"Got Rum?" December 2022

Got Rum? ®

Printed in the u s .A. A publication of r um r unner Press, i nc. h utto, Texas 78634 - u s .A.

Tel/Fax +1 (855) rum -T i P s © 2022 by r um r unner Press, i nc. All rights reserved.

December 2022

e ditor and Publisher: luis@gotrum.com e xecutive e ditor: margaret@gotrum.com Cigar and r um: philip@gotrum.com Angel’s s hare: paul@gotrum.com r um h istorian: marco@gotrum.com r um in the n ews: mike@gotrum.com Cooking with r um: sue@gotrum.com w ebmaster: web@gotrum.com d irector of Photography: art@gotrum.com

i f you would like to submit news or press releases, please forward them to: news@gotrum.com

You can download the free electronic version (low-res) of this magazine, or purchase the high resolution printed version at:

WWW. gotrum .C om

The printed version of “ g ot r um?” is produced with F s C-certified paper, which means it is from responsibly managed forests and verified recycled sources.

F ron T C over : A Creamy Christmas inside s P re A d : Two o n The r ocks

F rom T he edi T or Season’s Seasonings

i n e nglish, the word seasoning refers to salt, pepper, herbs or other spices that are added to different foods in order to improve or enhance their flavor.

Cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and allspice have become synonymous with the holidays, and we find them in a wide range of dishes and beverages, not only in baked desserts. Perhaps it is the mental association we have made between these spices and happy holidays, but even a fleeting whiff can mentally transport us to a magical place. d oing something as simple as adding a cinnamon stick to a drink (in place of a swizzle stick) can also transform the cocktail into an aromatic and gustatory holiday neon sign!

But the word seasoning can also refer to the process by which a person becomes conditioned (or seasoned) to being in a particular place or to conducting a specific set of actions (he is a seasoned pianist, or she is a seasoned resident).

Just like we can become seasoned to our surroundings, our actions are also seasoned by the manner in which we carry them out and our communities are seasoned by our decisions and our character.

As we approach the end of the year, i invite you to evaluate which of your personality traits define your unique seasoning. i s it your character, your volunteering spirit, etc...? Also take a closer look and determine which of your traits are seasoned by your environment. i s it your political or religious views, your stance on homelessness, etc.?

According to the g reek writer Pausanias , the first of three d elphic maxims

inscribed in the forecourt of the Temple of Apollo at d elphi is “know thyself”.

o nly after getting to know ourselves better will we be able to control how much we want to season our environments and how much we want to be seasoned by them. But don’t get carried away when analyzing your flavoring power: keep in mind that the second and third maxims of Apollo’s temple are: “nothing to excess” and “certainty brings insanity.”

Cheers!

l uis Ayala, Editor and Publisher

http://www.linkedin.com/in/rumconsultant

do you want to learn more about rum but don’t want to wait until the next issue of “got rum?”? Then join the “rum lovers unite!” group on linkedin for updates, previews, Q&A and exclusive material.

T he A ngel’ s sh A re

by Paul s enft

Foursquare

2010 e xceptional Cask s election m ark XX i

m y name is Paul s enft - r um r eviewer, Tasting host, Judge and w riter. m y exploration of r ums began by learning to craft Tiki cocktails for friends. i quickly learned that not all rums are created equally and that the uniqueness of the spirit can be as varied as the locales they are from. This inspired me to travel with my wife around the Caribbean, Central America, and u nited s tates visiting distilleries and learning about how each one creates their rums. i have also had the pleasure of learning from bartenders, brand ambassadors, and other enthusiasts from around the world; each one providing their own unique point of view, adding another chapter to the modern story of rum.

The desire to share this information led me to create www. r umJourney.com where i share my experiences and reviews in the hopes that i would inspire others in their own explorations. i t is my wish in the pages of “ g ot r um?” to be your host and provide you with my impressions of rums available in the world market. h opefully my tasting notes will inspire you to try the rums and make your own opinions. The world is full of good rums and the journey is always best experienced with others.

Cheers!

w hen visiting the Foursquare r um d istillery as part of the Barbados r um e xperience, i purchased this bottle at the Copper s till Bar and gift shop. Foursquare’s C eo , distiller, and blender r ichard s eale curates the exceptional cask selections and only releases products that he finds unique for the series. e ach bottling is limited and available on the global market for a relatively short period of time. o ver the years i have acquired a few of them, but i have mostly experienced them during random rum tastings or a friend sharing a sample with me, so it was hard to resist the opportunity to pick up a bottle when i had a chance. The 2010 incarnation of the series is a blend of Foursquare’s double retort pot still and column still rums aged for 12 years in used bourbon casks and blended to 60% AB v. This expression was first released in July of 2022 and, true to all Foursquare products, has no sugar, no color, and no flavor additives.

a ppearance

The 70 cl bottle is the standard bottle design used for many of Foursquare’s products. The label shares details about the product and normal government regulations. The bottle is secured with black security wrap that covers the top and most of the neck of the bottle, which has a plastic cap and synthetic cork inside. The liquid holds a medium amber color in the bottle and glass. s wirling the liquid creates a thin band that releases a single wave of legs before evaporating and leaving a ring of pebbles around the glass.

n ose

The aroma delivers notes of vanilla, pineapple, rock fruit, sweet mango, and ripe bananas front and center. At the midpoint, i found anise, black cherry, and orange zest. As these notes fade, a light note of acetone drifts in along with black pepper and graphite mineral notes.

Palate

l ike the aroma, the caramelized vanilla leads the way with a warm, dry entry. Fruit and spice notes hit the palate fast, and it takes a little while to decipher everything coming at the palate. i found flavor notes of peach, banana flambe, plums, and grilled pineapple. s pice notes arrive mid-palate, releasing black pepper, cloves, anise, cinnamon, baking spices, and a strong dose of alcohol. As the flavors fade, the pepper lingers a bit, and the oak tannins really come out to play in a long, warm finish.

r eview

o ne thing that is clear when imbibing this rum is that it has aroma and flavor markers that identify it as a Foursquare product. h owever, in my experience, there is nothing else quite like it in the company’s portfolio. The warmth of the spirit, the balance of fruit, spice, and wood notes hit differently and a tad harder than other rums in the e xceptional Cask series. This spirit is intended to be enjoyed neat, but it could really shine in a cocktail that calls for a higher proof rum with a lot of fruit esters. i f you are someone who enjoys the Foursquare line, this is a must have addition for you to explore.

T he A ngel’ s sh A re

by Paul s enft

Flor de Caña Centenario 18

Flor de Caña is produced by Compañía l icorera de n icaragua, which was founded in 1890 as a sugar plantation located at the base of the s an Cristobal volcano. They began making rum in 1937 for the country, and by the 1960s, they were selling it around the world. The rum is created using molasses and fermented in a continuous column still. The rum is aged in used American white oak bourbon bar rels and blended to 40% AB v. The company promotes that their operation is 100% environmentally green, Fair Trade certified and that they do not add sugar to their product.

a ppearance

The bottle is the standard Flor de Caña custom bottle for their aged line of rums. The bottle, with its short neck and heavy base, must be handled with care or it may slip out of the user’s hand. The labels on the front and back of the product provide a limited amount of information about the rum, along with details about their environmental efforts and achievements. The bottle is sealed with a synthetic cork held by a plastic cap that has the Flor de Caña logo on top.

The liquid has a dark amber color that lightens slightly in the glass. Agitating the liquid creates a medium band that slowly thickens and reluctantly releases a single dense wave of legs down the side of the glass.

n ose

Pouring the rum released a heavy ethanol note that settled quickly. After the glass rested a few minutes, i revisited it and found notes of vanilla,

g ot r um? December 2022 - 8

molasses, heavy wood char notes add toasted nuts, cocoa and roasted coffee bean notes. There is a light acidic pop of alcohol punctuating the overall experience.

Palate

The flavor of the rum is a rush of caramelized vanilla, cinnamon, taking the high notes, while baking chocolate, black coffee, and walnuts cover the mid-range of notes. The foundation of the flavor profile is full of acidic wood tannins and char notes that balance the sweeter notes. The rum finishes with a copper mineral astringency that puckers the cheeks and tongue with a small amount of sweetness lingering on the palate.

r eview

i f this rum was presented to me in a blind tasting as a product aged more than 12 years, i would not contest it. The heavy influence of the oak and char notes on the aroma and flavor profile distinguishes the blend as having older rums in it. m y guess is that if there are younger rums in the blend, they are used to balance and tame the profile, bringing its acidity within the realm of something that can be comfortably consumed. Thinking back to my evaluation of Flor de Caña 12, i remarked that the product was a quick experience. The 18 is not; this is a rum designed to be sipped and savored neat, or with a bit of orange peel, as their website suggests. o verall, this is a solid aged sipping rum that, if you enjoy other products in the Flor de Caña line, is sure to please.

COOKING WITH RUM

Bringing the Spirit of the Cane Into the Heart of the Kitchen!

by Chef Susan Whitley

b anana- r um b read

i ngredients:

• ½ C. s alted Butter

• 3 l arge r ipe Bananas (or one cup banana puree)

• 1 C. s ugar

• 2 C. Flour, sifted

• 1 tsp. Baking s oda

• 2 e ggs

• 4 Tbsp. d ark r um

• 1 C. Pecans, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Cream butter and sugar. Beat eggs. Pour eggs and rum into butter and sugar mix. m ash bananas and add to the mixture. Add sifted flour, baking soda and pecans to the mixture. m ix well.

3. i n a greased large pan, pour mixture. Bake for one hour. w hen done, remove from oven and turn out onto a platter. s prinkle top with powdered sugar. s erve cold or hot.

s pirited b anana Eggnog

i ngredients:

• 3 eggs, separated

• ¼ C. s ugar

• Pinch of s alt

• n utmeg, grated

• 16 oz. h alf and h alf

• 8 oz. d ark r um

• ¼ C. Crème de Banana l iqueur

• 2 Tbsp. s ugar

Directions:

1. s eparate the eggs. i n a bowl add the egg yolks and ¼ cup of sugar and beat with an electric mixer until light and lemoncolored. Add the h alf and h alf, r um and Crème de Banana l iqueur.

2. i n a separate bowl, beat egg whites with salt until stiff. Add two tablespoons of sugar and mix. Fold mixture gently into egg yolk mixture. e ggnog is ready to serve. g rate a little nutmeg over each serving. s erves 16 punch cups.

