Appleton Estate Launches a 30 Year Old Limited Edition Rum Honoring the Joy Spence Appleton Estate Rum Experience

     Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Joy Spence Appleton Estate Rum Experience (JSAERE),  J. Wray and Nephew has launched a premium 30-year-old rum.   Only 4,000 bottles of the rum will be sold globally, making the rum an extremely rare limited edition. It is the second time in 10 years that Appleton Estate has released a 30-year-old expression, part of its ongoing efforts to lead the rum industry's global trend towards premiumization.

     While, like its predecessor, the youngest drop of rum in this offering has been aged for at least 30 years, the inclusion of rums aged over 50 years in this new expression, creates “a distinguished, and one-of-a-kind sipping experience,” according to the release. The blend is said to feature notes of vibrant vanilla, toasted oak, ginger and warm cinnamon with a smooth and long, spiced honey finish, and is best served neat to appreciate the flavors.

     The JSAERE opened its doors 30 years ago to share the 269-year-long history from cane to cup. Joy Spence has the honor of being the first woman in the world to hold the position of master blender in the spirits industry and has been able to witness over the past couple of decades the increased popularity of Jamaican rum in markets globally.

     Spence told the media, “When I first joined the industry, rum was pretty much a standard spirit that was served with colas or juices. Appleton Estate was one of the first companies to see the potential for premium rum and we were at the forefront of developing and defining the premium rum category,”.   “We have launched several premium limited editions to highlight the rich complexity of premium rums and to demonstrate that they can be enjoyed in the same way as a scotch or cognac. We have been educating consumers globally on the joy of premium aged rums.”

Appleton Estate 30-Year-Old is available currently at select retail locations, including the Joy Spence Appleton Estate Rum Experience in Siloah, St Elizabeth, Jamaica.

Read More at http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business-report/appleton-estate-releases-30-year-old-limited-edition-rum_144665?profile=1056 

Las Vegas’ Mob Museum Opens Prohibition Inspired Distillery, Brewery and Speakeasy

The Underground's Still and Condenser

    The Mob Museum, The National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, has reinvent the way guests experience history when they visit The Underground, a permanent exhibition dedicated to the history of Prohibition, that first opened in April 2018.   Guests touring The Underground will learn about Prohibition-era bootlegging and rum running. Prohibition shut down thousands of breweries and distilleries across America, but it could not eliminate the public’s desire for alcohol. It simply forced the brewing and distilling of booze into the shadows, where it became the purview of organized crime syndicates. Indeed, Prohibition led directly to the rise and proliferation of the Mob in America.

Ther Underground Speakeasy

     The Underground will take visitors on an uncommonly vivid journey back in time: Situated discreetly in the basement of the Museum, The Underground houses a real working distillery and speakeasy. While visiting these vibrant, immersive environments, guests will be compelled to ponder the time when consuming alcohol was not only a criminal act, but also bred secret watering holes that became the most glamorous places to be. 

      Numerous artifacts found in the distillery and speakeasy will add depth and context to the experience. Items to be on display include a beaded chiffon dress, ca. 1926, which is an example of the new and bolder fashions that became popular during the Prohibition era due to the rise of flapper culture, as well as a 5-gallon whiskey still, one of the smaller home stills used to make alcohol during Prohibition.  Complete with luxurious Art Deco-inspired design motifs, and a distinctive sense that something illicit is afoot, The Underground speakeasy will feature The Mob Museum’s own house-distilled spirits and house-brewed beer, as well as tempting Prohibition-era cocktails. Genuine Moonshine made onsite from corn mash will be the centerpiece of the cocktail collection, which will also feature a full bar including the Museum’s proprietary vodka, gin and rum.   Tickets for the Mob Museum’s distillery tour cost $12 per person.

Read More at https://themobmuseum.org/press_releases/mob-museum-debut-underground-permanent-prohibition-history-exhibition-featuring-working-speakeasy-distillery-april-2018/

Rums of Puerto Rico Has Launched a Campaign to Promote Puerto Rican Rum

Several Puerto Rican government figures have partnered with rum distilleries on the island to launch a campaign to “expand the knowledge base of rum in Puerto Rico”.

     The Rum Standard campaign was launched by the Puerto Rican government and distilleries on the island.  The Rum Standard campaign has been launched by the secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce, Manuel A Laboy Rivera, and the executive director of Rums of Puerto Rico, Alexandra Salgado Colón.   The campaign aims to highlight the four regulations that apply to all rums made in Puerto Rico – that it must be made from molasses, produced using a continuous distillation process, should be aged for at least one year in American oak barrels and produced in Puerto Rico.

