The First Day of Summer

     Today begins summer here in the northern hemisphere, It is a warm and beautiful day here in Key West.    This is the start of the quiet times down here.  Season is over and it is time to kick back and relax a bit.    Time to get out on the water and do some drifting through the shallows with my camera in hand, maybe just explore some areas I haven't gotten into before.  Any way this is the start of a new and fun time.

     Today is the longest day of the year, and we start loosing a bit of daylight every day until December 21st the shortest day of the year.     This should be a great day at work, we have a great group of people here in town and the day yesterday just flew by.   The Rum Bar is always fun, especially when I have a good fun group of people in town like we do this week.

     Start the summer off right with a fine evening on the patio or the boat, but get out of the house and have some fun today.   It is that time for you to fire up the bar-b-que and fix a fine rum cocktail and hit the chase lounge or the pool.

Summertini

·         1 ½ oz. Bacardi Oakheart Spiced Rum

·         ½ oz. Butterscotch Schnapps

·         ½ oz. Lime Juice

·         Top with Barrett’s Ginger Beer

Place all ingredients except the Ginger Beer in a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled.    Strain into a chilled martini glass, top up with Barrett’s Ginger Beer, and garnish with a lime.

 

     This is a simple and tasty summer cocktail that is really refreshing and works nicely on the patio or the aft deck of the boat.   ;o)

What does it Mean to Wear a Mount Gay Red Cap?

   The Mount Gay Red Cap, one of the most prized possessions of anyone that owns one, but how do you get to possess one?   I got mine cruising on America 2 during the Quantum Key West races.  The only way to get one is be handed one by the people from Mount Gay Regatta series at the completion of the day on the water. 

     The Hat is a symbol of accomplishment and prized by sailors around the world  that have raced in Mount Gay sponsored regattas.   The hats are awarded upon completion of the course at the end of the day.


     There has been a long association of sailing with Mount gay Rum going back to the 1700's when Barbados was one of the hardest trips for a sailor to make and return to Europe.  They had to prove they had reached Barbados by bringing back a barrel of Mount Gay Rum.    The long association was continued in the 1970's with the advent of the Mount Gay sponsoring of regattas world wide  and the priced "Red Cap".    It is the sign of a real sailor even today and a prize that anyone that has received on will never let loose of.  I sure prize mine.   ;o)

Thoughts on St. Lucia and her Rums

     The tiny island of St. Lucia in the southern Caribbean is a lush place of beauty that is loaded with natural resources that make rum production a must.   This island is home to some of the fine rums of the world, putting brands like Admiral Rodney and Chairman's Reserve on our shelves.   The St. Lucia Distillers Group make a wide variety of products besides the fine rums, a product list that can fill an entire table.

     Admiral Rodney is the flagship of the St. Lucia Distillery Group, and as it should be.  This is a very nice high quality rum that averages 12 years of age that will become close to 15 years as older rum become available for the blender.     The rum is aged in Jim Beam, Jack Daniels and Buffalo Trace Barrels and then later blended for flavor.     This is a very bright amber rum with a complex and inviting aroma.   The palate reveals a sweet caramel and chocolate  flavor that is highlighted by notes of spice oak brought about by long aging.   The finish is of an exceptional length and balances out the entire experience.


     The Island of St Lucia is a paradise and the rums are of the same high quality.   This was a really great day that I got to spend visiting the island and the very innovative distillery.   ;o)

Drinking and Your Weight

     This is a subject that I live with every day, both as a barman and as a person that lives on a "Weight Watchers" diet.     I still enjoy my rums, but these days I'm either drinking straight rum with a couple of cubes of ice, or rum mix
ed with diet tonic and lime.   Both of these cocktails are only two points on my old style "Weight Watchers" program.   Though I'm on a maintenance portion of the program after losing some 50 pounds three years ago.    Watching what I drink and eat at the bar is a huge portion of the program.