RUM

French Oak vs. American Oak

A r esearch Collaboration Between

Aging Science: and

RUM Aging Science

French Oak vs. American Oak

i ntroduction

i n v olume 1 of r um a ging s cience (published from January through d ecember of 2020), we explored the aging of rum in American o ak, ex- w hiskey barrels. i n v olume 2 (published from January through d ecember of 2021) we explored the aging of rum in new American o ak barrels. This year’s v olume explores the aging of rum in French o ak barrels.

t he r um : Just as we did in v olumes 1 and 2, this new series starts using a lowcongener, column-distilled rum, made from fermented h T ( h igh Test or “ miel virgen ”) molasses. w e use low-congener rum so that we can focus more on detecting the wood extractables and their impact on the rum’s profile.

t he b arrel : w e selected barrel number 20-0016, made by i ndependent s tave Company, with toasted staves and char #1 heads (see photo on page 18).

t he Wood Extractives : The compositions of both American o ak and French o ak have a lot of things in common. They are, after all, both oaks. But the proportions of the components that are extractable by alcohol differ between one and the other. These extractives include:

• Cellulose - is the most abundant natural polymer on earth. i t consists of linear chains of glucose units and remains relatively intact even after wood curing and toasting.

• h emicellulose - also known as a “wood sugar” is a two-dimensional polymer comprised of many simple sugars, including: Glucose, Xylose, Mannose, Arabinose, Galactose and Rhamnos e.

• l ignin - despite the fact that it is also one of the most abundant nature-produced materials on earth, lignin remains one of the least understood. o ak ligning consists of two building blocks: guaiacyl and syringyl . The former is responsible for producing coniferaldehyde , vanillin and vanillic acid , which -especially the vanillin- are easily recognized in cask-condition spirits.

• o ak tannins - these plant polyphenols derive their name from the l atin word tannum , which means “crushed oak bark,” since in early times oak trees served as a major source of tannin for the leather-tannin industry. Tannins improve aged rum’s character by increasing the perception of balance, complexity and roundness.

s cope of s tudy e ach month we will evaluate a sample of the rum collected from the barrel and will report its p h , AB v and color. w e’ll compare these results agains those obtained from the rums in v olumes 1 and 2.

g ot r um? December 2022 - 16

RUM Aging Science

French Oak vs. American Oak

s hown above are the rum samples, taken out of the barrels on the 1st day of the month. These samples are aged in (left to right): a) new French oak barrel (this series) b) new American oak barrel (2021 series) and c) used American oak, ex- w hiskey barrel (2020 series). The concentration of wood extractives is evident to the naked eye.

r um aged in a new, f rench oak barrel, after 12 months

o ur rum has now spent a year inside its barrel at r um Central’s aging cellar. The temperature during the month of n ovember was very cold and mostly humid. The overnight temperature dipped below the freezing point several nights.

RUM Aging Science

o rganoleptic Changes

i t is amazing how one year can transform a white rum into a multi-faceted, complex, more enjoyable version of itself. Although not all tannins are oxidized (there is still active tannic extraction from the barrel), the oak dimension is smooth and inviting, with leather and soft spicy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg, enveloped by fruity notes from the acidity and esters from the rum.

Physical Changes

These are the p h readings, as recorded on the 1st day of each month, compared to the rums from the previous v olumes, which were aged in American o ak barrels.

Above: the barrel that is the subject of this 12-month, rum-aging study. m ade from French o ak, by i ndependent s tave Company. The barrel is being kept at the r um Central d istilled s pirits Plant in Texas.

French Oak vs. American Oak

RUM Aging Science

French Oak vs. American Oak

p h n ew French o ak Barrel n ew American o ak Barrel u sed American o ak Barrel January 7.04 7.04 7.04 February 5.16 5.01 5.67 m arch 4.88 4.80 5.32 April 4.54 4.54 5.23 m ay 4.52 4.45 5.10 June 4.42 4.41 5.03 July 4.28 4.29 4.96 August 4.28 4.09 4.95 s eptember 4.27 4.22 4.84 o ctober 4.27 4.22 4.66 n ovember 4.27 4.22 4.64 d ecember 4.27 4.18 4.63

And these are the changes in AB v % readings (as of first day of each month), also compared to the American o ak barrels: AB v % n ew French o ak Barrel n ew American o ak Barrel u sed American o ak Barrel January 62.35 62.35 63.43 February 62.30 61.80 63.42 m arch 61.92 61.61 63.43 April 61.89 61.50 63.43 m ay 61.87 61.50 63.40 June 61.89 61.30 63.40 July 61.79 61.19 63.40 August 61.80 61.14 63.50 s eptember 61.96 61.12 63.62 o ctober 62.06 61.25 63.72 n ovember 62.16 61.34 63.81 d ecember 62.30 61.44 63.84 w e’ve reached the end of v olume 3 of r um Aging s cience, stay tuned for additional material on other fascinating topics.

g ot r um? December 2022

th E mus E of mi X ology

by Cris Dehlavi

s P lit - bas E C o CK tails

h ave you ever wanted a tiny bit more of a certain flavor when making a cocktail? o r wished you could combine flavors from spirits that may not usually go together? w ell, you absolutely can, and this is becoming a common trend in the cocktail-making business.

i have always loved being creative with the drinks i design and going against the rules. o ne year i had a “Kentucky Bourbon m argarita” and a “Tequila Añejo o ld Fashioned” on my menu, which sold like hotcakes. i love switching out spirits in classic drinks to see how or if they work.

m y name is Cris d ehlavi and i am a native of Arizona, but have lived in Columbus, o hio since 2002. i just took on an exciting new role as the Brand e ducator for Columbus for d iageo brands. i ran the bar program at “ m ”, of the Cameron m itchell r estaurant group from 2002-2020. i am currently the v ice President of Columbus us B g and was one of the founding members of the chapter.

i n 2013, i attended the rigorous B.A. r . 5 d ay s pirits Certification and have been recognized as one of the top mixologists in the u s .A. i am one of the senior managers of the prestigious apprentice program at Tales of the Cocktail and work as a mentor to many bartenders around o hio.

m y contribution to g ot r um? magazine will include everything from reviews of national cocktail events, articles on mixology, garnish trends, recipes and techniques, to interviews with some of the leading bartenders in the industry.

g ot r um? December 2022 - 20

The split-base concept, however, is a little bit different. This is the idea of splitting that base spirit into two different ones to change the flavor profile. People have been doing that with rum cocktails for hundreds of years by using two very different rums in the same drink. But you can also do it using two completely different spirits. For instance: i recently created a cocktail using cucumber vodka mixed with a Blanco tequila. o n a menu in e dinburgh back in o ctober, i saw a gin/ aquavit mixture. This can be fun and can also lend to complex flavors. o ne reason to do split-based cocktails is P ri C e i t allows you to use higher-end spirits because you only use one ounce instead of two. The main factor for me is that some spirits tend to be “greedy” in their taste, aroma, or sweetness and can overpower a drink. By splitbasing the drink, you are using less of that greedy spirit and balancing it with something less intense. h ere are a few fun split-based rum cocktail recipes to get you started that are also perfect for the holiday season.

C

aram E l rum ol D fashion ED

• 1.5 oz. Aged Jamaican r um

• 1 oz. Caramel v odka

• 2 d ashes of Aromatic Bitters

s tir this well and serve over ice. Zest the peel of a lemon over the top and drop it in. You can garnish with a cinnamon stick and/ or apple slices as well.

*The caramel vodka will lend flavor and sweetness to this drink without overpowering it, yet still allowing the rum to shine through.*

a PP l E rum P un C h

• 1 oz. Aged Puerto r ican r um

• 1 oz. Apple w hiskey

• 2 oz. Apple Cider

• .5 oz. Cinnamon s imple s yrup

• 2 d ashes of Aromatic Bitters

Combine all ingredients, stir and serve over ice. g arnish with apple slices. This is also perfect in a large batch; simply multiply each ingredient by the number of servings you want.

*The apple whiskey can be overpowering by itself so split-basing it with your favorite aged rum is a perfect combination.*

P om E granat E s P ar K l E r

• 1 oz. w hite r um

• 1 oz. Pomegranate v odka

• .5 oz. s imple s yrup

• .5 oz. l emon Juice

s hake well with ice and strain into a coupe or flute glass. Top with champagne or sparkling wine. g arnish with a sprig of rosemary.

*The pomegranate vodka gives this cocktail a bright tart flavor without adding color. The rum will still be the star of the show in this wonderful festive drink.*

5th Annual RUM And The Environment

Protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility. r um producers, cane growers, sugarcane mills, distributors, retailers, mixologists, brand ambassadors and consumers all have the power to make or to influence change.

e arlier this year we called on our readers to nominate companies or individuals who are doing a great job running their businesses in an environmentally-friendly way. The response was overwhelming, we had a hard time narrowing down the nominees to the four winners showcased in the following pages.

o ut goal is for this to be an on-going tradition, designed to recognize environmental excellence in the rum industry, so please continue to send in your nominations.

r hum J. m .

Category s ustainable Practices:

• The edden Project

Country m artinique

For nearly a decade r hum J. m has actively strived to make improvements to their production techniques that will benefit the environment. The edden Project ( Engagés pour le Développement Durable de nos Écosystèmes et de notre Nature ) goes a step farther. This initiative demonstrates their commitment to preserving and protecting mother earth for future generations by utilizing a three-pillar system to actively engage in sustainable improvements pertaining to all aspects of their production. To learn more, please visit the official project site below.

https://www.rhumjmusa.com/eddenproject

f lor de Caña

Category s ustainable Practices: • Carbon n eutral and Fair Trade

Country n icaragua

Flor de Caña has been very active on the social responsibility and environmentally sustainable practices front: they are committed to reforestation (800,000 planted to date, with a goal of one million trees by 2025), reducing waste (through their s ustainable Cocktails program), reusing resources (C o 2 capture and recycling, solar-powered bottling operation) and helping the communities around them. Flor de Caña is the world’s first spirit to be certified as both Carbon n eutral and Fair Trade.

https://sostenible.flordecana.com/home/

t wo Drifters

Category Plastic Alternatives: • Carbon n egative

Country u nited Kingdom

Two d rifters makes the rum itself rather than importing it from the Caribbean or s outh America so it has complete control of the whole process from fermentation to bottling. The company is fully aware that issues facing the climate can only be reduced if businesses, no matter what size, start to measure and be openly accountable and transparent about their actions.

All equipment in the distillery is electric and runs on a combination of renewable solar, wind, tidal and nuclear energy. To learn more, please visit: https://twodriftersrum.com/pages/our-story 2022

g ood s tart Packaging Category

Packaging:

• s ustainable s ugarcane Fiber Packaging

Country u s .A.

s ugarcane fiber packaging is an eco-friendly alternative to traditional packaging sources. e thically sourced and renewable, sugarcane fiber presents many benefits for the packaging and textile industries.

