The New Aging Experiments are Progressing Well

3 Liter Barrel

     My latest rum aging experiments are about 6 weeks along now and there has been some interesting things happening.  The two barrels are a 3 liter barrel, light toasted barrel with Chianti soaked barrel cubes and the Rhine wine soaked Cubes in an unchared 6 liter barrel, both have been filled with a high wine at about 80% ABV approximately 6 weeks ago.

Chianti Wine Expression

     The Chianti chip expression is taking on a definite red color and the Chianti flavors are coming through.  Remembering that this is a "virgin" barrel and really working on the rum quickly.  The Chianti is a strong fruity wine that is quite dry and is adding a very interesting flavor to the high wine.   This is going to be a very red rum that will have definite notes of the Chianti.

     I feel that because this is a small, virgin barrel, it will mature the

Rhine Wine Expression

rum much faster that the larger barrel that is seeing raw rum for the third time.   Both barrels are working in very advantageous environments of warm weather and aboard the boar so the liquid is in nearly constant motion  as the sea and other boats passing are rocking the barrels.   The warmth, small barrels and the agitation have the affect of speeding the aging process significantly.

6 Liter Barrel

     The larger barrel which was last used in the fall of last year, is responding slower than it did in the heat of the summer, but it is showing some good color and the flavors are starting to emerge as well.  The white Rhine wine soaked cubes offer more flavor than color,  The last batch was very rewarding as far as color and flavor go, but after ten weeks in the barrel began to be come a bit oakey at barrel proof, but when reduced to 45% ABV, the flavor and color were quite good.  This time, with the cooler weather and the third time the barrel has been use, I feel like it will take more time to reach the flavor and color that I am looking for.

    Follow with me and I'll keep you up to day as the maturation of this rum continues and how each of them are progressing.

Havana Club Releases 2017 Expression of Tributo

Havana Club has Released a Second Expression of Tributo 

a sipping rum made from the distillery’s aged reserves, shining a light on the aguardiente in the blend.

     Launched last week during the annual Habanos cigar festival in Havana, just 2,500 bottles of Havana Club Tributo 2017 will go on sale around the world.   Crafted by Havana Club’s master blender Asbel Morales, from five hand-selected base rums and a 40-year-old ‘aguardiente’ spirit base matured in old barrels, the aguardiente is at the heart of Tributo 2017.   The result, according to Morales, is “an exceptional rum with a distinctive dry note and an intriguing array of flavors”.  “With only 2,500 bottles being released worldwide, we expect the expression to be popular among global rum and dark spirits connoisseurs who are looking for the next authentic Cuban rum to add to their repertoire,” said Nick Blacknell, international marketing director at Havana Club 

     “Tributo 2017 is a tribute to the talent of Cuban rum makers.   The extensive reserves at the Havana Club distillery provided us with a wealth of luxurious aged rums to experiment with.   “By blending a decades-old aguardiente and our precious rums, we have achieved a new rum experience that is lively and complex, with a remarkable dry taste imparted by the sugar cane character of the aguardiente and a powerful finish,” he said.

     The 40% abv rum has “an amber glow and flavors of chocolate, tobacco and coffee”, and aims to showcase “the richness and variety of styles found within the Cuban rum category”.   Priced at $375.00, each 70cl bottle is numbered and signed by Morales. The racing green on the gift box pays homage to the color of the sugar cane plant.

Bahama Bob's Cucumber Ting Daiquiri

     Cucumber is one of my favorite veggies, I had to come up with a way to add the subtle flavor of the cucumber to a daiquiri.  The daiquiri is one of my favorite cocktails, so placing my favorite veggie into my favorite cocktail.  This turned out to be a nice expression, because the subtle flavor of the cucumber blends well with the Ting, Lime Juice and the Rum.  Just a little bit of sweetener to just make it perfect.

Bahama Bob's Cucumber Ting Daiquiri

• 11/2   oz. Matusalem Platino
• 2 oz. Ting Jamaican Soda
• Juice of ½ Lime
• 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
• Shot Glass filled with Diced Cucumber 

In the bottom of a mixing glass, muddle cucumber and simple syrup. Add rum and lime juice. Shake vigorously with ice to chill. Double strain onto fresh ice in a cocktail glass top up with cold Ting and garnish with a cucumber disc.

