c ontents
December 2024
5 From The e di T or 6-9 The Angel’s s h A re - r um r eviews
10-13 C oo K ing wi T h rum
14-19 T he im B i B er ’ s A lm A n AC
20-21 T he rum universi TY® li B r A r Y
26-29 The rum his T ori A n
34-39 T he A m AZ ing world o F A l C ohol
40-43 rum in his T or Y
44-47 rum in T he news
48-53 T he swee T B usiness o F sug A r
54-63 Te A m in T erview
64-67 C ig A r A nd rum PA iring g ot r um? December 2024 - 3
Got Rum? ®
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Tel/Fax +1 (855) rum -T i P s © 2024 by r um r unner Press, i nc. All rights reserved.
December 2024
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
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F ron T C over : h oliday s pirit inside s P re A d : w inter i s Coming
F rom T he edi T or Growth and Survival Strategies In The Rum World
o ne of the most common questions i received this year during consulting engagements is “how can a rum brand better position itself to survive a tough economy?”
m y answers are always customized, based on each client’s specific situation, risk tolerance and installed capacity (production and distribution). But here are a few points that should apply to most:
• Know where you are : understand which tiers your products retail in ( Value , Premium , High- e nd Premium or Super Premium ) and what the 3, 5 and 10-year growth patterns are for those tiers.
• Know your competitors : understand who dominates each tier, how they promote their products (tastings, ads), how often they refresh their image, their on/off premise allocations, etc.
• a nalyze your costs : what percentage of your total C ogs (Cost of g oods) is labor, materials, freight? Are you overspending on freight because your primary markets are located far away from your bottling/manufacturing? Are you using the same bottle for both your low-end and high-end products? i f so, your C ogs /Profit ratio will be imbalanced for low-end products.
• b e creative : if you only bottle your products at 40% AB v, consider diluting less (or not diluting at all), to offer discerning consumers “cask strength” versions of products they already love, but at a higher price. The results may surprise you.
i am always happy when consulting clients approach me with a desire to collaborate
on these and other strategies. i t shows me that they are not blinded to reality (everyone is facing challenges) and that they are open to changing the way they do things. n orman v incent Peale -one of my favorite authors- famously wrote “ c hange your thoughts and you change your world .”
This being my last editorial of 2024, i ’d like to close the year by wishing all members of the rum industry calmness, wisdom, kindness and happiness, so that 2025 can be the best year yet for themselves, their families, their clients and their employees.
Cheers!
l uis Ayala, e ditor 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
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!
d iplomático r um s elección d e Familia
d iplomático has been producing rums in v enezuela since 1959, when it was founded by d on Juancho n ieto m eléndez. u sing molasses created from locally grown cane, the molasses is fermented for a minimum of 24 hours. The company then distills the fermented liquid using a combination of pot and column stills and ages their rum in used whiskey barrels and sherry casks. The s elección de Familia is aged for 12 years and blended under the supervision of m aster Blender n elson h ernandez to 43% AB v
a ppearance
The 750-ml bottle is opaque with a beige and black label. The bottle design is in line with the rest of the d iplomático line, with a good bit of information about the product woven into the design.
The liquid holds a dark amber color with burgundy highlights. s wirling the liquid creates a medium band that spins off a single fast moving leg before quickly beading up and releasing two waves of slow moving legs before evaporating, leaving a ring of residue around the glass.
n ose
The aroma of the rum begins with sweet caramelized vanilla, followed by orange zest, plums, strawberry, and oak spices.
Palate
s ipping the rum delivers a swirl of light body alcohol with the fruit flavors from the aroma front and center, taking the high notes. A toffee note takes the midline, while the oak wood and spice notes of clove, cinnamon, and allspice form the foundation. As the rum begins to fade, a light oak smoky tobacco leaf astringency briefly dominates the palate before the other flavors blend, creating a long, balanced finish.
r eview
i have tried quite a few rums from v enezuela over the years, and the d iplomático line for years had r eserva e xclusiva as their easily approachable sipping rum. m y curiosity was how similar the two products would be and i was pleased to discover that the s elección de Familia, while having a similar pedigree, has its own distinct flavor profile and, by comparison, was less sweet and more earthy than the r eserva e xclusiva.
s elección de Familia is easy to sip, and for those who smoke cigars, an easy pairing recommendation. i can see where it will shine in some classic cocktails, adding unique smoky fruit twists to some classics.
o verall, a pleasing surprise that is a solid recommendation for sharing with friends who enjoy sipping rum and whiskey.
T he A ngel’ s sh A re
by Paul s enft
The Kokomo brand is based in s an d iego, California, and co-founded by m ike l ove of the Beach Boys and h ead of d istillery o perations, g eoff l ongenecker. The brand produces a line of ready-to-drink cocktails as well as rums and gins in partnership with their subsidiary company, s even Cave s pirits. The rums for their barrel-finished blend are sourced from Barbados, the d ominican r epublic, and Jamaica, and the source distillery either used molasses or d emerara cane sugar to make the component rum. All of the rums in the blend were created using pot stills and were aged in new oak or used white oak Bourbon barrels for a minimum of eight years with a maximum of 12 years. The rum is blended to 46% AB v and bottled for distribution in California. The company does not use any additives or coloring in their products.
a ppearance
The artistic label wraps the bottle of the short-necked 750-ml bottle and provides the basic information about the rum in the bottle. s ome of the production details are in a hard-to-read script at the bottom of the bottle label, but the rest of the label is quite clear. The black plastic neck wrap secures a wooden-capped synthetic cork to the bottle.
The rum has a dark golden amber color in the bottle and lightens slightly in the glass. s wirling the liquid creates a medium band that slowly beads up, releasing a couple of thick, slow-moving legs down the side of the glass. i t takes a few minutes for the band to evaporate, leaving behind a ring of beads around the glass.
n ose
The aroma of the rum is sweet vanilla forward, followed by notes of bananas, dried apricots, and cooked pears. As the
fruit notes begin to fade, there is a brief hit of lemon zest that helps tamp down the sweetness. w ood spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, and smoky ginger round out the experience.
Palate
The first sip of the rum conditions the palate with a swirl of sweet caramel, slightly chewy smoky wood notes, and alcohol. Additional sips revealed the cooked pears from the aroma, but also banana bread, cinnamon, and smoky wood notes. The lemon zest note returns at the finish, dialing down the sweetness of the spirit and letting the wood notes manifest in a pleasant medium finish.
r eview
i am the first to admit that i am drawn to multi-island rum blends and was immediately intrigued when i learned about this product. The eight- to twelve-year age range is certainly a sweet spot when we think of aged rums, and this one has some interesting things going on. First, the biggest surprise was the sweetness of the rum. The company clearly states that they do not use sweeteners and additives, so the strength of the caramelized vanilla sweetness stands out. s econd, i enjoyed the aroma and the way the fruit flavors manifested on the palate. The lemon zest note that popped in both the aroma and palate evaluations balanced the spirit in a good way and let the spicy wood notes manifest well into the finish. o verall, i found, because of the sweetness, Kokomo Barrel Finished r um to be a pleasant after-dinner sipping rum that is at a comparable price to similar rums in the market. Currently available online and on the west coast of the u nited s tates, it will be interesting to experience some of the other rums in the product line.
Kokomo Barrel Finished r um
COOKING WITH RUM
Bringing the Spirit of the Cane Into the Heart of the Kitchen!
by Chef Susan Whitley
c rockpot Drunken b aked b eans
i ngredients:
• 1 lb. d ried n avy Beans
• ½ C. Ketchup
• ½ C. Barbeque (BBQ) s auce
• ¼ C. Brown s ugar
• 2 Tbsp. m olasses
• 2 ½ C. w ater
• ½ C. d ark r um
• 1 h am Bone
• 1 ½ C. h am, chopped
• ½ C. Celery, diced
• ½ C. Carrots, diced
• 1 ¼ C. w hite o nion, diced
• 4 g arlic Cloves, minced
• 2 Bay l eaves
• s alt and Black Pepper, to taste
i nstructions:
1. You will need to soak the beans prior to adding them into the crockpot. Below are two options, overnight or quick soak: o vernight soak- add 4 quarts water to a large bowl and add 1 pound of rinsed beans. s oak at least 8 hours. d rain beans well. Quick soak- add 1 pound of rinsed beans to a large saucepan and cover with 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil. Boil rapidly for 5 minutes, then remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. d rain beans well.
