Go2TheKeys: The New App for The Keys

Go2TheKeys, The Definitive Guide to The Florida Keys, Creates New Model for Travel Apps

 

App delivers comprehensive and constantly updated information coupled with an

instructive guide.   It allows tourists to navigate like locals.

 

     Go2TheKeys, the first in a series of localized ‘Go2’ Apps from Flying Fish Interactive, breaks away from the impersonal data intensive approach common in travel Apps. Instead, Go2TheKeys delivers information gathered from a local perspective and then provides a guide in order to make sense of it all.

 

     Go2TheKeys delivers the most up to date and robust information available anywhere, period.  Each of the more than 2,300 listed businesses and points of interest were visited prior to inclusion. Go2TheKeys let’s visitors navigate and enjoy a destination as if they were locals.  “Each business in The Florida Keys represent more than a data point to us. Each is an owners dreams and investments, an employees job and profession, a families income. Each represents a customers memory of a great vacation with family and friends.” Says Carlton Grooms, cofounder and CEO. “We could not create this best in class App for The Florida Keys without having spent time getting to know our neighbors. I think that unique level of commitment and knowledge comes through in the App.”

 

     “Go2TheKeys is a result of applying cutting edge technology and programming in new creative ways.” Said Lee Jones, the co-founder and CTO. “We constantly pushed the envelope of the Apple iOS. We applied our own location based services solutions to create something consumers have never seen. I am personally excited about our proprietary coupon system.”

 

     Go2TheKeys can be used by visitors before their trip to The Florida Keys in order to plan their itinerary and highlight things they want to do and see. Keys businesses will be able to send customized offerings to users based on their interests as they plan their vacation. Once in the Keys, users can easily navigate The Keys, explore points of interest, and take advantage of Go2TheKeys unique coupon system which delivers customized offers to the traveler.   With Go2TheKeys loaded on their iPhone, visitors to The Florida Keys will no longer be lost due to no information or paralyzed by too much information. The App will help lead users off the traditional tourists paths and introduce them to a broader experience in The Keys. It will also help them save significantly more than traditional, non-earth friendly, paper based coupons and advertising.

     Go2TheKeys is now available in the Apple App store for iPhone. The Android version will follow soon. It is being offered for FREE for a limited time.

 

Read More:  http://www.go2thekeys.com

2012 Hurricane Season Becomes a Reality

   


Predicted path for Isaac

Isaac is making the 2012 Hurricane Season a reality for those of us that live in the tropics. It has been several years since we have had to prepare for the reality of a hurricane coming at us here in Key West, but it looks like this one, even though it will only be a minimal one is nevertheless headed our way.

 

     Very few here is taking it lightly, many of the snow birds houses are seeing the hurricane shutters going up and preparation for the blow is well underway at many of the residents. Tomorrow, I will be adding the necessary additional lines and fenders to secure the boat and putting away any loose objects that could blow around and cause damage.

 

     After the dock and the boat have been secured it is time to get all of the preparations for the "voodoo" ritual by residences of the marina to have a party and consume glasses of my magic "Hurricane Bob" cocktail that has been successful at warding off hurricanes for many years. The only really good thing about an approaching hurricane is the "Hurricane Party", and then it's off the where ever we go to ride out the storm and wait for it to pass.
 

     Today is a bit gray, but the sun is still shining and the day will go on here in "paradise" as usual. It is a work day and one that is usually fun, but with the tourists becoming hesitant about heading into the face of an imminent hurricane, this could be a rather slow day at the Rum Bar. If you are here and your preparation is complete it might be a fun afternoon to stop by. We can have a bit of fun and swap some stories. The funny thing about hurricanes is that it doesn't get cold, just windy and rainy. That is exactly what the weather predictions are for Sunday and Monday temps in the upper 80's with rain and windy.
 

     I'll keep everyone aware of what is happening here during the storm as long as the internet is still functioning, and believe me I have an adequate supply of good rum to get me through as I sit on the back of the boat and watch the wind, rain, and the waves. ;o)
 

Plantation 3 Stars White Rum has Arrived

   Cognac Ferrand has introduced its first white rum to the market.     This is a white that I was lucky enough to try as a part of the rum tasting competition at the 2012 Rum Renaissance Festival in Miami last May.   This is an ultra premium white rum that is blended from rums that come from three of the finest rum producing countries in the world, Barbados, Trinidad, and Jamaica.     If you haven't guessed by now, that is where the name comes from, Plantation 3 Stars White Rum.