Philippe Brechot Steps in as President and CEO at Destileria Serralles

 Félix J Serrallés Jr..

     Don Q Rum Producer Destilería Serrallés has named Philippe Brechot as its new president and CEO.   Félix J Serrallés Jr. has decided to retire after 36 years at the helm of the distillery.   Serrallés Jr, is a fifth-generation member of the family which owns Destilería Serrallés, has led the distiller since 1981.    During his tenure, the company has built its export markets and achieved “sustained growth” for Don Q in the US.   He will continue to serve has chairman of the board of directors.   Philippe Brechot, most recently managing director for Latin America at William Grant & Sons, will succeed Serrallés Jr as president and CEO.   He brings to the role 25 years of international management, distribution and marketing experience, and has previously worked for Diageo and Moët Hennessy.

Philippe Brechot

     “We are fortunate to have found Philippe, a proven executive with ample experience growing premium brands in global markets,”  according to Filex J. Serrallés Jr. “He will be an asset to lead our team as we continue to expand our brand’s footprint throughout the global spirits market.  “We have developed a solid team in the USA and we will continue to focus on growing Don Q in this important market.  I am confident that Philippe’s experience in developing premium brands will create a unique synergy that will strengthen our ongoing efforts in the USA and beyond.”

Roberto J. Serrallés

     Sixth-generation family member Roberto J. Serrallés will continue in his current role as president of Serrallés USA, the company’s US distribution arm.   Destilería Serrallés also confirmed its chief executive officer and executive vice president of Serrallés USA John Eason will continue in his role.

Rum and Karaoke Returns Tomorrow to The Rum Barrel

     Gary Woods Sr. and Bahama Bob Leonard will be returning to the Quarterdeck of the Rum Barrel for another fun day time Karaoke and Rum Lore and Tasting.    Starting at Noon and running to 3:00 pm we will be enjoying the singing of all of you performing on the karaoke stage, and during the breaks, I'll be introducing all of you to some facts and flavors of rum.

     We are looking forward to the second time that we have put this show on, and seeing everyone again.  Gary has some 130,000 songs in his computer for you to choose from, and I promise you I'll have some interesting Pilar Rum stuff for you to learn about and taste.
  This time you will get a chance to visit the light and dark expressions, learn some of the history and how it came about.

     Don't miss out on all of the fun, come on by and enjoy a great selection of rum, great lunch menu and a whole lot of fun.  Come for lunch and sing your heart out on the stage, and learn some great things about the rums and get a taste of what I am talking about.

The Sands and the Reflection of Time

     Sand and water leave such a beautiful sculpture of the last tidal change.  These ripple marks in the sand and the reflection of the sky in the water always awes me and finds me staring and staring at the beauty.

Pennsylvania Politicians Head to Cuba for a Rum Run to Get Around the 50 Plus Year Cuban Rum Embargo

     I love this idea, It seems that some politicians of Pennsylvania devised an idea using constitutional law to circumvent the embargo of Cuban Rum.  This could be a real boom for the Pennsylvania liquor business is they are the first and only state to have and sell Cuban Rum inside the United States. 

     Pennsylvania legislators flew to Havana last month with a simple idea for getting around the 55-year-old embargo against Cuba: Trade our agricultural products for rum.   Two days in, the plan got even simpler: just buy a boatload of rum for state liquor stores and forget the embargo.  Republican state senate leaders say the 21st Amendment, which ended Prohibition 30 years before the embargo began, gives each state absolute control over alcoholic beverages.

"You can't just suspend the federal constitution," said Sen. Chuck McIlhinney, R-Bucks County and chair of the Senate Law & Justice Committee.   A Pennsylvania play for Cuban Rum would be an extraordinary move at a time when eased Cuban-American relations under President Barack Obama have given way to mostly guesses about President Donald Trump's stance. In the mid-1990s, Mr. Trump put out feelers for an investment in Cuba once the restrictions were eased, but while the Pennsylvanians were away on the island, Mr. Trump announced that he and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, "have very similar views on Cuba.''