Transforming sugarcane stalks into products is giving them a new life as raw materials. Because it uses a non-edible byproduct of a food production, this material is considered an extremely renewable resource. Please visit: https://www.goodstartpackaging.com/ 2022

LIBRARY

r eviews of books related to sugarcane, milling, fermentation, distillation, aging, blending and other topics related to the production or history of rum.

www. r um u niversity.com

b iorefineries: a s tep towards r enewable and Clean Energy by Pradeep

(Publisher’s r eview) This book provides a comprehensive account of past, present and future of the biomass based biorefineries. i t is an all-inclusive and insightful compilation of recent advancements in the technology and methods used for conversion of biomass to bioenergy and other useful biochemicals. The book also focuses on the limitations of existing technologies and provides the future prospects, as well as discusses socioeconomic impact of biomass based biorefineries. This book assists researchers in the area of lignocellulosic biorefineries and can be used by the students, scientist and academician as an advanced reference textbook.

About the Author Pradeep v erma is the g roup leader of the “Bioprocess and Bioenergy laboratory” at the d epartment of m icrobiology, s chool of l ife s ciences, Central u niversity of r ajasthan, Ajmer, r ajasthan, i ndia. h e is working extensively in the area of microwave/biological delignification, enzyme-mediated hydrolysis, and development of consolidated/integrated biorefineries. h e has contributed significantly to the area of lignocellulosic biomass based biorefineries that is evident from his highly cited publication in peer-reviewed journals. h e has contributed to several international patents. h e is working as editor and reviewer to numerous high impact journals.

Verma

Publisher: s pringer; 1st ed. 2020 edition (January 5, 2021) l anguage: e nglish h ardcover: 633 pages is B n -10: 9811595925 is B n -13: 978-9811595929 i tem w eight: 2.45 pounds d imensions: 6.14 x 1.38 x 9.21 inches

m arco Pierini - r um h istorian P aul’ s s P irit ED tra VE l

b arbados r um Experience r ecap - Part 1

o n o ctober 31st, 2022, a group of enthusiasts, educators, and spirit industry professionals gathered on the island of Barbados at the r adisson Aquatica r esort for the second annual Barbados r um e xperience. The 2021 event was limited in several ways due to C ovid protocols and restrictions that involved rules like mandatory masking, social distancing (which limited the number of participants), and a 9 p.m. curfew. These rules were necessary considering the pandemic, and now that they had been lifted, participants were excited to enjoy the event to its full potential. The schedule for the 2022 event was by far the most intense of any rum education endeavor i have ever attended, with three days devoted to seminars, two days dedicated to visiting three distilleries, and one bonus day of activities.

The first day of the event began with d r. r ichard d rayton guiding participants through the geographical history and, over time, cultural development of the Caribbean, and particularly how this information pertains to the uniqueness of the island of Barbados. Barbados geographically is well known for its coral limestone foundation, which naturally filters the water, and how that contributes to the rums produced, blended, and bottled on the island. n ext, d r. Frederick

g ot r um? December 2022 - 32

s mith, author of Caribbean r um: A s ocial and e conomic h istory, taught us about the history of rum on the island and the escapism it provided the inhabitants when the island was colonized and slaves worked the land. o ur third speaker of the day was d r. l ennox h oneychurch, who shared with us the story of the Codrington family and their rise to power in Barbados and the Carolina colonies, which in different ways tied directly to the first two speakers of the day. h is presentation was based on his forthcoming book on the family and provided us with a look back on the social and political obstacles during that time in the island’s history. o ur final speaker of the day was r ichard s eale, distiller, blender, and C eo of the Foursquare r um d istillery. h is seminar, entitled “Back to the r oots,” began with discussing r ichard l igon’s 17th century records of rum being produced on the island with both cane juice and molasses on a single estate. h e then guided the audience through the rise of the sugar and rum industries on the island, their consolidations, decline, and modern production using sugar cane juice from cane grown on the island.

The second day of the experience had participants divided up into four tour groups, each group visiting a different

distillery or having free time. My group visited Mount Gay Rum Distillery in the morning and St. Nicholas Abbey in the afternoon. Fairly close together on the island, the two distilleries were roughly an hour away from our hotel and provided us with a juxtaposition of two different ways of producing rum. Visiting the Mount Gay distillery in a lot of ways was like visiting hallowed ground, rich in history, an operational museum, and with staff whose passion for all aspects of rum production shined through. Estate Rum Manager, Maggie Campbell, shared a great deal of information about the distillery, the cane being grown on the estate, and all of the environmental factors that go into creating their rum. We were then led on a tour of the distillery, including molasses storage, fermentation, their historical pot and column stills, and a recently reactivated Coffey column still that had been out of operation since 1976. Our group gathered in one of the aging warehouses and sampled two rums: an 11 year old column (61.9% ABV) and a 10 year old pot still rum (61.3% ABV). The flavor differences between the two rums demonstrated the building blocks that Master Blender, Trudiann Branker, uses to create rums for the modern market with an eye towards creating rums that future Master Blenders will be able to create new products with for years to come. Currently, the distillery’s property houses 44,000 barrels, and they are currently constructing a new storage facility for 20,000 more barrels. When visiting distilleries of this size and scope, there is never enough time, and our group moved on to St. Nicholas Abbey.

After enjoying a buffet lunch on the property of St. Nicholas Abbey, we began our tour at the tasting room, where we learned about the portfolio of products the distillery maintains from owner Larry Warren. After we finished our tasting, we walked to the historical steam sugar mill that is used to create the sugar cane juice that is evaporated down into the sugar cane syrup they use for rum production. Next was a visit with “Anabelle,”, their pot still, which produces all of the estate rums. Beside the still, we viewed the 40 barrels of rum the distillery manages at any given time. As we walked the gorgeous estate, we made our way up to the train station. The St. Nicholas Abbey train began

operation in 2018 and provides riders a view of the island’s wildlife, fauna, and historical sites, it terminates on Cherry Tree Hill, which provides a gorgeous view of the island. With the help of some volunteers, the train is turned around, and our narrated tour continues until we return to the estate. Our tour of the plantation lands concluded in the great house and gift shop, where participants could purchase the many offerings of the distillery, amongst other souvenirs. This destination has a lot to offer visitors, and one could easily spend most of the day exploring different parts of the property.

Day three of the Barbados Rum Distillery found us back in the meeting room for a full day of seminars. Dr. Richard Drayton began the day by taking us on a historical deep dive into the history of sugar production and how rum evolved from it. His seminar spanned centuries and integrated it all into our modern rum industry and the evolving story of spirit. The Mount Gay Rum distillery’s agricultural manager, Jacklyn Broomes, then spoke with us about the importance of sugar cane to the island and the various varietals the company uses to make its rum, as well as the molasses they source for their products. Our third seminar was led by Dr. Frederick Smith, who discussed the factors of how rum was used in colonial society, not only amongst the planter class, but also amongst the slaves that the sugar and rum industries were built upon, as well as the rebellions it helped ferment. To study the rum history of Barbados, the Caribbean, and the colonies, it must be acknowledged that enslaved labor was essential to the growth of the sugar and rum industries during the Age of Exploration. This part of the spirits’ legacy should not be taken for granted, but instead acknowledged and given its due, like many other commodities and industries that were created during that time. Our final seminar of the day was a panel discussion led by Ian Burrell and four of our speakers. Collectively, they had a lively discussion covering everything from mythbusting rum marketing, historical and modern fact checking, the sticky subject of rum categorization, and the importance of the Barbados Geographical Indication, not only to Barbados, but also to its presence in the global market.

(to be continued next month)

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th E rum historian

by m arco Pierini

i was born in 1954 in a little town in Tuscany ( i taly) where i still live. i n my youth, i got a degree in Philosophy in Florence and i studied Political s cience in m adrid, but my real passion has always been h istory and through h istory i have always tried to understand the world, and men. l ife brought me to work in tourism, event organization and vocational training, then, already in my fifties i discovered rum and i fell in love with it.

i have visited distilleries, met rum people, attended rum Festivals and joined the r um Family. i have studied too, because r um is not only a great distillate, it’s a world. Produced in scores of countries, by thousands of companies, with an extraordinary variety of aromas and flavors, it is a fascinating field of studies. i began to understand something about sugarcane, fermentation, distillation, ageing and so on.

s oon, i discovered that rum has also a terrible and rich h istory, made of voyages and conquests, blood and sweat, imperial fleets and revolutions. i soon realized that this h istory deserved to be researched properly and i decided to devote myself to it with all my passion and with the help of the basic scholarly tools i had learnt during my old university years.

i n 2017 i published the book “A meri CA n rum – A s hort h istory of r um in e arly America”

i n 2019 i began to run a Blog: www. therumhistorian.com

i n 2020, with my son Claudio, i have published a new book “F ren C h rum – A h istory 1639-1902”.

i am currently doing new research on the h istory of Cuban r um.

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his T or Y o F C u BA n rum

6. sug A r , r AC e A nd grow T h

i n this article i am not going to speak about rum … well, almost. i ndeed, the time has come to dedicate some time to the general history of Cuba, because without knowing, albeit in broad outline, the historical context it is not possible to understand how Cuban rum was born and developed throughout the 1800s

The history of Cuba in the first half of the 1800s is one of spectacular growth, both economic and demographic. The main engine of this growth was sugar, of which Cuba became the greatest producer in the world: around the 1850s, Cuba produced 31% of the world’s sugar, despite the growth of beet sugar! There wasn’t only sugar though, even the exports of coffee, tobacco and many more commodities grew greatly. This growth was fuelled and made possible by a high rate of labor immigration – both the forced immigration of enslaved African blacks and the voluntary one of free, e uropean, white immigrants – and by the adoption of cutting edge technologies; all of it led and promoted from inside the island, both by the s ugar Barons and the s panish local authorities,

and not by s pain itself, which maintained political dominance, but saw its economic clout diminish.

s ome 30,000 French exiles from s t. d omingue settled in Cuba and had a major role in the development of commercial agriculture, while the island was moving to fill the vacuum in sugar and coffee production caused by the victory of the black revolution.

Cuban plantations needed slaves, a lot of slaves, and the Cuban s ugar Barons used all the means at their disposal to be able to buy as many as possible. w ith Francisco de Arengo y Parreño as their intellectual leader, they demanded and got facilitations and tax exemptions for the ships of every country carrying them to Cuba. The clearsightedness of this ruling class, their full awareness of their needs and perspectives is absolutely striking. But what is striking is also the fact that, at the turn of the 1800s, by which time the abolitionist movements were already strong, that class had no moral scruples whatsoever towards the shameful slave trade.

i n 1807, thanks to the long fight of the abolitionist movements, g reat Britain forbade the slave trade from January 1st, 1808, and in the following years other countries followed its example. i n 1820 s pain too abolished the slave trade. i n 1838, slavery at last ended in the British w est i ndies and in 1848 also in the French colonies. ( i would like to point out that to the imperishable glory of the French r evolution, already in 1794 the n ational Convention had abolished the slavery; but in 1802 n apoleon – his imperishable infamy – had reintroduced it).

s o, for decades the slave trade had been prohibited, but in many countries, like Cuba, Brazil and the us , slavery itself had not. Therefore, slave smuggling became a thriving business, in which n orth American slavers and shipbuilders had an important role and also s panish slavers, newcomers to the business, distinguished themselves. o ne of the consequences of the massive purchase of slaves is that, throughout the first half of the 1800s, Cuba always had a black and mulatto majority.

