Diageo Launches Limited Edition Captain Morgan Bottles

     Diageo has introduced a new crew of captains to temporarily replace Captain Morgan, each designed to be the leader of a personality trait.  The collection includes Captain Drama, Captain Banter, Captain Comedy, Captain Genius, Captain Retro, Captain Clueless and Captain Karaoke.  The bottles have been created to celebrate different personalities within friendship groups. Captain Comedy is “the one we turn to for the latest fun viral videos”, while Captain Banter is “always ready with razor sharp wit and perfect timing”.

Nik Keane, global brand director, Captain Morgan, said: “Captain Morgan is all about the crew. We champion the kind of fun that comes from friends getting together and celebrating who they are.  “Following the overwhelmingly positive response from Captain Morgan fans to the one-off bottles for our famous Captains, like Leicester City captain Wes Morgan, these bottles take it to the next level and celebrate the great mix of personalities found in friendships around the world.”

Prohibition Federal Chemists Used Poison to Prevent Consumption of Industrial Alcohol

     Here is an open case where if you can’t stop people from drinking alcohol by law, just poison
them.  Prohibition has many stories where the government of the time did some really despicable things to enforce prohibition.

     On January 15, 1922, The New York Times reported that 35-year-old Robert Doyle, a veteran of World War One, was found blinded and afraid in his rooming house on West 23rd Street.  A doctor conveyed Doyle to the hospital, where he died six hours later. The paper also reported the death of another local man-he had brought alcohol home from his workplace to add to his coffee. The problem was that America was in Prohibition, and he had worked at a furniture-polishing company. Both men had drunk a fatal dose of wood, or methyl, alcohol.        These deaths were part of an epidemic of alcohol poisonings that swept the country after the United States made the manufacture and sale of alcohol illegal in 1919.  

     An illicit alcohol industry boomed, and despite increased border security, alcohol flowed in from Mexico and Canada. But some bootleggers, eager to cash in on black market prices, wanted to sell alcohol made closer to home. The government could ban the brewing of beer, but not the production of industrial alcohol, which was used to make everything from perfume to paint.  Bootleggers redistilled industrial alcohol to make it drinkable, the federal government responded by requiring manufacturers to add in increasing amounts of poison.     Doyle was an early casualty of the resulting showdown between federal chemists, who tried to make the country's industrial alcohol deadly to drink, and speakeasies' and bootleggers' chemists, who tried to remove the poisons. The Times article describing Doyle's death noted that an unnamed but "prominent" local club had employed a chemist to double-check that patrons' booze was safe to drink. The problem, reported the anonymous writer, was that much of the liquor flowing into speakeasies hadn't been brewed abroad, but was in fact "denatured" industrial alcohol. 

     There is a lot more to what was going on in those day.  You can read more at https://www.atlasobscura.com/

Felix Juan Serrallés Nevares, Chairman of Destilería Serrallés Has Passed Away

 Felix Juan Serrallés Nevares (Right) Roberto Seralles (Left)

     Felix Juan Serrallés Nevares, chairman of Destilería Serrallés, producer of Don Q Rum has passed   Felix Juan Serrallés Nevares served as the company’s president and CEO until 2017.  Known as ‘Don Fao’ to close relatives, employees and friends, fifth generation family member Serrallés Nevares was the company’s president and CEO from 1981 until his retirement in 2017. He continued to serve as chairman of the board of directors.

away at the age of 83.

     Destilería Serrallés has issued a statement with respect to the passing of its Chairman, Felix Juan Serrallés Nevares. He was 83. "It is with deep regret that Destilería Serrallés and its Board of Directors confirms the passing of our Chairman, Felix Juan Serrallés Nevares.  "Don Fao" as he was known to close relatives, company employees and friends, was the company's President and CEO from 1981 until 2017 and a member of the family's 5th generation. 