     Cognac Fernand owner Alexandre Gabriel was quoted as saying," Most white rums on the market today are either too neutral and too vodka-like or too rough and rustic.  We wanted a rum that shows character, elegance, complexity, and a great finish - ideal rum for cocktails."   "This is the beauty of blending."  "You can capture the best of each - Trinidad brings elegance and refinement, Barbados brings character and aromatics with fruit notes without being too heavy, and Jamaica brings the funk, the touch that makes the product complete."

     When Plantation takes on a new project, they do so with a spirit and drive that is not found anywhere else.   It is in the fact that they are finishers of fine rum, and have the ability to finish and blend rums in a way that is unparalleled in the rum world.   This is a perfect example of a rum that the raw materials were sourced from three stars of the rum world and blended in a way to create a rum unlike any other white rum available today.    

     Winner of the most prestigious award of the 2012 Rum Renaissance Festival, this little white rum is destine to become a giant in very short order.     This well balanced flavorful white rum can be an asset to any cocktail, with the addition of very subtle spice and floral notes and a touch of vanilla at the finish.   Plantation 3 Stars White Rum is the next winner in the Plantation arsenal of ultra premium rums.   ;o)

Caribbean Rum Producers "Won't be Bullied" According to WIRSPA

Dr. Frank Ward

     The West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers Association (WIRSPA) will continue to lobby regional governments  looking for a solution to the dispute over the rum subsides to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

    

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Monday, August 20, 2012 - The West Indies Rum & Spirits Producers Association (WIRSPA) is continuing to lobby regional governments to find a resolution to the dispute over unfair subsidies being given to its competitors in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) before ‘terminal damage’ is caused to the industry.

This was made clear by chairman of WIRSPA, Dr Frank Ward, in a release issued this morning (August 20) in which he stressed that the matter required urgent action and early resolution if the rum industry of the Caribbean Forum countries (the Caribbean Community plus the Dominican Republic) were to survive in their present form.

Dr Ward also made veiled opposition to the recently publicised stance by multinational rum producer Diageo that it might re-think its operations in the wider Caribbean if the Caribbean did not stop agitating for an end to the USVI incentives that allowed Diageo’s rum to flow into the US market at a cheaper price than WIRSPA’s member could offer, which Diageo strongly denied was the case. 

“Documented threats have recently been made in public against the rum industry in CARIFORUM countries. Such an approach threatens Caribbean economic sovereignty and suggests a failure by those involved to understand how small nations and their communities react to external hostility whether from multinationals or from governments. Such an approach will only strengthen Caribbean resolve,” stated Ward.

Read more: http://www.caribbean360.com/index.php/news/barbados_news/608248.html#ixzz24CHJYj4t

     Dr. Ward feels that the dispute is truly between the Caribbean independent countries  and the United States , and not between the rum producers.  It is in the area where ambassadors from thee countries must sit down and figure out what is really est ofr all involved.  This is something that need to be settled sooner rather than later, if not there could be some serious damge done to the growth of a spirit that has made some monumental steps forward in the past decade.   

Study shows marriage stops men drinking – as their wives hit the bottle instead

Marriage appears to drive women to drink but has the opposite effect on men, a study has suggested.

 

By John Bingham, Social Affairs Editor

 

Far from encouraging men to patronise a local pub to escape from domestic duties, marriage actively reduces their alcohol intake, according to research being presented at the American Sociological Association today.

However, the effect on women of walking down the aisle appears to be the opposite.

The researchers found that married women generally drink more heavily than single women, widows or divorcees.

By contrast, men who are happily married drink less than their bachelor friends and significantly less than divorced men.

The reason, the researchers conclude, is that while women can help keep their husbands’ drinking habits under control, men are simply a bad influence on their wives.

Read More at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9482871/Study-shows-marriage-stops-men-drinking-as-their-wives-hit-the-bottle-instead.html .

     This is an interesting revelation, after years of country songs talking about husbands out all night and getting drunk, it turns out that today women's freedoms have driven them to out drink the husbands.     It just might be that the marriage has drive the women to drink and the men to focus more giving them less time for hanging out and drinking.    This leads me to believe that married men are much calmer emotionally and marriage is tending to stress women for some reason, anyway an interesting article on the Mars and Venus ideas of the difference between men and women.   ;o)

  

 

What a Concept!!