     Laboy Rivera said: “We are confident that with this campaign, the production, sale, and export of Puerto Rican rums will continue to grow. With this promotional effort we aim to increase the number of people in the world who know and love Puerto Rican rum.  “We will present it at events where we participate, in and out of Puerto Rico, and through the various networks of the government of Puerto Rico that promote the island internationally.  “The commitment of our administration and governor Ricardo Rosselló Nevares, is to continue supporting this industry because it is a high quality local product that has gained international recognition.”

     The campaign consists of seven videos, five minutes each, that summarise the history and the process of making rum on the island. The Rum Standard campaign also features a one-minute video that summarises what the Rums of Puerto Rico brand is all about.  As part of the campaign, RumCapital.com has been redesigned and relaunched to offer information and insight into the production of Puerto Rican rums.  According to Laboy Rivera, the Puerto Rican rum industry generates more than US$300 million annually for the local economy and represents 700 direct jobs in rum distilleries.

Read More at https://caribbeanbusiness.com/rums-of-puerto-rico-campaign-launched-along-with-rumcapital-com/

David Gates, The Drive Behind Johnny Walker has Moved to Brewdog Distilling

David Gates

     During his time as global whisky category director at Diageo he established steady growth for    The appointment comes as Brewdog’s distilling arm, Lone Wolf, reveals its plans to expand its spirits range beyond vodka and gin to encompass whisky and rum.   Over the next six months Lone Wolf will concentrate on developing Lone Wolf rum and whisky, to join its small-batch gin and vodka releases.

Scotch Whisky and as Johnnie Walker global brand director he led the brand in becoming the most profitable international spirits brand in the world, according to Brewdog.

     Brewdog co-founder, James Watt, believes David is as obsessed with quality and flavor as we are.  His proven success in building an established division makes him a force to be reckoned with in the industry.   I am thrilled to have him on board and can’t wait to see where David takes Lone Wolf.  He shares our vision in standing as a market and custodian of purist, truthful distillation methods, and his fresh, challenging thinking will not only take Lone Wolf to new levels, but the entire category as well.

     Gates said, The opportunity to shake up the spirits category with the industry’s biggest disrupter was just too good to pass up.  What Brewdog has done for the beer industry is nothing short of awe-inspiring, you can’t help but be impressed with the energy, vibrancy and unapologetic attitude they have injected into the category. It is that same creative flair and obsession for quality that I hope to bring to the spirits portfolio.

     According to Steven Kersely, Head Distillery at Brewdog Distilling, the team has already done a great job getting the Lone Wolf brand out to the public and looks getting the brand to the next level with its introduction of new whiskeys and rums by the injection of more excitement, creativity and playfulness into their spirits.

Bahama Bob's Sweet Nothings

     Here is an idea for a nice not to sweet cocktail for the evenings in front of the fire.  This one has great flavor with only a touch of sweetness up front.  The combination Doorly's XO Rum with the Amaro and lime make for an interesting mouth feel, and a touch of sweetness that goes away at the finish.

Bahama Bob's Sweet Nothings

• 2 oz Doorly’s XO
• 1 oz. Amaro
• Juice of ½ Lime
• ½ oz. Bahama Bob’s Honey Syrup

Combine into shaker filled with ice, shake and strain into a stemmed cocktail glass.  Garnish with an orange zest.

Bahama Bob’s Honey Syrup

     In a sauce pan, place equal parts of honey and water, bring it to a biol, stirring until the honey is all dissolved. turn down and simmer for about two to three minutes.   Allow to cool and place in a suitable container and keep refrigerated until you use it.

Recovering From Mother Natures Rage

     A little more than a year after Irma and Maria devastated the Caribbean along with Florida and the Florida Keys, there has been a lot of progress, but the recovery is far from complete.  I talked with some friends from St. Johns in the US Virgin Islands and they have finally gotten their internet back within the past month.  Things are a lot better and many of the tourist sites are back in operation, but the overall infrastructure is still not back in full operation.

Little Palm Island a Month After Irma Hit

     Here in the Florida Keys the hardest hit areas of the middle keys are making a strong recovery, and much of the restoration is done or well under way.  Cruising down the coast to Bahia Honda last month I noticed that much of the debris that was there last October, was gone and many of the houses have been repaired.   Living in Key West where most all of the repairs have been completed months ago you don't have a good picture of what is really still happening in the heaviest devastation areas.