   I read an article by Karen Ansel, R.D. for Fox News yesterday that really put a lot of this into perspective.     " Here's what we know: Your average drink-beer, wine, martini, pick your poison-is usually a combination of carbs, sugar and ethanol (pure alcohol). When it goes down the hatch, it makes a pit stop at your stomach, where some of the alcohol is absorbed through the lining and into your bloodstream, giving you that initial buzz. The carbs and sugar go the traditional digestive route, while ethanol, a toxin, is diverted to the liver.

 

This is when that innocent little drink starts messing with your internal fat incinerator. Ethanol has no nutritional value, so your body burns it off first. That means any remaining calories in your stomach-whether they're from the margarita or the chips and guacamole you had with it-will likely be stored as fat.

 

It seems that people who drink moderately on a regular basis will be less likely to gain weight from the "useless calories" that are being taken in from the alcohol.  It was also noted that moderate drinkers tend to eat more healthy than heavy drinkers do.   Keeping to a steady moderate amount of alcohol and a healthy diet, you can actually loose weight if you done dive into the french-fries and chips at the same time. 

 

    I found this to be an interesting article, http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/14/drinking-alcohol-to-shrink/  combined with my own experiences of loosing the weight and maintaining it in the past three years while living in the drinking capitol of the world.   It is truly a combination of eating properly and drinking "unsweetened cocktails" in moderation without munching the weight back on.  ;o)

 

 

Monday Cocktail Time with Rhum Barbancourt Pango

    Rhum Barbancourt Pango is one of the truly wonderful mixing rums.  The flavor is superb and natural tasting, providing a great base for many cocktails.

Pango Dessert

• 2 oz.  Crème of Coconut
• 1 1/2 oz. Rhum Barbancourt Pango
• 1 oz. Rhum Barbancourt 3Star 
• Splash of Pineapple Juice

Place all of the ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled and pour into a Collins glass.  Garnish with an Orange Wheel and enjoy.

     Make this for an afternoon patio treat by the pool or out on the water, it really works to help chill out in the afternoon.  ;o)

Thinking about a Habana and Dinner for Two

    Habana is loaded with quaint little restaurants like the one at Tienda de Habanos.  This is a wonderful place with an atmosphere that never seems to quit.   It is no wonder that Ernest Hemingway made it his home.

Season Coming to an End and Headed into Summer Mode

   The season here in Key West is starting to wind down and we are moving into the Summer mode.   This just means that I can have a few more conversations with my customers.  I'm not literally slinging drinks, but rather being able to spend a little more time with each creation and more time with the people that will be enjoying them
.   In the years past, summer was really dead, but any more it is just a slowing of business, the combination of the economy are keeping people in the US instead of traveling abroad.    The security problems in some of the foreign countries have helped Key West as well.  Key West's reputation for being safe and fun has made this little paradise a year round destination in recent years.

    It is also a time when the waters are less crowded and I get to go out and spend some time on the beaches and sandbars of the islands with some quiet privacy.   All and all is a very wonderful time of year down here in the Keys.   Hope you get to experience the "off season" in the Keys and get to know what the Keys are really about.   Let the sun set on you in Key West and you will never for get the beauty and fun of this quirky place at the southernmost end of the highway.    ;o)

You Can Buy the Products of Florida Distilleries at the Distillery Now

     Rick Scott, Governor of Florida signed into law two bills that will redefine business for state distilleries.   HB 347 / SB642 will set a precedent for the alcohol industry.    


"There are several sets of interests that have to be taken into account when drafting alcohol legislation, which makes it one of the trickiest industries to represent from a legal perspective," said Blau, the chair of Gray Robinson's national alcohol beverage and food law practice. "You have stakeholders with concerns in the public safety and health and wellness sectors, while also having to consider implications at a political and economic level. The fact that this bill was able to pass in its first session, with little to no opposition on the voting floor, is truly extraordinary."

 

 

 

 



Drum Circle Distillers in Sarasota

     "From a legislative standpoint, we were able to work with key legislators and leaders in the alcohol industry to pass a bill that everyone could support," said Unger, the lead lobbyist on the effort out of Gray Robinson's Tallahassee office.

 

     This legislation will make Florida a place to build an alcohol distillery and could lead to significant growth for the state.   Allowing the distilleries to have a showroom at the distillery and be able to sell the products can help make the distilleries a destination, and a place to truly show the value of their products.