I guess that at some time or another that this idea as crossed your mind.

The Things that Surround Us that We Never See

Hermit Crab

Isn't it funny how we walk around every day and so many things that we don't even see.  I took the camera out recently and started looking for things to photograph, when it dawned on me to look a little closer.   These are some of the things that I found.  As you walk around you are usually in the scan mode and really don't see anything but things that you are about to trip over, but when you really start looking there are many things around you that are truly beautiful.

Unusual Plant



Lizard

Passion Flower

Try it, just look at your environment, you'll be surprised at what will appear around you when you take some time to look.    Notice your world, it is very enjoyable no matter where you are.  ;o)

Diageo seems to be Approaching Jamaica Differently

   Diageo has taken a different approach toward Jamaica in the Caribbean Rum Wars.   Diageo is seeking some support from Claredon Distillers Limited in reaching out to the West Indies Rum and Spirit Producers Association (WIRSPA) after last week's  statement, "The company warned last week that it was prepared to re-evaluate its operations in the Caribbean were regional rum producers to play hardball and file a dispute with the World Trade Organization (WTO)."    Diageo has a very good relationships in Jamaica and no plans  to change these during it's current contract terms.    

"Diageo said it recently invested significantly in renovating Clarendon Distillers, in which it has about 27 per cent ownership.

Clarendon Distillers, which is controlled by National Rums of Jamaica, is the producer of Monymusk White Overproof Rum.

"Indeed, we are actively seeking support from Clarendon to help us access some of WIRSPA's leadership to understand their issues," the company said." in an article of Autust 15, 2012 in the Jamaica Gleaner."

     Diageo was asked what its position on re-evaluating of its Caribbean interests with respect to the current conflict, Diageo said, "the terms of these contracts vary and we take pride in having positive relationships with our chosen suppliers. However, when contracts come up for renewal, we do re-evaluate them - which is sensible business."   Replacing the rum once supplied by Seralles Distilleria in Ponce Puerto Rico with rum produced in their own distillery in St. Croix was one of the decissions they had to make for the sake of the business. 

     Diageo is currently purchasing bulk rum in very large amounts from producers in Barbados and Guyana.   The truth of the matter is that they are purchasing, "the same amount of rum the  Caribbean that the WIRSPA reports that it's members export to the United States market."     The idea of the"cover over program" is not a new issue, it has been in place since 1917 when Congress enacted it to stablize the economy and offer fiscal autonomy to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

     I'm not sure where this battle is going to head next, but I feel that the two groups need to spend some more time together until something can be worked out.   ;o)

2012 National Rum Day

Hemingway Daiquiri

    National Rum Day is the day you get to go out and experience the varieties of fine sugar cane spirits.     Rum has made an impressive renaissance if you will in the past 5 or so years.    Now knocking on the door of Vodka as the most sought after liquor these days here in America .     Rum is one of the most versatile spirits in that it mixes very well or can be enjoyed in a snifter or with just a couple of cubes of ice.   There are many classic cocktails that were made with rum and became popular as a part of the "Tiki Era" of the late thirties til the early eighties.   Others like the Hurricane and the Rumrunner that were created to get rid of a stocks of rum and other liquors that the bar owner had to buy in the early days after World War II in order to receive a case whiskey or scotch.

     Today with the resurgence of the craft cocktails and the Tiki style cocktails it is only natural that the rum is going to be a huge part of it.    Rum is a spirit that has many faces and likes showing all of them.  There are no two rums out there that taste alike, this is what makes the craft and tiki mixologists flock toward rum to create their masterpieces.  Rum has the reputation of being the fun spirit and seems to be the spirit of choice for fun events and cocktails.

    The other side of rum is one of sophistication and relaxation.   Fine rums are the perfect drink to sit and enjoy after dinner or just relaxing on the water in the evening.    Today there is a large market for rums of sophistication that can be enjoyed like fine cognacs and scotches have been in the past.    The fine rums of today are being used to celebrate the anniversary of fifty years of  Independence for Jamaica, 150 years of the Bacardi family producing rum, or 100 years of the Valera Hermanos family making rum in Panama.  This is an indication of the strength of the spirit in the modern world today.

