Coral Bay From the Hills of St.Johns

     Cruising by land or sea, St. Johns in the U.S. Virgin Islands is a beautiful sight.  I love to drive up the ridges and look down on the water from all around this island.  This is Coral Bay, one of the most beautiful views anywhere.

What Was the Worst Ever Rum Disaster?

     When you think about rum disasters you have to think about the ships that hauled the rum and sank or a lost British Royal Naval Vessel.  You would be wrong, because, the biggest rum disaster was in London by the Thames River April 21st 1933. Britain imported large quantities of rum for naval supplies and stored in large vaults at Rum Quay by the India Docks. The adjoining lumberyard caught fire and spread to the rum stores where 3.1 million liters were held in 6,500 puncheons. The rum fire burnt for four days, spreading across the Thames River. The fumes were so potent it intoxicated the firemen. When extinguished the fire had destroyed the equivalent to a year's production of rum from Barbados.

 Damaged vaults at the Rum Quay at the West India Docks after the great fire of 21 April 1933. The fire took four days to put out.   One of the worst fires in the docks occurred at the Rum Quay, at the West India Docks.  One of the main sheds and a vault were destroyed.

That was a lot of rum lost in those four days and a disaster that I hope never occurs again.

Rum From Australia?

     When you think about countries that produce rum, you rarely think about Australia, but you are in for a real surprise just how much rum is being produced there.  Most people think that Bundaberg is the only rum from Australia, but that is completely wrong.   Bundaberg and Beenleigh have a long and popular tradition here since the 1880's. Today, their product innovations are producing some outstanding expressions.  From pirates and buccaneers to convicts and pioneers, these are what made Australia, and from these very colorful people they have been making rum for nearly 190 years.  The home of the Rum Rebellion in 1808, today it is a serious producer of rum.

Bundaberg Rums

     "Raise your rum." This chant is growing louder as rum undergoes a vibrant resurgence.   

"The West Indies may be the birthplace of rum 375 years ago, yet we've been making rum here for 190 years. Rum has always held a special place in Australia, instead of pirates and buccaneers we started with convicts and pioneers. Our Colonial spirit grew up with us to be one of Australia's favorite spirits, and now it's drunk by everyone from the rebellious to the adventurous."     

     Stone Pine Barrique Rum (40% ABV) is made from blackstrap molasses which are fermented and distilled in small batches. The rum is matured in medium toasted barriques, (225L ex-American oak casks) which give a lot of contact with the wood and imparts a massive influence on its character.  Stone Pine Barrique Rum No. 3 has a complex mouthfeel with notes of vanilla, coconut and burnt caramel with a medium length and oaky finish on the palate. Sip neat to savour its complexity or top with dry ginger ale, a wedge of lemon and ice.   Stone Pine Barrique Rum is available in 375ml and 750 ml bottles. 

     Mt Uncle Distillery in Cairns, Queensland comes FNQ Rum Co Iridium Dark Rum (40% ABV), the first and only premium cane spirit rum in Australia. Triple distilled in a copper pot still, the single barrel aged rum is made from 100% Far North Queensland sugar cane syrup, not molasses.   The distillate is filtered through Cairns Highland’s volcanic rock which purifies and enriches the spirit and in turn gives it a smooth mouth feel. The rum is aged just over 4 years in American oak casks that previously held red wine which give the rum its distinctive copper/amber color.  The imagery on the 700ml bottle of Iridium Dark Rum depicts the tropical reef and rain forest of Far North Queensland. On the nose, there’s spice, vanilla and nutty aroma with toffee apple on the palate with cinnamon, spice, toasty oak, and a lingering caramel finish.

     Hoochery Distillery in Western Australia comes Ord River Rum Overproof (56.4% ABV).  Hoochery Distillery is the oldest legal still in Western Australia. Located in Kununurra in the Kimberley region, it is a 100% Australian owned and operated family business. Ord River Rum is made from local sugar cane, wet season rainwater and yeast that is vat-fermented, pot-distilled, aged and hand-bottled. The rum is charcoal filtered, aged in 300 liter American oak barrels which impart natural color and flavor. The small pot distillery has the capacity to produce over 50,000 bottles of Ord River Rum a year.  Ord River Rum Overproof is full-flavoured, with notes of vanilla, fruit, dark chocolate, spice and brown sugar with an oaky and smooth finish. the rum is available in a 750 ml bottle. 