At the beginning of that period, Cuban slavery had some unique characteristics. h ere is the testimony of Baron Alexander v on h umboldt, who visited Cuba twice at the beginning of the century and published his renowned “ The Island of Cuba: a Political Essay ” in 1826 “ i n no part of the world, where slavery exists, is manumission so frequent as in the island of Cuba; for s panish legislation, directly the reverse of French and e nglish, favors in an extraordinary degree the attainment of freedom, placing no obstacle in its way, nor making it in any manner onerous. The right which every slave has of seeking a new master, or purchasing his liberty, if he can pay the amount of his cost; the religious sentiment that induces many persons in good circumstances to concede by will freedom to a certain number of negroes; the custom of retaining a number of both sexes for domestic service, and the afflictions that necessarily arise from this familiar intercourse with the whites; and the facilities allowed to slave-workmen to labor for their own account, by paying a certain stipulated sum to their masters, are the principal causes why so many blacks acquire their freedom in the towns.”

By the way, in h umboldt’s treatise there is a single reference to rum, which anyway confirms the importance of the product: “ i t is generally said that seventy-five pounds of purged sugar yields one keg (seven gallons) of molasses; and that this, with the refuse sugar, covers the expenses of the plantation: but this can be true only where large quantities of rum are made. Two thousand boxes of sugar give 15,000 kegs of molasses, which will make 500 pipes of rum, worth $25 each.”

i n the following years, the slaves’ condition worsened rapidly and manumission became increasingly rarer, even though all foreign visitors were amazed by the number of free blacks and mulattos.

“There can too be no doubt that slaves on efficient modern plantations with steamdriven mills were treated more inhumanely than those on the old oxen-driven mills; they were confined to menial and manual labour; and they were regarded and treated

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as economic rather than human units; hence the greater number of slave revolts on large and rich mills.” ( h . Thomas “ Cuba. A History ”)

h ere is an extract from a classic of 19th century Cuban literature, “ Cecilia Valdés ” by Cirilo v illaverde “ i t is, however, a strange coincidence that for some time now so many blacks have revolted precisely on those farms that had recently changed their system to mill sugar cane. ¿w ill it be because these stupid creatures thought that their workload was going to increase because, instead of using oxen-driven or mule–driven mills we now use steam-driven mills?”

The existence of a majority of blacks and mulattos, both slaves and free, haunted the Cuban white élites. They were terrified that what had happened in nearby h aiti could happen again in Cuba: a victorious rebellion of the blacks and consequent “Africanization” of the i sland. e ven a now old Francisco de Arango y Parreño, who had been a great promoter of the slave trade, wrote a tract against the trade and encouraged his countrymen to procreate mulattos in order to ‘whiten’ ( blanquear ) the island.

The authorities reacted by encouraging immigration from e urope and granting prizes, incentives and various kinds of concessions to white immigrants. Their strategy was successful. w aves of white immigrants voluntarily arrived in Cuba and in 1859 the majority of the population was white again. h ere is some data from the censuses of that period:

1827 population 704,400: whites 311,051; slaves 286,900; free coloured 106,400

1841 population 1,007,000: whites 418,000; slaves 436,000; free coloured 153,000

1859 population 1,180,000: whites 622,700; slaves 367,300; free coloured 189,800

“ i mmigration has been the single most important element in the historical formation of Cuba, and the island represents one of the most extreme examples of a global population crossroad in the history of human mobility. …The sugar boom was accompanied by a transatlantic wave that brought some 780,000 African slaves

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between 1790 and the mid1860s with drastic and wide ranging impacts. i t increased and Africanized the population. i t transformed an economy based on peasant production, service, and trade into one that was mixed but driven by a monocultural plantation complex. i t changed a system of social relations based on free labor with some slaves into one where slavery became omnipresent.” (J. C. m oya “ Cuba: immigration and emigration ”).

i n the middle of this growth, Cuba maintained and developed its own characteristics and did not become another s ugar i sland. “ o ver the entire 19th century, however, another Cuban peculiarity is that plantation slavery represents more an addition than a transformation. o ther islands in the Caribbean began as settler colonies and became slave societies. The population of Barbados, for example, was 86% white in the 1640’s and 95% black and slave 40 years later. … u nlike British and French Caribbean colonies, slaves never represented a majority … The white and free colored peasantry not only survived the sharp advent of slavery but increased their ranks both in absolute and relative numbers after the mid-19th century. And so did the white urban working class. The explanation of this is that the sugar boom did not simply turn Cuba into a plantation society, as is often assumed. i t also turned it into one of the most dynamic and modern regions in the world, a place that offered some opportunities to free immigrants and that would become even more attractive after the slave traffic ended. d uring the first half of the 19th century gd P per capita was higher than in the us : Cuba was then more urban than e ngland and the n etherlands, presumably the most urban country in the world. i t had, during the 19th century, more physicians per capita than g reat Britain and France; the seventh railroad in the world; and higher wage, schooling, and literacy rates than in more than a dozen e uropean countries.” ( m oya)

i n the meantime, the political situation in the island changed profoundly and became more tense and violent. The victory of the independence revolutions in s outh America reduced the s panish e mpire to Cuba e Puerto r ico (and Philippinas) and unleashed into Cuba a host of displaced bureaucrats,

soldiers, and clerics, along with a multitude of Peninsular merchants. s pain, regardless of the changing political color of its governments, did not want to lose Cuba: “The captain-general was in m ay 1825 given ‘ facultades omnímodas ’ – an authority to do much as he liked; residents of Cuba lost the protection of what law there was. … Forty thousand s panish troops thronged Cuba and the country swarmed with government spies and informers. The laws preventing Cuban-born persons from serving in the army or the civil service were rigidly maintained. Cuba was an armed camp. m artial law lasted in effect fifty years.” (Thomas)

Also as a reaction to this oppression, in those years a new Cuban identity was forged and small, clandestine independent groups were born, which were joined in by some of the most prominent intellectuals of the country. s ome independence conspiracies were easily discovered by the authorities, and some rebellions of slaves and free blacks were brutally crushed. w hat is most striking is that under martial law, with widespread corruption and in the midst of revolts and bloody repressions, Cuban economy continued to grow and generate wealth not only for the élites, but also for a large part of the population.

m eanwhile, after decades of growth, in the mid-nineteenth century, the u nited s tates became Cuba’s main commercial partner, relegating s pain to an economic and commercial role of secondary importance. The profound economic and social changes in the two countries gave rise to two parallel but distinct political movements, today almost forgotten: Cuban annexationism and American expansionism.

w e must understand that the territorial, economic and demographic expansion of the us was under everyone’s eyes and that many new s tates had joined the u nion. Part of the Cuban élite saw in the annexation to the us , that is, in becoming another s tate of the u nion, the certainty of close trade relations with the most dynamic economy of the time and a safeguard against always possible revolts of the black majority. o n the other side, there was a strong expansionist movement in the us ,

suffice it to remember the war of 1848 which cost m exico huge territories, and the slave s tates of the s outh saw with favor the entry of another slave state into the u nion. The us g overnment even offered s pain more than once to buy Cuba, as it had bought l ouisiana and Florida, but s pain refused. There were also armed landings of independentists, more or less supported by the annexationist élite and the expansionist movements of the us , but they were easily defeated.

o nly in 1865, after the defeat of the s outh in the American Civil w ar, did Cuban annexationism disappear, while American expansionism took new forms. i n those same years, following the abolition of slavery across the us , the slave trade finally declined and de facto ended around 1870. s lavery in Cuba was abolished at last in 1886, and in Brazil in 1888.

i n Cuba, as had happened decades before all over the Caribbean, the first consequence of the emancipation of the slaves was a massive exodus of them from the plantations. The planters reacted by importing massive quantities of i ndentured w orkers from e urope, Africa and Asia, mainly from Portugal, s ierra l eone and i ndia. i n Cuba there was a huge influx especially of Chinese, to the extent that an area of l a h abana became known as Barrio Chino

m arco Pierini

P os T s C ri PT um

The literature on slavery is immense and its horrors have been rightly exposed and documented. Yet, every now and then, some testimony strikes me particularly. h ere, taken from Thomas’s book, is an ad that appeared in Cuba in the 1830s, an ordinary advertisement, regarding the ordinary sale of an ordinary commodity:

[for sale] “ una nodriza de dos meses de parida, con su cría o sin ella ’” that is, a nursing mother two months from the child’s birth, with or without her child.

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Presents The Sugar Mill: Origins and Evolution

i ntroduction

s ugarcane ( Saccharum officinarum ) is a perennial grass of the family Poaceae i t is primarily cultivated for its juice, from which alcohol (through fermentation and distillation) and sugar (through dehidration and refining) can be obtained. m ost of the world’s sugarcane is grown in subtropical and tropical areas.

i t is commonly accepted today that sugarcane originated in Papua, n ew g uinea, where it was initially domesticated. The plant was then taken to other lands by traders, where its sweet virtues quickly made it a sought-after commodity.

i t is also commonly accepted that around 10,000 years ago, the original inhabitants of Papua did not have tools to process the cane, meaning that they likely chewed it raw to extract the juice, which was consumed as-is ( n oël d eerr, The History of Sugar: Volume One ).

n ot much written history exists that documents the early extraction of the juice for the purpose of dehydration and formation of sugar crystals until the publication of De Materia Medica , a pharmacopoeia of medicinal plants and the medicines that can be obtained from them, which was written between the years 50 and 70 of the current era by Pedanius d ioscorides, a g reek physician in the r oman army. This is the oldest record documenting the existence of crystalized sugar, which was used at the time to “treat indigestion and stomach ailments.”

h ow did people manage to extract the dissolved sugar from the juice? The answers to this question are at the core of this series. s o join us, as we explore this fascinating topic!

Part 12: h eavyweight Dominance

m any of the cane mill designs we’ve seen throughout this series exist because their designers mastered the skills/ technology required to produce them profitably. Affordable products are, after all, easier to sell than their more expensive counterparts. m achines that are easy to produce and easy to sell, however, are not always easy to maintain or capable of producing the highest yields possible.

The Blymyer i ron w orks Company, from Cincinnati o hio put it best in its 1892 company catalog:

“The office (purpose) of a cane mill being to press out the juice, it is all important that it press out the largest possible percentage thereof. Only a heavy mill of the best construction will do this. Mills with cast shafts, or unturned rolls, or with rolls in wooden frames, and two-roll mills, are all mere makeshifts, and will leave a large percentage of juice in the bagasse. Flexible mills, or those with rolls arranged to yield under pressure . . . are also wasteful of juice. The loss of juice by the best flexible mill over a good rigid mill is not less than 10% and in general, the loss is 20%-30%.”