Mexico Beach after Michael

     I know the feeling of having your world turned upside down by a natural disaster, and how long it
takes to bring thing back to what was before.  My sympathy lies with those in the panhandle of Florida as they are just beginning the long process of recovery from Michael.  It is a long process that feels like it will never end, but eventually the tasks will be completed and life will return to normal.  Keep a strong outlook for recovery and you will get there.

Mabouya Valley St. Lucia

     St. Lucia is one of the beautiful islands that lie in the eastern Caribbean.  It is a very beautiful and mountainous island that offers a wide variety of experiences.  This Mabouya Valley is  where you will find Saint Lucia Distillers, a company that was formed by the merging of the Dennery and Roseau distilleries in 1931.
    Today they are celebrating some 87 years of rum making on St. Lucia.

Alcohol Working in Your Brain: New Target Path Discovered

     When alcohol enters the brain, it causes neurons in a specialized region called the ventral tegmental area, or VTA -- also known as the "pleasure center" -- to release dopamine, a neurotransmitter that produces those feel-good sensations, and tells the brain that whatever it just experienced is worth getting more of.  Scientists have long sought the first step in the molecular pathway by which alcohol causes neurons in the VTA to release dopamine.   Now, researchers in the Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics at the University of Illinois at Chicago report in the journal Neuropharmacology, that alcohol blocks a potassium channel called KCNK13 that sits within the membrane of dopamine-releasing neurons in the VTA. When the potassium channel gets blocked, the neurons increase their activity and release more dopamine.

     "Currently available drugs reduce the impact of alcohol on the brain that is akin to turning down the volume on a stereo," he said.   Brodie and his colleagues will continue to investigate the role of KCNK13 and examine how selective manipulation of the channel in other brain areas and cell types might alter alcohol-related behaviors.

     "We are the first to show that KCNK13 is a primary, direct target of alcohol and that this channel is important for regulating alcohol consumption. KCNK13 represents a novel target for the development of alcohol use disorder drugs, of which we have relatively few today," Brodie said.

     What they are saying is they want you to spend more money on drugs that kill your buzz.  Let’s look at it another way, you buy expensive drugs, then, you can buy more booze to get the same buzz you were getting for less than half the price if you could just learn to be a responsible drinker and exercise a little self-control.   Don’t get me wrong, this is very interesting research, but if you are going to drink, it is to get a buzz.  Why would you use a drug that kills it.

Read More at https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181022150948.htm

Chairman's Reserve 1931 Launches in the U.S., Praising Nearly 90 Years of Saint Lucian Rum Craftsmanship

Chairman's Reserve range with a limited edition release: Chairman's Reserve 1931, a rare single-blended aged Saint Lucian rum, which pays homage to a legacy of rum philosophy and craft. 

     The history and inspiration behind the Chairman's Reserve brand begin in 1931 when Denis Barnard established the Barnard family's rum distillery. He unknowingly set the foundation for decades of legendary Saint Lucian rum craftsmanship predicated on character, finesse and distinction. Denis Barnard was truly an original pioneer in the art of blending rum and began experimenting with distillates from various fermentations of molasses produced by the plantation's own sugar factory. His philosophy and technique of blending were inherited by his grandson Laurie Barnard, who officially established the Chairman's Reserve brand in 1999.

     Today, Chairman's Reserve 1931 has been launched in tribute to this unique, time-honored philosophy and craft. The blend of this flagship rum is made of distillates from St. Lucia Distillers' twin column Coffey still and three copper pot stills, which have aged individually from six to 11 years in Bourbon and Port casks before being married together. The majority of the blend is traditional molasses rum, while the hidden spunk comes from agricultural rum from sugarcane grown at the distillery.

     The 46% alcohol by volume or 92 proof expression carries aromas of sweet raisins with definite toasted oak notes, leather, spice and tobacco on the nose. On the palate, rich sultana fruit with hints of crème caramel and buttery oak continue into a long complex finish. A hint of grassy aromatic sweetness from the sugar cane distillate gives a unique hedonistic element to the rum. "Chairman's Reserve 1931 elevates the premier rum brand of Saint Lucia ahead of the iconic rum brands currently on the world stage," says Benjamin Jones, director of SPIRIBAM, the brand's U.S. importer. "The limited edition 1931 embodies the finer life of Saint Lucia and establishes Chairman's Reserve at the head of the class within the premium rum category as well as against all premium aged spirits."