     Under his vision and tenure, Destilería Serrallés experienced unparalleled business growth and innovation, solidifying a leadership position for Don Q Rum in Puerto Rico and driving an aggressive expansion into the USA and other international markets. He will be remembered by all at Serrallés, and those who knew him for his noble spirit, his passion for the company and his brilliant intellect.  His values and legacy will continue to lead the way for generations to come", said Roberto Serrallés, family and corporate spokesperson.

Tortuga Rum Company: Robert and Carlene Hamaty's Dream Come True

Tortuga Rum Cake Factory

     Upon visiting almost any Caribbean Island, you are often presented a glass of rum punch. but there is something else made from the rum of the Caribbean.  Tortuga Rum Cake is known throughout the cruise passenger and tourists, about 21 million visitors to the islands each year get to sample the world-famous delicious Tortuga Rum Cake.

Robert and Carlene Hamaty

     Where did it all start?   The Tortuga Rum Company was started in 1984 by Then Cayman Airways captain and his wife.   As well as his interest in aviation, a growing entrepreneurial spirit led to Captain Hamaty and his wife Carlene setting up the Tortuga Rum Company knowing the value of rum in the Cayman Islands.

 

     Using a four-generation family recipe, Carlene started baking the first Tortuga Caribbean Rum Cakes. They were a hit and became a popular part of their line, at the duty-free liquor stores.   By 1990 the cakes had gained so much popularity that Carlene and Robert had to open a commercial bakery to keep up with the orders.    Tortuga Rum Cakes are the top export of the Cayman Islands.   They are also the most-purchased souvenir of cruise passengers for the past 10 years.   Varieties from a six-pack of 4-ounce cakes to the big 33-ounce cake can be shipped right to your door.

     The intent was to introduce Cayman Islands rums to the ever-growing cruise business with an eye on Cayman’s tourism development. Later in the 1980s, the first duty-free liquor Tortuga store was opened and Carlene Hamaty – originally of Savannah, Cayman Islands – took an old family recipe, added Tortuga gold rum and created the famous Tortuga Rum cake, which is now shipped to over 70 countries worldwide. There are franchised bakeries in Jamaica, Barbados and the Bahamas.

Tortuga Rum Pot Still

    As a frequent traveler of the Caribbean Islands, I’ve noticed these famous rum cakes in virtually every port that I’ve visited.  This is a very impressive operation that I was thankful to have an opportunity to visit.   I also got to see their first venture into rum distillation in West Bay, Grand Cayman.  The still is a 53 gallon version of the 300 gallon pot still we operate at Hemingway Distillery in Key West.  Great to see them getting into the business of creating their own rums.

Cayman Island Sunday: The Streets are Rolled up and Most Things are Closed

     It was a morning to set on the veranda and watch a huge iguana at the pool and then head to Calico Jacks  on the beach for a nice lunch and beach scene.  This vacation has seen the mornings sleeping in and just hanging out on the veranda in the mornings.  Sunday was no exception, watching a beautiful day unfold in front of us was time well enjoyed.  Pretty flowers and a huge iguana make the morning very different from the rain out yesterday morning.

     We had some errands to run, but found that virtually every store was closed on Sundays, so it was off to Calico Jack's for lunch on Seven Mile Beach.  This is a cool beach bar and restaurant right out on the sand at the north end of Seven Mile Beach.  A pure  eclectic place that fits the beach and the island.  We enjoyed a beach side seat looking out over the beach and the water.  Lunch was good and it was back down the beach we went.



     Looking forward to our last full day today on
the island.  We plan on visiting a few more friends and getting packed up to head home early Tuesday morning.

Pedro St. James Castle

Pedro St. James Castle

     At the invitation of Walker Romanica and Nelson Delbert of Cayman Spirits, Marta and I made the journey to the Pedro St. James Castle in Savannah Township.  This is a historic site here on Grand Cayman that we haven't heard of in all of our visits, but well worth seeing.    Built in 1780, it has a history that spans 238 years, the great house, the home of plantation owner William Eden, is Cayman's oldest stone structure and the island's only remaining late-18th-century residence .