     Mr. Rubio has been a vocal critic of Mr. Obama's Cuba policy. Toss in conservative Keystone Republicans venturing into one of the last outposts of socialism - and finding bureaucrats who have their own spin on the art of the deal - and the plot is as thick as Cuban molasses.   If Mr. McIlhinney is right, and Pennsylvania has a winning constitutional argument to bypass the embargo, it's one that might have worked years ago. The Liquor Control Board is consulting its lawyers and planning a strategy that could end with Pennsylvania being the only place to buy Cuban rums - though likely not before a court battle.

     Federal impounding of cases of Cuban rum at the Philadelphia docks until the case is decided in court wouldn't be the worst publicity; that surely would make national news and increase the appetite for the long-taboo spirits. But it's doubtful any ship owner would take that risk. Ships docking at Cuban ports aren't allowed to dock at U.S. ports for six months.

     It seems more likely Pennsylvania would seek a declaratory judgment. A federal judge could issue a legally binding decision before any rum leaves Cuba.   "The Russians are gone,'' he said after five days and four nights in Cuba. "I didn't see any."   If this deal moves on fast-forward, the multi-day talks Pennsylvania state officials had with a tag team of Cuban government operatives in around Havana may come to be seen as one uncommonly quiet revolution.

Read More at http://www.post-gazette.com/news/state/2017/03/05/Pennsylvanians-make-a-rum-run-to-Cuba/stories/201703050065

Man Wins the Bet Chugging a Bottle Of Tequila but Loses His Life Winning It

     This is a sad result of power or binge drinking, the body can be shut down with an overdose of alcohol as well as drugs.   With spring break upon us, it is a time to use you head a little be and don’t get involved with this type contests.  I’ve seen these in my days in the fraternity house and other college parties and I’ve seen people end up in the hospital getting their stomach pumped.  Please use your head, I’d hate to see any of you or your friends end up like this.

     A 23-year-old man died after chugging a bottle of tequila during a friendly wager at a Dominican nightclub.   He won $630 but just minutes later he lost his life.   The cause of death was listed as alcohol intoxication by the medical examiner.   The tragic incident happened earlier this week in the city La Romana, in eastern Dominican Republic, and it was all captured on video by a cell phone camera.

     The young man, identified as Kelvin Rafael Mejía, is first seen on his feet drinking the tequila straight from a bottle. When he is done he is handed the cash prize on a bill at a time and a few seconds later he can barely stand anymore and needs to be assisted by two men on each side.    

Shortly after he collapses and never regains consciousness - he was taken to a nearby clinic where he was declared death.   According to El Universal, the events unfolded after Mejia approached a table where a group of clients were betting money on how much tequila they could drink in a single gulp. He asked to join.

The management of the place, the Vacca Lounge, said the nightclub did not have any involvement in the deadly incident.   "The only contests we ever do are dance contests or costume contests, with the award of bottle of champagne or other drink,", according to the Vacca Lounge statement.   The man was a regular patron at the place and had recently become a father.

Read More at http://nypost.com/2017/03/03/man-wins-bet-chugging-bottle-of-tequila-dies-minutes-later/

West Indies Rum Distillery Sold to United Caribbean Rum Limited

West Indies Rum Distillery

     In 1989 French alcoholic beverage company Remy Cointreau bought Mount Gay Rum Distilleries Limited, which was established in 1703.   Now, Goddard Enterprises Limited notified shareholders of the sale of The West Indies Rum Distillery Limited and we are selling our 2,519,171 issued and outstanding common shares 92 per cent of West Indies Rum Distillery to United Caribbean Rum Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of French spirits company Compagnie de Bonbonnet SAS.

Fermentation Tanks

     The deal does not end there, however, as United Caribbean Rum Limited wants full control of West Indies Rum Distillery. It is therefore offering people who own the remaining eight per cent of its stock more than $10.2 per share for their piece of the company which produces brands including Cockspur Rum, .   While the agreement between Goddard Enterprises Limited and United Caribbean Rum Limited was signed last December 21, West Indies Rum Distillery chairman Anthony Ali, officially gave shareholders details of the deal in notices published March 8, 2017.