     There are several methods for you to get to know rums here today.  You can stop by and visit with Martin Cates at Smuggler's Cove on Gough Street in San Francisco, Adam Kanter at the Rum Bar on Walnut Street in Philadelphia, or stop by and see me at the Rum Bar on Duval Street in Key West.   Any of us are very knowledgeable on the subject of sugar cane spirits and would love to assist you getting to know the rums of the world.    The other method that is easily accomplished is to go on line and see what Robert Burr can show you in his booklet "Rob's  Rum Guide" http://www.giftedrums.com/ .

   National Rum Day offers chances to get to know what your newest favorite spirit is all about and courtesy of Crave Local.com, here is an interesting video and some recipes making use of Rhum Barbancourt products and some of my Rum Lab creations for your pleasure.   ;o)

http://cravelocal.com/national/key-west-bahama-bob-shares-his-favorite-cocktails-for-national-rum-day/



    

Tulum: The Mayan Walled City

Temple of the Descending God

     Tulum, The Walled City, served as a major seaport for the "Pre-Columbian Era" Mayans serving the city of Coba.   The original name for Tulum was "Zama" meaning the "City of Dawn", because of it easterly facing orientation on the 39 foot cliffs and overlooking the Caribbean Sea.   Most active between the 13th and 16th centuries, although the earliest dated item is A.D. 564.  The Mayan city managed to survive some 70 years after the Spanish began occupying Mexico.   Unfortunately it was the "Old World" diseases that were to bring the native Mayans into extinction.

     There are three major structures on the site, The Temple of the Descending Gods, El Castillo, and the Temple of the Frescoes.   The architecture of the site is recognized by the step foundations at the base of the structures and the similarity of the structures to those at Chichen Itza, but on a much smaller scale.   

     The largest structure on the site is "El Castillo" or the Castle a structure that can be seen from the sea or from inland.   It is the dominant structure of the site, although the shrine appears to have been built upon another structure.   El Castillo was  used as a beacon to guide canoes into the port.  There is a break in the reef exactly opposite "El Castillo" and it is in front of the break in the cliffs that provided the perfect location for any trading to take place.   Artifacts in the area indicate that trading at the site was one of the primary functions of Tulum.

     The Temple of the Frescoes was primarily used as an observatory to track the movement of the sun.  The Temple of the Frescoes has a lower gallery and a smaller second story observatory.  Like the other buildings of the site, the architecture is classic Mayan.

    Like Chichen Itza, Coba, and the other Mayan ruins that are located throughout the Mayan Riviera, Tulum is probably one of the more spectacular to see because of it's proximity to the Caribbean sea and the towns of Cancun and Cozumel.   It is a short hour and a half bus ride from the Hotel zone in Cancun to the site and a real pleasure to wander through the ruins and wonder at what the Mayan people accomplished with so few tools.   I guess it is the enormity of the entire Mayan cities and the engineering marvels that they constructed that keeps me in aah of the Mayans.   ;o

Diageo Fires Warning Shots Back at CARICOM

        In the Caribbean Business Newspaper come the next step in the rum wars in the Caribbean over the U.S. rum subsidies.    Diageo is firing back with some warnings of it's own.

      Diageo is warning that it would be forced to “re-evaluate” its operations in the region if Caribbean Community & Common Market (Caricom) nations hike their challenge of sweet subsidies Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are offering rum makers with federal funds.

     Officials from the 15-member Caricom have been complaining to U.S. officials about the subsidies since last spring. Countries are now considering making formal complaints about the issue before the World Trade Organization (WTO). Such a serious move in the multi-front Caribbean rum war could imperil the lucrative federal rum-rebate program that pumps hundreds of millions of dollars into both territories each year.

     The widening rum war first broke out between Puerto Rico and the USVI when Diageo moved production of Captain Morgan rum from Ponce (where it was made under contract by Destilería Serrallés) to St. Croix after landing huge incentives from the USVI government, which basically split the rum-rebate revenue between the government and the liquor producer. The USVI also entered into a similar deal with Fortune Brands, which produces Cruzan rum in St. Croix.
  Read More: http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/news03.php?nt_id=74973&ct_id=1&ct_name=1.
    