As you can imagine from the above, the Blymyer mills were heavy and well-constructed. The horizontal placement of the three rollers meant that the top roller would naturally exert great pressure on the bottom rollers, to achieve the maximum yields.

s hown on the opposite page and above are several of the horizontal threeroller mills produced by the Blymyer i ron w orks Co.

Testament to the efficiency of their approach can be seen around the world, in large-scale commercial/ industrial sugar mills that still employ this horizontal roller arrangement.

i n this series we’ve taken a journey through the evolution of the different sugarcane juice extraction implements. The sugar mill industry has been in decline for the past several decades, with fewer and fewer mills in operation remaining every year. w ill continuing closures affect the sugar market, driving up the price and, if so, will the potentially increased profit margins drive future investment in innovation?

Or have we seen the “end of the road” in terms of sugarcane mill technology? Will we see a return to smaller mills that can be operated to supply small communities or even households? Will we see a new generation of inventors design mills powered by renewable sources of energy?

Only time will tell. But one thing remains clear: as long as we have a desire for sugar and as long as we are able to grow the sweet grass, people will continue to explore ways to extract its nectar!

We hope that you enjoyed this series about the origins and evolution of the sugar mill!. Please stay tuned for more material from The Rum University®!

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s ugar m ill s potlight

Yulee s ugar m ill r uins h istoric s tate Park. This site was once part of a thriving sugar plantation owned by d avid l evy Yulee. Yulee was a member of the Territorial l egislative Council, and he served in the u s h ouse of r epresentatives and s enate after Florida statehood.

The park contains remnants of the once thriving, 5,100-acre sugar plantation, including a 40-foot limestone masonry chimney, iron gears and a cane press. The steam-driven mill operated from 1851 to 1864 and served as a supplier of sugar products for s outhern troops during the Civil w ar.

The park is located approximately 3 miles west of the city of h omosassa s prings, Florida, us A.

r um in th E n EW s

by m ike Kunetka

t E n to on E

Ten To o ne has released its most exclusive bottling yet, 26-Year Founders r eserve. i t is a blend of two g uyanese rums and a Jamaican rum. The first g uyanese rum is 26 years old and was crafted on a d iamond two-column continuous Coffey s till. The second rum is 30 years old and was distilled in a legendary wooden pot still. The Jamaican rum is a 30-year-old pot still rum. w hile many rum brands play it fast and easy with age statements, Ten to o ne follows the rules of whiskey from most countries and uses the age of the youngest liquid in the bottle. Founders r eserve has no sugar or artificial coloring. There are only 210 bottles of Ten to o ne Founder’s r eserve available, each housed in a black wooden box with illustrated maps of the rum’s countries of origin. i t is bottled at 43% AB v. https://www.tentoonerum.com/

ron del barrilito

r on del Barrilito has introduced Autobiografía s elección e xclusiva, an exclusive selection of aged rum from a single cask, unblended, pure and 100 percent authentic. Through this extremely limited single barrel program, r on del Barrilito’s legacy of unparalleled quality and taste is enhanced with the personalized selling of their finest spirits, putting

the 140-year-old rum brand in the same category as the most elite scotch, cognac and bourbons on the market. r on del Barrilito’s robust rum offerings are unique on their own based on the number of years aged in the barrels and expertly blended, but that the brand uses ex-sherry barrels, from start to finish, as opposed to a temporary cask aging or a barrel “finish” of a few months or years, resulting in a much more premium offering and imports a unique flavor. w hile the barrel aging is no different from the brand’s primary offerings, ranging from 2- s tars to 5- s tars, with the Autobiografía s elección e xclusiva program, there is no additional blending with the liquid and the aging can be pushed beyond the standard 30-year average lifespan well into 50 years, offering a truly one-of-a-kind experience. “Throughout our 140-year history, this marks a new and exciting moment for the brand with an offering that has been decades in the making and pushes premium to the next level,” says m aggie m atias, Chief Commercial e xecutive at r on del Barrilito. “The single barrel, pure and unblended rum is unique on its own, but we’re proud to be able to bring an exclusive experience to connoisseurs that both celebrates our heritage and offers unique taste profiles across each barrel, something unique and limited in the category. w e’ve always been a brand rooted in smooth, delicious sipping rum backed by an unchanged process and we’re pleased to be able to bring yet another premium liquid to an exclusive subset of our audience through the Autobiografía s elección e xclusiva program. “The exclusivity of the Autobiografia s elección e xclusiva is that each barrel meets the needs of the person or group selecting it, who engage with the brand’s m aster Blender, l uis Planas, throughout the process and come away with a rare offering that is unique in taste profile, age, AB v % and total yield, which cannot be replicated. The barrels being selected as part of this program are practically unheard of in terms of age in the rum world, given evaporation and losses, further driving the uniqueness of the offering. o nce the barrel is selected, the unblended liquid is then bottled by hand, labeled and sealed in a signature black wax standing out from the any other product in the portfolio. To date, several single barrels have been selected and purchased, one of which was valued at $400k earlier this year and with the most recent purchase being another first for the brand, through a partnership with d orado Beach, a r itz Carlton r eserve property. The hotel personally selected this rum for its unique taste profile, while maintaining the allure of exclusivity of Autobiografia, with just 91 bottles in existence. Beginning the end of this year, product and a series of rum tastings will also be available to the hotel guests to experience. www.rondelbarrilito.com.

goslings

r ough seas make smooth rum. g oslings r um, known for aging and blending rum since 1806, introduces their first ocean-aged rum, s pirited s eas. The experimental rum was aged across the Atlantic and celebrates ocean adventures and g oslings’ origins on the island of Bermuda. i n 2020, g oslings sent 60 once-used bourbon barrels filled with a proprietary blend of aged dark Bermuda rum on board the o leander. The container ship, known as the lifeline of

Bermuda, travels from n ew Jersey to Bermuda weekly with imports and exports. For over 40 weeks, nearly 60,000 miles, the rum interacted with the charred American white oak over every wave aboard the vessel extracting all the barrel’s flavor. “For the first time, we let go of the aging process and let mother nature take the reins on the open ocean,” says m alcolm g osling Jr., eighth generation rum maker. “The stormy seas and air had an extraordinary effect on the aging rum blend. e xtreme changes in weather forced the rum to expand in warmer climates and contract in colder temperatures. The result is an elegant and complex rum that will be a prized addition to any premium aged spirit collector’s shelf.” s pirited s eas offers subtle oak and allspice aromas and a palate with hints of stone fruit, caramel apple, and salted dark chocolate. The finish is smooth, clean, and lingering with spiced dark oak. g oslings recommends enjoying the rum neat or mixed in a variety of classic cocktails, a twist on the o ld Fashioned, an upgraded r um Punch, a winter warmer like h ot Buttered r um. A family business for over 200 years, g oslings r um is Bermuda’s largest export product and the only company that blends and bottles rum on the island. First exported to the u nited s tates in 1980, g oslings offers six distinctive, awardwinning rums: g oslings Black s eal r um, g oslings g old s eal r um, g oslings 151 Proof Black s eal r um, g oslings Family r eserve o ld r um, and g oslings Papa s eal s ingle Barrel Bermuda r um and s pirited s eas. s pirited s eas will be available for purchase at select u s . retailers and online at r eserveBar.com, s pirits n etwork.com, and d rizly https://www.goslingsrum.com/

C an DE la mama J uana

Candela m amajuana is capturing the flavors of a traditional l atin American holiday season with the launch of its new Coquito Kit g ift s et. This limitededition kit makes the ideal gift for spirit lovers and festive holiday parties. Putting a twist on the eggnog, coquito is a decadently sweet, milky treat. r etailing for $60, the kit includes everything needed to make l atin America’s favorite holiday cocktail, including a bottle of Candela (750 ml | 30% AB v ), four (4) limited edition h oliday and Premium Canned i ngredients needed for Coquito: Condensed m ilk, Coconut m ilk, Coconut Cream and e vaporated m ilk P lus the r ecipe Card. The kits are now available for purchase online. i nspired by the legendary magic elixir of the d ominican r epublic, Candela m amajuana is an exotic blend of ultra-premium d ominican rum, natural spices and honey. i ts distinct flavor profile makes Candela the perfect spirit to blend into a coquito. Candela, meaning “on fire” in s panish slang, was created in 2016 after co-founder Alejandro r usso was fascinated by the drink served to him at a hotel bar in the d ominican r epublic. i ntrigued by this elixir’s smooth taste and exotic spice flavors, r usso was surprised to find out that he could not buy this local drink in a bottle and take it back with him. This is how the idea to bring the finest expression of this iconic d ominican drink to the rest of the world came to fruition. “The first time i enjoyed mamajuana in the d ominican r epublic, i was blown away by its delicious taste. After learning about its incredible history, i was inspired to learn how to make it so that i could share it with others,” said co-founder Alejandro r usso. “Candela m amajuana

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represents more than a drink; it represents an entire culture and centuries worth of history. i t’s meant to be enjoyed together in celebrating life.” e njoyed neat or mixed in specialty cocktails, Candela m amajuana is known for its smooth sweet taste, rich rosewood and honey aromas and long finish with warming spices. This premium spiced rum is handcrafted in the d ominican r epublic with all-natural ingredients and doesn’t contain any artificial colors or flavors. Candela is distilled from fresh-pressed sugarcane juice, then aged in American oak barrels. Today, Candela m amajuana can be found online and at select retailers throughout Florida, California and n ew York including Total w ine & m ore, Costco and e rewhon. i t can also be found in its native island of the d ominican r epublic at various locations including h ard r ock h otels, m eliá h otels, i berostar h otels. The spirit is sold in a 750ml bottle and is 30% AB v (60 Proof). The Coquito Kit is exclusively sold online and can be shipped anywhere within the u nited s tates. Candela m amajuana is the finest expression of the d ominican r epublic’s legendary spiced rum. Known for its smooth taste of the finest rum, exotic spices, and honey, this spirit is made with all-natural ingredients and distilled from fresh-pressed sugarcane in its native country. https://www.drinkcandela.com