Pot Still

“Goddard Enterprises Limited, has taken a decision to divest itself of its interest in the company”.     The sale is scheduled to be completed pursuant to a public takeover bid by United Caribbean Rum Limited to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of The West Indies Rum Distillery Limited and is scheduled to be closed no later than six trading days on the Barbados Stock Exchange after the commencement of the public takeover bid by United Caribbean Rum Limited” , according to Ali.

     “The closing of the public takeover bid is scheduled to occur on or around April 4^th, Bonbonnet has extensive experience and expertise in the spirits business and has been involved in the production and sale of fine spirits such as Cognac Ferrand, Plantation Rum and other distilled spirits, as well as fruit liquors.”

     In a separate notice, United Caribbean Rum Limited told shareholders “full details of the offer will be mailed out March 8th to all shareholders and have been prepared within the framework of the pertinent legislation and the rules of the Financial Services Commission and the Barbados Stock Exchange.   “The offer is dependent on acquisition of at least 92 per cent of all outstanding shares of West Indies Rum Distillery.   However, the offering is

seeking to purchase all outstanding shares.

Compagnie de Bonbonnet , a company of which Alexandre Gabriel is president, and owners of Cognac Ferrand and Plantation Rums , its subsidiaries are said to have aggregate annual sales of approximately US$44.5 million.

Mount Gay 1703 Master Select Arrived

     After being gone for two weeks, what a wonderful surprise to come home to.  I just love my friends in the rum industry.  Since it's launch in 2009, Mount Gay 1703 Master Select has been the an annual batch of rum that is made to honor the brand's beginning on February 20, 1703.

     This is an annual expression of that is made to showcase the best of the rums that come from Mount Gay's experience and abilities to make fine ultra premium rum.    The most important ingredient in this rum is time, according to Allen Smith, the master blender at Mount Gay.   The 2017 release, of which there will be 12,000 bottles, will be available  worldwide.  You will be able to find them in the premium liquor stores and will be priced at approximately $150.00.

     This is the culmination of of a lot of time in barrels and blended from rums ranging from 10 to 30 years of age.   Allen Smith was tasked with the job of selecting and blending the rums from Mount Gay's collection of reserves of their oldest rums.  It took years of monitoring rums from their finest reserves to create the balance of flavors achieved in this expression.   Made from rums created in the Copper Column and pot stills, revealing a smooth and wonderful flavor that can only be achieved with time.

     The rum's first impression hits you as you look at the bottle and see the deep rich mahogany color followed by the subtle aromas of toasted oak with notes of caramel.   On the palate, there is a roundness of flavors and I detect notes again of the toasted oak, with a bit of pepper and caramel held together with a subtle sweetness that immediately dries at the finish.  The finish is smooth and long lasting dry finish that leaves you smiling.  This is definitely a fine ultra- premium rum and worth the money you pay for it.  presented at 43% abv enhancing the flavors.



     Presented in a new bottle and label definitely fitting of the rum inside.   This rum will be available in the United States, Barbados, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zeland, France and many of the duty free outlets throughout the world.  It was released on February 23, 2017, it won't last long in the stores with only 12,000 bottles made, so get your soon befor it is gone.


   

Road Trip Yesterday back to Key West.

Front after stain on shingles, paint on the doors and shutters

     Two weeks up in Mooresville, North Carolina and it is time to come back home for a couple of
weeks.  12 hours of rolling south and I'm home again.   This has been a very productive trip, and now it is time to return to the warm.  

New Flooring and paint in the living room

     I get to spend two weeks at home in Key West and then I'm returning for another week or two to
finish up the rest of the work on the house and then it is back to Key West for good.   I had a good time up here and a chance to see some old friends, with too little time to spend with them.  I'm hoping that I'll have a bit more time when I return on the 20th.

Lots of paint and flooring in Kitchen.

