Guardians of Rum Round Table Discussion

For the first time the Guardians of Rum!  Velier Live 2017 - 70th Velier Anniversary is hosting a unique get together some of the most influential people in the world of rum. Follow live here the round table: stay tuned, Monday 8th of May - 5.30 a.m. Eastern time in the USA.

Ruruki Gargano – Velier, Christelle Harris - Hampden Estate, Ian Burrell - Rum Brand Ambassador,
Richard Seale - Foursquare Rum Distillery, Marc Sassier - Rhum Saint James, Gregory Neisson - Rhum Neisson Officiel, Gordon Clarke - Worthy Park Estate, Jamaica  and Gianni Capovilla - RhumRhum

Go on line to Velier Live 2017 - 70th Velier Anniversary at http://www.velier70anniversary.it/ at 5:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time to listen to this very informative round table discussion.

Cinco de Horchata Cocktail

     Happy Cinco de Mayo!!!

     Tired of all the tequilla cocktails for Cinco de Mayo?   Here is a really delish idea for this years Cinco de Mayo happenings.  You all know that rum is my thing, and horchata, a Mexican rice milk makes a great base for many many cocktails.  Bring out your Mexican serape and hats, it is time to party.  You will be a hit with this cocktail.


RumJava Cinco de Horchata Cocktail

• 1 ½ oz. RumJava Espresso Rum Cream
• 1 oz. Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curacao
• ¼ oz. Galliano
• ¼ oz. KingGinger Liqueur
• ¼ oz. Nassau Royale Liqueur
• 3 oz. CoffeeMate Cinnamon Creamer

Pour all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake until thoroughly chilled and pour into a snifter top with fresh ground nutmeg.

What Makes Rum Such a Widely Loved Spirit?

     Rum unlike most any other spirit, has only one rule for production, and that is it must be produced

from a derivative of the sugarcane.  That is it, you can pretty much do anything you want with it after that.  This is what is leading to a big split in the category.  There are those that want rum to be a pure spirit with nothing being added to it and those that want to be able to add just about anything they want to it.

    The purists want the rum varieties to come from the type of still, how it is fermented, and finally how it is aged.  There is no problem with blending different styles of rum to get the flavor profile that you are looking for, but no additives are permitted.  These for the people that love the pure rum, there is nothing better.

     The other end of the spectrum is a group of enthusiasts that like sweet, flavors, and spices.  These are usually younger people that haven't acquired a taste for strong spirits or a burn in the back of their throats.  Most of these people mix something with their rum and generally cant taste the actual flavor of the rum anyway.

     There is a third group that are in the middle, that like a more sophisticated rum flavor, but they aren't willing to give up the sweetness.  This is a very large group of expressions available to satisfy this group.  They tend to be a lot more
expensive than the flavored expressions, but some of them are about the same price as many of the pure rums.

     What a deal, you can cover a very wide spectrum of tastes with one spirit.  Until recently when vodkas, whiskey and so many other spirits began to follow suit with in the category, rum was the only spirit that could cover so much ground.  I still feel that rum does the best job of providing what the customer is looking for than any other spirit.

Pennsylvania Is Trying to "Bust" the Cuban Embargo by the Purchase of Cuban Rum

     This is an up date on the story that I first picked up on in February.  I feel like they are taking the right approach and if the public helps by backing their efforts the day when we will be able to enjoy some of the fine products produced by the country just 90 miles to our south.  "Communist" country is a joke, China, Vietnam, and Russia are all communist countries and we do business with all of them.  We lost more men fighting the Communists in Vietnam than we did in Cuba, but we for some stupid reason we have this bug in our bonnet when it comes to Cuba.

     

     Pennsylvania's Cuban rum run got its start in a chance meeting last fall in the parking lot in front of the state Capitol.  "'You know, we have rum,'" a visiting Cuban government liaison told state Sen. Chuck McIlhinney, who was walking to his car when he was introduced to her as the senator whose committee oversees how alcohol is sold in Pennsylvania. "And I'm like, 'Yeah, we should buy some.'"   A few months later, the agency that controls Pennsylvania's 600-plus state-owned wine and liquor stores is working to lift the United States' 55-year-old embargo on Cuban rum, one of the island nation's best-known products.

     A purchase of Cuban rum by the sixth-most populous state would be, by all accounts, the biggest shipment of Cuban rum to the U.S. since John F. Kennedy was president, and could pave the way for the nation's private spirits wholesalers to follow suit.   The embargo is on virtually all imports from and exports to Cuba, including rum. If Pennsylvania is successful, it would be the first import of a product produced entirely by the Communist state. The administration of former President Barack Obama allowed imports of charcoal produced by worker-owned cooperatives.