     Chairman's Reserve 1931 will debut in the United States November 2018 next to Chairman's Reserve Original, Chairman's Reserve Spiced and Chairman's Reserve Forgotten Cask. Customers across the United States, with the exception of those from AL, IL, KY, MI, MS, NH, SD and UT, can order the product and have it conveniently shipped directly to their home

     To order, simply visit www.chairmansreserverum.com and follow the "SHOP NOW" button.

Livin' on the Dock of the Gulf

     Living in a marina on your boat give you a different view of the world.  You enjoy a quiet that doesn't exist on the land.  There is a close relationship with people of like minded ideas of what living really is.  Otis Redding put out a song in the 1968, a song that comes to mid as I sit on the bow of the boat and watch the tide roll away.  The words of his song "I'm sittin' in the mornin' sun, I'll be sittin' when the evenin' comes.  Watchin' the ships roll in, then watch 'em roll away again.  Boats are coming and going all day long and it is fun to guess where they are heading or just knowing that they are going fishing and will be back in the evening.  Others like sailboats who knows where they are off to.

     This is a great life with a minimum of noise or other problems that you encounter on the land.  It is a easy going way to allow you to be relaxed and just smell the sea on the breezes.  I find it  nice to be able to say hi to neighbors as they come and go to their lives as you walk up and down the docks.  Overall we are a part of a floating neighborhood, but we have a lot more in common with each other than do apartment or condo dwellers.  The one thing that I learned living on the land is that I never got the chance to know my neighbors or hardly ever get to even say hi and we were coming and going.  We are a community of people that like to spend a little time with each other.



     Live aboard people are often called boat trash, but I'd rather spend my time here than any other
place that I have lived in my 72 years on this earth.  I've written about a lot of places that I have traveled to, but what I realize that the one thing that I remember about traveling is as I approach the end of the trip I look forward to getting back to the boat and the great life on the water.

Happy Halloween from Key West to You

     Ancient Origins of Halloween, its origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France.  Here in the United states, during Christian times, it became a celebration of the evening before All Saints' Day. Immigrants from Scotland and Ireland brought the holiday to the United States. The commercialization of Halloween started in the 1900s, when postcards and die-cut paper decorations were first produced.

     Today here in the United States it is another over commercialized day that is more about the sales of costumes and other decorative stuff.  The old traditions of kids visiting the neighborhood and collecting candy as part of “trick or Treat became way to dangerous and now it is all private parties and events like that.  This being said, it is also a chance for the adults to visit their favorite drinking establishment dressed like a zombie, witch, or ghost and probable drink a bit more that usual and have a lot of fun. 

     Here in Key West, that is what it is s for the most part.  There is everything from ghost tours, pub crawls, water adventures and family-oriented event at the Botanical Garden on Stock Island.  I’m really sure that you can find an event that will be right for you.  Happy Halloween All !!!!

Key West Halloween Schedule at https://www.mallorysquare.com/key-west-halloween-events/

October is Manhattan: Month How Do You Like Yours

     The drink originated at the Manhattan Club in New York City in the early 1870s, where it was invented by Dr. Lain Marshall for a banquet hosted by Jennie Jerome, Lady Randolph Churchill, mother of Winston Churchill in honor of presidential candidate Samuel J. Tilden.

     Like many pre-Prohibition cocktails, the Manhattan is supposed to be made with rye whiskey. Thanks to modern interest in “them old-timey ways,” it often is nowadays. Often, but not always.   The trick to a good Manhattan is basic Manhattan recipe as a baseline: two ounces of bourbon whiskey, one ounce of sweet vermouth, two or three dashes of bitters, a slice of orange zest, and a cocktail cherry.  Once you get your balance of the ingredients down to yield the taste you are looking for, then you can begin to experiment with the different rums to create your favorite Rum Manhattan.

     There are a number of good candidates for making a really good Rum Manhattan, Doorly’s XO, Mount Gay Black Barrel, Seven Fathoms, Flor de Cana Seven Year, and many other rums that have strong bourbon notes.  Rum adds a little bit of sweetness on the front of the palate that bourbon does not, giving the Rum Manhattan more palate feel than bourbon or other whiskeys do.  The decision as to which one works for your Rum Manhattan is up to you and your taste buds.