     For now it is back to the boat and a little bit of fun.  Visiting the Bull, Captain Tony's, Rum Bar and Barrel, and Kareoke at the Hurricane Hole.  Host of all temperatures in the 70's and 80's.

We'll be Back at The Rum Barrel for Rum and Karaoke a Week From Tomorrow

     I'm looking forward to joining up with Gary Woods revisiting the Quarterdeck at the Rum Barrel Tuesday March 14th for round two of Rum and Karaoke.  We had such a great turn out for the debut and we are looking forward to having all of you rejoining us again.

Gary Woods

     There will be one thing different, we are starting at Noon and running until 3pm.  This seems to be a better time for all, the Rum Barrel will have been open for an hour and it seems to be a better time for all of our singers.

     Come for lunch or one of the fine cocktails and rums served at the bar.  There is a great Quarterdeck Menu for you and good people to serve you.  Did I mention you are the entertainment, cone on up and be a headliner at the Quarterdeck of the Rum Barrel.

     Gary Woods has some 130,000 selections for you to choose your special song from, I'm sure that
your song is among them.  Gary is one of the best KJ's on the island and will make your karaoke experience lots of fun and helping you make the most of the experience.

Bahama Bob Leonard

    I'll have my rum show happening during the karaoke breaks, you can learn and taste rum.   Learn about the things that make rum such a great spirit.  I'll be there to guide you through all of the types of rum and what makes them so different.  Come on by all you whiskey and Cognac drinkers I think that I'll be able to surprise you.

     Looking forward to our return engagement and all of the fun and rum.  That is the day that you can wear the green as a part of St. Patrick's Day.  Break out the shamrocks and lets party, March 14th Noon until 3 pm.6

Two Weeks in Mooresville, North Carolina and Monday I'm Heading Home

     It has been a tough two weeks here working  on the house and getting it ready to sell, but but things are beginning to come together.

     I'm really missing my days off the rock at Bahia Honda and all my friends in the Keys.   I'm heading home on Monday and I'll e ready for some warm weather and spending some time with friends and the the great places.  Looking forward to shorts and flip flops instead of long johns, levis and heavy jackets.  See ya'll real soon,

The Man Behind Haiti's Best-Known Export, Barbancourt Rum, Dead at 65

     The man behind Haiti's best-known export and most famous rum, Rhum Barbancourt, has died. He was 65.  

Thierry Gardere making repairs after the earthquake

     This was a man that stepped up after the disastrous hurricane and earthquakes a few years back put the people of Haiti up on the distillery property and gave them work repairing the plant and getting Barbancourt back into production.  He was a very special man to the people of Haiti and will be sorely missed in the future.

     Thierry Gardère died Wednesday in Port-au-Prince after complaining that he didn't feel well and had trouble breathing, assistant William Eliacin confirmed to the Miami Herald. He said the cause of death was a pulmonary embolism.

     "He had driven from Jacmel in his car and arrived home at 11 a.m.," Eliacin said. "He died in route to the hospital."   Gardère's great-great uncle, Dupré Barbancourt, who moved to Haiti from France, founded the company in the same year - 1862 - that the United States finally recognized Haiti. The country had been shunned because of its successful slave revolt.

     "They are now on the fourth generation," Eliacin said. "It's a big loss. Huge."   The company's general director, Gardère was in charge of Barbancourt's day-to-day operation. Under his leadership, the company came back from a $4 million loss after 30 to 40 percent of its stock was lost in Haiti's devastating Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake. Some of the white oak vats that had spilled onto the distillery's floor contained rum as old as 15 years.

      "I started to cry because of the alcohol vapors, well, and because of the tragedy," Gardère told the Financial Times in a 2015 interview. "I was in shock, it was terrible."   But even with a significant amount of the cognac-like stock lost, Gardère remained hopeful, telling the Herald three months after the quake: "We are ready to recover."

     And the company did.   Once scarce, the suitcase-like boxes filled with rum bottles and stamped Haiti on the side were suddenly everywhere inside Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince.   "The satisfaction he had was that the company was back on its feet," Eliacin said.   Still, Eliacin, who has been with the company 40 years, can't help but wonder about its fate. Gardère's only daughter, Delphine Nathalie Gardère, lives in France. So do his brother and sister, also shareholders in the family enterprise. In addition, he's also survived by his wife, Muriel Lamour Gardère.