2. i n small bowl, whisk together ketchup, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, and molasses.
3. i n the bottom of the crockpot, add beans, water, rum, ham bone, chopped ham, celery, carrots, onion, garlic and bay leaves. Add sauce from small bowl and stir to combine.
4. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 10 hours, or until beans are tender.
5. s eason to taste with salt and black pepper. r emove the ham bone before serving.
r aisins- a pple- r um b read Pudding
i ngredients:
• ⅔ C. Raisins
• ¼ C. d ark or s piced r um
• 4 l rg. e ggs
• 1 ½ C. w hole m ilk
• ½ C. h eavy Cream
• ½ C. w hite s ugar
• ½ C. Brown s ugar
• 3 Tbsp. u nsalted Butter, melted and slightly cooled
• ½ tsp. g round Cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. g round n utmeg
• ¼ tsp. s alt
• ½ tsp. v anilla
• 4 C. h awaiian Bread, cubed and packed
• 1 Lrg. Tart Baking Apple (peeled and cored), cut into ⅛ inch slices and then cut in half
• v anilla i ce Cream, for serving
i nstructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. s pray a 2-quart baking dish (9 in. x 9 in.) with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place the raisins and rum in a shallow bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds. l et the raisins soak in the rum while you prepare the other ingredients.
3. i n a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the milk, heavy cream, white sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla and whisk until evenly combined. Add the h awaiian Bread cubes, sliced apples and rum soaked raisins and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, making sure the apples and raisins are evenly distributed. Allow to stand for at least 1 hour or refrigerate overnight.
4. Place baking dish in center of oven and bake for approximately one hour or until the top is golden and puffy and the center is set. s erve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Photo credit: www.food52.com
Imbiber’s The Almanac
a monthly guide for thirsty explorers looking for new reasons to raise their glasses!
The i mbiber’s Almanac - The r um u niversity®
Presented by
Imbiber’s The Almanac
DECEMBER
Are you looking for festive reasons to raise your glass this month?
h ere are a few of them!
w rite to us at info@gotrum.com if we missed any!
D ecember - n ational e ggnog m onth
D ec 10 n ational l ager Day
D ec 14 n ational s crewdriver Day
D ec 20 n ational s angria Day
D ec 24 n ational e ggnog Day
D ec 31 n ational c hampagne Day
Imbiber’s The Almanac
Featured Cocktail: e ggnog ( d ecember 24th)
i ngredients:
• 1 l arge e gg
• 2 tsp. s uperfine s ugar, divided
• 1 oz. h eavy Cream
• 1/2 tsp. Pure v anilla e xtract
• 1/4 tsp. Pure Almond e xtract
• 1 1/2 oz. Aged r um (make sure it is aged, not just “dark”)
• g rated n utmeg, for garnish
• g rated Cinnamon, for garnish
Directions:
1. s eparate the egg into two bowls.
2. w ith a hand mixer, beat the yolk until creamy.
3. Beat the egg white with 1 teaspoon sugar until soft peaks form.
4. s lowly fold the egg white and yolk together using a spoon.
5. i n a separate bowl, beat the cream with the vanilla and almond extracts and the remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar until stiff peaks form. Add the rum and stir gently.
6. s lowly fold the cream into the egg mixture.
7. s erve immediately over ice, if you like, in a punch or martini glass.
8. g arnish with grated nutmeg and cinnamon.
9. g arnish and enjoy!
g ot r um? December 2024 - 19
r eviews
www. r um u niversity.com
Peruvian c ulinary treasures: 25 traditional r ecipes from the s oul of Peru
by l uis Quispe
(Publisher’s r eview)
e xplore the depth of Peruvian culture, from the bustling markets of l ima to the majestic Andes, all through the tantalizing tastes of its cuisine.
“P eruvi A n C ulin A r Y
T re A sures ” is your gateway to experiencing the authentic and vibrant recipes of Peru.
w hat You’ll d iscover: Appetizers that tantalize your senses, from the world-renowned Ceviche to the savory Anticuchos.
s oups and stews brimming with tradition, including the nourishing Aguadito d e Pollo and the hearty Cau-Cau.
m ain courses that capture the spirit of Peruvian gatherings, like the iconic l omo s altado and the comforting Arroz con Pollo.
d esserts that enchant, from the sweet delicacy of Picarones to the classic Arroz con l eche.
e ach recipe is brought to life with stunning, professional photography, ensuring you can visualize and achieve the perfect presentation.
w hy Choose This Book? l uis Quispe, a chef trained in France with deep Peruvian roots, offers a unique blend of traditional flavors and modern culinary techniques. This cookbook is a tribute to his heritage and a gift to the e nglish-speaking world, making Peruvian cuisine accessible and enjoyable for all.
Perfect for those longing for a taste of Peru or culinary enthusiasts eager to
expand their palate, this book is an essential addition to your kitchen. i deal for gifting or as a cherished part of your own culinary collection.
e mbrace the diverse and rich flavors of Peru and let this book be your guide to a world of unforgettable gastronomic experiences.
A sin : B0C s 3TTJBZ
Publisher: i ndependently published (January 11, 2024)
l anguage: e nglish
Paperback: 68 pages is B n -13: 979-8875589799
i tem w eight: 6.4 ounces
d imensions: 8.25 x 0.16 x 8.25 inches
your o ne- s top s hop for a ged r ums in b ulk!
• Column- d istilled, Pot- d istilled or Blends
• h igh Congener ( i ncluding h igh e sters), l ow Congener or Blends
• Aged in American or French o ak Barrels
• Aged in r ye w hiskey, Bourbon, Tequila, Armagnac, Port, s herry and w ine Barrels
• s ingle Barrels and s econd Aging/Finish
• d istilled in the us A, Central America, s outh America or in the Caribbean
• o ver 150 m arks/ s tyles Available, plus Custom Blends
• l ow m inimums and Fast Turnaround, w orldwide s hipping www. r umCentral.com
n ow o ffering b ottling s ervices!
Q: Why b ottle/ c o-Pack at r um c entral?
A: r um Central is located within the texas triangle , a region in Texas formed by the state’s four main metropolitan areas. The texas triangle is one of eleven mega regions in the u nited s tates and is home to approximately 75% of the s tate’s population. This area also benefits substantially from trade with m exico, the u nited s tates’ third largest trade partner.
A: r um Central is 30 m iles from Austin, with convenient access to interstate highways, rail lines, airports and seaports (within 250 miles of 4 of the top 10 u . s . seaports), guaranteeing fast and efficient shipping of your dry and finished goods.
Q: Do you need more information?
A: Contact us via our website below! www. r umCentral.com
the 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.
his T or Y o F C u BA n rum
23. P le A sure isl A nd
After a few months’ break, we take up again the story of Cuban rum, in this article, and the next, focusing on tourism and rum in 1920s Cuba.
“ i t is not worth keeping more - lamented d on l esmes, who, after doing the business, allowed himself the luxury of a verbal broadside - h ardly any business can be done. The government is careful not to make a mockery of the stupid r um Treaty with the u nited s tates and you have to take many risks to smuggle. w ith as much money as this business could give! But they do not let it prosper and you have to take advantage of it by drops. The fact is, there is no spirit of initiative, man. w e could get a lot of alcohol into the u nited s tates, but the government won’t let us, and we have to be collecting the profits with a sponge. This g overnment! i ’m telling you, they don’t understand anything. i t would be enough for the authorities to use their left hand, so that many people could see. But no! The government doesn’t understand. l iquor manufacturers are going broke in Cuba, and meanwhile, Americans are drinking wood alcohol and the crap they send from n assau.