C an E botani C al rum

Cane Botanical r um is made from 100% world-sourced natural botanical ingredients, combined with an innovative style of rum distillation. The end result is a new, revolutionary product that is special and unique to the marketplace. They start by fermenting l ouisiana cane juice. The process then involves splitting the initial distillation into three individual batches. The batches then go through their own unique processes, including citrus maceration and the inclusion of resting in French o ak to add a hint of spice and smokiness. The final process includes combining a secret blend of spices and botanicals that give Cane Botanical r um its unique and uncompromising flavor. The three separate batches (the citrus maceration, the oak rested, and the botanical blends) are finally brought back together to produce a world-class rum that is well-rounded and balanced. Their w orld s ourced Botanicals include Coriander, Cardamom, g rains of Paradise, o rris, Angelica, r hubarb, l ime, l emon, o range, Juniper, Cedar, Kola n ut and m yrrh. m ark n igbur is the m aster d istiller for Cane Botanical r um and brings a wealth of experience as a m aster d istiller and as a pioneer in the micro/craft distilling movement. m ark started distilling in Colorado s prings, C o in 2004 creating Altius v odka from grain. i n 2007 his distilling path led him to m aui, h awai’i where he distilled vodka from m aui pineapples. h e also created s ammy’s Beach Bar r um for rockstar s ammy h agar. https://www.canebotanicalrum.com/

sailor JE rry and grill your ass off

s ailor Jerry s piced r um is proud to continue its longstanding history of support for the u s . military with the launch of s ailor Jerry i ronsides BBQ s auce. Created in partnership with Texas-based, veteranowned BBQ business g rill Your Ass o ff, 100% of profits from each bottle sold will support veterans. s ailor Jerry i ronsides BBQ s auce is crafted with s ailor Jerry s piced r um to incorporate the bold character of the 92-proof

g ot r um? December 2022 - 50

spirit. The result is a smooth and smoky tomato-based sauce that brings the signature s ailor Jerry spice blend to the forefront, finishing with a kick of sweet heat. Fifty percent of profits will go to the veteranowned business g rill Your Ass o ff, while the remaining 50% will benefit The i ndependence Fund, a 501c3 non-profit committed to restoring the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual independence of our nation’s veterans. The i ndependence Fund will use the donation to support o peration r esiliency, a program that reunites veterans who served together. The reunions are often conducted through retreats and promote a sense of community while teaching coping skills. “ w e are longtime fans of s ailor Jerry s piced r um and were thrilled when they approached us to collaborate on a BBQ sauce,” said Jason m urff, C eo of g rill Your Ass o ff. “ w e’re proud to have created a versatile sauce that highlights the distinct taste of s ailor Jerry s piced r um, and prouder yet to do it in a way that supports our veteran community. As a veteran-owned business, we make it a priority to give back to those who have served, and we value s ailor Jerry for sharing this commitment.” “ s upporting the veteran community is a significant cause for our brand as we seek to honor the legacy of our namesake, n avy veteran n orman ‘ s ailor Jerry’ Collins,” said m ary-Jade h ynes, Brand m anager, s ailor Jerry s piced r um. “ i t was important to us to work with a veteran-owned business to create this product, and we’re delighted to have come together with Jason m urff and his team at g rill Your Ass o ff to support the critical work of The i ndependence Fund, and to make some damn good BBQ sauce.” https://grillyourassoff.com/products/ sailor-jerry-ironsides-bbq-sauce

Z a C a P a

Zacapa has revealed the third limited edition release for its h eavenly Cask Collection, Zacapa 23 l a Armonia – the h armony Cask. This follows two earlier releases in the collection. The first was Zacapa 23 l a d oma – The Taming Cask and the second, e l Alma – The s oul Cask. The new release was named to honor the harmony of the blend of rums that have then been further finished in ex-oloroso s herry casks. This finishing process is said to give the liquid a silky finish. The limited-edition collection has been crafted in Zacapa’s aging facility in g uatemala, the ‘ h ouse Above the Clouds’, which is nestled in an array of mountaintops, 7,500 feet above sea level. As reported by s pirits Business, l orena v ásquez, m aster Blender for Zacapa, commented: “ w e are staunchly proud of the uniqueness and complexity Zacapa 23 offers and The h eavenly Collection allows us to further emphasize this, by additionally aging the liquid and pushing the boundaries with fascinating flavor combinations. l a Armonia is a wonderful expression; the effortless rhythm, flavors and fragrances are perfectly balanced and beautiful; with hints of red berries, pecan nuts and all reminiscent of crops that grow lavishly across the g uatemalan landscape.” Ana m ohzo, g lobal s enior Brand m anager for d iageo comments: “ l a Armonia is the third of four very special limited-edition bottles from r on Zacapa; and we’re thrilled to present the latest expression of our g uatemalan roots. e ach bottling has truly encapsulated the essence of the magical place

where Zacapa is crafted; and we’re very proud that l a Armonia is part of the collection. w e hope aficionados and collectors of ultra-premium rum enjoy l a Armonia as much as we did creating it.” https:// www.zacaparum.com/

ha PP y ra P tor D istilling

h appy r aptor will shortly start taking reservations for its seasonal 504King Cake r um. A seasonal addition to their signature line of handcrafted 504 r ums, 504King Cake began as a joke, became a challenge, and ultimately a part of their resilience during the 2021 m ardi g ras season. 504King Cake is only available once a year, for a limited time. Presale will close on January 5, 2023. Bottles will be available for pickup on e piphany - January 6, 2023. e very batch of 504King Cake begins as a hearty, Caribbean-style white rum distilled from 100% l ouisiana molasses. The rum is infused with real pecans, whole spices like cinnamon and vanilla, and hand-cut orange peel for several weeks before being filtered to create the perfect nostalgic warmth of the beloved m ardi g ras necessity - king cake. e very single bottle of 504 r um is handcrafted, bottled, and labeled by hand in n ew o rleans. 5% of every bottle of 504King Cake sold through m ardi g ras d ay will benefit our friends at s prout nol A, supporting urban growers and strengthening community food systems throughout n ew o rleans. m ark Taliancich, Co-Founder, C eo , & h ead d istiller, commented “504King Cake is one of our most versatile infusions, and it’s so much fun. o n those early parade mornings, we pour hundreds of coffees spiked with 504King Cake to waiting paradegoers for something festive and warm. i t’s been fun to see it pop up in carnival-themed baked goods and even king cake fillings every season, too. m ost of all, i love to throw it in a simple daiquiri with lemon juice instead of lime. Talk about the spirit of m ardi g ras!” https://www.504rum.com/

th E ti D al rum

The Tidal r um has unveiled g olden Tide, which it claims is the world’s first rum to be distilled at sea. The Jersey-based rum brand is collaborating with P& o Cruises to open the g olden Tide rum distillery onboard its newest ship Arvia, which launches next month. i ts creator describes g olden Tide as “an island-inspired liquid that captures the sense of adventure and excitement that the ocean brings”. The rum will be distilled exclusively onboard Arvia while she sails in the Caribbean, with the recipe being recreated on the mainland by The Tidal r um. The spirit blends flavors of the Caribbean region with marine botanicals from the British i sles “to celebrate togetherness and the enchantment of travels to island shores”. The distillery will be located in Arvia’s Anderson’s Bar, featuring a 50-litre still known as ‘Aurelia’. Aurelia will distill the g olden Tide rum as the ship travels around the Caribbean, with guests able to watch the full distilling process through ceiling-to-floor windows. The finished spirit will then be enjoyed neat or in cocktails at the bars on Arvia and will be sold in the ship’s shops in bottles with a unique gold label, marked with the individual batch number. The Tidal r um will also recreate the

recipe on the mainland with blue-labelled bottles, also available to buy onboard Arvia. i n addition, guests will be able to take part in onboard rum experiences including a tasting class and a rum blending class. https://tidalrum.je/

K ul E ana rum W or K s

The people at Kuleana s pirits are farmers, distillers, and blenders. i n addition to making one of the finest rum agricoles from fresh-pressed h awaiian heirloom kō (sugarcane), they search the globe for world-class rums to use in their blends. Their s pecial r elease program is how they share the rarest and remarkable rums as they find them. For their first special release, Jamaica 11, they happened upon a weathered and dusty barrel of Jamaican rum that had been sitting for more than 11 years. The liquid inside was stunningly beautiful: a Jamaican funky hogo transformed over a decade into a super-sipper. There will only be 188 bottles of Jamaica 11 and they will go on sale d ecember 9th at the Kuleana r um s hack on the island of h awai’i. https://www.kuleanarum.com/

DE stil E ria s E rrall E s

d estilería s errallés, i nc. ( dsi ) announced that it has received the important certification “ w omen Certified Company” ( w CC), as an employer that supports the advancement of professional women. “For d estilería s errallés it is a source of great pride to be able to count on a female workforce that leads with parameters of excellence, equity and inclusion. i n an industry mainly dominated by men, our professional women stand out in managerial and professional positions in charge of the production and distribution processes of Puerto r ico’s favorite rum, and this is an achievement that we celebrate with all our employees,” said Philippe Brechot, President and C eo of d estilería s errallés. At dsi , women hold management positions at various levels, as well as engineers, rum masters, specialists in process engineering and rectification, bottling plant, marketing, administration, distribution and human resources, among other operational areas. The threemonth training program included interviews, training workshops, design and implementation of programs within the company to validate diversity, equity and inclusion processes as required by this prestigious certification. i t should be noted that the s errallés d istillery has the m aster r um m aker, s ilvia s antiago, who is also s enior v ice President of m anufacturing, and recognized globally for her brilliant career that dates back nearly half a century, guarding excellence in the manufacture of d on Q premium rums. “As leaders in the rum industry in Puerto r ico, we handle very diverse projects for both the local and export markets. The female workforce has played a key role in the success of s errallés. The evolution of our brands and the growth of the company for more than a century and a half has had a diverse range of talents committed to an excellent execution, of both genders and professional growth in the company has been based on a culture focused in diversity, equity and inclusion”, added Juan José s oltero, director of h uman r esources of the distillery. https://donq.com/

g ot r um? December 2022 - 51

Association w ith

n ext 3-Day r um Course: s eptember 6-8 2023

The r um u niversity® is proud to announce the date for its next 3-Day r um Course , which will be offered at m oonshine u niversity’s state of the art facility in l ouisville, KY.

This course is designed for both existing and future rum distillers and brand owners, the 3-day workshop combines theory and practice to provide attendees with a practical, hands-on education on all things rum. From the financial, marketing, and regulatory considerations to the distillation, aging, and blending processes, every student will leave this course with a nuanced understanding of rum production, the spirits business, and how rum fits into the global, economic landscape.

o f course, you won’t miss out on any of the fun stuff: you’ll get to explore the science of rum production while getting your

d id you miss out on the last course? d on’t let it happen again!

v isit gotrum.com and sign up to receive notifications for future r um u niversity® Courses.

The International Leaders in Rum Training and Consulting

www. r um u niversity.com

hands dirty distilling at our oncampus facilities. w e’ll also explore the history, category styles, and production methods for rum, as well as its mash bills, fermenting, distilling, and finishing processes. w ith rum tastings and sensory training sessions set up throughout the course, you’ll discover a variety of rum expressions and styles, and get a feel for the versatility of this delightful spirit.

w hether you’re a seasoned rum distiller or newbie to the business, this class is for anyone who has or is planning to open and/or operate a distillery; production team members (blenders); and anyone else interested in refining their knowledge of rum production.