     "Barbancourt is a national ambassador for Haitians, an honor, a prestige," Eliacin said. "It was no longer just for Thierry Gardère. It is for all Haitians, a national patrimony."

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article135856233.html#storylink=cpy

Bundaberg Names Gyton Grantley to Star in Their New Ad Campaign

     Diageo Australia has recruited The Dressmaker actor Gyton Grantley to star in Bundaberg Rum’s new AU$20 million marketing campaign, called Unmistakably Ours.   Australian actor Gyton Grantley stars in Bundaberg Rum’s new campaign.   The campaign celebrates everything that makes the country “brilliantly unique” and aims to “reinvigorate love and pride” for the Australian spirit.

     The advertisement features the Gyton Grantley in a Mardi Gras scene and cameos from Olympic medalist Anna Meares and surfer Julian Wilson, before culminating with the Bundaberg Rum team outside the Queensland distillery.   It will be activated across multiple channels from in-store to out-of-home, digital plus a new television commercial which will air tonight (2 March), to coincide with the launch of the 2017 National Rugby League (NRL) season.

     The campaign will feature all of the brands core products including Bundaberg Rum Original, Bundaberg Extra Smooth and Bundaberg Spiced Rum; Bundaberg UP & Cola and Lazy Bear RTDs as well as premium blends, Bundaberg Rum Blenders Edition and Bundaberg Rum Small Batch.   Building on Bundaberg’s sponsorship of the NRL, the campaign will also include off- and on premise below-the-line creative activity to engage fans across the footy season.   The NRL creative will see multiple executions in market across 4,000 outlets to encourage fans to ‘Share the Spirit’ and celebrate the things that make the game so unique.

Bundaberg Rum marketing manager, Jodi McLeod, said: “Combined with our NRL partnership which kicked off in 2016, the launch of Bundaberg Rum Lazy Bear, our most successful RTD launch in over a decade, and now this AU$20 million investment in an iconic new campaign, Diageo is really getting behind the Bundaberg Rum brand and we hope our customers will get behind it too.”

There Was a Lot More to Prohibition Arrival and Departure, Both Took Some Time

     Prohibition has always had an interest for me, having been born in 1946,  There was still a lot of people that lived through the "noble experiment" and it was interesting to talk to hem about it.   My grand Mother and Grand Father were always good to talk to about the subject.  I found this article  to be very interesting. 

     In January 1919, the Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution forbade, "the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors". It came into force exactly a year later, with the National Prohibition Act - usually known as the Volstead Act - setting out the detailed guidelines.   Prohibition had not come out of the blue. The Temperance Movement had been building strong support among the many churches since the early 1800's. Massachusetts was the first state to introduce anti-alcohol legislation in 1838, but it was short-lived. Maine did so more successfully in 1848.

Al Capone

     Prohibition was not a success. Organized crime set up large smuggling operations across the Canadian and Mexican borders, as well as managing illegal shipping routes from the Caribbean. Domestic bootleggers began distilling vast quantities of home brew, and medicinal and denatured alcohol were cut and washed for resale - sometimes with fatal consequences. All these products were pumped out through mob-controlled speakeasies and illicit drinking dens. In the space of only a few years, prohibition had given a new breed of gangsters undreamed of wealth and geographic reach. From this solid foundation, organized crime then diversified into narcotics, gambling, prostitution, and finance.

Eliot Ness

     Law enforcement agencies and organized crime gangs battled it out on the streets of American cities. The state's high point came in 1932 when Eliot Ness and his Untouchables from the Bureau of Prohibition succeeded in securing Al Capone's imprisonment for income tax offences. However, by this stage the tide had turned, and the whole violent experience of prohibition had killed off much popular support for the Temperance Movement.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

     In April 1933, the new president, Franklin D Roosevelt, signed the Cullen-Harrison Act, which legalized beer and wine up to 3.2% ABV. But a framework of far more severe reforms was already in place. On 20 February, Congress had proposed the Twenty-First Amendment, aimed at repealing the Eighteenth Amendment completely and ending prohibition. It was finally adopted on 5 December 1933, and the Eighteenth Amendment was junked in its entirety - the only constitutional amendment in U.S. history to have been ditched wholesale. Prohibition was a 13-year failed experiment, whose main legacy was a sophisticated nationwide criminal infrastructure.

