2015 National Rum Day

     Today is going to be a very special one, It is National Rum Day.  Today's "Rum Church" at the Rum Bar in Key West is celebrating all of the fine rums we have on our shelves these days.  If you are around today stop by and enjoy some the 246 different expressions that we have to offer you.

     The still below is a wood fired pot still that goes back to the early days of rum making in the Caribbean.  This is the basis of how we are able to enjoy all of the fine rums we have and enjoy every day.  

Chillin' Time with Siesta Key, Rum That Is.

     Taking a couple of days off just east of Key West at Bahia Honda State Park, I felt this was a
perfect place and time to try the two new bottles of Siesta Key Rum that just arrived yesterday.  Siesta Key Distiller's Reserve Solera Blend and The Beer Barrel Finish Limited Edition Spiced Rum Series are on the agenda for today.

     There is no better place to enjoy some nice rum than on the boat at a beautiful locale like Bahia Honda.  Today is a beautiful sunshine with blue skies and a few wispy white clouds to add dimension to the skies.  All of this feels good with the fine tastes of these two rums.  Neat is ideal, but in the warmth of the tropics a couple of cubes of ice doesn't hurt the flavor one bit.  The creamy flavor the honey and spice adds to the flavor of the smooth rum makes both of these rums wonderful as I let the day drift away in the sun.

     It seems that these guys at Siesta Key can't do anything wrong these days.  First the Distiller's Reserve, then the Toasted Coconut, and now the Limited edition Beer Barrel Finish.  I'm always excited when Troy and the gang at Drum Circle Distillery sit down and create a new expression.   Thanks, these two new expressions really made my days off in Bahia Honda just perfect.

2015 California Rum Festival

     The 2015 California Rum Festival will be taking place on September 12th at the Terra Gallery in San Francisco.   This is shaping up to be a great event with seminars by Ian Burrell, Richard Seale, Nicholas Ferris and Dean Serneel.   The tastings of so many fine rums, and getting to talk to the ambassadors from the rum produces from all over the world.

     The festival is broken up into two sessions.   The Spirit Industry Session consist of a 2 hour program offering industry professional the opportunity to: Network with brand representative, attend training seminars, taste a wide variety of rums Mingle with industry colleagues.    The Rum Aficionados "General Admission" Session consist of a 3 hours program offering the attendees the opportunity to Taste new rums, attend brand seminars, enjoy pleasant music and view mixology/flair show.

If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area on September 12th, make an effort to get by the Terra Gallery and see this fun and educational event.  This is a brand new tum Festival and has the potential to be one of the premier events here in America.  ;o)

Saint James Rum Will Celebrate 250 Years with a Commemorative Bottling of Saint James Cuvée 1765.

     St. James is celebrating their 250th Anniversary this year and has announced a very special launched the commemorative Saint James Cuvée 1765 bottling, in homage to the original 1765 style and recipe.   It is described as the “epitome” of the brand’s range. Saint James’ Rhum Agricole is still produced on the Caribbean Island, which has the only rum AOC – a decree for the “controlled destination of origin” – in the world.
expression for the occasion.   They
    

     St. James, which is one of the oldest in the world , will also host a series of festivities on its home island of Martinique, where it first began producing rum in 1765.   This, the brand claims, “ensures the quality” of the rum, which can only be produced from cane grown in the decree’s authorized areas.   Saint James says it was the first rum to create vintage-specific blends, and the first to design the square bottle, in order to “maximize storage and minimize breakage” on sea voyages to its primary export markets.   A statement from the brand read: “Saint James Rum is and has always been committed to quality, heritage, innovation and traditional expertise.

    One of the oldest rum makers in the world and still to this day producing high quality rums  250 years later.  This is a wonderful expression and a proper on to the occasion.   I hope that you get the opportunity to taste this fine example of the AOC rum process.  ;o)

 

A Visit to Cayman Spirits Company Distillery

     No trip for me would be complete without a visit to the Cayman Spirits Company Distillery in Georgetown.  It was good to see my friend Walker Romanica and the crew again.  It looks like we are
going to be able to bring the Seven Fathom Rum back to the Rum Bar in Key West very soon.  The Distributor is in Florida and as soon as all of the formalities are taken care of we will be putting it back on the shelf again.