And d on l esmes smiled in a grimace of disgust, which concretized his disgust for the government, the wood alcohol, the filth of n assau, the American consumers and perhaps even for his own rum that he was going to sell us and that, of course, was not the same as he had drunk with us”
Thus, with the wailings of the clandestine rum maker, d on l esmes, i finished the latest article of this series ( s ee his T or Y o F C u BA n rum 22. “ c ONT r A b ANDO ” in the s eptember issue). w ell, d on l esmes was exaggerating, the Cuban rum producers were not ruined by Prohibition; on the contrary, thanks to Prohibition and to tourism they experienced a huge, lasting success.
As our readers know, some of my articles speak little about rum, but a lot about the historical context. This is one such article. o nce again, i apologize, but after covering Prohibition, now i must deal with tourism, otherwise it would be impossible to understand the great changes that took place in the world of Cuban rum in those years. i ndeed, this article is devoted to the tourist boom in Cuba in the 1920’s that had so much importance in making Cuban rum known and appreciated all over the world. A fame which endures today.
But let’s start from the very beginning.
m odern tourism started roughly around 1750 with the so-called g rand Tour. i n those years, in fact, in g reat Britain, but also in France and in other e uropean countries, it became fashionable among young people of the upper classes to embark on a long journey to i taly at the end of their studies. i t was a cultural formation journey to see the ancient r oman ruins and the masterpieces of i talian art in person, but it was also a rite of passage marking the end of a student’s life and the entrance into adult life, with all its responsibilities. A sort of luxury sabbatical. m oreover, at that time i taly was a relatively underdeveloped country and life was inexpensive, just like now, when tourists from rich countries travel to the s outh of the world. m ost travellers stopped in v enice, Florence and r ome. Few ventured further s outh, and only the most adventurous reached g reece, which at that time was still part of the o ttoman e mpire.
To cater to the needs of these wealthy travellers, hotels, restaurants, financial services, tourist guides etc sprang up in i talian cities.
For more than a century, tourism remained a luxury for the rich. Then, roughly around 1850 things changed. An e nglish pastor and philanthropist, Thomas Cook, invented the organised trip. h e convinced the newly founded railway companies to offer group discount tickets, no longer for wealthy gentlemen of course, but for members of the lower classes. Cook organised the first of these trips, in 1841, to take people to a temperance meeting! h e started with trips within e ngland, then also abroad, to Belgium and France for the e xposition Universelle in Paris in 1855. h e was, in actual fact, the inventor of mass tourism.
And Cuba? As we know ( his T or Y o F C u BA n rum 3. T he K e Y T o T he indies in the s eptember 2022 issue) the fascination that Cuba exerted on Americans is older than the us itself, but the first sign of a certain movement of American tourists to Cuba is perhaps the beautiful book of s amuel h azard “ c uba with pen and pencil ” 1870 (see his T or Y o F C u BA n rum 14 rum C onsum PT ion in X i X C en T ur Y’ s C u BA in the d ecember 2023 issue). l ater, after the w ar of 1898 and the American occupation a large flow of Americans (journalists, technicians, businessmen, adventurers and tourists) started to pour into the i sland.
“ Pleasure Island: Tourism and Temptation in c uba ” 1997, by r osalie s chwartz tells the story of the birth and development of tourism in Cuba. i t is a serious, scholarly book even though, sadly, it dedicates only brief hints to drinking. u nless otherwise indicated, all the quotes are from this book.
From the early years of the new r epublic, a vast interest group was formed, always closely linked to politics, to promote American tourism; we can call it the Pleasure Trust. The Pleasure Trust worked on two fundamental lines: first, the promotion of public works, absolutely necessary to modernize, sanitize and make h avana more beautiful, and then the rest of the island: sewer systems, aqueducts, railway lines, roads, cleaning,
embellishment, etc. At the same time, it pushed for the approval of laws and regulations to promote gambling and requested concessions for some of its members to build casinos and racetracks, nightclubs and so on. The first part progressed quickly, creating a favourable environment for tourism and also improving the lives of Cuban citizens. The second, however, remained stalled for many years: frightened by the birth of an island of vice too accessible to American citizens, strong religious and moralizing movements in the us pressured the American government to ‘convince’ the Cuban government not to approve those laws. And they were successful.
o nly in 1919, at last, did a Tourist bill open Cuba to gambling, with large investment of local and American capital, again closely linked to political power. i n the same year, as we know, the u s . Congress closed down the saloons and for American tourism in Cuba it was instantly a boom.
As we have seen in the previous articles, large quantities of Cuban rum were smuggled into the us , but, for those upper-class drinkers that could afford it, there was an even better alternative: not wait for rum and the other spirits to arrive at home, with all the troubles about quality and the law, but go and drink them directly in Cuba. The island is very close, it is beautiful, tropical, exotic and the rum is good, plentiful and can be consumed legally, without any problems, just like a quantity of other alcoholic beverages locally produced or imported.
“By the 1920s a healthful and pleasurable city unfolded before the tourists’ eyes. e lectric lights illuminated parts of h avana in the evenings, and electric street railways carried the curious visitor to the city’s suburbs or to the markets and shopping streets that appeared so foreign and exotic to the n orth American eyes. … For an increasingly mobile and relatively prosperous segment of n orth Americans, Cuba fulfilled the requirements for desirability and accessibility; … Thus, a n orth American travel revolution transformed h avana into a tourist mecca.”
i n the same years, the sugar market collapsed. w ord w ar i disrupted e uropean sugar beet cultivation while the demand for sugar to manufacture alcohol for war purposes grew enormously, so the price of sugar skyrocketed. This situation gave Cuba a sudden and gigantic bonanza, the cultivation of sugar cane grew enormously, even at the expense of the forest heritage, and money, a lot of money, came to Cuba in the so called ‘ d ance of the m illions’. But then the war ended, in a few years the sugar market returned to normal, prices collapsed and the island experienced a serious economic crisis. The development of tourism also helped to alleviate the weight of the crisis.
m ore than thirty thousand (wealthy) tourists visited Cuba in the winter season 1924-25. For climatic reason, the core of the Cuban tourist season was, in fact, in winter and especially from the opening of horse racing in d ecember to the arrival of the first hot weather in m arch.
But let’s look at an example of the kind of promotion of American tourism by the Pleasure Trust. The next year “Three hundred members of the Bankers i nvestment Association of America attended the race
on s unday as the guests of the new management. Financiers from all over the u nited s tates were visiting h avana after their annual meeting in s aint Petersburg, Florida. They spent s aturday night at the frontón learning the intricacies of jai alai, the fast-paced handball game of Basque origin. o n s unday they bet on horses, enjoyed a buffet lunch at the Jockey Club, and met various well-established Cubans – perhaps introduced by u s . Ambassador e noch Crowder. The bankers should have been in a good mood, with no legalistic officials to confiscate their alcoholic beverages. i n contrast to Prohibition-dry Florida, Cuban rum flowed freely.”
These methods and the undeniable charm of Cuba and its rum had an immediate success. “ i n fact, nearly forty-five thousand tourists visited Cuba just in the four winter months of d ecember through m arch 192526. w ith the average per person expenditure figured at three hundred dollars, they left approximately $ 13.5 million in Cuba” According to Copilot, roughly $ 300 dollars in 1924 = something more than $ 5.000 to-day and $13.million in 1924 = around 250 million to-day. A large amount of money in a small, relatively underdeveloped country.
The bars and clubs pulled out all the stops to attract the American customers (and not only Americans, many members of the e uropean élites discovered Cuba in those years) with new cocktails and new attractions. m ovie stars, singers, intellectuals, millionaires led the way, then crowds of holidaymakers flocked to the i sland. n ew airlines, new ferry companies were born. To promote Pan American Airways new connection to h avana, in 1928, even Charles l indberg paid a 5days’ visit to h avana. The beverage industry, the entertainment industry, the club scene reached a never-before seen dimension and quality. w ealthy tourists found in Cuba good alcohol, of course, but also music, shows, night clubs, horse racing, gambling houses and brothels, many brothels. They felt they were abroad, in a different and fascinating country, with good weather, more personal freedom, tropical exoticism and cheap prices. But, even though Cuba was formally independent, it was after all an American protectorate, thus you could usually speak e nglish, everyday life was safe and the police very kind.
i ndeed, American tourists could enjoy a sort of extremely comfortable exoticism and for them Cuba became a veritable Pleasure i sland.
