September 2020 - Rum In The News

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                           SPIRITS OF LATIN AMERICA

A James Beard Award-nominated bartender explores the history and culture of Latin American spirits in this beautifully photographed travelogue, with 100+ irresistible cocktails featuring tequila, rum, pisco and more. Through its in-depth look at drinking culture throughout Latin America, this book offers a rich cultural and historical context for understanding Latin spirits. Ivy Mix has dedicated years to traveling south, getting to know Latin culture, in part through what the locals drink. What she details in this book is the discovery that Latin spirits echo the Latin palate, which echoes Latin life, emphasizing spiciness, vivaciousness, strength and variation. After digging into tequila and Mexico’s other traditional spirits, Ivy Mix follows the sugar trail through the Caribbean and beyond, winding up in Chile, Peru and Bolivia, where grape-based spirits like pisco and singani have been made for generations. With more than 100 recipes that have garnered acclaim at her Brooklyn bar, Leyenda, including fun spins on traditional cocktails such as the Pisco Sour, Margarita and Mojito, plus drinks inspired by Ivy’s travels, like the Tia Mia (which combines mezcal, rum, and orange curacao, with a splash of lime and almond orgeat) or the Sonambula (which features jalapeño-infused tequila, lemon juice, chamomile syrup, and a dash of Peychaud’s bitters), along with mouthwatering photos and gorgeous travel images, this is the ultimate book on Latin America Spirits. Martin Cate, author of the award-winning book, Smuggler’s Cove, and owner of the successful rum bar in San Francisco of the same, name gives Spirits of Latin America high praise.  “It’s clear as soon as you crack the cover that Ivy Mix long ago left her heart somewhere beneath the Tropic of Cancer. Her passion for the remarkably diverse spirits, peoples, and lands radiates from each page, and her book (and bar, Leyenda) are a testament to her desire to share them with us. Like the first sip of an ice-cold cocktail on a warm San Juan night, this book refreshes and delights.” The book measures 6-3/4 x 9-1/4 inches and has 256 pages. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/600316/spirits-of-latin-america-by-ivy-mix/

                             MONTANYA DISTILLERS

Montanya Distillers has launched a new barrel program offering customers an all-American rum experience. This barrel program allows liquor stores, bars, restaurants, wholesalers, and individuals to hand-select their own private stock of premium Montanya rum. All Montanya rums (Oro, Platino, Exclusiva, and Valentia) are included in the program. “This barrel program allows us to share everything we love about making rum with our customers, from our commitment to small-batch distilling to our unique location in the Colorado Rockies. We designed the program so people can see and taste the rum in person (with COVID protocols) or virtually,” said Karen Hoskin, founder and owner of Montanya Distillers. “As a female-owned, environmentally and socially responsible rum company, it also gives us a way to collaborate with partners who share a similar mission and philosophy, including some of our longtime customers. We look forward to coming together to reach rum drinkers in a creative and personalized way.” With Montanya’s barrel program, on- and off-premise venues can offer a unique product and also recognize VIP staff or customers by giving a one-of-a-kind Colorado rum experience. Participants of the barrel program will receive:

  • Barrel samples from Montanya’s rack house to select the rum of their choice;
  • In-person or virtual training offering in-depth rum education for staff;
  • The barrel that aged their rum, along with personalized branding for their bottle (if desired) and a customized display sheet that tells the story of the rum;
  • The option to help bottle the rum and receive a private distillery tour;

“We’ve created the complete experience, which we’ve made sure can be done in-person with safety measures in place, or virtually,” added Rob Richardson, director of sales for Montanya. “We’ve already had interest from long-time partners looking for a new offering for customers, so we’re thrilled to see the excitement already building.” Each barrel is priced in line with the regular Montanya portfolio, with full and half barrels available. The Platino and Oro barrels have 70 cases of rum (400+ bottles), Exclusiva has about 46 cases (280 bottles) and Valentia has about 33 cases totaling 200 bottles of rum. Once a barrel is selected, expect delivery to take 6 to 8 weeks. http://montanyadistillers.com/barrel-program.