Lark Distillery

The best known of the Tasmanian rums, a heavy pot still spirit combined with single barrel aging in an ex-Port, ex-Whisky quarter cask to produce a high-ester bouquet that fills the air around you. Quiet Cannon has an immediate, bold presence on the nose, presenting aromas of fermented molasses, whisky, fresh tobacco, overripe burnt peaches, dark chocolate, charred wood, burnt leather and a shy floral delicacy.  The esters understandably dominate the rum’s bouquet and can interfere with its more attractive aromas if you aren’t on your guard.  Approached carefully, Quiet Cannon delivers aromas in great quantity, as the name suggests it should.  The initial taste is equally powerful, though slightly sweet and dry initially due to the spirit’s 50% ABV overproof nature, followed by intense flavors of grain, wood, peat, and lesser versions of what is revealed on the nose.  As expected, the rum is full bodied with an almost oily texture and a long, dry, finish rich in flavor.  Quiet Cannon is a Scotch-and-cigar lover’s rum.

Great Northern Distillery/Kimberley Rum Company

Situated in the heart of the Swan Valley, The Great Northern Distillery is the producer of some of WA's finest spirits and liqueurs. Our internationally acclaimed Canefire Rum is just the beginning of this Boutique Distillery experience.   Small Batch, a limited 500 bottle release from our very light barrels.  Instead of being cut with water, White Port from a local valley winery is used.  It is bottled unfiltered at 40% ABV.  At the tasting bar; watch our friendly staff prepare a range of cocktails for your enjoyment made from our rums or you can simply sample a measure of our fine rums.   

     These are a few of the quality cane spirits that you can find from Australia, if you get the opportunity give some of these a try, you won't be disappointed.

New Look for Elements Eight for 10th Anniversary

St Lucia produced rum brand Elements Eight is set for a global relaunch with new packaging and a rethought range of three expressions to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

10th Anniversary Packaging

     The new look bottles in the range are shorter than the previous design and aim to emphasize Element Eight’s “artisanal approach” and “small batch production” with a “contemporary” foiled label design.   The packaging is a radical departure for the brand, which was launched in 2006 in tall, square, sleek modern bottles, and has been designed to place greater emphasis on its small batch production.   “The contemporary feel, a key part of the brand’s identity has been evolved, whereby the bottles are shorter and the foiled label design reflects the hand-crafted ethos of the rum,” the company said.

     The range has cut its cocoa rum and now comprises three expressions – Platinum, one of the first aged white rums, which is aged for up to four years in Bourbon barrels before being charcoal-filtered to remove the color,  Elements Eight Exotic Spices, which contains a mix of ten fruits and spices, and the renamed Elements Eight Vendôme. The new name references the Vendome still – a cross between a column and pot still, which comes from Louisville in Kentucky and is used to create the rum, before it is aged for up to six years in Kentucky Bourbon barrels.

2006 Packaging

     UK-based founder Carl Stephenson,  said the rum category had seen very strong growth, particularly in the super-premium sector. “From the outset, our approach has been artisanal, working with St Lucia Distillers, investing in hand crafted production and slow aging. The new approach will better emphasize these artisanal, craft credentials which really resonate with today’s spirits drinkers,” he said.

Read More at http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2016/07/elements-eight-rum-re-imagines-range/?article-source=newsletter&source=732&date=2016-07-01 

Bahama Bob's Homemade Rum Limoncello

     Homemade Limoncello is so much nicer than production versions, there is a freshness to the liqueur that just isn't there in bottled versions.  I have worked out a pretty good version of the recipe, that uses rum instead of vodka as the basis for the liqueur.  I played with several recipes that we made available to me and took ideas from several of them and added some of my own to offer you this recipe.

Bahama Bob’s Homemade Limoncello

• 5 Lemons
• ½  Bottle Brugal Especial Rum ( 1 Liter)
• 2 cups Water
• 1 ½ Cups of Sugar in the Raw

     Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemons in long strips (reserve the lemons for another use). Using a small sharp knife, trim away the white pith from the lemon peels; discard the pith. Place the lemon peels in a 2-quart pitcher. Pour the vodka over the peels and cover with plastic wrap. Steep the lemon peels in the rum for 7 days at room temperature.
     Heat the water and sugar in a medium size saucepan over medium heat until the mixture boils and keep it at a slow boil for about 5 minutes.    Pour the sugar syrup over the rum mixture.   Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.   Strain the Rum Limoncello through a mesh strainer into bottles.    Dispose of the peels and seal the bottle, place in the refrigerator for about least 4 hours, it lasts for up to 1 month.