However, Diageo told BeverageDaily.com “ that the amount of bulk rum it buys from members of the West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers Association (WIRSPA) is equal to the trade group’s reported exports to the U.S. market”.

     Diageo said rum exports to the U.S. by Caricom countries climbed 39 percent for the first four months of the year, BeverageDaily.com reported.

     “These valuable relationships could be disrupted by a Caricom challenge at the WTO, which would force to re-evaluate its activities in the Caribbean,” Diageo told BeverageDaily.com.

     “This means that Diageo is not flooding the U.S. market with rum,” Diageo told BeverageDaily.com. “And Diageo’s premium rum doesn’t compete with, much less displace, the bulk rum produced by WIRSPA members.”

This is a complicated problem that is effecting much of rum world, and one that if it goes much beyond talk, could disrupt the world of rum in a way that it might have trouble recovering from.      Rum is in an up surge in popularity and many of the great rums are hard to get here in the United States without there being further restrictions upon the industry due to political issues.   ;o)

Oliver and Oliver: Cuban Background Dominican Rum

  Having rum brands like Vizcaya, Cubaney, and Opthumus,  Oliver and Oliver is producing some of the finest rums in the world from their Dominican Republic plant.   These rums all have a very strong Cuban heritage that stems from the late 18th century.

     Juanillo Oliver arrived in Cuba from Spain as a soldier and started his family on the island of Cuba in the late 1700's.   Upon the completion of his military obligation, he decided to settle in Central Cuba in an area know today as "Oliver" near Las Placetas.     Here is where the family was raised and the beginning of the operation that lead to the production of sugar cane and tobacco began.  They would later on added companies to process their cane and tobacco, including the making of rum and brandy.    By the middle of the 1800's their rums were considered to be among the best in the world.   The Cuban War of Independence in 1895 brought the family rum and agricultural efforts to an end.   The soldiers razed the factories and burned the sugar cane fields as they fought the battles in central Cuba.     During the Cuban Revolution that began in 1959, the Oliver Family left Cuba and relocated throughout the world.   In 1980, one of Juanillo Oliver's descendants returned to Cuba to research the family history.   He discovered many of the old files and documents that revealed the old recipes and formulas used to make rum by the family in the 19th century.

      Since the Dominican Republic shared a like soil and weather with Cuba, it was decided that the family would set up a new rum factory and bring the family dream of producing rum again to fruition.  In 1990 the first year that rum was produced and after almost 100 years, fine quality Cuban rums were being produced again by the Oliver Family.

   Oliver and Oliver today makes many fine rums with distillates from Panama, and Trinidad. The aging is done in Bourbon barrels from the United States and sherry barrels from France.    Master blenders from Cuba relocated to the Dominican Republic and other artisan rum makers were put together to form the team that today makes the fine Cuban style rums produced by Oliver and Oliver.

Clouds:

  

"Bows and flows of angel hair, And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere, I've looked at clouds that way

But now they only block the sun, They rain and snow on everyone
So many things I would have done, But clouds got in my way

I've looked at clouds from both sides now, From up and down, and still somehow
It's cloud illusions I recall, I really don't know clouds at all."

      In the words of Joni Mitchell's Immortal song, I can say, I've looked at clouds from the ground and in the air, and even from the inside out, but I really don't know clouds at all.

Sugar and Barbados

     The history of Barbados has been steered by the story of sugar.    In the 18th century, the British were consuming sugar at a tremendous rate and the Island of Barbados was responsible for a lot of the sugar production in that era.     There were several sugar plantations growing the sugar cane on the island and factories that were processing it.     The need for manpower for the industry led to the importing of slaves from Africa from the early 1700's until the early 1800's, and soon after, the sugar for slaves and rum began.     The sugar production in Barbados provided 90% of it's exports.    By the onset of the industrial revolution a lot of the labor intensive work was being performed in factories by machines and the use of the slaves was being relegated to the fields cutting the cane.

     St. Nicolas Abbey was one of the sugar plantations of the era that today is being meticulously restored by Larry Warren and his family.   This magnificent property was originally owned by two men, Col. Benjamin Berringer and Sir John Yeamans.   They each had plantations that were adjoining, but disputes had occurred over the property line on a regular basis.    As it would turn out Berringer and his wife would split up and Yeamans married the former Mrs. Berringer after Benjamin's death which occurred under some questionable circumstances.   The two plantations were merged and have been since that time.   The 350 plus acres make up the St. Nicolas Abbey today.