     If you want to develop your own signature Rum Manhattan and needs a sweeter or softer base, then choose a sweeter rum like Zaya or Diplomatico for your base, likewise a standard younger expression for a dryer result.  The decision is yours, giving your signature Rum Manhattan a taste that is as unique as you are.  I prefer a dry vermouth rather than a sweet one when using rum to counter a little of the sweetness of the rum.

Bahama Bob’s Rum Manhattan

•  2 0z. Good Aged Dark Rum to fit your taste
• 1 oz. Dolin’s Dry Vermouth
• 3 Dashes of Angostura Bitters
• 1 Orange Zest
• 1 Cocktail Cherry

 Place all of the liquid ingredients in a mixing glass or cocktail shaker filled with ice. Stir well, about 20 seconds, then strain into cocktail glass. Add cherry then twist orange peel directly over drink to release essential oils from the zest and serve.

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New York Prohibition Party Pusshing to Ban Alcohol in the State of New York

     They believe all alcohol -- beer, wine and liquor -- should be banned. It's the major long-term objective for the people behind a newly reorganized political party in New York.  They belong to the appropriately named New York Prohibition Party. Founded in 1869, it went dormant in the 1940s, about a decade after the end of America's big experiment with national Prohibition.  In 2017, a small group of true believers set out to re-establish the state party. They followed in the footsteps of a re-emerging national Prohibition Party, the oldest continuously operating third party in the country.  The ultimate goal "is to establish a lasting prohibition of the manufacture and sale of alcohol, to abolish the alcohol industry, and to establish a teetotal culture," party officials said in a set of answers to emailed questions from NYup.com.

     This is an ongoing battle that first appeared in the 1800’s, there will always be people that believe that alcohol is the root of all evil and should be banned.  The “Noble Experiment of the 1920’s and 1930’s failed completely.  All it did was to put the criminal element into the imbibing of alcohol.  It did nothing to stem its consumption.  Enough is enough, we have legal controls of the manufacturing, sales and use of alcohol, we don’t need to add the criminal element to it again.  We are finally moving out of that era with Marijuana, we don’t need to slip back into it with alcoholic beverages.

Read More at https://www.newyorkupstate.com/news/2018/10/its_back_ny_prohibition_party_renews_political_fight_against_alcohol.html

     Fantasy Fest 2018 in Key West and a full moon, what could possibly go wrong with that?  Nothing, it is what makes it all happen.  Hope all have a really great time this week.

Caulddron Punch Bowl

     Halloween Parties are always a great place for a party punch bowl in the middle of the table.  This is a perfect cauldron to offer your guests.  It promises to make you the hostess with the mostess at your party.

Punch Straight from The Cauldron

• ¾ liter Pomegranate Juice
• 1 Liter Pineapple Juice
• 2 Liter Ginger Ale
• Juice of 2 Limes
• Pint of Pilar Blonde Rum

Place all ingredients into a punch bowl with ice and stir.  Float orange slices and lemon and lime slices for garnish and ladle to serve.  Note: cut down the pomegranate juice and increase the pineapple juice if you want a sweeter mix.

The UK Government to Ban the Sale of Single Use Plastic In England Hopefully in Force by Next Year

     The move comes as part of plans to protect rivers, oceans, and meet the UK government’s 25 Year Environment Plan to eliminate “avoidable” plastic waste.  22 October, the government said it intends to introduce a ban, which would come into force at some point between October 2019 and October 2020, subject to a new consultation.  In England, it is estimated that 4.7 billion plastic straws and 316 million plastic stirrers are used every year. It is thought to take hundreds of years to break down the single-use plastic items and cleaning up their effects costs the government millions of pounds each year.

     The six-week consultation, which will close on 3 December 2018, will seek views on how to ensure those who need straws for medical and accessibility reasons can still use them. For example, restaurants, pubs and bars will be able to stock a number of straws for use on request.   The UK government has pledged $80,000,000.00) in funding to boost global research and help countries across the Commonwealth stop plastic waste from entering the oceans.

     Kate Nicholls, CEO of UK Hospitality, said: “We wholeheartedly welcome this consultation on an issue of vital importance and one which hospitality has already taken significant action.   “Since UK Hospitality’s Unpack the Future of Hospitality summit in the spring, thousands of pubs clubs, restaurants and hotels across the UK have changed their straws and stirrers to biodegradables or adopted policies that cut or eliminate their use in their venues. 