 

  

Cape Spirits in Cape Coral

     JoAnn Elardo, owner of Cape Spirits in Cape Coral, Fla., can finally hire the help she needs to offer tours due to the added revenue the distillery will bring in from alcohol sales. Cape Spirits manufactures Wicked Dolphin Rum.  "Before we were just a name on a shelf," said Elardo. "Now we have marketing capability. We can make our distillery a destination and put our stamp on our product."

 

    This is going to be a boom for all Florida and legislation that is long over due.   ;o)

 

 

 

Grog and Bumbo: Pirates to Politics

    In the world of rum history there are two very old mixtures that come to mind.  Grog and Bumbo, these were mixtures that were a big part of the nautical scene for the past three centuries.   Grog is  basically a watered down navy rum that is some cases lime juice was added.   Bumbo is a combination of rum, sugar and water wit a topping of fresh nutmeg, and maybe cinnamon.  

     Grog is the drink of choice of many a British Naval sailor, as well as some pirates.    It seems that after the capture of Jamaica, the British Admiralty took the sailors off of beer and brandy and started the tradition of a rum ration instead.   Some
85 years later Admiral Edward Vernon watered down the rum and added lime, creating Grog.   This name came from Vernon's nickname "Old Grog".   Grog is a very tasty thirst quenching blend that is simple to make and always satisfies. 

     On the other hand, Bumbo adds a sweetener to the grog and some nutmeg for flavor.  This blend of "spiced" grog seems to be the drink of choice of pirates and other swashbucklers of the high seas.   The merchant marine and the pirates didn't suffer from scurvy as did the British Sailors, mainly because their voyages were of a short haul nature.  As a result the citrus could be dropped from the grog and sweetener and spice added making a much tastier blend.

    There was a political candidate running for the House of Burgess in 1758 who prepared 160 gallons of "Bumbo" for 391 voters turning the voters into "Bumbo" and swinging their vote his way.  Guess who the candidate was, none other than George Washington.   This ploy was known as "swilling the planters with bumbo".

     Bumbo and Grog are not only a fun rum cocktail, but are historically significant as well.  There was another less know mix call the "Traitor" which was made with honey, orange juice, rum , and nutmeg.


Bumbo

• 2 oz. Dark Rum
• 1 oz. Water
• 1 oz. sweetener ( Simple Syrup , Agave Nectar, Cane Syrup or Honey)
• Top with fresh ground Nutmeg (add Cinnamon as an option)

Place all ingredients in an ice filled shaker and shake until chilled and strain into a Collins glass with ice. Garnish with a lime wheel.

   Try this I think you will enjoy it this summer on the patio or the aft deck of the boat..   ;o)

Happy Wednesday

   Internet problems all day, so here is a happy sunny morning picture to brighten up your day.   Hopefully everything will work right tomorrow.   ;o)

Rums Hold their own in F. Paul Pacult's Top 120 Spirits List

     F. Paul Pacult has issued his 2013 "Best Spirits in the World" list and rum has done pretty well this year.   The number 8 pick is Brugal's Papa Andres 2013 Edition, and the 14th is Ron Abuelo Centuria, they

are both fine rums that I have had the pleasure of enjoying in the past few months.   Both of these fine rums should be proud to be in the top 15 of this prestigious list of spirits.

 

Here are the top 10 Spirits in the world according to F. Paul Pacult.

 

1) TIE Angel's Envy Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

1) TIE Highland Park 25 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

2) George T. Stagg Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (2012 edition)

3) Elijah Craig 20 Year Old Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

4) Christian Drouin 1992 Pays d'Auge Calvados

5) St. George Spirits Single Malt Whisky XXX 30th Anniversary Edition

6) Longmorn 16 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

7) Parker's Heritage Collection Master Distiller's Blend of Mashbills Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

8) Brugal Pap� Andres 2013 Edition Rum

9) Bowmore Dorus Mor 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

10) Colonel E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof Uncut & Unfiltered Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskeyese

 

Other rum notables:

 