                             JAMAICA GOLD SUGAR

The Jamaica Gleaner reported that spirit company J. Wray & Nephew Limited, a subsidiary of the Campari Group, has entered the retail sugar market under a 50:50 partnership with Worthy Park Estate to package and market the sweetener under the Jamaica Gold brand. The brand was acquired from Jamaica Cane Products Sales, a sugar marketing company now in the process of winding up its operations. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. “This partnership will allow us to provide sugar produced exclusively from Appleton and Worthy Park Estates for the domestic and export markets under the familiar local brand,” Jean-Philippe Beyer, Managing Director of J. Wray & Nephew said in emailed responses to Financial Gleaner queries. Worthy Park Estate is involved in the business of commercial production of cane and sugar. It also distributes branded rum. ”This joint commercial venture will ensure that there is efficiency in delivering a quality product to our customers,” Beyer said. JWN also confirmed that given the partnership, Worthy Park brand will no longer be packaging the product under the Worthy Park Estate name. Beyer noted that the sugar industry in Jamaica has faced several challenges over the years with the declining price of sugar globally, removal of the preferential access to the European Union territories and changes in consumer taste. “J. Wray & Nephew has responded to the bleak outlook by putting measures in place to improve operational efficiencies, reduce the size of its sugar operations and collaborating with other players in the industry such as Worth Park Estate. This is a testament to the Campari Group’s commitment to contributing positively to Jamaica’s economy and its development,” he said. “It is our hope that the Jamaican Sugar industry will show signs of improvement soon. In the interim, J. Wray and Nephew will continue to review our operations and proactively implement corrective action,” Beyer added. JWN said it will be establishing a facility at the company’s Spanish Town Road, Kingston premises for packaging the sugar on behalf of the companies. 

                         JOHN BARLEYCORN AWARDS

John Barleycorn Awards honors the innovative distillers, writers, marketers, designers who cultivate the fertile traditions of the spirits industry. The John Barleycorn Society is an assemblage of the world’s top journalists and industry professionals who foster a modern approach to recognizing excellence in the spirits industry from seed to glass. Taste, print and digital marketing, package design, public relations, journalism, social media, event production, film making, and bar design are some of the general categories judged by our select panels. The John Barleycorn Society is dedicated to redefining today's spirits awards by acknowledging the entire scope of the industry and revolutionizing the process. This year, in the Taste category, two Double Gold Medals were awarded to rums, both from Maison Ferrand, Plantation Isle of Fiji Rum and Xaymaca Special Dry Rum. Gold Medals were awarded to: Iron Goat White Rum, from the Iron Goat Distillery in Texas; Maison Ferrand’s Plantation 5 Year Old Rum and Plantation XO 20th Anniversary Rum, both from Barbados; and Coral Cay Distilling’s Tommy Bahama Tommy #2 Rum from the Caribbean. https://barleycornawards.com/

                            NIGHTCLUB & BAR SHOW

Questex, the parent company of the Nightclub & Bar Show scheduled for October 19-21, 2020 inside the Las Vegas Convention Center, has been forced to cancel due to the current State of Nevada virus mitigation mandate limiting group gatherings to 50 people or less. Nightclub & Bar Show has been the hub for bar, restaurant and nightlife professionals to come together with their passion for hospitality to learn, grow their businesses, and network with their peers, while building lasting partnerships and friendships. The 2021 edition is scheduled to take place June 28-30, 2021 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. This will be the first time in 34 years the event has been forced to cancel. Our thoughts go out to everyone who has been affected by the current situation and our number one priority remains keeping our entire community safe. Our team is working through all the logistics that are involved with cancelling an event. We understand that you will have questions and concerns. All attendee registration tickets purchased for the original Nightclub & Bar Show 2020 dates will be honored for a full credit towards the 2021 event. Exhibitors will be contacted soon with information. Questex helps people live better and longer. Questex brings people together in the markets that help people live better: travel, hospitality and wellness; the industries that help people live longer: life science and healthcare; and the technologies that enable and fuel these new experiences. We live in the experience economy, connecting our ecosystem through live events, surrounded by data insights and digital communities. We deliver experience and real results. It happens here. Additional updates regarding Nightclub & Bar Show will be published on ncbshow.com