For Cubans, things were very different: corruption and violence were part of their daily lives. s ome historians argue that the corruption linked to Prohibition and tourism, and the loss of prestige of the Cuban government due to its submission to American pressures, were significant factors in determining the revolution of 1933, which led to the fall of m achado’s dictatorship.
Anyway, among all the spirits, rum was the one which most benefited from both Prohibition and tourism: “By banning the sale of all beverage alcohol in the u nited s tates, prohibitionists did what no island distiller could have dared hope for: They pulled weary old rum out of its shallow grave, not only infusing it with life, but giving it a bit of swagger and a touch of class.” ( w . Curtis “ And a b ottle of r um ” 2006).
i n 1933 things changed again. First, the g reat d epression reduced the number of tourists dramatically; then Cuba’s revolution of 1933 savaged the island’s reputation as a safe and peaceful desirable destination. “Tourism collapsed along with the rest of Cuba’s economy in the g reat d epression. v isitors had spent almost $26 million in 1928-29 but only $ 9.5 million in 193233. … e conomic depression and political upheaval had taken its toll, and tourism revenues slipped under $ 5 million in 193334”. r epeal also took its toll, Americans no longer needed to go abroad to be able to drink freely.
After the revolution “The government became a partner in a resurgence of cultural, as well as economic, tourism. Thus. the successor of the pleasure trust chose not to eliminate tourism but to change its nature, to replace casinos with culture, substitute museums for m onte Carlo.” Actually, by the end of the 1930s Cuba offered tourists both culture and casinos. Tourism promoters had barely pushed the industry back on track when w orld w ar ii derailed it once more. w e’ll get back to this.
m arco Pierini
2024 Q4 Courses
Training at r um Central in Texas, us A. For pricing and seating availability, please visit: www. r um u niversity.com
• 5- d ay r um Course ( d ec. 2nd-6th)
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2025 Courses
2025 Training at r um Central in Texas and at m oonshine u niversity in Kentucky will be announced in the coming months. www. r um u niversity.com
• 3- d ay r um Course
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• 5- d ay d istillers Course (Kentucky o nly)
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• i ntroduction to r um Blending - 1/2 day
• m icrobiology and o rganic Chemistry for r um d istillers and Blenders
• Private l abel Primer - 1/2 day
• r um Aging s cience - French o ak
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• r um Aging s cience - Previously- u sed American o ak
• r um Aging s cience - s pecialty Casks
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• The h istory and s cience of the Barrel1/2 day
by
Presented
WORLD
ALCOHOL of The Amazing
Join us as we explore the fascinating world of alcohols, their aldehydes, carboxylic acids, esters and much more.
WORLD ALCOHOL of The Amazing
Definition
The term Alcohol , refers to any of a class of organic compounds characterized by one or more hydroxyl (―OH) groups attached to a carbon atom of an alkyl group (hydrocarbon chain).
Alcohols may be considered as organic derivatives of water ( h 2 o ) in which one of the hydrogen atoms has been replaced by an alkyl group, typically represented by r in organic structures. For example, in ethanol (or ethyl alcohol) the alkyl group is the ethyl group, ―CH2CH3.
Alcohols are among the most common organic compounds. They are used as sweeteners and in making perfumes, are valuable intermediates in the synthesis of other compounds, and are among the most abundantly produced organic chemicals in industry. Perhaps the two best-known alcohols are ethanol and methanol (or methyl alcohol). e thanol is used in toiletries, pharmaceuticals, and fuels, and it is used to sterilize hospital instruments. i t is, moreover, the alcohol in alcoholic beverages. The anesthetic ether is also made from ethanol. m ethanol is used as a solvent, as a raw material for the manufacture of formaldehyde and special resins, in special fuels, in antifreeze, and for cleaning metals.
c lassifications
Alcohols may be classified as primary, secondary, or tertiary, according to which carbon of the alkyl group is bonded to the hydroxyl group. m ost alcohols are
colorless liquids or solids at room temperature. Alcohols of low molecular weight are highly soluble in water; with increasing molecular weight, they become less soluble in water, and their boiling points, vapour pressures, densities, and viscosities increase.
Another way of classifying alcohols is based on which carbon atom is bonded to the hydroxyl group. i f this carbon is primary (1°, bonded to only one other carbon atom), the compound is a primary alcohol. A secondary alcohol has the hydroxyl group on a secondary (2°) carbon atom, which is bonded to two other carbon atoms. s imilarly, a tertiary alcohol has the hydroxyl group on a tertiary (3°) carbon atom, which is bonded to three other carbons. Alcohols are referred to as allylic or benzylic if the hydroxyl group is bonded to an allylic carbon atom (adjacent to a C=C double bond) or a benzylic carbon atom (next to a benzene ring), respectively.
n omenclature
As with other types of organic compounds, alcohols are named by both formal and common systems. The most generally applicable system was adopted at a meeting of the i nternational u nion of Pure and Applied Chemistry ( iu PAC) in Paris in 1957. u sing the iu PAC system, the name for an alcohol uses the -ol suffix with the name of the parent alkane, together with a number to give the location of the hydroxyl group. The rules are summarized in a three-step procedure:
1. n ame the longest carbon chain that contains the carbon atom bearing the ―OH group. Drop the final -e from the alkane name, and add the suffix -ol.
2. n umber the longest carbon chain starting at the end nearest the oh group, and use the appropriate number, if necessary, to indicate the position of the ―OH group.
3. n ame the substituents, and give their numbers as for an alkane or alkene.
The example on the right has a longest chain of six carbon atoms, so the root name is hexanol. The ―OH group is on the third carbon atom, which is indicated by the name 3-hexanol. There is a methyl group on carbon 3 and a chlorine atom on carbon 2. The complete iu PAC name is 2-chloro-3-methyl-3-hexanol . The prefix cyclo- is used for alcohols with cyclic alkyl groups. The hydroxyl group is assumed to be on carbon 1, and the ring is numbered in the direction to give the lowest possible numbers to the other substituents, as in, for example, 2,2-dimethylcyclopentanol.
c ommon n ames
The common name of an alcohol combines the name of the alkyl group with the word alcohol. i f the alkyl group is complex, the common name becomes awkward and the iu PAC name should be used. Common names often incorporate obsolete terms in the naming of the alkyl group; for example, amyl is frequently used instead of pentyl for a five-carbon chain.
Physical Properties
m ost of the common alcohols are colorless liquids at room temperature. m ethyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, and isopropyl alcohol are free-flowing liquids with fruity aromas. The higher alcohols—those containing 4 to 10 carbon atoms—are somewhat viscous, or oily, and they have heavier fruity odors. s ome of the highly branched alcohols and many alcohols containing more than 12 carbon atoms are solids at room temperature.
WORLD ALCOHOL of The Amazing
f eatured a lcohol: Dodecanol
a ldehyde formed:
d odecanal / lauraldehyde
c arboxylic acid formed :
d odecanoic Acid / l auric Acid
e ster formed when reacting with itself:
d odecyl d odecanoate / l auryl l aurate d odecanoic acid dodecyl ester
d odecanol, or lauryl alcohol, is an organic compound commonly produced from palm kernel oil or coconut oil. i t is a fatty alcohol (a primary alcohol with one or more hydroxyl groups attached). s ulfate esters of lauryl alcohol (especially sodium lauryl sulfate) are very widely used as surfactants, which are used in lubricating oils and pharmaceuticals. s odium lauryl sulfate and the related dodecanol derivatives ammonium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate are all used in shampoos. d odecanol is tasteless, colorless, and has a floral odor.
d odecanol is used as an emollient. i t is also the precursor to dodecanal, an important fragrance, and 1-bromododecane, an alkylating agent for improving the lipophilicity of organic molecules. d odecanol is mostly insoluble in water.
d odecanal, also known as lauraldehyde or dodecyl aldehyde, is an organic
compound with the chemical formula
C h 3(C h 2)10C ho . This colorless aldehyde from d odecanol is a component of many fragrances. i t occurs naturally in citrus oils, but commercial samples are usually produced from dodecanol by dehydrogenation.
l auric acid, systematically dodecanoic acid, is a saturated fatty acid with a 12-carbon atom chain, thus having many properties of medium-chain fatty acids. i t is a bright white, powdery solid with a faint odor of bay oil or soap. The salts and esters of lauric acid are known as laurates.
toxicity
d odecanol can irritate the skin. i t has about half the toxicity of ethanol, but it is very harmful to marine organisms.
a roma
• d odecanol is often described as having a waxy or soapy smell.
