Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Canadian Rum Sets Sail Around the World

     When it comes to aging rum there are as many ideas about how to make it happen as there are types of rum in the world.  Here is one that I have played with a bit as I have a couple of small casks on my boat that have spent the past year plus rocking and rolling with the boat even during Hurricane Irma.  I really interested in seeing how this is going to work out for The Ironworks Distillery.
Ironworks Distillery Rum Being Loaded Aboard the Picton Castle
     The Ironworks Distillery in Nova Scotia has loaded four casks of rum onto a tall ship to mature during the boat’s final round-the-world voyage.   Four casks of the Lunenburg-made rum will spend 15 months travelling around the world aboard the Picton Castle, before being bottled as part of a one-time release in May 2019.   Lynne MacKay, co-owner of Ironworks Distillery, said: “We are very excited to be working with the Barque Picton Castle on this project. We know that rum ages well in an oak barrel and if that barrel is riding the ocean, it will be even better.
     “The idea that our customers will be able to enjoy a Lunenburg-made rum knowing it has sailed around the world on a Lunenburg-based tall ship is quite simply very cool.”  The Picton Castle has made six round-the-world voyages over the years, but this will be the ship’s last adventure with captain Daniel Moreland.
     “This fine cane elixir from Ironworks Distillery, which makes a rum as excellent as any of the very best in the Caribbean, will be snug and secure in the cargo hold for all of our trade wind passages across the South Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans before hoisting it back ashore at our wharf in Lunenburg at the end of the voyage,” said Moreland.   Rum fans will be able to track the progress of the Picton Castle online, where they can also find reports from the ship’s crew as well as the captain’s log of the voyage.