                                    RON IZALCO

Phenomenal Spirits’ Ron Izalco 10 Year Rum has finally come to the United States. The company was founded in 2017 by visionary spirits entrepreneur Karthik Sudhir with the mission of invoking phenomenal moments for phenomenal people through handcrafted, authentic and exceptionally high-quality spirits. To accomplish his mission, Sudhir has assembled a team of dedicated professionals including distillers, master blenders, brand builders and marketers focused on identifying unfulfilled opportunities in the spirits category and developing phenomenal spirits to fill those gaps. Having identified a gap in the super and ultra-premium rum segments, Phenomenal Spirits set its sights on creating exceptionally high quality super-premium and ultra-premium sipping rums under the Ron Izalco umbrella. Every expression of Ron Izalco is a blend of Central America’s finest rums. Straight aged in ex-bourbon barrels in their respective distilleries, the rums are inspired by and dedicated to the people of Central America, its volcanic land and rich black soil which is best suited for growing sugar cane. Ron Izalco 10 Year is the company’s first expression to launch in the US. It is a 43% ABV, minimum 10 year aged rum that was first commercialized in 2018 in Bordeaux and has since, quickly caught on in popularity throughout Europe, expanding its footprint through France and in the UK, Denmark and Poland. Since its inception, Ron Izalco 10 Year has received numerous awards giving testimony to the superior quality and craftmanship of the extraordinary liquid in the bottle. In 2018, Ron Izalco 10 Year won a coveted Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition followed by numerous awards in 2019, including: Double Gold & Rum Trophy at the International Spirits Challenge and Master of Rum in the Ultra-Premium category from Spirits Masters. It also received a 98-point rating by Tasting Panel Magazine’s esteemed tasting team.  When asked what makes Ron Izalco 10 Year so special, Sudhir responded “Curious rum drinkers and enthusiasts are very much aware of premium rums and their taste profiles, but true rum lovers are eager to move on to the next level. They are searching for rum that is evenly balanced and less sweet with full body, complex fruity notes and a long finish. This is precisely what Ron Izalco 10 year has to offer consumers. Straight-aging for 10 years in ex-bourbon barrels with 43% ABV versus Solera ageing like many other regular 40% ABV rums, results in a beautifully balanced rum with an explosion of congeners as it hits the middle of the tongue. We specifically developed the10-year expression for sipping and to enjoy in high-end craft cocktails and signature pours.” Ron Izalco is currently available in Washington DC, Maryland and Delaware through Lanterna Distributors, in California through Liberation Distribution (LibDib), in Illinois through SpiritHub and shipped to 28 states through Curiada’s E-Commerce platform. Sudhir added, “At Phenomenal Spirits, we are on a very focused mission to create exceptionally high-quality spirits. To help guide us forward, we have recently on-boarded Matt Witzig, Co-founder and Master Distiller of Joseph Magnus Distillery. Matt is working along with me to build our next ambitious and very exciting Rye whiskey brand finished in Ron Izalco Cask, which is due to be launched in September of this year.” Phenomenal Spirits has invested in building its own blending facility to achieve scale and operational efficiency.  The company is fully functional which allows Phenomenal Spirits to control quality and consistency along with all aspects of product development. Sudhir concluded, “We believe the passion of our mission is evident in every drop of Ron Izalco 10 Year along with the other spirits we will be introducing. Even better, it is a thrill to experience just how much consumers, retailers and on-premise operators agree and are embracing the realization of our dream.”  Phenomenal Spirits is an idea, vision and an incubation platform to develop exceptionally high quality super-premium and ultra-premium spirits. The team consists of phenomenal distillers, master blenders, brand builders and marketers with an undying mission to invoke phenomenal moments for phenomenal people through phenomenal spirits. http://www.phenomenalspirits.com