• n onanal is often characterized as having a floral scent typical of clean laundry.
• d odecanoic Acid is often described as having a complex aroma. i t is distinctly cheesy, with some aspect of the goaty character of octanoic acid.
• d odecyl d odecanoate’s aroma is described as waxy, creamy, soapy, typically associated with the smell of skin and hair care products.
Dodecanol
Dodecanoic a cid
r um in the ne W s
by m ike Kunetka
These are the most recent and noteworthy headlines in the rum industry. i f you want us to share your news with our readers, please send me an email to: m ike@gotrum.com.
bristol s P irits
Bristol s pirits l td, the home of Bristol Classic r um, is delighted to announce a brand-new partnership with us d istributor, s paghetti w estern i mports ll C. Bristol s pirits is a long-established, eminent suppliers and promoters of fine r um from around the world. Founder, John Barrett is renowned and recognized as a highlyexperienced taster and supporter of r um in its most natural state, specializing often in those matured and bottled in u K warehousing which offers unique benefits. John states, ‘ w e started in the mid-nineties with premium r um due to its high quality; it took about ten years for the interest to develop in the consumer but now we have BC r r um fanatics all over the g lobe.’ Bristol’s mission is to discover and develop interesting r um for enjoyment. d eveloped with careful production and long maturation the true quality and style can be enjoyed from the diverse and magnificent r um that BC r select and bottle for the pleasure of r um drinkers. s ales d irector, s imon Askey explains ‘ w e have a basic principle to bottle small batches of r um, usually just two or three casks at most, so releases are continually changing. John has offered bottles to the us market in years gone by, however the demand for r um outside of the r um heavyweights has grown exponentially, so BC r needs to be back s tateside.’ s paghetti w estern i mports are a boutique import
business with a meticulous focus on i ndependent Bottlers of long heritage. Founder Chris Bittner represents a company of trailblazers that doesn’t necessarily fit the mold. There is more to r um than the mainstream big hitters would have you believe. s paghetti w estern and Bristol Classic r um are coming to prove this to The u nited s tates of America! The initial Bristol Classic r um shipment to the u nited s tates included:
• Mauritius Cane Juice - A light, bright style Rhum Agricole, perfect for mixers.
• Caribbean Collection - Blend of 3YO rums from Trinidad. Perfect intro into the world of r um
• Venezuela 12YO - Column Still from their most famous distiller. 100% maturation at source.
• Mauritius 2010 - this is the balance of Cane Juice having been matured in the u K since 2011. Finished in Cognac
• Jamaica 2009 DOK - An amazing Hampden. 50% Jamaica, 50% u K maturation.
• Haiti 2004 - Not too much of this about now due to the various issues the island has endured in the last 15yrs.
• Nicaragua 2004 - 18yrs maturation in American Oak.
• Jamaica 1997 - From the Clarendon Estate... Over 2 decades in wood in the u K.
• Port Mourant 1990 - John’s favorite still. 34YO with the final years in Port. i ncredible, a classic ‘P m ’. https://www.bristolclassicrum.com/, www.spaghettiwesternimports.com
beenleigh
Celebrate the Year of the s nake with Beenleigh! Their m aster d istiller hand blended a selection of outstanding aged rum parcels up to 8 years in barrel, to express the fiery passion and diligence of the Year of the s nake. o nly 3 barrels worth of rum were bottled with a taste profile that is unmistakably Beenleigh. This fearless spirit is underpinned by the generous warmth of Australian sugarcane molasses. o ak maturation in ex-brandy vats and ex-bourbon barrels. r ich buttery and spiced wood notes fill out a palate that is complex and rounded, but never tame. https://www.beenleighrum.com.au/
bacar D i
Bacardi l imited celebrated a significant leap on Forbes’ list of w orld’s Top Companies for w omen 2024. r anking for a third year in a row on the prestigious list, the 2024 placement puts Bacardi at #132 and nearly 200 points above last year, reflecting an ambition of continued progress. i t also features Bacardi as the only pure spirits player on the list this year. w omen in l eadership is among the key pillars of the company’s Belonging program, which strives to create a space where everyone is treated fairly and provided equal opportunities. Belonging at Bacardi is a global movement focused on creating programming, development opportunities and more in support of underrepresented groups, including women, in the spirits world. l eila s tansfield, g lobal Belonging l ead and h ead of g lobal Travel r etail for Bacardi said “The work we do to maintain a positive workplace at
Bacardi matters and makes a difference to our people. At Bacardi, we seek to keep raising the bar and are continuously pushing to be better and do better as we build a pipeline of talent and a roadmap for future generations of leaders.” s cott n orthcutt, sv P h uman r esources, Bacardi l imited added “Bacardi maintains gender equity in recruitment, turnover, pay, engagement and sense of belonging and 43% of leadership positions are held by women. The company is intentional about having balanced representation at core development programs which help propel talent to the next level of their Bacardi careers. i t is a member of associations that develop programming and resources for women in the industry and supports community programming that creates opportunities for women in the workplace, both within and outside the spirits world. This recognition by Forbes reflects our collective efforts to create an environment where top talent can thrive. As a leader in the spirits industry, we have a responsibility to set the tone and create the opportunities for everyone to succeed.” Produced in partnership with market research firm s tatista, the Forbes ranking is based largely on survey responses from approximately 100,000 women working for multinational corporations across 37 countries. The Forbes list research rated companies across a series of gender-related topics, willingness to recommend the company, workplace satisfaction, and more. i t also considers public opinion through a womenonly survey and looks at the makeup of leadership. Bacardi was recently named by Forbes among 2024 w orld’s Best e mployers, where it took the #2 spot in its category, and ranked #18 in the 2024 w orld’s Best w orkplaces™ presented by g reat Place To w ork®. https://www.bacardilimited.com/
el D ora D o
i n a recent Facebook post, e l d orado announced a 20-year- o ld d ouble m atured r um, a blend of pot and column distilled rums that were first aged in American o ak ex-bourbon casks for 15 years then furthered matured for an additional five years in French o ak casks that were previously seasoned with s auternes. u nfortunately, it mentioned that it was only available in g uyana. https://theeldoradorum.com/
P lanteray
As part of their 2024 s ingle Cask releases, Planteray exchanged some of their finest rum casks with friends at Adriatico and have taken hold of some of theirs. As a result, they have released Planteray Barbados 2017 r um finished in an Amaretto cask. o ver the years, Planteray’s passion for exceptional spirits has led them to visit numerous distilleries worldwide. Through these encounters, m aison Ferrand has forged friendships with incredible producers, with whom they share mutual knowledge, expertise, and hunger for fine spirits. n aturally, this led to cask exchanges, giving birth to the “Barrel s wap” editions. Adriatico is a 100% natural Amaretto produced from Puglian almonds and enhanced with a touch of Adriatic s ea salt. For the Planteray team, choosing a Barbados rum from s tade’s w est i ndies r um d istillery was an obvious choice. This nuanced, fruity rum with delicious
g ot r um? December 2024 - 45