This class is co-taught by l uis and m argaret Ayala, Co-Founders of t he r um u niversity® and g ot r um? m agazine.

6-Day Distiller Course, 2023 s chedule

The r um u niversity® is responsible for in-person teaching of the r um Curriculum of the 6-Day Distiller Course offered by m oonshine u niversity at their state of the art facility in l ouisville, KY.

The 6-Day Distiller Course is designed not only to give the most comprehensive technical training and business management education in the industry, but also to offer participants social and networking opportunities with other participants, suppliers, industry professionals and world-renowned master distillers.

The r um section of the 6- d ay d istiller Course covers the following topics:

r um definition (technical, legal, chemical)

Alcohol congeners, quantifications and differentiations

s ugarcane origin, cultivation, harvest and processing

Business and economic aspects of the rum industry

o rganoleptic assessments of rum via tasting exercises

o verview of fermentation, distillation, aging and blending

h ands-on distillation equipment experience

To register or to check for availability, please visit their website at www.moonshineuniversity.com. These are the 2023 dates: • m arch 26-31, 2023 • m ay 21-26, 2023 • July 23-28, 2023 • o ctober 22-27, 2023

i n Association w ith

a dditional r um u niversity® m aterial

Click on the images to go directly to the ordering page. i f that does not work, copy and paste the links into your browser:

t he r um l aboratory: https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/2140141

t he r um b iography: https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/2139570

r um a ging s cience Vol1: https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/2140574

f ermentation Primer: https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/2139000

i deas t hat Changed t he r um World: https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/2140228

r um a ging s cience Vol2: https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/2140576

“ go t rum ?” t E am int E r V i EW

by m argaret Ayala

This issue is kindly dedicated to the best team of writers that l uis and i could have ever hoped for:

• Cris Dehlavi • m arco Pierini • m ike Kunetka

• Paul s enft

• Philip i li b arake

w e also want to thank the growing community of “ g ot r um?” readers around the world ... a big C heers to all of you!

m argaret Ayala, Publisher

Putting together a monthly magazine is not an easy task. Thankfully for us at “ g ot r um?”, we have the world’s best contributing writers, who tirelessly produce content for us, month after month.

i t is easy, however, for readers to lose track of the people behind the stories, so each d ecember we reserve space for all contributors to share a bit of information about themselves, their achievements, goals and observations.

h ere is a quick update from l uis and me:

• “ g ot r um?” has been in existence for 21 years now and its circulation has reached an all-time high, thanks in great part to a boom in the consumption of premium rum around the world.

in

T erviews

hisTorY rum news rum&sCienCe CigAr & rum

CooKing rum reviews

miXologY

• The r um u niversity® continues to be the leading source of technical and professional training in the rum industry, with new classes scheduled for 2023 (see pages 52-55)! s tay tuned for a new r um u niversity® series that will start next month, you won’t want to miss it!

• r um Central continues to grow rapidly, 2022 has been another recordbreaking year and this upward trend has no end in sight. r um Central is dedicated to supplying quality aged bulk rums to distillers, bottlers and private label owners around the world.

• Craft distilleries around the world continue to raise the bar and to incorporate the latest technologies into their business plans, mostly with favorable, well-received results.

This does not go unnoticed and large distilleries are also adapting their practices to reflect the higher expectations from consumers and policy makers.

• Carbon footprint, recycling, fair trade, certified organic, renewable energy, these are all terms and concepts that are becoming part of the standard vocabulary of distillers around the world. w e applaud the trend and invite you to read pages 24-29 of this issue for an overview of the four winners in this year’s 5th a nnual r um a nd t he Environment a wards

i wish all a very happy holiday season and hope that 2023 brings us all even more good news about our beloved rum industry!

m argaret

t E am int E r V i EW: C ris DE hla V i

by m argaret Ayala

Q: you were so busy studying and preparing for your test, did you manage to still enjoy your hobbies ( i know you love rock climbing)?

i always make time for rock climbing and hiking, it is my passion and being outside keeps me happy and grounded. i t’s really good for my mental health as well as physical.

Q: i can’t believe a year has passed since you last gave us an update regarding the changes in your professional life. Can you bring us up to speed on what’s happened since then? a re you still enjoying your new role, do you still miss being behind the bar?

i am still a spirits educator and absolutely love what i do. i think i will always miss

Q: i n a ugust you traveled to m innesota to attend l evel 3 W s E t spirit week and take their exam. Can you tell us more about this?

i certainly did, and i passed! i t was one of the most challenging things i have ever done. wse T l evel 3 not only encompasses all of the rules/laws of spirits from around the world but it also focuses heavily on distillation and the chemistry involved. i t was an amazing experience.

Q: Wow! Congrats! n ow that you have all of this knowledge, what are your plans moving forward?

i will continue to educate but also learn! i now have the wse T 3, BA r 5 d ay, and my 1st level s ommelier certification. i would like to learn more about sherry and i am also just dying to attend The r um u niversity!

g ot r um? December 2022 - 58

g ot r um? December 2022 - 58

aspects of being behind the bar—creating drinks in a high volume/high pressure environment is something i always thrived on. i miss the hospitality part of it, but i have to admit i do not miss working late nights ! i am in the right place.

Q: t he hospitality industry has been through a lot. Do you think the worst has passed already or do you still see dark clouds on the horizon?

i sure hope the worst has passed ! w e still have a long way to go and i don’t know that it will ever be the same. s taffing is still an issue in most places, but we are a strong group of people and will prevail.

Q: o f all your articles/recipes this year, is there one, in particular, you enjoyed the most?

i think probably the n ew o rleans Cocktails article. i was so thrilled to be back live and in person for Tales of the Cocktail and i dearly love the history of cocktails that goes along with that city.

Q: What are some of the things you are looking forward to in 2023?

A new year! i had some major personal losses in 2022 so the new year feels like a fresh start.

Q: i s there anything else you would like to share with your fans?

i have been really trying to travel more, so keep your eyes out for travel-related articles.

g ot r um? December 2022 - 59

t E am int E r V i EW: P aul s E nft

by m argaret Ayala

was a wonderfully complex rum that i enjoyed exploring. i was grateful they shared it with me as it is one of their favorite rums.

Q: i know our readers enjoy meeting you and talking with you during rum festivals. Do you already know which rum events you’ll be attending next year?

i am still figuring out my 2023 travel details and am hoping to make at least one rum event in the winter/spring months and then Tales of the Cocktail in the summer. i really do not have anything else planned at this time.

Q: h ow about personal rum travels or explorations, what were this year’s highlights?

Q: Everyone knows you as a professional, impartial rum reviewer. h ow differently do you approach the review of a rum, when you know the brand and the details about the particular expression, as opposed to when you review a rum blindly as a judge during a competition?

w hen judging a rum blind during a competition, i do my best to evaluate and score a spirit on its own merits and score it accordingly. The trick is to keep the palate fresh and as uninfluenced as possible from the previously consumed rums of the competition. w ater, aroma neutralization, and palate neutralizers are helpful in doing this.

Q: l ooking back at all the new rums you tried this year (not just the ones you reviewed for “ g ot r um?”), which ones were the most pleasant surprises?

A friend recently shared s t. l ucia 1931 4th edition with me and that

s adly, the timing did not work out so that i was able to attend any rum festivals this year, but my visits to both Puerto r ico and Barbados were highlights for different reasons.

Puerto r ico for the great agricultural and “farm to table” immersion as well as learning some of the deeper nuances of pairing chocolate and rum. The Barbados r um e xperience was positively intense, with three days of seminars, two days of distillery tours, and optional things to do at night. i t was good to reconnect with participants i have known for years and share the experience with them.

Q: i n the past you’ve expressed how limited the rum selection is in g eorgia. h ave things improved at all?

g eorgia rum selection waxes and wanes, but currently it is better than it has ever been. The distribution system is challenging for brands so i am always glad when they find success in the state.

i would like to take a moment and thank everyone who takes the time to read my reviews and articles. w e only have so much time on any given day and i appreciate you choosing to use some of it to read my work. i wish you all great health and happiness in the new year!

Q: i s there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

t E am int E r V i EW: P hili P ili bara KE

by m argaret Ayala

That is what i have in mind. The last pairing i did with Alan Kallens was spectacular and i ’m still in the process of deciding what to do this year. m ost definitely it will involve food, but it needs to be prepared with the pairing in mind, using reductions based on rum, sweet caramelization, and long baking periods. i ’ll be thinking about the menu, but that’s the general direction for this end of year surprise.

Q: Which was your favorite rum and cigar pairing from 2022?

Q: l ast year Chile dealt with several quarantines imposed by the government due to the pandemic. h ow did the hospitality industry do this year? h as your bar, r ed f rog, recovered or is it still dealing with the consequences from the quarantines? w e are not as burdened by the preventive measures imposed during the past couple of years because of the pandemic. w hile it is a return to normalcy, it is not a “clean slate” when you get a new, clean start: there are still consequences we have to deal with, we were left with a lot of “baggage” that we have to deal with, but at least we are alive, healthy and on our feet, which is a great source of motivation. w e are struggling and will continue to do so.

Q: a re you planning special rum and cigar pairings with your friends or family to celebrate Christmas or n ew y ear?

g ot r um? December 2022 - 62

i have to say that the pairing that stayed the most with me was the “Three s hots of r um” one. i t is a pairing that reminds me of blind tastings, matching the rums with different stages of the cigar, resulting in a different spectrum of flavors each time. A pairing full of memories, from accompanying a cigar with a white rum during a relaxing afternoon in Cuba to memories of other pairings involving older rums. i t was a very simple pairing, not at all complex, but it was able to evoke a lot of great memories.

Q: a s part of n ovember’s pairing, you smoked your last b olivar b elicoso f ino cigar. Do you plan to replace the box with another one of the same brand or with a different one?

The Bolivar Belicoso Fino is one of my favorites. w hile it is true that i enjoy each and every single cigar, this must be the format i ’ve bought the most of, since i first stepped foot in Cuba in 2006. w ithout a doubt i will purchase another box of Belicosos again as soon as i am able to.

Q: i s there anything else you’d like to share with your fans?

I enjoy the feedback I receive from many of our readers. I enjoy helping guiding them, complementing their experiences a bit. Many readers try the pairings at home and create their own memories. The pairings do not need to use the exact elements that I use: it would be illogical of me to expect everyone to have the same products that I have available. What I offer is more of a guideline with useful tips so that you can enjoy a pleasant after dinner experience or to enhance the poker game with your friends. It is the simple details that can provide the foundation for an epic tasting experience that will be unique. Being part of this is what motivates me month after month, always doing my best to offer good advice so that good rum and cigars can enhance your lives.