Marta and the Friendly Cat on the Swing

     The Great House, in its capacity as courthouse and jail, it was the birthplace of Caymanian democracy, where in December 1831, the first elected parliament was organized and in 1835 the Slavery Abolition Act signed. The structure still has original or historically accurate replicas of sweeping verandas, mahogany floors, rough-hewn wide-beam ceilings, outside louvers, stone and oxblood- or mustard-color lime-wash-painted walls, brass fixtures, and Georgian furnishings from tea caddies to canopy beds to commodes. Paying obsessive attention to detail, the curators even fill glasses with faux wine.

      The mini-museum also includes a hodgepodge of displays from slave emancipation to old stamps.

Old Pre-restoration Picture

The buildings are surrounded by 8 acres of natural parks and woodlands. You can stroll through landscaping of native Caymanian flora and experience one of the most spectacular views on the island from atop the dramatic Great Pedro Bluff.  The poignant Hurricane Ivan Memorial outside uses text, images, and symbols to represent important aspects of the 2004 disaster.

Old Cayman Kitchen

Cactus Garden in Front of the Great House

The View of the Cayman Trench From the Pedro Castle Bluff

Grand Cayman Day Three: Cayman Spirits Distillery

Vodka Tower

     Another beautiful day here in Grand Cayman despite the weather forecasts.  After sleeping in a bit and a good breakfast it is off to Cayman Spirits Company distillery and our friends Dilbert Nelson and Walker Romanica.  As usual it was a time to share what was happening with them and what was happening in Key West as well.
    It is always a great time when I get to talk with other distillers and share tricks and ideas that may help me to learn more about the art of distilling. You always learn something new when you get to sit down with the master distillers at a distillery.

Stripping Still

    This evening we jumped into a cab and journeyed to  Pedro Castle in Savannah, Grand Cayman.  Cayman Spirits Distillery has an Outpost at the historic site.   Friday from 5 til 7 is Happy Hour and it is a lot of fun for everyone that visits.  Marta and I wandered the grounds and had a wonderful time before happy hour and really enjoyed the service from Aiza and Zane.   Pedrd Castle is the oldest structure on Grand Cayman and an interesting walk around the grounds.

Pedro Castle

     The real fun begins at 5 pm when Happy Hour begins.  The two for one
cocktails and the jerk chicken and pork put a real top to the evening.  Don't miss out on Friday at the Cayman Spirits Outpost on Fridays from 5 til 7.   By tghe Way if you stop by you need to taste the new 1780 Rum from Cayman Spirits.

Grand Cayman Day Two: A Day of Rest

     Today is the first full day here on the island.  It is a day of rest and trying to get caught up on my rest.   I've spent the day relaxing and enjoying the view from the second story lanai.   Tomorrow it is a day to get back out on the town. 

The View from the Lanai

Yup, the Chickens are Here Too.

     I've really enjoyed doing nothing today and looking forward to hitting the distilleries tomorrow and continue to have a really fun evening out on the town.

Traveling Day to Grand Cayman -Barefoot Man at Hemingway's

     Long Day, we left Sunset Marina at 5:40 am and started our journey.   We saw Sun rise near
Hawks Cay and got to Miami Airport around 9 am.    When the plane lifted off at 11:30 am we were both asleep in our seats.

     I woke up over the Bay of Pigs, Cuba and enjoyed the rest of the flight to Grand Cayman.  After
clearing immigration and customs we picked up our rental car and pu our "drive onthe left side capon and headed to town to do some grocery shopping and a quick stop at the liquor store to get a bottle of Havana Club 3 year anejo for an afternoon chill.

     Then the fun was about to begin as we cleaned up and headed down to Seven Mile Beach to Hemingway's for dinner and the Barefoot Man concert.  Always a great time.  George Nowak, put on a great show as usual.  It is always good to be able to spend some time with him.  He tells his friends tha tI'm the only guy that has a better job than he does.  His Music is always entertaining and leaves you smiling.

     Home by taxi, drinking and driving is never a good idea, but when you are driving on the left side of the road it is a formula for disaster.  Cocktails at the hotel and off to sleep.  The story will continue today, for your reading tomorrow.