    Like in the past much of the land is devoted to growing sugar cane that is processed in the factory that is operating  on the property today.  The major difference is that the cane juice is made directly into rum instead of being processed into sugar.    The still and the cane crushing machinery are a very interesting part of our tour of the property.  

     As you move through the Jacobean style great house, the opulence of the sugar barons of the era is so apparent.   The fabulous living room, dining room, and study make it clear how well off they really were.    The plantation gets better and better with each year that I have visited and the opening of new areas to the public reveals the elite lifestyle they lived.

     Today the Warren's are making high quality rum at the plantation that you can purchase and have the bottle engraved to and your own preference.    Larry and his family has spent a great deal of money putting the plantation back together so the visitors to Barbados can have a glimpse of the life on the plantations back in the hay day of sugar production on Barbados.

     Just down the hill from St. Nicolas Abbey is the Andrews Sugar plantation where you can see a fully restored wind mill for crushing sugar cane.    There is also a sugar museum on the island that takes you through the history and a chance to see a plant that actually produce sugar.   In the Museum you are introduced to several of the early pieces of equipment used to produce the sugar and how the process is accomplished.


This history of the sugar production on Barbados is key to the rum industry that still flourishes on Barbados and is the source of pride for the Bajan people who feel that they produce some of the finest rums in the world as well as being among the originators of rum.   ;o)

150 Years of Rhum Barbancourt

     Rhum Barbancourt is probably the only stable entity in Haiti.  Over the past 150 years they have had thirty-two rulers toppled, the presidential palace burned twice and again is lying in ruins.    A country that has had the United States troops running the country many times.   In the past 150 years the only thing  that stands stably in the country is Rhum Barbancourt.

     In 1862, Dupre Barbancourt, a native of Charente, France, finalized his recipe for a rum that still bears his name.    This double distilling method called "Charentaise" was reserved especially for cognac but became destined to be the method for an internationally awarded Rhum recognized around the world.

Thierry Gardere

     Upon Dupre's passing he left no heir, but passed the company on to Nathalie Gardere, who managed the company with the assistance of her nephew, Paul Gardere.     The company was passed to from Nathalie to Paul upon her passing.
In 1946, Paul's passing gave the company reins  to his son Jean, who managed the company until 1990 when he passed it on to his son Thierry, becoming the 4th generation of the Gardere family to run the company.

     Barbancourt had produced rhum continuously for 148 years prior the the January 12, 2010 earthquake that devastated Haiti.    Gardere expected major damages to his aging areas and that stocks would be lost.   Nearly a third of the 800 barrels of rhum flowed on to the ground.  The first order of business was to put the aging rooms back into order.  Repairing and replacing the damages oak barrels was the first order of business.   Many of the barrels that were not to severely damaged were repaired using pieces from the badly damaged ones.  More barrels were brought in from France to replace the more severely damaged ones.  The distillery's workers  wasted no time in repairing the facility, by May the plant was producing and bottling rhum again.

     The strength of leadership and the desire and pride of the workers have brought Rhum Barbancourt back from the brink and producing the same quality products that it always has.   If you haven't tried any of the fine Rhum Barbancourt products, you owe it to yourself to pick up a bottle and enjoy the fruits of this 150 year old recipe.   ;o)

    

Captain Tony Tattacino: Tomorrow is His Birthday and Captain Tony Days are Underway in Key West

     Captain Tony Tarracino born August 10, 1916 in Elizabeth, New Jersey in the midst of the world at war for the first time.   This  ninth grade drop-out who sold whiskey during the Prohibition days with his father, later becoming a gambler that drew the wrath of the New Jersey Mafia, beaten and left for dead at a Newark city dump, waking up some two days later he relocated to Key West in 1948.

     Starting his life in Key West as a shrimper, later a charter boat captain, and even a gun runner for the Cuban mercenaries during the Bay of Pigs in Cuba.    1958 was the year that Tony Tarracino bought the rundown bar at 428 Greene Street from David Wolkowski and marked the beginning of Captain Tony's Saloon.