notes of coconut and vanilla proved to be the ideal candidate for an Amaretto cask finish. The ageing process took around seven months imparting notes of almond and cherry pits, into the Barbados 2017 r um, a blend of traditional pot and column stills twice matured (three years in tropical bourbon casks, then three years and five months in cognac casks in our Charente cellars). “Finishing our r um in an Amaretto cask is a world first! i t provides a beautiful smoothness and emphasizes the delicious aromas of our Planteray Barbados 2017” said Jonas i ndesteege, g lobal r um Prestige Collection Brand m anager. This story started when the Adriatico team first visited us in Charentes and tasted many of our rums to identify the ideal Planteray cask for maturing their delicate almond liqueur. Fiji quickly became the unanimous choice for the terroir. s ince Adriatico was already a sipping amaretto, the goal was to reach a new level by offering reinforcement and new complexity, as well as some “kick”. “Planteray Fiji i slands brings a powerful side to our Adriatico Amaretto, with leather and spicy notes. i t strengthens the liqueur and gives it lots of nose and body, for a fabulous finish and a rather different length on the palate compared to the classic product” said Thomas Benoît, Adriatico cofounder. This unprecedented alliance between rum and amaretto has proved particularly fruitful and we just know it is going to inspire new creations in the future. https://planterayrum.com/
botran
This year at Bar Convent Berlin (BCB), Botran announced their latest release, i nfinito. i t is a blend of rums from eight different casks: ex-American w hiskey, toasted ex-American w hisky, ex- s herry, ex-Port, ex-Amarone, ex- s auternes, ex- r ibera d el d uero and ex- m arsala. m aria i nes de l eon, s enior Brand m anager at g uatemalan s pirits, told s pirits Business “This year at BCB we are launching our first ever edition of a blend that is so epic, no other rum has attempted to blend eight casks in the same epic blend, and so we are very convinced it is going to bring ultra-good news to the brand, lots of interest to it, and our very own space in the collector items.” https://botranrum.com/
rum and sargassum
s eaweed is showing up on Caribbean beaches and cleaning up costs are in millions of dollars. But this waste can be turned into precious fuels. r um and s argassum, a startup in Barbados, is turning rum waste from distilleries and seaweed washed off onto the shores to produce bio-compressed natural gas to fuel cars. r um and s argassum was founded by m echanical e ngineer l egena h enry and her data scientist husband to help the country continue to attract tourists while also meeting its net zero goals. Barbados has set an ambitious goal to become fossil-fuel-free by the end of this decade. h owever, h enry, a researcher and lecturer at the u niversity of w est i ndies ( uwi ), believes this will have a massive economic impact since electric vehicles ( ev s) are too expensive for the country’s common man, but existing internal combustion engine vehicles can
be retrofitted with a kit in about four hours and run on gas. The cost of the kit is a fraction of that of an ev s argassum, or seaweed, has been invading Caribbean beaches for over a decade. The warming oceans and increased marine pollution have propelled the weed growth in the s argasso s ea, which gets washed up on the pristine beaches in the Caribbean. o nce it reaches land, seaweed begins to rot. w hile mounds of seaweed and rotting smells are unpleasant for tourists, they are also a health risk for marine animals. r esorts spend millions of dollars every year to remove seaweed from the beaches, but h enry’s startup could turn this adversity into a win-win situation, w astewater from the rum industry is optimal for producing B io - me T h A ne via anaerobic digestion. r um distillery wastewater is the most practical option for large scale anaerobic digestion in a waterscarce Caribbean i sland like Barbados. o n Tuesday s eptember 17, 2024, they unveiled a prototype of their renewable natural gas ( rng ), produced from s argassum seaweed, Blackbelly sheep manure, and rum distillery wastewater. At “Test d rive Zero”, held at g uinea Plantation, s t. John, rng manufactured using their proprietary formula, powered a generator, which in turn charged an electric vehicle. The event highlighted rng ’s potential for sustainable transportation and electricity generation. A gasoline car, upgraded to run on rng , was also on display. https://rumandsargassum.com/
D essert D iamon D D istillery
d esert d iamond d istillery presents an extraordinary corporate gifting option: a 225-liter barrel of their award-winning rum, offering both prestige and a memorable shared experience for organizations. The barrel program, which yields approximately 300 750ml bottles, provides companies with a unique opportunity to create lasting impressions at corporate events, holiday celebrations, or as premium client appreciation gifts. e ach barrel comes with a personalized plaque and certificate of authenticity, making it a conversation piece that tells a story of craftsmanship and exclusivity. d esert d iamond d istillery’s rum has garnered multiple international awards for its exceptional quality and complex flavor profile. The spirit is crafted using traditional Caribbean methods combined with modern distillation techniques, resulting in a smooth, sophisticated product that appeals to both connoisseurs and casual enthusiasts. i nteresting historical context adds to the appeal of rum as a corporate gift. d uring the 18th century, the British r oyal n avy issued daily rum rations to sailors, a practice that continued until 1970. d uring this era, sailors would “prove” the strength of their rum by mixing it with gunpowder - if it ignited, it was considered the “proof” of proper strength. The barrel program includes guided tastings and educational sessions for corporate events, where participants learn about rum’s rich history and proper tasting techniques. Companies can also arrange exclusive distillery tours, offering team-building opportunities while learning about the craft distillation process. For organizations seeking to make a lasting impression, d esert d iamond d istillery’s barrel program represents an innovative approach to
corporate gifting that combines luxury, education, and shared experience in one memorable package. https://www.desertdiamonddistillery.com/
ron D el barrilito
l ast month r on del Barrilito released the second edition of its coveted Pedro Fernández s election rum. s ince he began crafting rum in 1889, Pedro Fernandez had a talent for identifying truly special rums and setting their casks apart in special area of the aging warehouse. This was a technique he learned as a young man in France where he studied engineering and the art of making fine Cognacs. This practice was followed by the Fernandez family for generations. This release pays homage to its founder with a 27-year rum, matured in oloroso sherry casks. The origins of this batch date back to o ctober 3, 1997, when the liquor was placed in a 500-liter barrel simply dubbed “1598” at the h acienda s anta Ana. That single cask yielded a total of 229 bottles. https://rondelbarrilito.com/
o X bo W rum D istillery
o xbow r um d istillery, known for its award-winning small batch estate rums, has expanded beyond its traditional retail footprint with the launch of e-commerce. Customers in over 30 states can now order the premium, additive-free o xbow e state r um and False r iver r ums online through the brand’s shop page, powered by Flaviar.com. “ o ur new e-commerce platform allows us to share our passion for o xbow r um beyond l ouisiana,” said o livia s tewart, o wner and o perator of o xbow r um d istillery. “ w e’re excited to bring the unique flavor of l ouisiana’s sugarcane harvest to rum aficionados and enthusiasts across the country.” o xbow r um d istillery’s premium rums are made from their own cane fields and sugar mill 20 miles from the distillery. u sing either 100% high-grade sugarcane molasses or raw cane juice for their raw ingredients, each expression embodies the essence of l ouisiana sugarcane. The company offers two product lines: o xbow e state r um (additive-free super premium sipping rum) and False r iver (handcrafted spiced and dark rums).