Travel Day: Grand Cayman Here We Come

   After an interesting few months since Irma came whistling across these islands of the Florida
Keys, Marta and my lives are finally back to normal.  It is with a happiness in out hearts that we are leaving the keys for a small break this morning.  We are taking a little vacation and getting off the rock for a week. As w drive up the Keys and see all of the progress that has been made in bringing so many live back together Since last September, I have to finally smile at the strength and perseverance that the people that live in the Florida Keys possess.

    Today I expect to see the sun rise as we get to the Seven Mile Bridge and be at the Miami Airport before 10 am.  Check in, breakfast and board the plane for a week of fun, sun, rum distilleries, rest, relaxation and great entertainment.  I'll be writing daily while we are there to share the beauty and the fun of the island.

   

Japanese Scientists Are Producing Alcohol from Wood

      I find this to be interesting in the light that we have been trained that “wood alcohol”, i.e. Methanol is poisonous to humans.  If they have found a way to extract ethanol from wood, then there is a lot of wood scraps that could be turned into drinkable spirits.  This is great if it works, it will give us another spirit, like rum that has its base in waste products.

     Researchers at Japan’s Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute have developed an alcoholic beverage made from tree bark, which it says resembles the qualities of an alcohol aged in wooden barrels.   The team claim to have produced an alcohol beverage from tree bark that carries different qualities, depending on the type of tree used.

     The 15% abv alcohol is made by pulverizing wood into a creamy paste and then adding yeast and an enzyme to start the fermentation process, according to Tokyo’s Straits Times.  By avoiding using heat, researchers say they are able to preserve the specific flavor of each tree’s wood, and have already produced variants from trees including cedar, birch and cherry.   Having experimented with both brewed and distilled versions of the alcohol, the team said that the alcohol presents better as a distilled beverage, with 4kg of cedar wood producing around 3.8 liters of liquid.

     The institute was set up in 1905 with the mandate of carrying out research relating to Japan’s forests and forest products industries to ensure the sustainability and protection of natural resources.  Researcher Kengo Magara acknowledged that “wood alcohol” might not be the most beneficial use of its resources, but referred to the venture as a “dream-inspired” project.   The government institute aims to commercialize the product with a private-sector partner and have the liquor on shelves within three years.

Bars Have Had It Wrong When It Comes to Gender and Cocktails

     This article has some interesting points about what people will and would really like to be drinking at a bar.   I know that when a group of guys would come into a bar, only on a rare occasion would a guy order a flowery drink when the rest of them were ordering those macho image drinks. 

     Our culture is undergoing a gender revolution. Thanks to decades of work from pioneering activists like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, we cisgender people, that is, those of us whose gender matches the one we were assigned at birth.  We are learning there’s more to gender identity than the male and female binary that we grew up accepting.  Terms such as “trans,” “nonbinary” and “agender” are starting to seep into the mainstream.   At the same time, people are questioning what it truly means to be masculine and feminine and whether those descriptors are useful or outdated.   Truth is it’s quite common in the beverage world to experience antiquated thinking about gender.   “Imagine your masculinity is so fragile that you can’t drink a cocktail out of a coupe.”  Some people were shocked that this was even a thing, while others shared their exasperation.  A few bartenders told me that as a matter of policy they don’t exchange glassware for men who request more manly vessels for their drinks.   Refusing to drink out of a coupe tells the world that you’d rather suffer a warm cocktail than be perceived as feminine. That should tell you a lot about how deeply entrenched misogyny still is in our culture.

     There is a lot more to this article, that is well wort the time to read it.  You can find it at https://www.google.com/search?q=The+Bar+World+Has+It+All+Wrong+When+It+Comes+to+Gender+and+Cocktails&rlz=1C1CHWL_enUS734US734&oq=The+Bar+World+Has+It+All+Wrong+When+It+Comes+to+Gender+and+Cocktails&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60.10002j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Grand Cayman Here We Come

     Wednesday morning at dark-thirty am Marta and I will begin our adventure that takes us first to Miami and then off to Grand Cayman for a weeks vacation.  I'll be doing the blog daily from Grand Cayman.  Looking forward to be getting away.

