"Selected by Berrys'" 11 Year Old Barbados Rum

  

     Founded in 1698, the cellars of Berry Bros. & Rudd have been, for centuries, a temporary resting place not only for the very finest wines, but many very exquisite spirits including rums from all over the world.

     Perhaps lesser known, our range of spirits has been expanding year on year, and exponentially since we first introduced Berrys’ Own Spirits in 2003.   As have the accolades and awards that their spirits team have received in recognition of their expertise and passion for sourcing and blending all of the spirits in the collection.   Berry’s strives to provide unparalleled quality and service.

     These ideals were perhaps never more in evidence than in the selection of “The Berrys’ Selected Spirits”.   Carefully chosen and blended by the spirits team, led by Douglas McIvor, they represent the standard-bearers of style and quality for rums from the region.     

     Rums from the former Spanish American colonies (Cuba, Panama, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic) have commonly a light, crisp, clean taste.

     Former English colonies share a tradition for darker, sweeter, richer Rums, with a pronounced molasses flavor. Rums from Barbados where distilleries date back to the mid 1600’s, probably some of the oldest operating rum producers in the world.   There are other regions like Fiji, Bermuda, Belize, the Demerara region of Guyana, Venezuela, Trinidad and Jamaica that still produce some of the finest aged rums in the world.

    Berry's 11 Year Old Barbados Rum is a very fine example of the rums that come from this operation.  It has the aroma of sweet fruits followed by the notes of rich figs and raisins on the palate and a smooth rich and lingering finish that prolongs the wonderful fruitiness of the palate.

     If you are able to get a hold of one of these wonderful "Selected by Berrys' rums don't miss the opportunity.  They are really a marvelous experience.   ;o)

 

Havana Through the Windshield

     Havana for all it's beauty and charm is after all made up of very industrious and colorful people.  Traveling in the taxi on different days to different parts of the city, I was able to see a very different side of the city.  It is a side that is about it's people, where they live and how they get from place to place.   The city is very much like many other large cities that I have visited, but it seems trapped in the 50's.   I find this to be very charming and fascinating to see how they can be so innovative.  They can make marvelous things from cast offs and scrap like no place that I have ever been.   

     The city is very clean and the country sides are well manicured and beautiful as well.   They are very proud of their heritage and what they have accomplished.    I find that I can't seem to get enough of the island, the people love to show me so much about their country, rum, and are so happy to share the culture.

      Making the venture is a difficult process, but is so worth the effort.  You will experience so many places and things that the stories and rumors of the island can't even begin to cover.   Just enjoy the pictures and let them take you there and travel with me through the streets and highways. 





     Soon, maybe we will all be able to just hop onto our boats, planes and ferries to make the short trip from Key West to Havana and enjoy all of these sights anytime we care to just like they did in the days of Hemingway and Josie Russell ;o)

Study Concludes that "James Bond" Had a Drinking Problem

     In a study that was just released in the British Medical Journal by the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust made some very interesting conclusions  based on the studying of the cocktail consumption of James bond after reading the books.

"James Bond consumed four times the recommended weekly alcohol limit while serving his country putting him at risk of liver disease and impotence, researchers find"

Source: Daily Telegraph

By Miranda Prynne, News Reporter

13 Dec 2013 

     James Bond's love of martinis would have left him both shaken and stirred as he consumed four times the weekly recommended alcohol limit, doctors have said. 

     Despite his dangerous exploits, the famous spy was more at risk of dying from liver disease or drink driving than a bullet, according to a study in the British Medical Journal.     His high cocktail consumption may have even induced an alcohol-related tremor in his hands preventing him from stirring his drinks and explaining his preference for a shaken martini, the researchers said. 

     The team read all 14 of Ian Fleming's novels over six months to test whether the secret agent would have been able to cope with his high octane profession while drinking heavily.     They noted down every time 007 drank alcohol and calculated the number of units he consumed.     Bond's average alcohol consumption was up to 92 units each week - more than four times the recommended amount.  The most he drank in one day was 49.8 units.  Bond had just 12.5 alcohol-free days out of the 87.5 days he was able to drink and frequently drove when over the limit.

     The NHS advises that men should not regularly consume more than three or four units a day, while women should not exceed two to three.  The experts said that while they appreciated the pressures to drink "when working with international terrorists and high stakes gamblers", they would advise Bond seek help for how much he drinks. 