It takes some time to make this, but the extra good flavor is worth the time.  Patience is the key and let all the steps run their course.   
 The difference is really noticeable. 

The Caribbean Journal Announces the 10 Best Rums Made In the United States

     The legacy of rum made in the United States in the past few years has grown and grown.  Today we can find rums made in the United States that have reached a level that can match some of the rum produced in the rest of the world.  It is good to see more and more quality rum being produced here in the states.  I have had to pleasure to know many of the American rum distillers and enjoy the passion that hey are putting into their spirits.  The are every bit as driven to produce the high quality to be able to compete in the international markets.

    "More and more people are appreciating the wonder of rum. And in America, more and more people are making rum. Yes, there is something of a rum boom in the United States, hearkening back to the colonial period when the US was a hub of rum making. While American rum still isn’t quite up to the level of the rums in the Caribbean (with some exceptions), the fact that rum production is surging is only a good thing for the spirit. In Rum Journal’s annual July 4 tradition, we celebrate the best rums made in America. (Note: this list always covers only the 50 US States, not the US’ Caribbean territories). Here is the fourth annual list of the Best Rums in America."

• 1. Siesta Key Rum:  Florida
• 2. Papa's Pilar Rum:  Florida
• 3. Richland Rum:  Georgia
• 4. Miami Club Rum:  Florida
• 5. Dancing Pines:  Colorado
• 6. Bayou Rum: Louisiana
• 7. St. George:  California
• 8. Koloa Rum:  Hawaii
• 9. Fwaygo Rum:  Florida
• 10. Wicked Dolphin Rum:  Florida

   These are the 10 Rums made in the United States according to The Caribbean Journal, congratulations to all of the 2016 winners.   I'll be looking forward to watch the progress of all of the American rum producers during the next year as I have watched them for the past number of years and see the progress that they keep on making with their new expressions.



Read More at http://www.caribjournal.com/2016/07/03/rum-journal-best-rums-america-2016/?utm_source=Caribbean+Journal&utm_campaign=a0cf532e83-Caribbean+Journal&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ea4e1e4090-a0cf532e83-188868865 

Happy 4th of July

    Today is a day that we Americans celebrate the 240th anniversary of our wonderful country.  Today is possibly the most important holiday for the United States.   A federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, by the Continental Congress declaring that the Thirteen American Colonies regarding themselves as a new and independent  nation.

     They knew full well that the might of the British armed forces would be crossing  the Atlantic to attacking what would appear to be defenseless colonies. Until they decided to unite against the British Crown, they still were lacking numbers, arms and training to stand against the British, much less defeat them militarily. Yet they put their signatures, and their lives, their families, their destiny, on the document declaring their independence.   They decided against all odds, and even against good reason, to tell the world that “the United Colonies are, by right should be free from the reign of the British Crown.


     Today we look back and then head out for a picnic, bar-b-que and then an evening of spectacular fireworks.  How ever you celebrate your Fourth of July Holiday, do it safely and responsibly as you get out for a day fun.

   

The Cannon, Block Island and the Plane

Looking out from Fort Christiansted, on St. Croix, one of the few forts of its age to have never had to fire a cannon to protect the city.  It's presents was all that was necessary to protect the city of Christiansted.   The shallow waters and the very narrow channel to arrive at the city combined with the ca

nnon placement would have been suicide for any pirate or other combatant to try.

Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum Tiki Bartender Competition in Key West

     Join us on Monday, July 11, 2016 at The Rum Barrel in Key West for the first Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum Tiki Competition.  This is going to be an open competition for bartenders and mixologists to show their total range of skills, with great prizes for the winners as an added incentive.  The event will be held on the roof of the Rum Barrel on Front Street in Key West lending to the true tropical atmosphere that tiki is based upon.

     The event will consist of three rounds, first is a speed round to show the bartender’s behind the bar skills and dexterity and mental ability to create on the fly flavorful tiki cocktail.  The second round will be a three item tiki cocktail, showing the ability to create the most common type of cocktail found in the business.  Final round will be a "free form" tiki cocktail, showing the creative ability to make an impromptu cocktail from ingredients available.  These are the primary skills that a proficient bartender must be able to exhibit on a daily basis and the skills that will make a winner at this event.