This announcement comes on the heels of o xbow r um d istillery’s recent award wins, bringing home two d ouble g old m edals at the 2024 s an Francisco w orld s pirits Competition ( s F ws C) for its s mall Batch w hite r um and r hum l ouisiane Cane Juice Agricole. And ultimately, the w hite r um was awarded the highest possible accolade, Best of Class for all white rums entered from around the world. The s F ws C is the oldest and largest international spirits competition. e ach year, thousands of spirits are entered and less than 10% receive g old or d ouble g old honors. Best of Class finalists were voted on by a panel of 70 judges to be one of up to five Best e xpressions in its category. “ w e’re honored to receive such prestigious awards, recognizing the hard work and dedication our team pours into every bottle of o xbow r um,” continues s tewart. “ e xpanded distribution means we are able to share our passionately crafted, Cane to g lass™ rums with even
more people, giving them the opportunity to taste one of the best American rums on the market right now.” www. o xbow r um d istillery.com
K hu K ri
Khukri r um, one of n epal’s most iconic brands, is now launching a new Cask s eries premium product to sell in n epal and abroad. The Cask s eries s moked Finish Khukri r um is a limited edition with only about 7,000 bottles, most of it for export and rest to be sold to rum connoisseurs in n epal itself. e ach bottle is numbered and will mention the cask from which it is derived. “ w e are working on taking a classic n epali rum to a new luxury premium brand category, the Cask s eries will only be produced this year with new product ranges in future,” explains s ubash l amichhane, m anaging d irector. n epal d istilleries first started making Khukri r um in 1959 in Balaju and has never stopped. Fermented from molasses in Bara district in the Tarai after the annual sugarcane harvest, the rum is matured for at least eight months after distillation. The distillery bottles the classic Khukri XXX, Coronation Khukri XXX, Khukri w hite r um and Khukri s piced r um. The packaging for the Cask s eries is as special as the process. A sturdy patterned box that opens up to a black glass bottle with gold lettering, and an indication of which cask the rum is from. Khukri is famous for is Coronation r um which comes in the shape of a ceremonial knife. https://www.khukrirum.com/
nusa ca Ñ a
n usa Caña, the Bali rum brand founded by Australian entrepreneur and founder m arc r odrigues in 2016, has officially entered the Australian market after having successfully launched into more than 20 markets globally. i nspired by Bali’s rich rum-making heritage, n usa Caña is a spiced rum made using traditional i ndonesian spices of nutmeg, clove and ginger alongside chocolate, pineapple and coffee. “Batavia Arrack, or i ndonesian rum, was the most popular, exotic and sought-after sugarcane spirit from the 17th to the 19th century,” said m arc r odrigues. “ i ndonesian rum has been produced on the island of Java since the 17th century. i t is made from molasses derived from Javan sugarcane and fermented with red rice, before being distilled in Chinese-style copper pot stills and aged in i ndonesian teak barrels.”
s ince launching in 2016, n usa Caña has grown to become the number-one cocktail rum in i ndonesia, along with being the top selling spirit at Bali airport, where over 200 bottles are sold to visitors daily. The brand has also become one of the top performing rums in g reece and has subsequently continued to expand its footprint across e urope and the us According to r odrigues, n usa Caña is starting to develop momentum more quickly now that it is an established brand in its country of origin. “Time builds credibility and respect in i ndonesia,” he said.”
The longer i ’ve adhered to the values of humility and collaboration, the more respect i ’ve earned, which has been essential in getting things done.”
https://nusacana.com/
The Sweet Business of Sugar
Peru
r egardless of distillation equipment, fermentation method, aging or blending techniques, all rum producers have one thing in common: sugarcane
w ithout sugarcane we would not have sugar mills, countless farmers would not have a profitable crop and we would not have rum!
“ go t rum ?” team inter V ie W
by m argaret Ayala
This issue is lovingly dedicated to our team of “ g ot r um?” collaborators, to r um Central’s o perations and Bottling teams, to all of our suppliers and, of course, our bulk rum and consulting clients!
The rum industry is A wesome because of all of you! l uis and i could not have made it this far without everyone’s help. w e are looking forward to another year of personal and professional growth, while we continue to serve the rum industry.
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 our 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 23 years now and its global readership continues to increase year after year.
sug A r indus T r Y
BArrel
Aging
CooKing rum reviews
CigAr & rum
ChemisTrY hisTorY rum news
• r um Central is now fully operational from its new facility in the famous Texas Triangle, from where we are offering faster turnaround time on bulk rum orders.
• r um Central’s bottling services were launched in 2024, offering increased flexibility to our bulk rum clients. w e can now handle supply chain logistics for our domestic and international clients, from our strategically located warehouses.
• w hile inflation and uncertainty has claimed many craft distillers in the us A in 2024, our investments in infrastructure and logistics have strengthened our position in the market, guaranteeing long-term consistency and scalability for our
bulk rum clients.
• i n 2025 we will unveil The r um u niversity’s new campus, where we will offer a much wider and deeper range of rum training courses. w e will also continue to be m oonshine u niversity’s rum curriculum partner as well, offering public courses in Texas and Kentucky.
• And last, but not least, we are working on new and exciting rums with our clients, stay tuned!
i wish all a very happy holiday season and hope that 2025 brings us all even more good news about our beloved rum industry!
m argaret Ayala
team inter V ie W: P aul senft
by m argaret Ayala
Q: a nother year is coming to an end, which were your favorite (or more surprising) rum reviews in 2024 and why?
This year was certainly a mixed bag as far as rum reviews were concerned, but the ones that really stood out were the w orthy Park 109, m ount g ay e state s eries Two, o xbow e state r um- r hum l ouisiane 2022, and perhaps the biggest was the Crossfire h urricane rum blend.
Q: Distillers and wholesalers/ distributors are facing many challenges this year due to inflation. What have you noticed on the consumer side?
Talking to consumers about the rums that entered the market in 2024 revealed quite a lot of fatigue related to high-end, expensive rums, and some buyers’ remorse related to rums they purchased in 2023. There was a great deal of discussion about flavorful multi-purpose rums that can function well as an affordable cocktail
base and also be an enjoyable sipping rum.
Q: Do you have any rum-centric trips planned for next year?
i f all goes well, i hope to return to Central America, where rum will not necessarily be the focus of my trip but will certainly be a part of it given the right opportunity. i also hope to visit some distilleries and attend some regional and national spirit events.
Q: i s there anything else that you’d like to share with our readers?
i appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my work and who reaches out to discuss rum or one of the spirit events we may have attended together. i have always believed that these subjects are best shared experiences, and it is a pleasure to connect with everyone. i particularly enjoy helping folks plan their rum-related travel experiences and hearing about them after they return.
i n 2025, i hope all of g ot r um?’s magazine readers enjoy a prosperous new year and enjoy their imbibing responsibly.
Cheers!
team inter V ie W: P hili P ili bara K e
by m argaret Ayala
Q: h ow is the economic situation in c hile, particularly as it relates to the hospitality industry? What have you been doing, since selling your bar ( r ed f rog)?
e ver since we sold and temporarily closed r ed Frog in m ay of this year, we’ve experienced things that only other entrepreneurs can possibly know: loss of contact with clients and friends, loss of beloved personnel and a feeling of starting from zero again. All these are simple things, but they take a toll on your feelings. i had ample time to meditate and decide what to do about it. Among all my options, one offer kept me coming back to it, it required “turning the page” and starting from scratch again, it had high expectations and a goal that was still not clearly defined. i t involved my relocation to the end of the world, to the city of Punta Arenas, a tourist destination with a lot of potential, especially given an idea i had been discussing with l uis Ayala,
g ot r um? December 2024 - 58
which was to age rum in the Patagonia. This is why, since o ctober, i ’ve moved here with most of my belongings, living in this beautiful part of the world.
Q: l ast year there were new cigar brands that were introduced into c hile, have they succeeded commercially or is the cigar market showing signs that it is saturated?
There are brands coming and going all the time, Chile is an attractive emerging market in that regard.
As far as rum, the country is not consolidated, not like 20 years ago: today the consumer market is split, with large percentage of it belonging to Pisco (domestic and Peruvian) and to g in (mostly global brands, but also a few domestic ones that are starting to get traction).
The work being done by distributors, including their new strategies (good and bad) represent the new status quo for the brands. r um continues to be a weak category, somewhat abandoned, with the same leading brands, resulting in repetitiveness when it comes to cigar pairings. To summarize, cigar and rum pairings continue to rely on a small group of brands that is not showing much growth.
Q: Do you have any rum/cigar travel plans in the near future?
w hile getting to know this area, i visited several greenhouses growing fruits and local vegetables. Believe it or not, you can still grow interesting harvests in this part of the world, by taking advantage of the daylight hours (very long days in the s ummer).
w hile speaking with a local producer, i mentioned to him the crazy idea of growing tobacco here. s ince they would grow inside greenhouses, it
would only be for leaves for wrappers. As far as sunlight hours, it would be great, but the high humidity poses a problem. w e will need open agriculture land, with controlled humidity, where the leaves could be aged for 1 to 2 months. w e could achieve a unique result, excellent for the industry, so i proposed helping him with this project. Can you imagine if we succeed? A wrapper from the s outhern end of the world, with valuable characteristics beyond the origin itself.