14.  Ron Abuelo Centuria Reserva de la Familia Rum (Panama)

17.  English Harbour 25 Year Old Reserve Rum (Antigua)

27.  Appleton Estate 50 Year Old Jamaica Independence Reserve Rum (Jamaica)

30.  Mount Gay 1703 Old Cask Selection Rum (Barbados)

38.  Clement Tres Vieux Rhum Agricole Grande Reserve 10 Year Old Appellation (Martinique)

46.  Appleton Estate Reserve Jamaican Rum (Jamaica)

66.  Bacardi de Maestros de Ron Vintage MMXII (Puerto Rico)

79.  Depaz Blue Cane Rhum Agricole (Martinique)

86.  Dos Maderas 5+3 Year old Superior Reserve Rum (Guyana / Barbados)

92.  Santa Teresa 1796 Ron Antiguo de Solera (Venezuela)

95.  Flor de Caya Centenario 21 Limited Edition Rum (Nicaragua)

97.  Rhum Barbancourt Reserve Speciale 8 Year Old Rum (Haiti)

98.  Charbay Rum (USA)

105. Rhum Clement Cuvee Homero Rhum Vieux Agricole (Martinique)

 

    This is an impressive showing on the part of the rum industry and noting that as a class of spirits the efforts to put more efforts into higher quality and less as a pure volume spirit is really beginning to show.  ;o)
 

 

 

Butter and Nuts: Frozen Summer Cocktail

    We are headed into summer finally and it is time to clean up the blender and start making those delicious frozen cocktails.  For most people it is a Pina Colada or a Strawberry "Daiquiri" when you talk about frozen cocktails, but today I've got a new one for you right out of "Cocktails & Tails"

Butter and Nuts

·         1 ½ oz. White Rum

·         1 oz. Butterscotch Schnapps

·         ½ oz. Amaretto

·         1 oz. Cream of Coconut

·         ½ oz. Orange Juice

·         ½ oz. Pineapple Juice

Place all ingredients in a blender with ice and blend until smooth.   Pour into a pint glass and garnish with fresh ground nutmeg, orange wheel and cherry.

 

   Give this one a try it is a great change from the ordinary frozen cocktails and perfect for a patio or poolside afternoon.   ;o)

 

 

The Sun Has Returned to Key West

    Finally, we are seeing the return of the morning sun and some of the grey skies from all of the humidity is starting to turn blue again.   This just lifts my spirits and makes me want to write and have fun again.   Enjoy our sunny day for yourself and make the day worthwhile and have some fun.  ;o)

International Rum Conference Winners Announced

 
 
     The winners of the International Rum Conference held in Madrid, Spain were announced yesterday.   The competition is broken up into categories as follows with the double gold medal winners.

Rhum Agrícole Classification, produced with 100% fresh sugarcane juice, recognized under A.O.C.1 or produced in French territories. Possible variants: alambique still, continuous column still or mix of both distillates.

•Rhum Agricole White: Clement Canne Bleue 

•Rhum Agricole Aged, 5 years or less: Clement Rhum Vieux VSOP

•Rhum Agricole Extra Aged, 6-10 years(Rhum Vieux): Cuvee Homere Clement Vieux Agricole

•Rhum Agricole Special Harvest (Rhum Millesimes): Baton de Cannelle Entier

•Rhum Agricole Fruit Flavored, with possible variants depending on proof: Mangue Passion

 

Molasses or Cane Derivatives Classification. Possible variants: alambique still, continuous column still or mix of both distillates.

•White Rum: Don Q Crystal

•Aged Rum 5 years or less: Don Q Anejo

• Extra Aged Rum, 6-10 years: Roble Viejo Extra Anejo, Ron de Jeremy Reserva, and Cubaney Reserva 7

• Extra Aged Superior Rum, 11-15 years: Zaya Gran Reserva 12 Anos and Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva

• Premium Aged Rum, 16-20 years: Cartavio XO

 

This is an impressive list of rums and a good many of these winners are available for your own tasting at the Rum Bar here in Key West.  Stop by and see me and I'll introduce you to some of the winners from Madrid.   ;o)

 