     The contest will be judged in the first two rounds by industry leaders and international spirits judges, the final round will be judged by a panel made up of 5 people chosen from the audience on the day of the event.  All judging will be blind tastings without the panel not knowing who made each cocktail.  There is a point system for examining each cocktail that is based on appearance, flavor and overall impression.  The entrant with the most points after three rounds will be the winner.

     This is going to be a fun event for all involved and a chance for some skilled bartenders to show their skills for some really nice prizes. 

Why Do We Still Have a Three Tier System for Alcohol Still?

     In a conversation the other day a friend asked why do we still have a three tier system for Alcoholic Beverages?  I had to think about it and two things come to mind, first is government control of the dissemination if alcoholic beverages and the second relates to the taxation of the product.  The more layers that you put it through the more tax money can be collected.  Alcohol is one of the most taxed products that are legal to sell here in the United States.  The basis of the system hasn't changed much in the past 80 years, but distributors are not state based businesses and the larger producers are getting shelf space where smaller "craft producers" don't seem to be able to get into stores of bars.

     The Three Tier System is simple really, Producer or Importer to Distributor to Retailer to Customer.

Producer

Distributor

Retailer and Customers

      The 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which repealed Prohibition, left it up to the states to regulate the distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages. The states did not have to impose a three-tier system - comprising producers, distributors and retailers - but all of them did.   While producers in many sectors rely on distributors to get merchandise to market, with alcohol, it is mandatory. By law, producers may only sell to distributors and retailers may only buy from distributors. Drinks retailers and producers may not do business with each other directly. No business in one tier may own a business in any other tier. Only retailers may sell to consumers.   What's more, distributors are required to be in-state businesses.

     The system has in fact,  become a hollow shell. In-state ownership is a joke. Most distribution companies now are national enterprises that merely have subsidiaries in each state. Cross-tier ownership has become common; drinks-makers establish subsidiaries - often in the names of different members of the owner's family - that buy stakes in tier-two distributors. This is why small brewers, distillers and vintners so often complain that their products can't get shelf space

Read More at http://www.rstreet.org/2016/06/24/do-we-still-need-the-three-tier-system-for-alcohol/

     I'm not saying to do away with the system completely, but there needs to be some concessions made so the small craft producers have a viable path to the marketplace.  The biggest killer for the small craft alcohol producer is that if they don't move it from their showroom at the distillery, they are in trouble.   Most of the big distributors won't handle these small producers and if they do usually don't let anyone know that they are available unless a client specifically asks for it.  This is an unfair restraint of business that is sanctioned by the government and needs addressing.

500,000 Page Views for Bahama Bob's Rumstyles

     Yesterday marked a huge day for this little blog that could.  Offering the first edition of the blog on 3 January, 2011 to today there have been 1990 editions published nearly every day of the year.   Today Bahama Bob's Rumstyles hit its 500,000 page view.  This is a very proud moment for me, to have that many people who have shown a regular interest this little blog to be loyal and read it so regularly.   I really appreciate all of the support my readers.  It has been really fun to share my experiences from so many places that I have been lucky enough to visit and my experiences in the tropics and the world of rum.

     Over the years the best read articles have been very interesting, Friday, December 21, 2012
The Beginning of a New Cycle: Hopefully and Improvement was the most read of the articles with 3671 page views, and Friday, August 2, 2013 Back to the Thirties and the Tropicana, 2029 page views and Thursday, March 17, 2011 What is this Solera Rum Aging Process, 1860 page views. There have been so many other subjects that you have read that brought to the blog good readership.

Tropicana Havana Cuba

Abuelo Solera

    I have to thank you all again for your continuing support and spreading the word about the blog to your friends.  It is the fuel that gets me up early every morning to get the blog to you by 7am.  It is my hope that you continue to visit the blog and keep enjoying it.

Thank You so much
Bahama Bob Leonard

A Refreshing Swizzle for a Hot Summer Day

There is nothing more refreshing on a hot afternoon than a really good Swizzle.  Watermelon is in season right now and really ripe and juice melons are in the market.   I enjoy watermelon and find it to be a really good ingredient for summer cocktails.   Here is a twist on the whole swizzle idea that comes out of Bermuda.