I sincerely hope to continue to surprise “Got Rum?” readers with new ideas for experiences, simple or complex, that they can enjoy with their friends and family.

Philip

t E am int E r V i EW: mar C o P i E rini

by m argaret Ayala

presented to the public. i t seems to me that, after Covid 19, the rum industry is alive and well in i taly. The rum that especially caught my attention is Avola r um, an i talian r um made in s icily with local sugarcane. i hope to visit s icily soon and then tell this story to our readers.

Q: a r um h istorian’s job is never done, there is some much out there that needs to be uncovered, interpreted and placed into the overall context. a re you planning any research-related travels soon? i f so, which destinations and why?

Q: your series on Cuban rum has been fascinating, do you plan to continue exploring this history and possibly take a close look at modern Cuban rums?

First of all, thank you for appreciating my series. Yes, i would like to research and write a history of Cuban r um to the present day. But, at the moment, i am focused on what, for the sake of simplicity, we could call the colonial period, from the beginnings to the birth of the r epublic of Cuba in 1902.

Q: you recently attended a rum festival in i taly, was this the only festival you attended this year? What was your impression? Did any new rums at the event catch your attention? i f so, which ones and why?

i n m ay i attended the m ixology e xperience in m ilan and in o ctober the r um Festival in r ome. They were wonderful events, with many visitors, many brands and some interesting new rum-related projects that were

i would really like to travel to Cuba to visit distilleries and dig into libraries and archives, but at the moment i do not know when, maybe in m arch. i would also like to attend the r hum Fest in Paris next April, it is one of the greatest rum events in e urope, but for various reasons i have never managed to go there. m aybe this will be the right time?

Q: b usiness owners and operators in the hospitality sector are the best source of information regarding how the economy has affected the industry. What has been your experience?

w hen we were barely emerging from Covid 19 (fingers crossed!), there was the r ussian invasion of u kraine and the terrible war – so close to us – which has been going on for 10 months now, with severe damage to the e uropean economy. i am not an economist, but with special reference to the rum industry, it would seem to me that, for now, there have been no significant changes. o f course, many brands have lost the r ussian market, but in e urope the desire to go out, drink and have a good time is great, and this also explains the success of the

r um Festivals. m aybe, the crisis has accentuated an already existing trend towards “drinking less, but better”, that is, towards quality and the Premium segment.

Q: i s there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

As i just said, i think that the trend towards the Premium segment and the quality of the products is continuing. But i ’m afraid that all too often it is not a real, higher quality of rum in the bottle, but only in consumer perception – and in the price the consumer pays – due to careful marketing and packaging choices from some large companies.

g ot r um?

t E am int E r V i EW: mi KE K un E t K a

by m argaret Ayala

saw three companies, h olmes Cay, d own i sland s pirits and The r oyal Cane Cask Company release a 20 year old Foursquare all pot-still rum.

Canned cocktails have been around for years and most of them were terrible. The pandemic revitalized the idea as r eady-tod rink cocktails. e ven though they filled a need during a difficult time, many relied on grain alcohol and artificial flavors. i n 2022 i found more and more r T d s that included real rum and real ingredients. w hen you run out of limes or o rgeat, a canned m ai Tai can be pretty cool.

Q: i f i recall correctly, last year for h alloween you were going to be preparing and serving r um Zombies to adults. What did you do this year?

Q: a nother year of rum news has come and gone! Which of this year’s stories stood out to you the most and why?

Three stories caught my attention:

1. the marketing of ‘sustainability’

2. private label releases in the u nited s tates and

3. the continued rise of r eady-to- d rink cocktails, r T d s.

i ndustry innovators like d estilería s errallés in Puerto r ico, m ontanya d istillers in Colorado and Flor de Cana in n icaragua developed sustainable technologies years ago and have been using them ever since. n ow, ‘sustainability’ is a buzz word in our industry that is often used in press releases. w e can only hope that there is truth and real ecological results in these statements and not just marketing-speak.

For years, rum enthusiasts in the u nited s tates could only read and weep about the incredible releases that our e uropean friends were enjoying. 2022 saw a dramatic increase in our availability of releases by independent bottlers. l ast month alone, we

g ot r um? December 2022 - 66

This year i made a sizeable batch of m ai Tais. h owever, the majority of our Trickor-Treaters were older kids ( i swear some looked like they had facial hair) without parents. i gave out what i could and drank the rest. The day after h alloween is often called the d ay of the d ead, and that’s exactly how i felt.

Q: We all know you like to blend and age your own rums. What blends are you currently working on and which one is your favorite?

The more i play with blending, the more i admire the work that you and l uis and other professional blenders do. By definition, the total (blend) should be greater than just the sum of its parts (individual rums). i have really struggled with that. d uring the pandemic, i came across Kevin Crossman’s u ltimate m ai Tai website (https://ultimatemaitai.com/). i t is filled with m ai Tai history, travels and general knowledge, including Kevin’s recipe for his u ltimate m ai Tai r um Blend, a mix of equal parts of Appleton 12, s mith & Cross, Plantation o FT d and Plantation Xaymaca. This is a great starting point, a rum with lots of flavor and mouthfeel.

At l uis’s suggestion, i added some 6-year-old Clement r hum Agricole. This is my current favorite mix. i started the year drinking it neat, on the rocks and in m ai Tais. w hen the temperature here in Arizona hit the triple digits, i found that an ounce and a half in a tall glass with ginger ale was a great refresher. n ow i am back to sipping it and mixing m ai Tais and an occasional o ld Fashion for my bourbondrinking son.

Q: you have an upcoming family trip to h awai’i and i know that you are considering taking a little road trip on your own to see some sugarcane fields and possibly visit a distillery (or two). h ave you already finalized the agenda for the trip? i hope we get to read about your adventure soon!

w e are spending five days on the Big i sland and five days on o ahu. Both islands have creative distilleries, making rum from pressed h awaiian sugar cane or Ko. Kuleana r um w orks is on the Big i sland of h awaii. They grow heirloom sugar cane varieties on their 45 acre ranch as

the basis of their rums which they then blend with rums from Panama, Nicaragua, Barbados, Venezuela and other key rum destinations. You interviewed them in 2019 and I am anxious to see what’s new and taste their new Jamaica 11 blend. I have signed up for a rum tasting and a Mai Tai class at Kuleana.

Ko Hana Distillers is on the island of Oahu and each of their rums is made from a different heirloom sugar cane. Harvest, fermentation and distillation processes remain the same for all products, only the cane changes. At Ko Hana, I have signed up for a tour of the cane fields, where I hope to see firsthand the different varieties of Ko.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

I wish all our readers a great holiday, filled with family, friends and good spirits.

Mike

g ot r um?

C igar & rum P airing

by Philip i li Barake

m y name is Philip i li Barake, s ommelier by trade. As a result of working with selected restaurants and wine producers in Chile, i started developing a passion for distilled spirits and cigars. As part of my most recent job, i had the opportunity to visit many Central American countries, as well as, rum distilleries and tobacco growers.

But my passion for spirits and cigars did not end there; in 2010 i had the honor of representing Chile at the i nternational Cigar s ommelier Competition, where i won first place, becoming the first s outh American to ever achieve that feat.

n ow i face the challenge of impressing the readers of “ g ot r um?” with what is perhaps the toughest task for a s ommelier: discussing pairings while being well aware that there are as many individual preferences as there are rums and cigars in the world.

i believe a pairing is an experience that should not be limited to only two products; 2022

it is something that can be incorporated into our lives. i hope to help our readers discover and appreciate the pleasure of trying new things (or experiencing known things in new ways).

Philip # gr CigarPairing

a Warm m eeting

w e are wrapping up 2022 and i was chatting with friends about how the year went by so quickly in all aspects, including work at the bar and the pairings for “ g ot r um?”. This month’s pairing caught me by surprise, without much preparation, only aware that the seasons are opposite here in Chile than in the n orthern h emisphere. For this reason, i decided to have a warm pairing. n ot having a clear theme for the pairing, i recalled that a few nights ago, while closing down the bar, two foreigners entered the establishment wanting to enjoy a few drinks. i told them that it was o K and they found a comfortable place to sit down. The television was showing a m onday night football game between the s teelers and the Colts, and one of them asked me if they could move closer to the T v i t was cool because i was the only one watching the game, so they asked me to drink with them and i poured myself a beer from the bar.

e verything was going well until one of them asked me which was my favorite n F l team, so i replied that i was a diehard fan of the Falcons, and i made his day, since he too was an Atlanta fan. From that point on, everything was celebration, more beer, and stories. w e talked about the bar, how i ended up there and ended up talking about my passion for rum and cigars. i t turned out to be the best way to activate the party, they asked me to sell them rum and cigars as well to better enjoy the moment. i have most of my rums at home, but i had a couple of interesting bottles not available in the local market, so i brought out the rum glasses and took cigars out of my humidor. i t was a special evening and a great way to wrap up the day, closing the bar late, drinking good rum and smoking excellent cigars.

The following day i arrived at the bar and found the bottle of rum, at that moment i thought to do the pairing with it, in honor of the good vibes from the previous night. The rum was Clément s ingle Cask, Trés

Photo credit: @Cigarili

v ieux r hum Agricole, a 10 year old rum that is very special and easy to drink.

s ince i had the idea of a warm pairing, i leaned towards coffee, but not just any coffee. This is what i put together:

• ½ oz. Coffee l iqueur

• ½ oz. r on Pampero e special (you can replace it with a different young rum)

• A double coffee (made with two coffee pods)

The coffee, plus the Pampero rum, plus the Clément rhum needed to be hot, knowing the cold temperatures our readers are experiencing up n orth. i had the perfect cigar for this pairing, a g ordo (6x60) from Perdomo Cigar 20th Anniversary, from the Connecticut link, with its unmistakable aged e quatorian Connecticut wrapper, its color is a true jewel and inside it are leaves from Cuban seeds cultivated in n icaragua. This cigar, from the first draw, was a creamy and delicious pleasure, with a slightly peppery finish emblematic of some n icaraguan tobaccos, but very elegant during its first third.

The pairing was marvelous, i just had to keep in mind the cold temperatures up n orth, despite the fact that the temperature here was 32° C (90° F). The warm coffee was a perfect pairing and provided the expected result regarding its temperature and the contrast with the r hum Agricole served on the rocks.

There are times when the pairing is only 50% of the perfect night, the other 50% comes from the interactions with those around us.

i hope you can enjoy this pairing, which is made with ingredients that are easy to replace, based on what you have available in your area.

m ay life bring us all many more opportunities to keep enjoying excellent cigar and rum pairings!

Cheers!

Philip

i

li Barake # gr CigarPairing

Photo credit: @Cigarili