“The government is seeking views on how we can cut plastic waste and we look forward to continued engagement to play a part in achieving that goal.”  Environment secretary Michael Gove said: “In England we are taking world-leading action with our ban on microbeads, and thanks to the public’s support have taken over 15 billion plastic bags out of circulation with our 5 pence charge.  “I commend retailers, bars and restaurants that have already committed to removing plastic straws and stirrers. But we recognize we need to do more.

     One by on the responsible countries of the world are stepping up in order to curb the pollution of our waters by the use of single use plastic.  I hope this will also spread to the use of plastic bags in stores as well as other single use plastic items.

Read More at https://www.foodbev.com/news/uk-government-reveals-plan-to-ban-plastic-straws-in-england/ 

The Classic Cuban / American Cocktail el Presidente

     The El Presidente earned its acclaim in Havana, Cuba during the 1920s staying very popular through the American Prohibition.  One story is that it was created by an American bartender, Eddie Woelke who named it after Mario Garcia Menochal soon after moving to Havana.

     First accurately described in a 1919 article in the New York Evening Telegram, this Cuban mixture of “Bacardi, granatin and French vermouth” was apparently christened in honor of Mario García Menocal, president of that country from 1913 to 1921 and a man who didn’t mind throwing a lip over a cocktail.  Temperate people, the Cubans had only recently learned to appreciate the American mixed drink, but this one they liked. By the mid 1920s, the more discriminating among the massive influx of bibulous Yanquis that American Prohibition brought into the Queen City of the Caribbean had learned to like it too. 

    El Presidente 

• 2 oz. Doorly's White Rum.
• ¾ oz. Dolin’s Dry Vermouth
• ¾ oz. Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao
• 1 dash Angostura Bitters
• Garnish: Orange Zest.

Place all ingredients except the orange zest in a mixing glass and stir.  Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with an orange zest.

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The Ceramic Kraken 'Salvage' Special-Edition Rum Fights Plastic Waste

     In partnership with the Surfers Against Sewage charity, Kraken Black Spiced Rum launched a special-edition rum dubbed 'Salvage' that will help to fight plastic waste and pollution. The Kraken Salvage edition boasts a ceramic design and for every bottle purchased, the brand will be making a donation to the charity, which is devoted to protecting bodies of water and the wildlife that inhabits them.   Hugo Tagholm, chief executive at Surfers Against Sewage, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the Kraken Black Spiced Rum who will be raising vital funds for our work to protect the marine environment through its special limited edition Salvage bottle.”  The spiced rum brand has announced plans to work with the charity on an ongoing basis to support its efforts to fight plastic pollution.

     Although Kraken Black Spiced Rum is known for its ceramic rum bottles, the brand unveiled a set of black metal drinking straws to further help consumers reduce the amount of single-use plastic they purchase.  As the amount of plastic that is ending up in the ocean can no longer be ignored, environmentally minded brands are launching entire campaigns and products based on bringing awareness to conscious consumption, material reuse and conservation efforts.

How Pusser’s Rum Became The Official Drink Of The British Royal Navy

     On the deck of HMS Fife, docked in Pearl Harbor, soldiers stood wearing black armbands as the sun rose on July 31, 1970. They looked somber , part formal, part grieving. Following a 21-gun salute, they held their glasses high, their last “tot”, and cried: “The Queen.” They tossed back the drink and threw the glasses into the blue water below. They were not alone.   Anchored near the International Dateline, HMS Fife was the last among the many British ships that lowered their oars for a moment to say goodbye to a tradition they had been following for around 300 years. Tot was the daily ration of rum the Royal British Navy had nursed in its long seafaring history.

     A British naval destroyer’s crew line up for an issue of rum after arriving safely at a port somewhere in England, 1941.  But the navy hardly figured in the scene when the drink took birth in the dark and sinister sugarcane plantations in the Caribbean some three and half centuries ago. Europe needed sugar in the 17th century. In plenty. And for planters from England, the vast, barren lands of the Caribbean islands looked perfect for growing sugarcane. As they made sugar from molasses, they stumbled across a more interesting by-product, thanks to the extreme heat and fermentation, rumbullian alias rum.   Prince William with a tot of rum

     The drink, which first quenched the thirst of workers and planters, eventually crossed the oceans to reach America and Europe. Demand increased, for sugar and rum. The planters needed workers who could be forced to work in such punishing conditions.   People in Africa were enslaved for it. As trade increased and money and merchandise floated in the ocean, traders attracted pirates. The water between the Caribbean and Europe turned red with violence. The traders had only one option — send an SOS to the British Royal Navy. The navy glided in, lured not only by the big money the traders offered but also by the dark liquid sloshing inside the barrels in their ships.  