Only a 50% Chance of Rain Today

   It keeps getting better, but Andrea is such a bitch.    She just won't go away, I need some sunshine in my life.    She drenched me coming home from work yesterday, and just missed me in the dinghy last night, fooled her.   I really want to see the sunshine for a few days now, these gray skies aren't making it.  I know that the sun is waging a great war against the clouds, I see it trying to break through, but it just hasn't made it yet.  I hope I feel more inspired tomorrow, all I need is some sunshine. :o)

Blue Sky This Morning and a Papa's Pilar Blonde Cocktail

     This morning has shown with a blue sky, something that I haven't seen in quite some time.   I welcome the change for the better and today is a good one for a new Papa's Pilar Blonde Cocktail.  Papa's Pilar Blonde is a full flavored rum that goes unfiltered and has retained a blonde color from the 3 years in the barrel, and more flavor than most white rums.  This makes for an interesting mixology issue, being a full flavored rum might not fit well with all conventional mixers.  This is an interesting and refreshing summer cocktail that I think you will enjoy made with Papa's Pilar Blonde.

Papa's Highball

• 1 1/2 oz. Papa's Pilar Blonde Rum
• 1/2 oz. Triple Sec
• Juice of 1/2 Lime
• Dash of Bitters
• Top off with Barritt's Ginger Beer

Place all ingredients except the Barritt's Ginger Beer in a 12 oz, highball glass filled with ice, shake until chilled, and top off with Barritt's Ginger Beer.  Garnish with a lime wheel and enjoy.

    I hope we can really have a summer, and I can enjoy more cocktails like this one to refresh my afternoons.   Think Summer, maybe we can have one and the rains can become our normal 30 minute to 1 hour events and not these seven day dirges.   This will help the psyche as well as being refreshing.   ;o)

Seven Rainy Days in a Row Really Get Me Down

     The good news is that it is not snowing.    This continuous rain we have had in the past two weeks is really beginning to wear on me.   2013 seems to be a year of weird weather all around the world.   Tornadoes all over the Midwest, snow in June, and for us almost a continuous rain for a week or more.

     The great news is it won't last forever and we will be able to get back to our spring weather with some sunshine and smooth waters.   I'm hoping that we can get back to a normal weather pattern not just here in the Keys, but all over this world, this is just plain odd. 

   Anyway, I'll put on my "foul weather" gear hop on the scooter and get off to work and hope there are some people there I hope will need cheering up and I'll be able to help them enjoy their vacations in the rain.    I'll put on my fun barman face and have some fun behind the bar today hoping that this mess will soon pass.   I guess it is like anything else too much of anything is sometimes just to much.    Do I need to start working on the Ark?   ;o)

The Real McCoy Rum: The Prohibition Tradition

Captain Bill McCoy

     The Real McCoy 5 Year Old Rum is a rum created out of the traditions of prohibition era Florida rum runner Bill McCoy.  If you wanted the really good stuff Bill McCoy was the man you got you liquor from.   He sold only the best spirits, and not the watered down ones that many others offered.  His liquor became known as "The Real McCoy" for being the best available. 

     Today through a collaboration between  Bailey Pryor and Richard L. Seale, there is now a rum bearing the Real McCoy name that truly lives up to the legend.   Pryor who researched, and produced the documentary featuring the "Real McCoy" and the American Prohibition Era got the inspiration to create a rum that would truly make Captain Bill McCoy proud of him.    Richard L. Seale from Foursquare Distillery in Barbados was contacted to create a true rum to fill the bill, if you will.   The Seale family tradition of rum making is one that is as legendary as Bill McCoy's honesty and reliability for the delivery during the prohibition ear.