     There has been some expansion of the stills and they are making some other spirits as well as the rums.   They have added a line of liqueurs and vodka to their inventory.  This is a unique vodka, because it is made from sugar cane.   The are in the process of adding a single estate rum to the list of rum expressions as well.



    

Museo del Ron - Santiago de Cuba

Bacardi Rum Factory Model

     This is one of the most interesting museums of Rum that I have visited.  It is not a glamorous
place, but rather austere, but has a lot of historical information that I haven't been able to find in other places.   I covers the rum industry not only in Santiago de Cuba, but the rest of Cuba as well.   There is a lot of good information about the Bacardi family's contribution as well as several other rum producers.  There is a great display showing the Cooperage tools and the "cooper" at work cutting barrel staves.

     "Encased in a handsome townhouse, it has a bar below so hidden away it's reminiscent of a speakeasy, but with a knowledgeable bartender on hand to serve you up their 'recommendations"



Maestros de Ronero in Santiago de Cuba

     The host was very knowledgeable on the history and the people that made Santiago de Cuba the true rum capital of Cuba.  It seems to be true even today.  The former Bacardi factory is still producing the finest rums in Cuba including the newly released Havana Club 15 Year Old.  The Santiago de Cuba brand rums are definitely among my favorites.  His knowledge of not only the Bacardi family's history, but the rest of the families that made Santiago de Cuba and the rest of Cuba a great rum country.



Ron Palau an early Rum Producer in Santiago de Cuba

     With Cuba becoming more and more accessible to Americans, Santiago de Cuba is a city that needs to be put high on the list of places to visit.  Whether your interests are rum or history, this city is packed with both.  The Museo del Ron is located in Santiago de Cuba at Bartolome Maso Number 358. 


Rum Distilleries in Cuba



2015 Edition of Papa Andres is Announced

     It is always exciting to hear about the introduction of the newest expression of Papa Andres luxury rum from the family's private reserves.  This is an exciting year because it was blended for the first time by a female blender.  There will be only 1,000 decanters of their fine luxury rum available for sale at a price of $1500.00 US each.  All profits are donated to the Brugal Foundation, which aims to support development and reduce poverty in the Dominican Republic.

 

     This year’s Alegría edition was created by the family’s first female master blender, Jassil Villanueva Quintana.   Papá Andrés is a luxury rum from the Brugal family’s private reserve named in honor of the company’s founding father, Don Andrés Brugal Montaner.   This year’s edition is named Alegría – which means “joy” in English – and has been crafted by master blender Jassil Villanueva Quintana, a fifth generation member of the Brugal family.   The Alegría decanters were designed by acclaimed Spanish designer Javier Mariscal, inspired by” the color and warmth of the Dominican Republic and its people”, to capture the feeling of “alegría de vivid”, which translates as ‘joy in living’.   In keeping with the theme, each decanter is hand-painted by students from The Altos de Chavon School of Design in La Romana.

     It is described as “viscous and silky on the palate, a well-balanced rum with subtle, light, sweet notes of vanilla and Sherry”.   Marisca has also illustrated a collectors book to accompany the expression, described as “a unique way to discover the story of Papá Andrés – and the story of Brugal itself”.

     Since the company was founded in 1888, each generation of the family has put a small amount of their “most exceptional” rums aside.   Since 2013, a small portion of the rum is extracted from the resting casks and used to blend the limited edition Papá Andrés bottling which is then made available to the public.   The cask is then replenished with a selection of that year’s best aged rums, and laid down again.

You can read more about this at http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2015/08/edrington-unveils-2015-edition-of-papa-andres-rum/

 

    

Visiting Mom in Raynham

Carol Leonard, my Mother
 

     This week was a busy one, but I did get to spend a day with my mother on Tuesday up in Raynham, Massachusetts.  It was a great chance to see her and spend some time together.  We had a great lunch in town and got home just ahead of the rain.  I did enjoy seeing her and spending the afternoon talking and reminiscing.  The old house and yards look wonderful especially on a rainy summer afternoon.

The Family Farm in Raynham

2015 LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRITS COMPETITION RUM RESULTS

     The Los Angeles International Wine and Spirits Competition awards many different spirits, wines and mixers.  Today on this blog the interest is in what rums did well in the competition.   Below are the winners in the Rum Category.