     Patrick Davies, from Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, and his team said: "when we plotted Bond's alcohol consumption over time, his intake dropped in the middle of his career but gradually increased towards the end," they said. "This consistent but variable lifetime drinking pattern has been reported in patients with alcoholic liver disease." 

     "We conclude that James Bond was unlikely to be able to stir his drinks, even if he would have wanted to, because of likely alcohol-induced tremor."

 

     Read More: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/jamesbond/10515184/James-Bonds-alcohol-intake-leaves-doctors-shaken-and-stirred.html

 

     Bond’s biggest daily drinking binge was in “From Russia with Love,” when he downed almost 50 drinks. And the doctors suspect alcohol may have been a factor in Bond’s “Casino Royale” car crash, after he knocked back 39 units of alcohol before engaging in a high-speed car chase.

     Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/health-headlines/james-bond-s-licence-to-booze-u-k-doctors-say-he-imbibes-92-drinks-a-week-1.1591107#ixzz2ndnkOLKQ

 

     I found this to be an interesting study, and one that one of our "super heroes" was the center of.   And he has proven the doctors wrong time and time again in every book and movie.   Fiction is a wonderful thing just like fantasy, you can do what ever you want without consequence.  Too bad real life isn't that way.  ;o)

 

 

 

December Morning at Sunrise

     With daylight savings time gone, this time of year provides us with very short days and longer nights.  My early morning strolls down the docks to the office some times can really brighten up my whole day.  The transition from artificial to natural lighting can be very dramatic and wonderful.   Just picks me up and makes me feel really good.   ;o)

The Holidays are Upon us, Drinking, Take a Cab!!!

     A friend of mine sent me a little note today that reminded me that we are in the height of the Holiday Party Season.   There is always a lot of drinking associated with these parties that can leave you with a heap of unnecessary trouble.  His little quip was funny, but it does bring home an important message about what can happen if you make a bad decision.

     "With the holidays upon us, I would like to share a personal experience with you all about drinking and driving after a "social session" with friends." 

     "This past Saturday, we were out on a pre-Christmas evening with long-lost friends.  I had a few cocktails, followed by a handful of glasses of vintage red wine.  Despite the jolliness, I still had the sense to know that I was over the limit.  That's when I decided to do what I have never done before: I took a cab home."

     "Sure enough, there was a police road block on the freeway but, since it was a cab, they waved us past.  We arrived home safely without incident. This was both a great relief and surprise because I had never driven a cab before.  I don't even know where I got it from and, now that it is in my garage, I don't know what to do with it!"

     In all seriousness though if you have had a mite to much at any time the taxi is the cheapest price you can pay for your safety and your future.  These days a DUI will run you a minimum of $30,000 to put it behind you, but the stigma will be on you back for years after.

     Enjoy your holiday parties and have all the fun you want, but please use alternate transportation to return home, and I don't mean steal a cab.    I don't want to loose any of my readers to a bad decision this holiday season.

Harewood House Barbados Rum Pulls $127,555.65 at Auction

     Christie's announced that the 1780 Barbados Rum found in a mess of dirt and cobwebs in the Cellars of the Harwood House in Leeds was sold for $127,555.65 American Dollars.     This makes it the oldest and most valuable rum ever sold by Christie's.  

     Five bottles of dark rum fetched the top price selling for £8,225 each with the proceeds going to the Geraldine Connor Foundation which helps disadvantaged young people train in the performing arts. 

     David Elswood, international director of Christie's Wine in Europe and Asia, said: "We are thrilled with the results for today's sale of The 1780 Harewood Rum. 

     The 12 bottles of dark and light rum sold for a total of £78,255, making it both the oldest and most valuable rum ever sold at auction by Christie's. 

     "It is wonderful that all proceeds will benefit The Geraldine Connor Foundation."

 

    After an interesting discussion with Richard Seale, of Foursquare Distilleries in Barbados, he  had some interesting observations as to it's origin. 

  "The estate was inherited by Barbadian born Edward Lascelles (1740-1820), the 1st Earl of Harewood. He sold the estate in 1806. It is listed on the 1913 list of working plantations I posted earlier under the ownership of the Dear family."