     Till then, the English sailors had tried every drink they could get their hands on. Beer went stale during long voyages. Wine followed. French brandy was good for a while, but it turned anti-national once England fell out with France.  So rum fit into the role of the official drink of the British Royal Navy. It was a long honeymoon. The humid heat of the tropics could only be fought with some stiff drink. Add to that the squalid condition in the quarters below the decks where hundreds of sailors sweated away at the oars. The long tedious voyages needed some reprieve. Rum not only gave them that, but also imparted some sense of taste amid the cold porridge and salted meat that came in daily. They called the drink Pusser’s rum because the ship’s purser, for which, pusser is the slang for it was responsible for issuing the rum. Pusser’s became the original rum of the British Navy. But it did not take long for the British Navy to realize that if unchecked, the new habit could spell disaster to their authority on the seas. Meanwhile, the sailors suspected that the drink they were served had been watered down. They invented an ingenious method to prove its spirit. They poured a bit of their ration on gunpowder.   If it smolders and burned, it was proof. If it exploded, it was overproof, with a higher alcohol content. If nothing happened, the purser might himself be tossed into the sea. The term “proof strength” for alcohol originated from this suspicion of the daily ration of rum. Over the years, naval strength rum has become the stuff of legends.  Today you can taste many versions of the drink that served seamen for centuries, Pusser’s Gunpowder Proof, Pusser’s Rum Original Admiralty Blend, etc.   Produced from British Virgin Islands, Trinidad and Guyana, Pusser’s is a blend of five stills. It is a veritable experience of Caribbean islands and cultures.

Read more at: //economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/66196337.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst&mc_cid=b45a7c5e8e&mc_eid=424fa6330e

Havana Club Develops a New ‘Professional’ Range Formulated Specifically for Bartenders

      Cuban rum maker, Havana Club has developed a new and experimental range exclusively with bartenders in mind.  The Havana Club Professional Edition range, which has also been developed in collaboration with bartenders, was first unveiled at trade show Bar Convent Berlin a couple of weeks ago.  The first bottling in the small-batch series, Havana Club Professional Edition A, is the result of a collaboration with the Cuban Bartender Association as part of celebrations for Havana bar El Floridita’s 200th anniversary.  The white rum is a blend of three aged rum bases and pure aguardiente that has been matured in large oak barrels for up to four years. It is filtered using an “innovative approach that retains the character yet still lightening the color and palate”. 

     Havana Club Professional Edition B has been created in collaboration with cocktail authority Nick Strangeway. The rum is a blend that includes one component finished in smoky Islay whisky casks, along with three other Havana Club 7 Year Old rum bases.  “Since the launch of Havana Club 7 Year Old 40 years ago, we have been committed to inspiring bartenders to create new rum cocktail experiences and the Professional Edition range is our latest expression of this,” said Nick Blacknell, global marketing director at Havana Club International.  “It was through the world’s best mixologists that rum drinkers were introduced to the Daiquiri, Cancha and Mojito cocktails – we hope that our new range provides the inspiration, through new flavor profiles in rum, for bartenders to craft the next generation of authentic Cuban rum cocktails.”

     Further editions will be added to the Havana Club Professional Edition range in the future, created using input from leading bartenders. These will be made exclusively available to mixologists in selected cocktail bars around the world.   Havana Club previously experimented with smoky whisky casks for the creation of its Havana Club Tributo 2018 expression.

Sometimes You Have That "Sinking Feeling"

     The Trip along the Rio Almendares outside of "Old Havana" I ran across this little boat that reminded me of so many boats that were in the path of Irma last year and Michael this year.  It is truly a sinking feeling that I really don't want to see repeated.

Clairin Casimir Rhum is Being Recalled in the United States for Lead Contamination

What you need to know about the TTB’s recall of the Haitian eaux-de-vie

     Clairin Casimir rhum is facing a voluntary recall. One of a select number of clairins—an eaux-de-vie similar to white agricole rhums—produced in Haiti and distributed in the United States, the Casimir brand is being recalled due to the presence of lead. The distributor, MHW, based in Manhasset, New York, initiated the recall on Wednesday.