Read More on the subject at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/20/day-1933-congress-strikes-first-blow-fight-kill-prohibition/ 

Mount Gay Introduces the Next in the Mount Gay 1703 Series

     Rémy Cointreau has added a new expression to its ultra-premium Mount Gay 1703 rums, the new expression is being called Mount Gay 1703 Master Select.   Mount Gay 1703 Master Select is a blend of copper column and copper pot rums, aged between 10 and 30 years. Stocks that are being used to create the blend were individually selected by Mount Gay’s master blender Allen Smith.

     Around 12,000 bottles of Mount Gay 1703 Master Select will be released globally at price of  US$150.00.  This rum, which has an abv rating of 43%, features a new bottle design for the annual 1703 range.   The range was first launched in 2009, and been a real hit ever since.   “The most important ingredient in 1703 Master Select is time,” Allen Smith said,  “We spend years carefully monitoring our rarest barrels to achieve a perfect balance of flavors.   “It may take time, but when it all comes together, the taste is worth the wait, but once it’s gone it’s gone and you have to wait until the following year. It is important that you don’t wait, because 12,000 bottles world wide will disappear in a real hurry, so we recommended that you grab it as soon as you see it.”

     Mount Gay’s 1703 range pays homage to the year the Barbados distillery started production, using the brand’s oldest reserves.

My Presidential Hero Based on Alcohol Usage

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

     Franklin Delano Roosevelt has become my hero president, as far as related to how and what he did for the alcohol industry.  FDR is a legend among drink-loving folks. He repealed Prohibition, this alone puts him at the top of my list of presidents that actually drank.  He also mixed drinks like it was the Roaring ‘20s all through the Depression was on at the time.. This is a FDR had serious mixology skills as well, he also knew how to turn hard times into great ones. When life gives him lemons, he makes Bermuda Rum Swizzles.

John F. Kennedy

Rutherford B. Hayes

            John F. Kennedy got my attention because of his love of the trendy at the time Daiquiri.   John Adams our second president liked his rum as well among other tings.   In these times we have Barrack Obama who only drank beer and now we have a non drinker.  The very worst though was Rutherford B. Hayes, his wife was not in any way a fan of booze of any kind.   Rutherford backed her up so completely that he insisted that the White House staff use rum flavoring instead of real rum in punch for guests. This is the worst of them, at least it was rum flavoring.

     

The Women are Taking Over the Top of the Rum World

      There are more and more women being found at the top of the rum companies around the world.  Joy Spence was the first and she is celebrating 25 years with Appleton.

Appleton Estate's Joy Spence

        Appleton Estate has honored master blender Joy Spence’s 20th year at the distillery by launching a 25-year-old rum, named Appleton Estate Joy Anniversary Blend.   Joy Spence’s creation, the limited edition 25-year-old minimum aged rum also includes rums that have been aged up to 35 years.  “For my anniversary blend, I simply set out to create the rum that I’d like to sip while watching the colors of my garden change in the warm glow of the Jamaican sunset,” Joy Spence said.   “It includes two rum marques which are of particular sentimental significance to me: The first of these marques was laid down to age in 1981, which is the year I joined the Appleton Estate team, and the second is my favorite marque of pot still rum. The final blend is a wonderful rum that I hope will be become a cornerstone of my legacy.”

     Spence graduated from the University of the West Indies with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and the University of Loughborough with a Master of Science in Analytical Chemistry.   She joined Appleton Estate as chief chemist and quickly became “enthralled” with the process of blending rum.  Over the next 16 years, Spence learned under the expert guidance of former master blender Owen Tulloch.   Joy Spence’s became the world’s first female master blender in 1997, it came at a time when rum was primarily made and consumed by men.