      "Lascelles Great House dates to the seventeenth century. It is shown on the map below. The (disused) windmill is also shown the map. West of this area is now a chic mall (Limegrove) and the Lascelles Great House is a vacation villa available at £1,250 per day."

      "With a mill they most likely crushed cane and distilled rum and this plantation would be my best guess as the source of the 1780 rum."

     This brings an interesting story of some very special rum to a very great end with the profits going to a well deserving charity.  ;o)

 

 

Grenada through the Windshield

 
     I traveled all over Grenada while I was there a month or so ago, but just seeing your destinations is missing most of the experience of the island.   I really find myself taking more pictures out of the windshield of the vehicle I am in as we go from place to place than I do once we get there.   Leaving the city and heading up the mountains along the rugged coastline, I'm amazed to see how things keep changing until we get into the dense jungle of the rainforest.

     After visiting all of the destinations that we were set out to see, it was time to come back down the mountain and the seashore just as the sun is beginning to set.   Watching people walking back home as we start to see signs of the afternoon thunderstorms moving up the mountain from the sea.

   These miles of travel and what you get to see through the windshield will absolutely amaze you if you take the time to look.   I guess the saying about life being a journey, and not just a list of destinations is really true, especially if you look out the window while you are traveling.  ;o)

230 Year Old Barbados Rum to be Auctioned

 
    






     There is an article in "The Spirit Business" about a group of old rums that were found in the Harewood House recently that are going to be Auctioned by Christie's in London.

Rum from the 18th century to auction

10th December, 2013 by Amy Hopkins

A selection of the oldest rum ever to be auctioned will go under the hammer at auction house Christie’s tomorrow. 

    

The selection of 12 rums from the 17th century is expected to raise around £12,000

     The collection of 12 bottles of light and dark rum dating back to the 1780s was recently rediscovered in the cellar of Leeds stately home Harewood House.

   David Elswood, international director of Christie’s wine in Europe and Asia, said: “Christie’s is delighted to be offering this rare and unique 1780 rum from Harewood House – the oldest we have ever seen and at 230 years of age, just 14 years younger than Christie’s wine auctions which commenced in 1766.”

     All expressions were distilled in Barbados, shipped in barrels to the UK, and bottled at Harewood House. The rum is offered in original mould-blown bottles and replacement tapered corks and re-waxed capsules.

     Read more at http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2013/12/rum-from-the-16th-century-to-auction/?article-source=newsletter&source=131&date=2013-12-10  

     These old Barbados Rums would be a treasure to own, although , I am really curious about who produced them in the first place.  

     Christie's says the first record of the rum that is being auctioned is contained in a Harewood House cellar-book entry dated July 1805. It lists "226 bottles, dark and light 1780." They were subsequently stored in two bins – "Bin 9 for the dark, Bin 12 for the light."

 

     After doing some further research, I discovered that the Harewood House located in the city of Leeds was the seat of the Earl and Countess of Harewood.   This house was built with profits earned by the production of sugar, cotton, tobacco and rum from the plantations owned by the Lascelles family in the West Indies.   From the information that I have been able to glean, it was what is now in the area of the Foursquare Distillery and Heritage Park.   Today the Foursquare Distillery is operated by the Richard L. Seale Family and the land seems to have been a part of the Lascelles Plantations during that period.

 

     These rums were hidden away on a high shelf in the cellar and forgotten.  By the 20th century, rum had gone out of style and they were pushed away and forgotten until their discovery as part of an inventory of the Harewood House Cellar in 2011.   I just wish that I could be there to see the auction an enjoy the history of this incredible find.  ;o)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Time is Egg Nog Time

    



      The Holiday Season is the time for a wonderful glass of Egg Nog and good spiced rum.   The holidays are not the same without a n evening by the fire or on the aft deck and sipping on this delicious seasonal drink.





Bahama Bob's Egg Nog

• Fill eared mug about 3/4 full of good quality Egg Nog
• Top up with a generous shot of Siesta Key Spiced Rum
• Dollop of Whipped Cream
• Top with fresh ground Nutmeg.

     This makes a wonderful evening beverage that you can enjoy through out the Christmas Season. 
Hope you evenings are as nice as mine and you are enjoying this easy to make toddy.

Where is the Facundo?