Brugal Leyenda or Legend, is a Beautiful Expression

     This is a premium brown rum from the Dominican Republic, aged for 10 years first in former American Oak bourbon casks and then in Spanish Red Oak.   This world renowned company Brugal & Co. S.A. presents Ron Brugal Leyenda.   This creation is a tribute to Don Andres Brugal Montané, who founded the company and at the same time was the first Maestro Ronero.

 

     The super premium Leyenda is a Masterful combination of the best mature spirits of the House, and contains the spirit and the perfection of 127 years of company history. The new rum label bears the signature of Don Andrés.   Brugal Leyenda is created by a very extensive and exclusive process, first it is rested in once used American white oak bourbon barrels, and finally in Roteeichenfässern Sherry casks made of Spanish Red Oak.

    Brugal Leyenda has an intense reddish amber color with a unique character. The noble spirit shows a broad spectrum of aroma that includes honey and oak sherry.   The exquisite taste is fruity with notes of dates, figs and peaches and leaves a long, elegant and delicious finish.  The Rums has a suggested Retail Price of about $ 56.00.  It is quite hard to find in the US, but if you travel you will likely be able to locate it.

Lil Wayne Stars in Bumbu Rum's First Ever Marketing Campaign

Lil Wayne

     This Barbados-based rum brand Bumbu just launched its first marketing campaign starring rapper Lil Wayne.  The commercial sees Lil Wayne partying with both women and goats, a visual reference to the advertisement’s slogan, G.O.A.T., or “greatest of all time”.   The party kicks into high gear when the rapper asks someone to “pass the Bumbu”, which the ad claims is the G.O.A.T. among rums.

Bumbu Rum

     Lil Wayne said: “This was a raw idea that made us laugh out loud. We had fun doing it, and that’s really what separates Bumbu as an independent company.”  The commercial was directed by Eif Rivera, who has previously directed music videos for stars including Kanye West, Nicki Minaj and 50 Cent.  “Lil Wayne was one of the first people to see it and became one of our earliest supporters.

     Brett Berish, CEO of Sovereign Brands, owner of Bumbu, said: “Bumbu is a small-batch, limited production rum and we’ve been fortunate to have more demand than supply since it was first released.   “As Bumbu has grown and we’ve been able to bring it to new places around the world, making a video with Lil Wayne was a fun and easy choice for us. It’s a perfect way to kick off our first-ever marketing campaign for this wonderful brand.”

The Rum Loaded Brewski for the Spring Party

     I was looking for a very simple spring time cocktail that was easy to make and yet very tasty the other day, I got an idea from a cocktail contest that I judged a week or so, using real beer in my cocktail.  I’ve done a lot with ginger beer, so why not give real beer a try.  There have been several rum companies that are aging their rum in bear casks and it seems to work very well, so I gave it a try.  The results were quite rewarding and tasty.  Beer is almost always found at any gathering, so it is a natural for this spring party season.

Bahama Bob’s Brewsky Daiquiri

• 2 oz. Yolo White Rum
• 1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
• ½ oz. Simple Syrup or Cane Syrup
• Top Up with Modelo Especial Beer or Your Favorite Beer

Place All but the beer in a shaker filled with ice and shake until cold, strain into a beer glass filled with fresh ice and top up with the beer.  Garnish with a lime if you like.

A World - Wide Survey Shows That Nine Out of Ten Would Support a Plastic Straw Ban

A Recent Survey Shows that Nine Out Of 10 People Would Support a Complete Ban on Plastic Straws In Bars And Restaurants.

     After surveying more than 1,700 people in the United Kingdom, the United States, India and South Africa, Streetbees found that more than half of people asked saw plastic waste as the biggest threat to the world’s oceans.  Even more so than the issue toxic waste and sewage, global warming, oil spills and over-fishing.   The research, carried out by a London-based intelligence platform Streetbees, also found that four out of five people thought that straws were harmful to the environment.