BEST OF CATEGORY - RUM 

Cruzan Black Strap Rum

Rum (Cane Spirits), Dark (Unflavored) $17.99

94 Points  

GOLD MEDALS 

Cruzan Black Strap Rum

Rum (Cane Spirits), Dark (Unflavored) $17.99

94 Points 

Cruzan Single Barrel Rum

Rum (Cane Spirits), Gold/Amber (Unflavored) $29.99

93 Points

Blue Water Caribbean Gold Rum

Rum (Cane Spirits), Spiced Rum $24.00

92 Points

Bacardi 1873 Solera

Rum (Cane Spirits), Gold/Amber (Unflavored) $22.99

91 Points

Reed & Lacey California Gold

Rum (Cane Spirits), Overproof Rum $46.49

91 Points  

Richland Rum

Rum (Cane Spirits), Rhum Agricole (Unflavored) $60.00

91 Points

Sugar Island Coconut Rum

Rum (Cane Spirits), Rum (Flavored) $19.99

91 Points

Bacardi Reserva Limitada

Rum (Cane Spirits), With indication of age (Unflavored) $109.99

90 Points 

SILVER MEDALS

 Bacardi 8

Rum (Cane Spirits), With indication of age (Unflavored) $22.99 

Bacardi Gold

Rum (Cane Spirits), Gold/Amber (Unflavored) $14.99  

Bacardi Oakheart

Rum (Cane Spirits), Spiced Rum $22.99

BlackMask Spiced Pacific Rum

Rum (Cane Spirits), Spiced Rum $14.00

Cruzan Aged Dark Rum

Rum (Cane Spirits), Dark (Unflavored) $11.99

Marauda Rum Steelpan

Rum (Cane Spirits), Dark (Unflavored) $35.00

Sammy's Beach Bar Rum Red Head

Rum (Cane Spirits), Rum (Flavored) $24.99

Shellback Rum Silver

Rum (Cane Spirits), White (Unflavored) $17.00 

Shellback Rum Spiced

Rum (Cane Spirits), Spiced Rum $17.00

Sugar Island Spiced Rum

Rum (Cane Spirits), Spiced Rum $19.99

Tiburon Rum

Rum (Cane Spirits), Gold/Amber (Unflavored) $34.99

Zaya Rum

Rum (Cane Spirits), Dark (Unflavored) $34.99 

 BRONZE MEDALS

 Cruzan Aged Light Rum

Rum (Cane Spirits), Gold/Amber (Unflavored) $11.99

El Ron Prohibido Rum

Rum (Cane Spirits), Rum (Flavored)

Rogue Hazelnut Spiced Rum

Rum (Cane Spirits), Spiced Rum $35.15

 

PACKAGING AWARD

El Ron Prohibido Rum

Rum (Cane Spirits), Rum (Flavored)

Container- Silver

Shellback Rum Spiced

Rum (Cane Spirits), Spiced Rum $17.00

Illustration- Bronze

Sugar Island Coconut Rum

Rum (Cane Spirits), Rum (Flavored) $19.99

Illustration- Gold

Yellow Bird, Mystery Cocktail of the Caribbean

Yellow Bird Chilled

     Named for a song written by Haitian songwriter, named after the song Yellow Bird, the English version of the Haitian song Choucoune written by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Keith, and popularized by Jamaican singer Harry Belafonte, The Yellow Bird has kind of disappeared from modern cocktail menus.   It has many versions that seem to be the version of the locale from which you find it.  There seems to be no one claiming to be the one that invented, but its home is definitely the Caribbean.  

     The version I like the best is one of the simpler ones, and served daiquiri style in a cocktail glass.  There are frozen versions as well as ones served on the rocks, but I think the intent of the cocktail was to be chilled and served in a cocktail glass.

Yellow Bird on the Rocks

   The Yellow Bird

• 1 1/2 oz. Diolomatico Blanco Rum
• 1/2 oz.    Galiano Liqueur
• 3/4 oz.    Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao
• Juice of 1/2 Fresh Lime

Place all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake until really chilled.  Strain into a cocktail glass or a rocks glass filled with fresh ice  Garnish with a cherry and a lime wheel.

     There are some versions that use Banana Liqueur and orange juice and pineapple juice or even crème of coconut, but this seems to be the one that most of the reputable sources use.  I tried one made with Plantation Pineapple Rum, it is also absolutely incredible.   Try some experimenting to get it to your taste, it is a really great summer cocktail.   ;o)
 

Remy Cointreau buys Mount Gay Rum Plantation

Plantation that is now a part of Mount Gay

     Remy Cointreau has acquired a 134-hectare plantation in Barbados, for its Mount Gay rum brand.  The historical Mount Gay plantation is situated around the distillery and it was the distillery's domain in the 18th century.  The plantation will be used to create a  "luxury terroir rum".

