our growth plans in this important market. We think the virtual exhibition will allow us to reach new markets and provide tangible export results.” Vaughn Renwick, CEO of WIRSPA said “this virtual trade show is designed to benefit smaller brands looking to extend their reach in export markets, key to its success is attracting solid importers, distributors and wholesalers to be part of the show. We think Caribbean Export has done a great job on this score”. He added “we’re pleased to partner with Caribbean Export on this innovative venture - presenting a virtual exhibition is new for many of us and it is great to see Caribbean Export leading the way.” The Absolutely Caribbean Virtual Expo, provides an opportune time for Caribbean producers to showcase what they have to bring to the global market and is a follow-up to the 4th CARIFORUM-EU Business Forum held, in Frankfurt Germany last year which saw some 70 industry buyers and investors conduct over 150 business to business meetings. The partnership with WIRSPA aims to support the participation of regional producers and leverage their knowledge and expertise in the international market. WIRSPA is one of the oldest private sector trade associations in the Caribbean. It represents rum producers in Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Haiti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago. https://absolutelycaribbean.vfairs.com/, https://www.carib-export.com/ , https://www.wirspa.com/
HAPPY RAPTOR
Happy Raptor has announced the release of its newest rum, 504Bananas Foster. Inspired by the iconic New Orleans dessert, 504Bananas Foster is handcrafted in the Crescent City at the distillery’s historic Central City location. Created from 100% Louisiana molasses, Happy Raptor’s newest rum is an infusion of real banana, cinnamon, vanilla, and spices and includes no artificial ingredients. “We are so proud to introduce this product in time for the holidays,” said Co-Founder and Chief BrandOfficer Meagen Moreland-Taliancich. “Crafting a rum inspired by bananas foster has been a dream of ours for a long time, and we intended to release it much sooner. Of course, the coronavirus shutdown had other plans for us. Despite the obstacles we encountered, this rum is a true product of New Orleans made with love and deep appreciation for our community.” 504Bananas Foster was originally unveiled for tastings and cocktails (but not for purchase) during Mardi Gras 2020 when Happy Raptor opened its doors for the first time. One month later, the pandemic shut down bars and tasting rooms across the state and created significant obstacles to the product’s development. “504Bananas Foster is intended to draw upon the nostalgia of a New Orleans tradition without a syrupy sweet taste or unnecessary additives,” said Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer Peter Rivera. “Finding the right balance of sweetness, spice, and banana was difficult, but I think we’ve hit on something special. In addition to seasonal drinks like hot cocoa or eggnog, the rum works beautifully in a variety of cocktails such as a traditional daiquiri or an old fashioned, and we’ve been dreaming up new ways to use it in cooking and baking.” 504Bananas Foster is joining a line-up of signature 504Rum products created at Happy Raptor’s distillery. Happy Raptor specializes in a Caribbean style of infused rums, known as rhum arrangé, in which a white rum is infused with a variety of citrus, botanicals, or spices to create a flavor without unnecessary or artificial additives. The new product is the most extensive infusion to date, each batch taking over a month and a half to infuse. The new rum is currently available for purchase in the Happy Raptor tasting room at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and Carondelet Street. It will reach store shelves in the coming days. www.happyraptor.com