Q: i s there anything else you’d like to share with your fans?
m y decision to relocate to this part of the world boils down to believing that the project is good: start a restaurant from zero and, above all, to kickstart something that i had discussed with l uis and m argaret Ayala many years ago, which is to benefit from the weather and historical attributes of this zone, to create intriguing and attractive rums aged in Patagonia, a place many people want to visit.
Cheers!
team inter V ie W: marco P ierini
by m argaret Ayala
Q: i n this month’s “ r um h istorian” you suggest that this and the next article will wrap up the h istory of c uban r um. i s this correct or will there be additional articles?
Probably i did not explain myself clearly, what i meant was that the d ecember article and the January one will focus on tourism in Cuba during Prohibition. i apologize if that was not clear. i would like to continue my h istory of Cuban r um until the present day. i am not sure whether i will be able to do that, because Cuba is a very difficult country today. w e’ll see, but i certainly would love to.
Q: i n the usa , craft distilleries and distributors struggled to survive this year. h ow is the distilled spirits industry in i taly, in particular, and in e urope in general?
Craft distilling is a relatively new trend in i taly and all over e urope. As
far as i know, it is growing slowly but steadily with new producers arriving in the market. i n i taly some newly born craft distilleries produce gin, whiskey, our typical amari (bitter herbal liqueurs), and also rum. Certainly, the e uropean economy is going through a difficult period, we have two wars at our doorsteps and major competitiveness issues, and this is taking its toll on consumption in general. i know that some economic sectors, like automotive and luxury, are suffering particularly, but it does not seem to me that, for now, the spirit industry is among them.
Q: h ave you noticed any new consumer trends in e urope this year?
n o, i have not noticed new consumer trends. i have to say, though, that my ability to observe the market has been poor for some time. For personal and family reasons, traveling has been difficult for me for the last few years, therefore i no longer have that direct knowledge that only participating in events and visiting cities and countries can give.
Q: i s there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
d oing research and writing about rum and spirits gives me great satisfaction, and i hope my articles are appreciated by our readers. As far as i am concerned, despite the above-mentioned difficulties that make it difficult for me to carry out field research for now, i still have many stories to tell and a great desire to tell them.
team inter V ie W: mi K e K unet K a
by m argaret Ayala
Q: a nother year of rum news has come and gone! Which of this year’s stories stood out to you the most?
First, i think 2024 has to be the Year of the i ndependent Bottler. o ur friends in e urope have always enjoyed an amazing selection of rum that we never saw here in the s tates. n ow, we see offerings from all over the world, from e ric Kaye’s historical h olmes Cay i nfinity to d own i sland’s Paraguay r um. For those of us that can’t afford a 20-year-old Foursquare bottling, there are younger, multi-country blends.
e dward h amilton continues to offer great bottles at a price that doesn’t empty an old retired person’s wallet. Kudos to r aising g lasses for offering affordable, 375ml versions of some of their rums.
s econd, i was saddened to see where the r enegade r um d istillery was for sale. m ark r eynier spent four years and a great deal of money to resurrect rum in g renada. h e was determined
to show the effects of terroir on rum. h e went so far as to create his own sugarcane fields in different parts of the island to show how weather and location can affect the rum. Perhaps some rum company with deep pockets will keep the distillery from fading into rum infamy.
Q: f or this holiday season, have you chosen a “holiday cocktail” for the celebrations?
This year we had friends and family from all over the country join us for Thanksgiving. i decided the drink of choice would be a r um o ld Fashion. But what rum to use? i wanted a rum that would satisfy whiskey drinkers and that could hold up to the sweetness of the simple syrup. i wanted the earthy flavors of a g uyanese rum, but a lot of the popular brands were too sweet. i settled on d enizen’s m erchant d ark and then added some s mith & Cross for a little funk. i made five different blends, varying the proportions of each rum, made the o ld Fashions and let the crowd decide which was best. i t was a lot of fun! o h yeah, and then we ate turkey. l ots of turkey.
Q: Do you have recommendations for must-have stocking stuffers for rumlovers this year?
i always enjoy a good rum book. This year i liked d ave Broom’s r um, The m anual. d ave Broom is an awardwinning author who has been writing about spirits for over 35 years. At 222 pages, r um The m anual does a good job of balancing the history, production, variety and enjoyment of rum. i think it would be a good gift to introduce friends to our wonderful world of rum.
s ome good friends gave me a copy of Fassionola, The Torrid s tory of Cocktails’ most m ysterious i ngredient by g regorio Pantoja and m artin l indsay. Although not a rum book per se, it tells the interesting story of a cocktail ingredient that i had only seen in passing references. l ots of good stories, interesting history and great photos. This is one of those books where you sit by the fireplace, pour a good rum and open the book to some random page and enjoy.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Being at that age, my wife and I lost several family members and good friends this year. Hopefully, without sounding too preachy, I would suggest that this Holiday Season you make a good drink or pour a nice rum and enjoy it with someone close to you that maybe you don’t see very often. Heck, maybe even your Mother-in-Law.
Cheers!
cigar & rum P airing
by Philip i li Barake
my 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; 2024 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
u nique m oment
As i wrote a couple of months ago, i ’ve moved to a magical place in the deep s outh, a r egional Capital along the s trait of m agellan. i am referring to, of course, Punta Arenas, a beautiful place with extreme weathers that can easily go from warm and sunny to snow or horizontal rains in less than 24 hours! i t is a bit unusual but also fascinating. o nce here, i decided that the first cigar i would smoke for a pairing would be the “Cabo de h ornos” ( s panish for “Cape h orn”) from Fuller Cigars. w hile i have used cigars from this brand before, my decision to use this particular one was based on paying homage to the name, given my current location. This is a r obusto, it has a mild to medium strength, it is made with tobacco from the d ominican r epublic. Because of their intensity, these cigars have come in handy in the past, to pair with “plain” rums with typical profiles, such as caramel notes and mild oak (from barrels that have been reused many times). For this pairing i selected a Bristol Classic r um, specifically the Port m orant d emerara r um, distilled in 1999, which makes it a 15 year old g uyanese rum, bottled in the u K. i t has a very similar profile to the rum i want to produce in this part of the world, except that i want to age it in this region, we’ll see how that turns out!
i t is now time to cut the cigar. i reached for a double-guillotine cigar cutter, since i want to have a better draw. Before lighting the cigar, however, i decided to take a sip of the Port m orant 1999: it has a high congener content, heavy alcohols and “heads”. i can already foresee that this pairing will be dominated by the rum throughout, but let’s see how it actually unfolds.
Photos credit: @Cigarili
i lit up the cigar with a butane lighter, since it was impossible to use cedar sticks due to the wind. s urprisingly, the cigar started with a medium intensity, whereas in the past i had always perceived it as lower/ milder. This could be good, to improve the chances of a better pairing with the rum, although i ’m not very optimistic. The draw is excellent, the cigar burns evenly and the ash has a good color too.
As i smoke the first third of the cigar and pair with the rum, the clash is clear and my fears have materialized: the rum overpowers the cigar, begging for a more intense blend of tobaccos. e ven if i change the order between puffing the cigar and sipping the rum, in either case the rum wins, but this is still the first third of the cigar.
As i approached the second third, i had to remove the cigar’s band, since it covers the middle of the cigar and it is better to take it out now than to experience burnt paper fumes later on! The tobacco’s intensity is starting to come across more, but the rum has not diminished its presence, still dominating the pairing with
its heavy alcohols. i can say that, during the second third, the pairing is closer to being more “mainstream,” but my taste buds ask for a stronger cigar. i knew this could happen, but i still had to try it. o ne should never settle with other people’s reviews or comments, it is always best to form our own opinions.
i must say that, even though the result was anticipated, i still had to do this pairing, my first one in this new location, using an aptly named cigar, it was simply epic. i will work on additional pairings, this w inter i will even organize a smokers’ club, for the local residents, so that i can continue educating and training people in the world of tobacco and rum.
i t was definitely a unique experience, worth repeating. i hope that everyone can visit this part of the world someday, i ’ll be here waiting with good cigars and rums!
Cheers!
Philip i li Barake # gr CigarPairing
Photo credit: @Cigarili