Bahana Bob’s Melon Barrel Swizzle

• 1 ½ Oz.  Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum
• ¾ Oz. Agave Nectar
• Juice of ½ Lime
• ¼ Oz.  St. Germaine Liqueur
• 4 Cubes of Seedless Watermelon
• 2 Dashes Bitters
• 1 Pinch Sea Salt

Place all ingredients in a blender filled with a cup  and a half of ice and quick on and off three or four times. Pour into a Collins glass and garnish with a watermelon wedge.

Living the "Jimmy Buffett" Lifestyle

   A lot of people come down to the Keys in search of the "Jimmy Buffett" lifestyle.  Key West and for that matter the entire Florida Keys are a perfect fit.   The warm weather link with the warm ocean and gulf waters that surround the them, the Keys are ideal for living in this wonderful fantasy.

     A combination of total acceptance of many different lifestyles, the availability of party venues plus a great selection for fun an unique cocktails and spirits.   These are the ingredients that make for a perfect paradise.   There have been many songwriters, poets, writers and other celebrities that have called the Keys home over the years, one of the reasons is the laid back atmosphere that allows them the anonymity to be real everyday people for the most part themselves.

     I'm in my eleventh year here and you couldn't pry me out of here with a crowbar.  All of the
elements that allow me to work, play and be creative makes this place my true "Garden of Eden".   I really believe that the salt air and waters get into your blood and leaves you with a new and wonderful outlook on life.  It is easier to accept things and enjoying the ways of other people as well.

     These keys are a lot more that just a place that has more bars, restaurants, and tourist per acre than almost any other place on earth, but more importantly it has an aura of life and understanding.  Everyone here has a different reason for being here, but most all of them can find a huge group of wonderful people that love to get together to share their fun with.

When is "Rum Not Rum"?

     An article in Liquor .Com that really bothered me.   It claims that there is a distillery in Colorado asking if you would you drink "rum" made from beets? Not from sugar cane. Not from molasses. Beets. Now you can. "Stoneyard Colorado Rum" is billed as the state’s first “farm to flask” rum."
They built their still from pieces from the old Florida Hostess Cake Company plant and is producing "Rum" from sugar beets.  Read More at http://www.liquor.com/articles/stoneyard-beet-rum/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=6.24+Unusual+Rum-ab&utm_term=Liquor%3A+Total+%28Consumer%29#gs._5gvNKQ   "

     What really bothers me is the fact that people don't understand that "Rum" only has one basic rule, it must be produced from a direct derivative of the sugarcane.  That means sugarcane itself, molasses or a blend of products made from sugar cane.   Beet Sugar is no more cane syrup than is high fruitose corn syrup.  There are sugars that come from most any plant, but when you make alcohol from them they are not all "rum".   Corn sugars make bourbon; rye makes whiskey; potatoes and other sugars combined make vodka and grapes make wine.   We don't call any of these "rum", even if beet sugar spirits are aged in bourbon barrels, they are a spirit with no name.

     The raw materials are what give rum its flavor and it will not be the same if it is made with anything other than sugarcane.  Richard Seale of Foursquare Distillery in Barbados makes it perfectly clear.   "The raw material is what makes the wine (or beer) and gives the wine/beer its flavor and the distilled spirit must retain the character of the wine (or beer) to have an identity (no flavor = alcohol aka vodka). Distilling wine made from sugar cane is what makes it rum. It is the flavor that decided it. Distilling beer from cereal is what makes it whisky. Again it is the flavor that decides it and the flavor is derived from the raw material."

       Let's keep "Rum" clearly "Rum" and not a hybrid or something that because it is made from some other variety of table sugar we can call it "Rum".  This also applies to those companies that are using neutral spirits from other materials blended with the cane distillate and calling it "Rum".

The Old Man of the Clouds

    The other evening there was a very unique sighting in front of me as I watched the skies paint their evening colors and images.  Out of a wind swept thunderhead, appeared an old man with the sun in his face abd the wind whipping his hair behind him.  What was really cool was that he hung around for 15 or 20 minutes.

Demerara Distilling Ltd. Reveals their El Dorado 50 Year Old Special Reserve Rum

     Demerara Distillers Limited on Monday unveiled its El Dorado Grand Special Reserve, a 50-year-old rum with an 18 carat premium Guyanese gold medallion.  This special edition is in honor of Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary. This edition, fondly called “Liquid Gold”, is not only special, but is limited; there are only 600 bottles up for sale.   “I believe this is the best bottle of rum money can buy anywhere on planet earth,” Samaroo further posited.