                       ABELHA ORGANIC CACHACA

The Responsible Trading Company & Fazenda Vaccaro Farm introduced Abelha Organic Cachaça in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut this summer. The sustainable, delectable, and artisanal cachaça is made with care for the land and respect for the farmers who tend it. With its smooth, sippable, and socially-conscious character, Abelha has already earned placements in world-renowned bars and restaurants throughout Europe and Asia. “Cachaça is an amazingly diverse and interesting category,” says Tom Stockley, co-brand owner. “I’m excited and proud to introduce Abelha Organic Cachaça into the U.S., with its hugely diverse cocktail culture, high passion for unique and quality spirits, and eclectic mix of renowned venues.” Abelha (“Bee” in Portuguese) is named for the hundreds of Brazilian honey bees that drink the fresh sugarcane juice during the juicing process. It also pays homage to the hardworking team behind Abelha, who run a self-sufficient, community-driven and sustainable farm. All waste is reused in future farming, the cars and tractors on the farm are powered on the byproducts from the distillate, and the team is always looking to improve organic technologies and infrastructure. The proliferation of South & Central American spirits, along with more home bartenders experimenting with different types of spirits, makes this an ideal time to introduce Abelha Organic Cachaça to the States. The interest in organic spirits also continues to grow, as well as the move to make cachaça a distinct spirit category in the U.S. Abelha Organic Cachaça is produced in Rio de Contas on the border of the Chapada Diamantina National Reserve, in Bahia, the northeast region of Brazil. Marcos Vaccaro, master distiller and creator of the first organically certified cachaça in Brazil, created Abelha, on his fazenda (farm), in partnership with U.K.-based Responsible Trading Company, whose values and motivations aligned with his own. Together, they’re on a mission to train and certify local Brazilian farmers in organic sugar cane production, safeguard traditional and natural farming techniques, and create the highest quality organic cachaça. Abelha Organic Cachaça is made with cane, care, and craft. The brand is committed to the highest standard of production at every step of the process. Abelha has no added sugar or additives of any kind. The cachaça is organically certified in both the growing of the sugarcane and the distillation process at international standards. Only natural fertilizer is used, with no pesticides. The sugar cane is grown on sandy highland soils where the high temperature differential between day and night, the fertile soil, and crystal-clear spring water enable high quality sugarcane to grow. The sugarcane fields are cut in sequence by hand according to sugar content readiness and ripeness because, once cut, the sugarcane must be juiced for fermentation within 24 hours. Following fermentation, the cachaça vinho is distilled in traditional 800-liter alembic,    copper pot stills. The cachaça then hits the road for its long twelve-hour journey from farm to port and beyond, bringing this extraordinary spirit to the rest of the world. Abelha Prata, the silver expression, is a full-flavored artisanal cachaça, with an intense, fruity, aromatic nose, fresh sugar cane and stone fruits on the palate, and a smooth dry finish. To create the distinctive character of Abelha Prata, the cachaça is rested for 6 months in open steel tanks, allowing the by-products to evaporate and oxidize, which gives the cachaça its signature bouquet. No sugar is added, and there are no impurities or toxins in the cachaça, resulting in fresh aromas when you open a bottle and pure flavors when you take a sip. Abelha Ouro, the gold expression, is a complex yet approachable aged cachaça. The honeyed nose is brightened with notes of tropical fruit, and the palate is rich with stone fruit, balsamic and spice notes. This remarkable flavor profile is achieved by aging the cachaça for three years in 65-gallon Garapeira casks; a native Brazilian ash, Garapeira is highly valued by cachaça producers because it enhances the natural flavor of the spirit with a multifaceted layer of sweetness and spice. Abelha Cachaça was founded in 2009 by brothers Hal & Tom Stockley, alongside Anthony Goh & Marcos Vaccaro. Abelha Organic Cachaça is produced in Rio de Contas on the border of the Chapada Diamantina National Reserve, in Bahia, the northeast region of Brazil. Marcos, master distiller and creator of the first organically certified cachaça in Brazil, created Abelha and his fazenda (farm), in partnership with the U.K.-based Responsible Trading Company, whose values and motivations aligned with his own. Launched in the US in 2020, Abelha plans to expand into more states as soon as possible. Abelha Organic Cachaça is imported & distributed by MHW (mhwltd.com) in New York, New Jersey & Murphy Distributors in CT. https://abelhacachaca.com/