     The results are in and they have truly done what they set out to accomplish.   The rum is amber colored, medium viscosity, showing fine legs in the glass.  This is a true sipping rum with an initial sweetness that fades to a spice and dried fruit in the back of the palate.  It finishes with a slightly peppery and long lasting fruitiness.   Having just received the bottle, I'm looking forward to trying to mix this rum in a way not to loose the delicate and very smooth flavor of the rum and yet create a well balanced and sophisticated cocktail.   I'll let you know what I end up with.   The rum is so good out of the bottle, that it is going to be difficult to improve on the taste.   ;o)

 

Taildragger Rum: An Agricole Style White Rum

     Taildragger White Rum is a very flavorful white rum made for first pressing sugar cane, it is unaged and not filtered at all.     Coming from the "Caribbean Isle" of Plainfield ,Illinois, this is a very fine rum that is hand made in a small batch artisan distillery by Toby Beall.     Toby is the founder and head distiller at Tailwinds Distilling Company and the driving force behind the rums.   The quote on the bottle reads, "We are bringing America's first spirit back home."    Toby believes that filtering removes as much flavor as it does color, leaving the rum tasteless as well as colorless.   He is right, because this is not a "cachaca" , but a very nice white rum.  

     The aroma is one of a cane field and the clean sweetness is very inviting as you breathe it in.  On the palate it has a sweet and mildly grassy taste that is quite normal for a "agricole  style" of rum.  The rum is extremely smooth and the flavors linger long after the very soft finish.   Actually sipable with a cube of ice to open it up, this is a first class and flavorful white rum.  

     It would be a great rum for a Mojito, Daiquiri, or even a T Punch, though not actually an agricole rum, a lot of the agricole flavors do come through.   I feel that Taildragger White Rum will be a welcome addition to your personal collection and when made more available, to  the shelves of any bar.    It seems to like cola, coconut water, lime, tonic and other mixes without over powering the cocktails balance.   If you should get the opportunity to try this rum, I feel you will be surprised by the flavor and smoothness of an unaged white rum. 

     They also have an Amber Rum that is aged in French Oak  barrels, but as of right now I haven't had the opportunity to try this one.  If the amber is as I expect it to be, it will be one fine rum, based upon the quality of the white rum.   ;o)

Sunday Morning Beauty

   I just love getting up just before sunrise and see all of the beautiful and unusual morning artwork mother nature has in store for me as I depart the boat.   Today was no exception.  ;o)

Saturday is Beach Day

   Saturday is the traditional day to get out to your favorite place, for me it is a nice secluded beach on one of the keys just off of Key West.
Maybe one of the beaches of the Marquesas Keys to our west.   Days on the beach wandering with the sand between your toes and the warm waters of the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico make it hard to resist the beaches away from the hustle of Key West.  I find the "wildlife" very fascinating along these beaches.

     This is also a great time for a fun cocktail that you can take with you and enjoy as you walk down these beautiful beaches or at your own special place.   Beaches are made for relaxation and fun, so pack up a lunch or some snacks and try this fun little cocktail, I know that you will enjoy it.

 

 

Bahama Bob’s Beach Juice

· 1 ½ oz. Brinley Gold Shipwreck Spiced Rum

· 1 ½ oz. Atlantico Rum

· ½ oz. Butterscotch Schnapps

· 1 oz. Crème of Coconut

· ½ oz. Lime Juice

Place all the ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake thoroughly. Pour into a pint glass and grind fresh nutmeg on top and garnish with an orange and a sprig of mint.

 

   Anyway the important thing is to get out and enjoy your Saturday and the beach, have a great time whatever you do.  ;o)

Angostura dropping 10 Cane and Foursquare Distillery will Be the New Producer

     Angostura has made the decision to drop the contract with Moet Hennessey for the production of 10 Cane Rum.   In a statement issued by Angostura, "After almost a decade working with Moet Hennessey, Angostura decided not to renew the contracts since it did not bring the returns necessary to continue the business."   It seems that part of the 10 Cane operations were actually closed for a few years because of insufficient demand for the rum.

     Sir David Seale, Chairman of Foursquare Distillery in Barbados said at the announcement of the contract, "It is Barbados gain over Trinidad and Tobago".   Barbados Industry Minister, Donville Inniss said, "Barbados is not a low-cost location for manufacturing and as a result the have to tap into the niche areas, rum is a product that is synonymous with Barbados and they will have to exploit fully the rum industry.

Richard L. Seale

     Foursquare Distillery Managing Director Richard L. Seale said, "The future development of Barbados partly rested on the rum industry and the contract with Moet Hennessey could result in many indirect jobs, increased economic activity and between 10% and 30% more exports.  "This product has a short potential to sell in the region of two to three-hundred thousand cases and to become a major global brand when you want it to sell a million cases."