Oliver may, coo and co-founder of Streetbees, said: “it is extremely rare for people across the world to come down so firmly on one side of an issue.  “Plastic waste is a hot-button topic that people clearly feel quite strongly about and want to see action on.”   These findings follow announcements from a number of United Kingdom bar operators including J.D. Wetherspoon and the revolution that they planned from their venues.  The United Kingdom Government has also announced recently that they are considering banning of single use plastic items like straws.

Relicario Encourages Neat Rum Serves with New Packaging

     Spain-based Beveland Distillers has launched a new gift pack for its Dominican rum, Relicario Supreme.  Relicario Supreme is a blend of rums distilled from molasses and aged for 10-15 years in ex-Bourbon barrels.

     The new gift pack includes a bottle of Relicario Supreme, as well as a single glass for neat tasting.   Relicario’s parent company Beveland Distillers has rapidly increased its rum offering in recent months.  Last February, the group introduced Ron Jungla, a brandy barrel-finished Caribbean rum, to its portfolio. Meanwhile, in 2017, Marama Spiced Fijian Rum joined the Beveland fold.

Conch Republic Navy Schooner Sea Wolf Readying for the Attack.

     Saturday evening at  7:00 PM the Conch Republic Military Forces attacked the U.S. Coast Guard in the remembrance of the Battle for the Conch Republic on April 23, 1982.   The Coast Guard Cutter lead the way out across from Mallory Square and the Conch Republic Army brought it s guns to bare from the land while the Conch Republic Air Force attacked from the skies.  On the Water, the Conch Republic Navy made a classic pass along side of the Cutter.

     The battle was on, and the proceeded to start throwing loaves of bread and water cannons at each other from the seas as the Air Force strafed from above.  This time honored reenactment of the battle for Key West Harbor is steeped in tradition and is still a lot of fun to watch as everything from dinghy's to yachts filled the waters.

The Battle is on.

The Conch Republic is a micro nation declared as a tongue-in-cheek secession of the island of Key West, Florida from the United States on April 23, 1982. It has been maintained as a tourism booster for the city since. 

Reflections: An Evening on The Dock at the Hurricane Hole

     The water and the sky are joined bu the line of boats and the Mangroves at the Hurricane Hole this evening.  The contrasts of clouds , sky and water fill the palate of Mother Natures mural give you a very pleasing and relaxing aura as your relax on the docks.

Diageo All Eyes on The U.S. Spirits Market

     Diageo has underperformed its Spirits peers YTD. We see this as a buying opportunity given its solid organic sales growth and strong cash generation. Our proprietary US Spirits wholesalers survey is reassuring regarding market growth and Diageo's brands. Reiterate Overweight.  Our 5th US Spirits survey highlights the confidence of Spirits wholesalers regarding volume and premiumization potential over the rest of 2018. Among US distributors, >50% of our respondents are optimistic about the next 6 months, like our November survey.  The distributors expect low-single-digit volume growth, with further improvement in the on-trade. The premiumization outlook remains solid, driven by dark spirits, which implies further positive mix and is a bellwether for the market's health, in our view.

     Diageo's organic sales growth looks set to accelerate driven by US, India and EM.  We expect +3.2% organic sales growth in North America for Diageo in FY18, which looks set to accelerate to 3.6% in FY19e. Closing the gap with the market within the next 12 months looks possible, driven by Brown Spirits and Tequila, while the drag from Ketel One and Ciroc vodka (only 10% of US sales) is likely to fade. We expect emerging markets growth to accelerate, with India (10% of Diageo sales) growth set to bounce back to 8% post a weak H1 affected by regulations. Overall, we expect Diageo's organic sales growth to reach +4.7% in FY18e (H2 +5.2%) and to accelerate to +5.3% in FY19e. Thanks to cost savings, we forecast average organic EBIT growth at c.7.3% in FY18/19e.

Top 10 Spirits in America

     The Spirit Business has issued their annual Top 10 American Spirits and Rums made two of the positions.  This is a good indicator for the category this year.  The group received 20 million responses, which were analyzed to determine the popularity score across several categories including food, media, technology and sports.   The results revealed the nation’s favorite spirits brands, which ranged from vodka to gin to whisky to rum and even liqueurs.