     Appleton Estate Joy Anniversary Blend will be rolled out across markets starting in March 2017.   The new offering “opens with a delicate orange peel top note”, a hallmark of Appleton Estate rums.  On the finish, there are hints of “warm vanilla, butterscotch, coffee and layers of almond and toasted oak.
Serve neat in a tumbler to fully appreciate Appleton Estate Joy Anniversary Blend, which opens with a delicate orange peel top note, a hallmark of Appleton Estate rums, intertwined with ginger and spice. The aroma finishes with vanilla, butterscotch, coffee, and layers of almond. The palate is exceptionally smooth with a long, elegant brown sugar finish.

Spring Has Popped in North Carolina

Flowering Plum Tree

     Sunday Morning, just one more week up here on this trip and it's back to Key West for a couple of weeks and then one more trip up here to put the finishing touches on everything.  Couldn't be happier the way things are progressing, things are finally starting to go back together and they are going to be beautiful, just like when those guys on TV.

     Spring is popping a little early this year, many of the frees are in bloom already.  The neighbor's Bradford Pear, my Flowering Plum and some of the Rhododendrons are blooming as well, makes for a wonderful walk through the woods.   I had forgotten how beautiful spring is up here in the North Carolina

Bradford Pear Tree Looking Like a Popcorn Tree

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Angostura Appoints Jodhan as Permanent CEO

       Rum and bitters producer Angostura Holdings has confirmed its acting CEO Genevieve Jodhan has been made permanent in the role effective 14 February.   With the appointment, she becomes the first woman to lead a large Trinidad and Tobago company outside of the energy sector.   Jodhan has been heading the company in an acting capacity since September 2016 when previous CEO Robert Wong went on a period of leave.   Prior to her promotion, Jodhan held the role of sales and marketing executive manager.

Genevieve Jodhan

     As CEO, Jodhan will lead the executive management team, support the board of directors on strategic business and lead growth strategies.   "Genevieve has the experience and track record of delivering results and has proven leadership," said Dr. Rolph Balgobin, chairman of the Angostura board.

     "She spearheaded our international sales growth increasing market share and sales of our signature rums and bitters in Europe, Asia and Australia and has directed the development of the brands in many emerging markets including Russia, Czech Republic, and Armenia."

Jodhan added: "I am both humbled and honored to be appointed chief executive officer. I have been with the company for close to a decade and my commitment has always been to Angostura's people, products and values.   "I am keen to build on the long outstanding achievement of our manufacturing business, through the execution of forward looking business strategies that add to the customer experience, and build on our shareholders' value."

Read More at http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2017/02/jodhan-confirmed-as-angostura-ceo/ 

Rum is Bracing for Falling Volumes Ahead

     This is from a report that surfaced recently,  It looks like it is time for the rum sector to buckle down and work on it image and get some guidelines in place so the people purchasing rum truly know what they are buying and expect more rather than less from the sector.

     “The global rum market is set to face a tough future, according to joint research from just-drinks and The IWSR, with volumes expected to slide over the next five years.”  The Global Rum Insights report has forecast a compound annual drop of 0.5% between 2016 and 2021, representing a decline of almost 3.7m cases. The rum segment's top three markets - India, the US and the Philippines - are all expected to record falls.   The predicted five-year dip follows a decline of 0.8% in 2015 to 141.8m nine-liter cases, with nine of the top 20 markets and four of the top five registering declines.

Read More at http://www.just-drinks.com/news/rum-sector-braced-for-falling-volumes-in-years-ahead-research_id122393.aspx

     Nine of the top 20 markets fell in 2015, including four out of the top five. Virtually all of those in growth are in low single digits.   Rum’s trajectory is one of gentle decline and not overly dynamic, at least when viewed from a top-line vantage point.  

     One of the biggest issues for rum lies in the fact that it’s basis is value-priced brands which only account for a further 39.1% of sales, meaning that almost 60% of total category sales are value or low-priced expressions.  This has implications for brand building, particularly premium brand building. In much of the world, rum has a relatively low image and is viewed as a commodity product rather that a product of quality.