      Valérie Chapoulaud-Floquet, CEO of the Rémy Cointreau Group, said: "We saw this unique opportunity as a sign to pursue our goal to create a true luxury rum brand.  "Here in Barbados, we now gather together all the elements to foster the legacy of Mount Gay Distilleries: authenticity, history and terroir, with a single-estate rum, a genuine Barbados historical 'château'."    The company recently reported "healthy growth" for the brand.

Plantation Rum Reveals New Look

French drinks group Cognac Ferrand has revealed a bottle redesign for its Plantation Dark Rum, at the same time as announcing a new distribution partnership with Identity Drinks Brands.

     Cognac Ferrand has altered both the recipe and bottle design of its Plantation Original Dark  
Rum.   As well as a refreshed bottle design, Cognac Ferrand also altered the blend of its Plantation Dark Rum to include Jamaican rum, making the spirit more suitable for cocktails.   The group has now appointed Identity Drinks Brands to handle its UK distribution from next month.   Identity Drinks Brands was launched by Nick Rodgers, founder of Instil Drinks, in May this year to “focus on high quality spirits that are looking for rapid growth in the UK”.   As part of Instil Drinks, Rodgers oversaw the growth of Plantation Rum.

     “I have Plantation in my blood, quite literally, so I couldn’t be happier to be to be working with and the Ferrand products again,” said Nick Rodgers, founder of Identity Drinks Brands.   “We’ve got some sensational plans to put Citadelle gin back on the map as the original artisanal gin; and Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, which was created with renowned cocktail historian David Wondrich, has to be the most exciting liqueur on the market.”  

     Last July, Cognac Ferrand unveiled Plantation Pineapple Rum – Stiggin’s Fancy, created by infusing ripe Queen Victoria pineapples in Plantation Original Dark Rum for three months, before adding the distillate of rum macerated with the bare rind of the fruit.   The product was named one of the most innovative spirits launches of 2014 by The Spirits Business.

US Virgin Islands to File Violations Against Rum Operations

     The U.S. Virgin Islands' environmental agency plans to file a violation order against two rum producers on St. Croix as residents of several communities complain of a black mold persistently staining their properties, cars and boats.    Jamal Nielsen, spokesman for the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, said authorities are "in the process of crafting a violation order" against Cruzan Rum and Diageo USVI, a subsidiary of global liquor giant Diageo PLC that produces the rum for the Captain Morgan brand.    It's not yet clear if any corrective action will be ordered.   

 

    Exasperated residents in several St. Croix communities say a sooty-looking fungus has been accumulating in their neighborhoods, including on water cisterns and fruit trees. They blame it on the ethanol from neighboring rum facilities. Andrea Daley, the president of the Enfield Green Estates owners association, said the mold started growing on exterior surfaces exposed to sunlight several years ago when Diageo built a rum storage facility. "It's been tough. We have a red-and-white boat that is parked up in our yard, but now it's black. We had a soursop tree but the leaves got so covered in black fungus that we had to cut it down," she said Sunday during a phone interview.

     Like residents around Scotland whisky storage sites and bourbon-making sections of the U.S. state of Kentucky, they believe the mold is "Baudoinia," a natural-occurring growth created by a chemical reaction involving emissions of ethanol. St. Croix residents are pursuing a class-action lawsuit demanding the two companies install technology to capture ethanol emissions and pay damages to homeowners.  William F. McMurry, a lawyer in Louisville, Kentucky, who is representing the St. Croix residents in one of several lawsuits he has filed against distillers, said a judge is expected to rule soon on an effort by the rum companies to have the action dismissed. 

     In a joint letter sent to acting DPNR Commissioner Dawn Henry, lawyers for Diageo USVI and Cruzan said the companies are committed to working with authorities.   But they said mandating new technology to capture ethanol "would threaten the viability of aging rum on St. Croix." "This technology is untested and expensive. It would impact the quality of the rum and drive up the cost of making it," said the June 2 letter, which was sent to The Associated Press when the companies were asked for comment. Daley said residents want the rum companies to stay on St. Croix, where the industry employs about 125 people.    But they also don't want to live with the mold nuisance, which she says has roughly quadrupled home maintenance costs. "We are not anti-business. We just want them to take care of this problem responsibly," Daley said.