     I am really getting excited about getting our first bottle of Facundo Rum at the Rum Bar here in Key West.   Premier Distributing tells me it is now in stock at the warehouse, but it hasn't reached us yet.   I'll order it again today, and hopefully it will make the truck this Wednesday.  




Bacardi Building, Havana, Cuba

     This is one of the most exciting new rum to come out this year,  one that all of us at the Rum Bar have been waiting for since being given the opportunity to sample it back in April in Miami.   I can say with out a doubt, you really don't want to miss the opportunity to try this one when it arrives.  

     This is set of rums that would have made Don Facundo Bacardi Masso very proud.  It was in his honor and the feeling that it was time for the Bacardi Family to assemble a line of ultra premium rums to represent the company and the 150 plus years of heritage of the company.  

Facundo Bacardi, Manny Oliver and the Staff for Facundo Rum

     These are some of the family reserves that have been maintained in the Bahamas for many years and put together under the watchful hands of Facundo Bacardi,  Master Blender, Manny Oliver and his staff.  This was a very secret project that took several years of work and tastings to allow Manny Oliver to put the final blends for these fine sipping rums together.    Many of my fellow members of the International RumXP group and I were asked to be a part of the tasting and evaluating of some of the blends over the past couple of years.  It was an honor to be asked and given a chance to be one of the first to taste the final products back in April.  

     I'm hoping that this week will be the week when it arrives, we have a number of people in town now that are looking forward to getting their first opportunity to sip these very special rums.  ;o)

Sunday Serenity

     Sunday's a day of serenity and chilling for me, it is still a working day, but I'm up a little earlier and get a chance to see things before there are a ton of people moving about and breaking the peacefulness of the morning.   I hope you enjoy this moment as well.  ;o)

Walking Along the Beach on St. George's Bay

View from the Flamboyant Beach Resort

Morne Rogue Beach

     One of the really nice things about staying at the Flamboyant Beach Resort in Grenada was the view and proximity to the beaches on Grand Anse Beach and Bay.  As I look down from the veranda of the hotel I am struck with the view of the bay and the beautiful beaches with the surf rolling in against the beach.  As I walk down the road to my left I'm just a half mile or so from the sheltered Morne Rouge Beach, a beautiful westerly facing beach just out side of Grand Anse Bay.

     It is a steep walk down the flights of steps to get from the hotel to the beach, but the soft sand and the ebb and flow of the waves on the beach makes for a very  relaxing stroll down the beach and back.  

     The scenery as you look at the merging of the land, the sea and the sky makes for some of the most beautiful "paintings" that I have ever witnessed.  I couldn't keep from snapping pictures one right after the other.   I think that I still don't believe the way this land, sea, and skyscapes merge together on Grenada's southwest shores.

The "Spice Island" of Grenada is one of the treasures of the Caribbean that you rarely get to enjoy.  Should you be given the opportunity to walk these beaches and enjoy all that the "Spice Island" has to offer, don't miss your chance.   I am looking forward to returning to this little paradise soon and spending more time developing more friendships and seeing more of this fascinating corner of the world.  ;o)



Clarke's Court Distillers of Grenada

Woodland Estate Sugar Plantation in 18th Century

     Named for Gedney Clarke Esq. who bought up some 780 acres from the French, today known as the Woodland Estate around and including Court Bay in Grenada's southwest corner.  The name has been suggested as having come for the merging of the two names.   The factory is located in the Woodland Valley in the Parish of St. George.   Today the distillery is not open for tours as there is construction underway.  This factory has been operational since 1937 and is still largest and best known distillery in Grenada.  The distillery boasts steam engines that date back to the late 1800's used to power the factory up until the 70's or 80's. 

Steam Power within the factory

     Today they manufacture a large line of rums that range from very basic white rums to the #37 aged and very sophisticated rum.  The whites come in a standard 80 proof and overproof versions, all with a very smooth and pleasing flavor profile.

     I found both the "Old Grog" and the "#37" examples to be very special.    The Old Grog, named the "King's Rums of his Majesty George III of England.  Casks of the King's rum were lab
eled "GROG, an acronym for "Georgius Rex Old Grenada".  Old Grog has a light golden color with a fruity nose.  The medium bodied fruity and almond notes carry into the palate.  The finish turns dry very rapidly and leaves you with peppery notes ant the end.