     It’s no secret that Americans are big fans of their spirits. Last year, the industry experienced record sales in the country, hitting US$26.2 billion, according to trade body the Distilled Spirits Council.  Sales of both domestic and imported spirits were up 4% in the year, while joint volumes rose 2.6% to 226m cases.

Spirits now own 36.6% of the total alcohol beverage market share, marking the eighth consecutive year that the category has gained market share against beer.

9. Captain Morgan

Diageo-owned rum brand Captain Morgan was described by fans as “good value for money, good quality, refreshing, trustworthy and must-have”.  The rum brand is most popular with Generation X (49%) and is more popular among men than women.  In the US, the brand recently expanded its portfolio of shot-inspired spirits with a watermelon variant and a coconut-flavored expression. Diageo also tweaked the bottle design of its Captain Morgan rum in the US to create a “more modern brand visual identity”.

2. Bacardi

     The world’s best-selling rum brand is also one of the most popular spirits in the US, scoring the coveted second spot.  Bacardi is described by fans as: “classic, good quality, refreshing, familiar and trustworthy”.  The brand recently unveiled its latest effort to tap into premiumization with the launch of two new expressions: Bacardi Añejo Cuatro and Bacardi Gran Reserva Diez.  Meanwhile, the brand continued its Sound of Rum campaign with the launch of a limited-edition rum in collaboration with Trinidadian DJ and music producer Jillionaire, who has been appointed as the brand’s ‘minister of rum’.

Today Key West is Losing a Great Friend and Musician

Gary Woods Sr. Playing at The Bull

     Gary Woods Sr. is heading up to Gatlinburg, Tennessee to live, and today and tonight will be his last Key West performances.  He and I go back seven years when he first came to Key West and tied up his boat on the same dock that I live on.

     Gary has had the best of times and the worst of times here in Key West, but he is feeling the need to be nearer to his grand children and feels that it is that important for him to back to an area that is closer to his roots.  Family is so important to him, and I'm glad he is able to slow down a bit and get closer to them.

    He lost a son, and a wife while here in Key West, but he has had the opportunity to do a whole lot of things that were on his bucket list as well.  His Hurricane Hole Karaoke has been happening weekly for better than six years and came to an end last night.  He has played and singing most every venue in Key West over his years here, places like Captain Tony's, The Bull, The Tiki House and so many more.  Drawing a crowd everywhere he plays and a great following that will surely miss him.  It all comes to an end tonight at the American Legion between 7 and 9:30 pm.  Gary I'm very happy for you and what you are doing, because it is what you truly want, but you will be really missed down here.

Alcohol Awareness Month and College Drinking

     April is Alcohol Awareness month and it seems like many young people are getting the message. The good news is that they're are drinking less than previous generations. Surveys of 8th, 10th and 12th graders show that rates have been steadily declining. The current cohort of college students are consuming less alcohol than in previous years, and their non-student peers are drinking even less.   There is speculation that the "Generation Z" cohort tend to be conscientious about what they consume and are not interested in repeating the embarrassing antics of earlier generations. They seem to be more accepting of others' choices, including not drinking.

     But overuse of alcohol is still taking a big toll on college campuses. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, nearly 696,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking,  about 97,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 report experiencing alcohol-related sexual assault and nearly 1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor-vehicle crashes.

     The drinking culture can vary from college to college but at schools where spectator sports are big, drinking rates tend to be higher. A study on the correlation between March Madness participation and college drinking found that one-third of students over 21 and one-fourth of underage students engaged in binge drinking when the school team was part of the NCAA Tournament. They also found that when alcohol was less available at sporting events there were fewer "arrests, assaults, ejections from the stadium, and student referrals to the judicial affairs office," -- all unfortunate situations that can have an impact on a student's academic future.

     There is a lot more to this, and you can read about it at https://www.chooseresponsibility.org/article/view/22712/1/2635/