Celebrating 500 Years for the City of Santiago de Cuba

When the carnival begins in Santiago de Cuba, the whole city turns into one big party!

     When I was in Santiago de Cuba at the beginning of the month, there was a lot of activity getting the town ready for Carnival.  This year is the 500th anniversary of the town of Santiago de Cuba and one really big celebration is in the planning.   There were many streets that were blocked off and the booths, rides, and decorations were being set up.  I wish that I could have stayed for the event, but maybe another time.   The event is much like our own Fantasy Fest or Marti Gras, but it really has a deep meaning for the people of Santiago de Cuba this year.  500 Year Celebration of the City of Santiago de Cuba.

     The carnival of Santiago de Cuba is the largest, most famous, and most traditional carnival in all of Cuba, and is an explosion of color, contagious drum rhythms, and dance. It is also a time for Cubans to re-gather themselves and remember their history, community, and culture, and is often punctuated by the Cuban national holiday of July 26th.

 

    The second biggest city after Havana, Santiago is the most exotic city of Cuba with lots of different ethnic groups having settled here over the centuries, including African, Chinese, Indigenous, French Haitian, and Spanish.   The mixture of these cultures is shown in the richness of the music and dance, many forms of which originated in Santiago de Cuba, such as the Conga, Rumba, and Son (which later developed into what people call salsa today).   What most characterize the carnival are the congas, which can be heard in many different areas around the city. Also popular orchestras make their way to Santiago for the festivities. For the city’s inhabitants, as long as there is music to dance to, and plenty of beer, the carnival is a success.

     Traditionally Carnival in most Roman Catholic societies is a festival held immediately before Lent, and celebrated in February or March.  Santiago de Cuba.- Expecting to be declared  National Cultural Heritage, this city’s carnival will celebrate the 500 years foundation of that village and will be confirmed as the most popular ones in Cuba.  The traditional festivities will take place from July 20 to 27 and will rescue areas and fairs with the participation of congas, carnival parades and other centenary groups, group carriers of the popular culture.   

 

    One of the attractions this year will be the return of the rides and the competence of carriages to the La Alameda avenue, a place located by the bay where are concentrated the investments of the Paseo Marítimo, one of the most important works for the city’s 500th anniversary.   As usual, the festivities—with a total of 58 areas, 18 for dancing—will be preceded by the children and the aquatic carnivals presenting the continuity of these artistic expressions among the youngsters and the presence of the sea in the city’s life, respectively.

     Municipality authorities informed on the progress in the evaluation of the report presented to the National Council of Cultural Heritage regarding the declaration as part of those valuable spiritual and material treasures of the country.   They said the ceremony will take place at the Carnival Museum, located on Heredia street, thus recognizing a three and a half centuries legacy, renewed in the modern times and made an attraction for Cubans from other countries and visitors from the most diverse parts of the world.

Read more at: http://www.arteporexcelencias.com/en/news/2015-06-23/santiago-de-cuba-set-carnivals-celebrating-their-500-anniversary.html#sthash.fl8SrRj5.dpuf

    

Restoration is Visable Looking in Any Direction

     The most noticeable things in Havana today is a huge number of restoration projects.  They are every where that you look and very welcomed as you scan over the city.  Looking from the fabulous Bacardi Building toward the Havana Harbor, this becomes very evident.

Afrohead Rum Rolls Out Across the US

Harbour Island Rum Company has rolled out its Afrohead aged dark rum in more areas across United States.

Afrohead 7 Year and XO Expressions

     The small-batch rum will become available across the US.  Currently available in the Bahamas and Florida, the small-batch rum has now launched in Tennessee and New York, where it is available at selected bars, restaurants and off-premise liquor stores.

     Afrohead rum is made from sugarcane molasses sourced from the West Indies, in particular the Dominican Republic.  It is fermented using a yeast strand from Trinidad that is more than 100 years old, to give a “banana and toffee” base.  After distillation, the rum is aged in once‐used, charred Bourbon oak barrels and then transferred to Barbados for bottling.

     I have had this rum at the Rum Bar since late April and it has become an instant favorite among the customers here in Key West.