Clarke's Court  #37 Rum was introduced at Nick's Barrel House on the factory grounds by Leroy Nickles on April 16, 2010.  The rum's name is drawn from the year ( 1937) that the factory first opened to produce rums.    Mr. Neckles said “I want all of you to feel a sense of pride in this unique aspect of our heritage and to recommend #37; to friends, family and associates; as the ultimate experience in Grenadian rums”.    "Master Blender Ahmad Rasheed, gave a inspiring overview on the making of #37, but the evening was not without its lighter moments; as Mr. Devon Date, Production Manager of Clarke's Court, entertained patrons with his graphic demonstration of tasting techniques. Blend#37 did not disappoint and those present were high in praises of the rum; commenting" especially on its bouquet, taste and presentation.

     Clark's Court #37 like Old Grog has a very tropical fruity and spicy aroma.  This leads right on to the palate where you pick up the flavors of the fruits and spices of the "Spice Island".  This is a medium bodied rum that subtly tickles your taste buds without overwhelming you mouth.  The smoothness of this rum carries on to the finish where there is a subtle fruitiness enhancing the slightly dry and lingering finish.

     I am working on bringing this wonderful Old Grog and #37 rum to the Rum Bar in Key West, hopefully in time for the Holiday celebrations.   ;o)
   

80 Reasons Why Drinking Alcohol Is Great

     Today is the 80th Anniversary of the Repeal of the 18th Amendment.  This Time article by Laura Stampler is a really fun and apt for this joyous occasion.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Happy 80th birthday, Repeal Day: A celebration of the end of Prohibition in America

By Laura Stampler @laurastamplerDec. 04, 2013 

Thursday is the 80th birthday of the repeal of prohibition in 1933, a day that should be heartily celebrated across the country. To give martini aficionado Franklin D. Roosevelt and the 21st amendment a proper “thanks,” we decided to make a list of 80 reasons why drinking alcohol is the greatest.

Let’s see if you can make it all the way through without grabbing a drink. And if you don’t, say safe out there!

1. Because you had a good day.

2. Because you had a bad day.

3. Because, let’s be honest, your day was kind of “meh” and could use something to spice it up.

4. Whiskey.

5. Many doctors recommend a glass of red wine a night to lower the risk of heart disease. And they went to medical school.

6. Although the Mayo Clinic says, “it’s possible that red wine isn’t any better than beer, white wine or liquor for heart health,” which we’re taking to mean all of the above is a healthy choice in moderation.

7. But hey, if you aren’t one for moderation, at least take solace in the fact that every glass of wine you take makes you one step closer to becoming Olivia Pope. (This is an aspirational goal for dudes, too.)

8. It’s called a social lubricant for a reason. Drinking makes you friends.

9. Drinking games!

10. Because alcohol has been there for you during the tough times.

11. There’s nothing quite as warm and cozy as bonding with your family over a cup of eggnog come Christmastime.

12. Or Manischewitz during Passover.

13. Come on, the Haggadah asks you to fill your cups FOUR TIMES.

14. Drinking specialties from your country of origin connects you with your roots. Celebrate that high, Eastern European tolerance!

15. Speaking of Eastern Europeans, Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, thought that beer was so great that he issued a manifesto in 1777 declaring its superiority over coffee, which he briefly banned to boost booze sales.

16. Because somewhere in the world, someone did something awesome right now and you should celebrate.

17. Because drinking can help resolve political and cultural disputes. Exhibit A: Obama’s beer summit.

18. For experiential learners, consuming an aged drink is like tasting history.

19. Were brunches even fun before they were boozy?

20. Because there are more than 20 million bubbles in a bottle of champagne. Gotta catch ‘em all!

     This is only a quarter of the reasons, you can read the rest at http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/12/04/80-reasons-why-drinking-alcohol-is-great/

   Where I work, there was a speakeasy called The Florence Club during Prohibition, today it is the Rum Bar at the Speakeasy Inn in Key West.  Raul Vasquez, a local rum runner of the era was the owner.  At the time he enjoyed some very prosperous times as a result of the Prohibition era.   Later opened a dinner club on the other side of the island called Raul's Club, that flourished for many years until is death in 1966.

     This is a day of celebration for Americans, get out and enjoy your right to safely consume alcohol.   ;o)