     The lead discovery came in response to a consumer complaint placed with the Alcohol and Tobacco Trade and Tax Bureau (TTB) this summer. “The TTB receives consumer complaints on a regular basis,” says Tom Hogue, director of Congressional and Public Affairs for the TTB, all of which they investigate. Some of those complaints lead nowhere, suggests Hogue, while others end up in a recall. During this investigation, the TTB obtained a bottle of Clairin Casimir Rum from Vanderbilt Wine Merchants in Brooklyn, New York, on August 8, and analyzed it for the presence of prohibited materials. Upon determining that the Casimir had elevated lead levels of 138 parts per billion, they consulted with the FDA to determine whether lead at those levels, present within an alcoholic beverage, met the standard of being a health hazard.   On October 9, the TTB sent MHW a letter requesting their participation in a voluntary recall, which MHW initiated on October 10.

     While the value of 138 ppb sounds excessive, whether it meets the standard of high risk has—to some extent—to do with the delivery mechanism. Lead levels in apple juice, for example, which is commonly consumed by children face a lower threshold than lead levels in beverages whose consumption is limited to adults, according to the TTB. In 1993, the FDA established that lead levels should not exceed 80 ppb in juice packed in lead-soldered cans. Since then, Codex Alimentarius Commission, an international food standards organization that establishes safe levels for the protection of consumers, further established a maximum level of 50 ppb for lead in ready-to-drink fruit juices.    In response to the TTB’s request for analysis, the FDA affirmed that the lead levels in Clairins Casimir posed a health risk, particularly for women of childbearing age and for any developing fetus that might be exposed. The TTB’s October 9 letter explains that, according to the FDA, the blood lead level (BLL) in pregnant women should be no higher than 5 micrograms per deciliter to limit lead exposure to a developing fetus, and that 12.5 micrograms of lead per day would achieve this 5 BLL. Per the FDA’s calculations, the 138 ppb of lead would result in an intake of 17 micrograms per day. It also stated that lead and alcohol—which can cause toxicity to the brain of a developing child—could also be more hazardous in combination than as separate parts.   According to Herbert Linge, president of Berling S.A., the bottler of the Casimir, the company has also tested the rum and found lead levels to be lower than those reported by the FDA and TTB, and within acceptable limits. They are currently awaiting additional testing results from California, where the rum is also in distribution. La Maison & Velier, the importer who first brought clairin to the U.S. and Italy, had the Casimir tested in Italy and also found lower lead levels. Those reports have been sent to the TTB.

     “The bottles are also completely within the parameters of European safety, so this is a U.S. recall only,” says Kate Perry, U.S. market manager for La Maison & Velier. Allowable lead levels in Europe are 150ppb, therefore, the recall is limited to the U.S.   For now, bartenders and retailers should remove any Clairin Casimir from inventory. MHW is encouraging consumers who have bottles to call 516-869-9170 ext. 306 for instructions on returns and reimbursement.

You can Read More on the Subject at https://daily.sevenfifty.com/clairin-casimir-rhum-recalled-for-lead-contamination/

Plantation Xaymaca Special Dry Rum Best European Spirit / Bar Product at Mixology Bar Awards 2019 in Berlin

      Just released a few months ago, Plantation Xaymaca Special Dry Rum has won its first Best European Spirit/Bar Product at the Mixology Bar Awards 2019 in Berlin.  The Mixology Bar Awards is the kickoff to Bar Convent Berlin, considered the world’s largest bar-focused trade show. 

award:

     With Plantation Xaymaca Special Dry Rum was a dive into the iconic culture that is unique to Jamaica rums.  Working with the complex flavors of overripe exotic fruits with an almost “animal intensity” this rum is a tribute to this ancestral culture of rum.  The name pays homage to the history of Jamaica and “Xaymica” the name that was given Jamaica originally by those that originally dwelled on the island.

     Plantation Xaymaca Special Dry revives the quintessential Jamaican-style, 100% pot still rums of the 19^th century with an expression of intense flavors that reveal the traditional, legendary Jamaican “rum funk.” Plantation Xaymaca is a blend of rums distilled in the old John Dore pot still at Long Pond and the Vendome pot still at Clarendon, two legendary Jamaican distilleries, owned in part by Maison Ferrand, producer of Plantation Rums.   Plantation Xaymaca Special Dry is bottled at 43% ABV,86 proof, and a suggested price of $24.99.  It is available in the U.S. today.