    Tony was the father of 13 children that span 50 years from the oldest to the youngest with three wives, Mimi, Mae and Shirley.   When he was 78 in an interview with Tom Archdeacon of the Dayton Daily News, was quoted as saying, "Now truth is , I'd like to make it an even number.   So if you know a healthy girl up there in Dayton."     Tony out lived all three of his wives and one of his sons.    The legendary hustler was said, "I kissed the mothers, not the babies" during his runs for Mayor of Key West.    Mayor of Key West for one term in 1989 after six tries won the seat by 32 votes out of 6,000 votes cast.

     Captain Tony's Saloon has been the starting point for Jimmy Buffett, and the stools bear the names of the famous people like, Shel Silverstein, Muhammad Ali, Dustin Hoffman, Bob Dylan, John Candy, and so many others who came to listen the the salt of the earth philosophy and tales spun by Captain Tony.

     Captain Tony has touched my life from the first time that I walked through the door in the mid 90's and saw him sitting on his stool by the souvenir counter telling tales and signing the breasts of a long line of ladies.  His immortal poster that bears the quote,"All you need in this life is a tremendous sex drive and a great ego.  Brains don't mean shit".   The poster hung in my bar in North Carolina until I moved to Key West to live my current life on the boat.   The man, the legend, and the family man are all covered in the book"Life Lessons of a Legend" by Captain Tony Tarracino and Brad Manard.   His spirit still flies over Key West daily in the form of his image on the side of the Cape Air plane that leaves Key West daily for Fort Myers and returns.

     This week we celebrate Captain Tony's life and tales during Captain Tony Days here in Key West.   Happy Birthday Captain Tony, where ever you may be today.    He was quoted when asked about where he thought he would be going, "Truth is, when that angel finally does appear and says 'Hey Tony what'll it be - heaven or hell? I'm gonna ask, How 'bout Vegas instead?"    I guess that really says a lot about the man and the legend, and how his mind worked.  We truly miss him here in Key West since his passing on 1 November 2008, the day after the end of Fantasyfest.    ;o)

Ron Matusalem: Cuban Heritage and The Same Fine Rum

     Known as the "Cognac of Rums", Ron Matusalem Gran Reserva is still to this day one of the finest rums in the world.   How did this happen?   It stated in 1872 when Benjamin and Eduardo Camp joined up with Evaristo Alvarez to establish the Matusalem Rum Distillery in Santiago de Cuba.    The brothers Camp brought the knowledge of the Spanish solera system of blending and distillation they acquired from making brandy in Spain.    The name was derived from an Old Testament patriarch who was said to have lived 969 years.     An old Spanish proverb,"Mas viejo que Matusalem", which translates to "Older than Methuselah" is the source of the name and chosen in reference to the aging process used in creating the rum.

     Benjamin Camp returned to Spain in 1912 leaving the company operation to his brother Eduardo and Evaristo Alvarez.   The Alvarez and the Camp became closer following the marrage of Evaristo Alvarez's daughter to Eduardo Camp's son.    The company grew  under the leadership of  Claudio Alvarez LeFebre for the next 25 years.   Prohibition in the United States did a lot for the growth of Cuba's rum industry as Americans flocked to Cuba to enjoy their rum.     In the 1940's Claudio's son Claudio Alvarez Soriano took control of the company and under his leadership Matusalem had 50% of Cubas rum business.     In 1956 the Alvarez family was struck by disaster when the elder Alvarez passed away followed 6 months later by his son dieing of lung cancer.

     Following the Cuban Revolution, the Matusalem Brand and the family went into exile and the company was moved to the United States and the Matusalem factory in Santiago de Cuba was prducing "Ron Santiago".      The brand was left neglected until Dr. Claudio Alvarez Salazar, the great grand son of the founder took control of the company ending years of fueding  between the three branches of the family.

     In 2002 the company relaunched in the Dominican Republic and started producing premium rums from the Caribbean.   Today  the Matusalem Rums are being blended by master blenders that are all direct decedents of the founders of the company.  The rum is still being ared and blended in the solera system in  barrels just like it was produced back in the early days in Cuba.

    

     The Cuban government tried to produce Matusalem again, but after a legal battle it disappeared and has not been seen since.      After many years of rums being produced in Puerto Rico, The Bahamas, and in Florida, the Matuslem Brand has a perminant home from where to produce it's premium rums once again.   ;o)