    10 Cane Rum was first introduced in Trinidad and Tobago in 2005.  The name comes from the fact that it is made from first pressing sugar cane in stead of molasses.    It is said that it takes 10 stalks of sugar cane to make each bottle of 10 Cane Rum and thus the idea behind the name.   This is a true premium white rum and now being produced at one of the truly innovative and quality distilleries of the world.   This should be great association.   ;o)

Ocumare Anejo Especial: Fine Rum from Venezuela

     Ocumare is a line of fine rums made in Ocumare du Tuy, Venezuela, a location they have being producing traditional rums from since 1950.    The company originated in Caracus in 1938, but by 1950 they grew to the point where they needed to improve the equipment and needed more space.

     The skills of master distiller and bottler Andres Colmenares comes clearly through when you taste this fine rum.   This is an extremely smooth rum that glistens with a rich reddish brown color.  This rum teases you with a complex aroma of caramel and brown sugar, plus notes of vanilla, wood, and spice.   From the first sip, the very viscous rum send notes of sweetness and caramel that turns to a chocolate and finishes with a lasting reminder of caramel and a note or two of licorice.   The experience is one that is well enjoyed and remembered.

     I am looking forward to seeing this wonderful rum on the shelves here in America very soon.  It will become an instant favorite once it reaches the shelves here in America.   ;o)

    

Ron Diplomatico Blanco: The Elegant White Rum

     Ron Diplomatico Blanco from Venezuela is one of the absolute premier white rums in the world.  This is a pure and clean rum for the use in your premium cocktails that you want to be a cut above the ordinary.   First introduced at London's UK Rumfest in 2008, it has been a favorite of many cocktail masters since it's inception.   With it's light creamy feel on the palate and an unmatched softness for a white rum this is the one you need to try. 

     Made from only aged rums that vary in age from 2 to 6 years, this is a blend of light column and heavy pot still rums that have been distilled multiple times and finally charcoal filtered to attain the brightness and clarity so distinctive of this rum.  

     From the aromas that rise out of the rum you immediately know that this is a very light rum.  There are notes of sugar and floral aroma that lead you into the tasting of this rum.   You will notice a sweetness immediately, with hints of vanilla, cocoa, and  a citrus notes in the later part of the experience.   There is a long and sweet finish to this rum retaining some the palate complexity noted earlier, with a smooth, no burn finish that will make your cocktais superior ones.

    I use this as a base for many of my daiquiri recipes as well as for many other high end cocktails that call for a delicate smooth touch to make the cocktail well balanced and flavorful.

    This rum runs about $40.00 here in the United States, but for those very special times when only a fine white rum will do, Ron Diplomatico Blanco is the only rum to use.   You will find this rum in my Rum Lab and in the Rum Bar here in Key West as a resident white rum that is used in my highest quality cocktails.   ;o)

Memorial Day on Boca Grand Key

    A bit windy, but a beautiful day to get together with some friends and explore Boca Grand Key.  The ride through the Lakes Passage was a bit choppy, but we survived and got to enjoy the beautiful beaches and marshy areas of Boca Grand Key.   There were not as many birds like usual, buy the flowers, the ocean and the company made this a great day of resting and marveling at what nature was throwing my way.

     Once on the beach it was time to explore and look at all of the fun things that we always seem to find on the beach as we wander along the shore.   Mangroves in blossom, with their bright purple flowers, sea oats, and all kinds of other interesting things that inhabit this protected key.  Even the Grasshopper posed on this day for his portrait.


  
     The birds as they swoop over us are always a great show to watch.  Today a sea gull kept us entertained as he fed from the surface of the water.   He kept swooping down and plucking fish from the surf as he enjoyed his lunch and put an aerial extravaganza on for us on the beach.


     The water was like a virtual water color print with its palate ready for you to dip your brush in and paint your own picture.   Today was one of the days that I have so missed s far this year, the strange weather hasn't allowed enough trips out to sea to suit my liking.   I thoroughly enjoy a day out on the water for a second week in a row.  ;o)