President Granger, in applauding Demerara Distillers Limited on maintaining a rich historical legacy within the rum industry, not only locally but internationally, said: “Guyana’s Rum Industry thrives because it is committed to high standards and quality assurance; it has devoted the time, the energy, and resources necessary to developing a strong brand.”

     Four casks were signed by President David Granger, the three containing El Dorado 50 Year Old Special Reserve Rum, will be placed into storage for another 25 years, the other cask will be filled with mementos.   These casks will be opened when Guyana celebrates its Diamond Jubilee, in the next 25 years.

     Before handing over the first bottle of the limited edition rum, Samaroo explained that “each bottle of the 50th Anniversary Rum has an 18 carat gold pendant with an El Dorado Logo specially crafted by a Guyanese jeweler.”   He further explained that each of the 600 specially crafted bottles of rum was certified by the Master Blender, Sharon Sue-Hang.   “The selling price is $500,000 per bottle plus Sales Tax,” he posited.

He noted that $100,000 from each bottle sold will be donated to the Demerara Distilling Ltd. Foundation to assist young, bright but unfortunate Guyanese in acquiring a high standard of education.

Port Mourant Still,

     Two-thirds of the blend of the Special Edition comes from barrels of rum that were distilled on the transferred still, known as the Port Mourant Still, and laid down to preserve in 1966.   The 1966 batch was then augmented with rums that are 40 to almost 50-years-old.   The Port Mourant Still comprises two large wooden vats constructed from Greenheart. It was first erected in 1732 at Port Mourant.

Watermelon Pina Splash

Summer means that there are a lot of fresh fruits and melons that have ripened and make for great refreshing cocktails.  Here is an idea that will spark you palate and keep you smiling for hours.  Watermelon is a great cocktail base when mixed with other great ingredients.  This one really works thanks to the help of Plantation Pineapple Rum.

Watermelon Pina Splash

• 2 oz. Planation Pineapple Rum
• ½ cup Fresh Watermelon Piecess
• Juice of Half a Lime
• ¾ oz. Cane Syrup

Combine lime juice cane syrup and watermelon in a mixing glass and muddle lightly, add Plantation Pineapple Rum with ice and vigorously until chilled.   Pour into a tumbler, garnish with a watermelon slice.

Bacardi Visitors Centre Offering Oak Barrel Sunglasses

     Bacardi is endeavoring to be as green as possible in it operations.  In this light they have come out with sunglasses that are made from oak rum barrels that have run their course as aging barrels.  The barrels are disassembled and the staves are cut into the pieces for the sunglasses.   BACARDÍ at the rum factory outside San Juan, Puerto Rico, they chip up some old barrels for mulch or reused for planters an chairs among other uses. Today they are transforming them  by hand into artisan-crafted eye wear so customers can both drink and wear BACARDÍ.

     “With sights set on seeing a net-zero impact, the Company’s eco-friendly, reclaimed-wood eyewear innovations metaphorically promote our eco-focus and allow clients to take a new, ‘greener’ view with wearable, sustainable art that actually protects their eyes,” says Maggie Matias, managing director for the Bacardi Visitor Centre, who is based at the world’s largest premium rum distillery.   Certified craftsmen make the eye wear manually in a time consuming process of assembling, sanding and finishing the frames producing these unique wood framed sunglasses.   There are four exclusive and stylish lines of sunglasses, each pair features a carved BACARDÍ bat logo at the temple as well as Italian polarized lenses.   The wooden-framed BACARDÍ eye wear hits the mark with several designs that highlight the wood grain and texture.    Details like sharp lines, soft curves and green materials make the line of sunglasses universal for all.    The lenses come in cobalt blue or sunrise orange, while the frames, each unique, come in blond wood and dark chestnut hues.   The sunglasses will retail for US$195 each, are light and comfortable to wear and are only sold at the Casa BACARDÍ Visitor Centre Store in Cataño, Puerto Rico.

“At Bacardi, our challenge is to think in new, creative ways to help the environment and our consumers. This is just one example of how we recycle materials to give them new life and ensure that nothing goes to waste, and this is part of our long-term view for the future,” adds Eduardo Vallado Moreno, vice president for Supply Chain and Manufacturing for Bacardi in the Americas, whose responsibility includes the Puerto Rico facility.

Read More at https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2016/06/bacardi-release-wooden-sunglasses-made-from-recycled-oak-rum-barrels/