     In recent days, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board submitted the initial paperwork to begin the application process, an agency spokeswoman said, and is now working to provide additional documentation required by the federal government.   There's reason for hope.   The federal government office that enforces the Cuban embargo has begun granting licenses to allow limited exchanges of goods and services under regulations written by the Obama administration that reflect his 2014 move to restore diplomatic relations between the two nations.

     Private wholesalers are already exploring the avenue, according to Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board officials. Neither the Cuban Embassy nor the Treasury Department, which encompasses the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control, would answer The Associated Press' questions about it, although the embassy issued a statement acknowledging Pennsylvania is "interested in building a business relationship" with Cuba's state-run bottler.        Pennsylvania bolstered its relationships in Cuba in February when McIlhinney invited liquor board officials to join a delegation to the country that grew out of an athletic exchange program.   The argument Pennsylvania submits to the assets control office must dovetail with U.S. policy and must show how bringing Cuban rum will benefit Pennsylvania and the economy, Freyre said.

     It's not clear how long a decision will take.  The Department of State will want to review the application, Freyre said, and the assets control office is both short-handed and overwhelmed with interest in applications involving Cuban commerce.   "This is not a 'gimme,'" Freyre said. "This is not a, 'you file and you will get it.' They have very broad discretion. It could be an exercise of many, many months, if not a year."   The process will be inevitably political, McIlhinney said, and state officials are working to get Pennsylvania's congressional delegation on board to advance the cause.   For McIlhinney, the whole thing seems silly: What's the point of an embargo any longer? The Soviets are gone, he said.

     "I don't think that there's a national security risk," McIlhinney said. "It's not like we're sending computer technology or missiles or something. We're talking about buying a rum."

Read More at http://www.post-gazette.com/life/drinks/2017/05/01/Pennsylvania-US-embargo-Cuban-rum-wine-liguor-stores/stories/201705010097 

Bahama Bob's Mango Old Fashion

     With the weather suddenly turning warm, my thoughts are turning to all of the tropical fruit tees that are beginning to bare fruit.  One of my favorite is the Mango, and Brinley Gold Mango Rum is almost like eating a fresh mango.  I'm always up for a good rum Old Fashion, so why not a good mango flavored one.

     Yolo Gold, 10 year old rum is the perfect base for this marriage of flavors for this afternoon delight.  A chilled cocktail glass and some lemon bitters and a bit of cane syrup and you are ready to go.

Bahama Bob's Mango Old Fashion

• 1 ½ oz. Yolo Gold 10 Year Old Rum
• 1 ½ oz. Brinley Gold Mango Rum
• ½ oz. Cane Syrup (or Sugar in the Raw Simple Syrup)
• 1 dash of Fee Bros. Lemon Bitters.

Place all ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake until thoroughly chilled and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Garnish with a cherry.

Drugged Driving Surpasses Drunk Driving in Fatal Car Crashes According to a New Report

     In a new report by the Governors Highway Safety Association and the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility, a nonprofit organization funded by alcohol distillers, 43 percent of fatal car crashes in the United States in 2015 involved illegal or prescription drugs while 37 percent of these fatalities involved alcohol alone.  This is a significant finding, especially after so many years of the alcohol industry pushing people to drink responsibly. 
 

     I see this as an indication of the effect of the fact that may be the effect of people switching from alcoholic products to the now legal marijuana.   This report emphasizes the need for increased law enforcement training to detect drivers who are under the influence of drugs.  Today there is no standard roadside test to detect most drugs.   Unlike alcohol, which can be detected and measured using a Breathalyzer and simple blood test, drugs, which are often combined, can be more difficult to detect unless they are found in the possession of the offender at the scene.  Most drug testing relies on a urine test, which only indicates that there has been drug use in the past month or so.

     Marijuana laws allowing medicinal or recreational use complicate the drugged driving issue even further. A 2013 study found increases in fatal crashes involving marijuana use in only three of 14 states that passed medical marijuana laws prior to 2010.   It also cited a 2016 study from the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area that said traffic deaths involving drivers who tested positive for marijuana rose from 10 percent in 2009 to 21 percent in 2015, but those numbers include any time marijuana is detected, and other substances could be involved. Colorado voters approved recreational marijuana in 2012.

    I’m proud of the alcohol industry for their pushing of the responsible use of their products, and it is something that the marijuana and other drug manufacturers are going to have to become seriously involved in.

The Weather has Returned to "Normal" for the Keys

     The winds and weather is finally turning nice and we were able to get back on the water again after a three month hideous.   The warmth of the sun and getting a little tune-up on my tan is a wonderful thing.

If the Governor Signs, the “Take Down the Wall" Legislation Will be Law

Gov. Rick Scott

     It has been a long road, but it looks like we will be able to buy spirits in the grocery stores and other larger retail outlets in Florida.  The state has a chance to get into the 21^st century with 28 other states.

     The Distilled Spirits Council today praised the Florida Legislature for passing SB 106, legislation that would allow spirits sales in grocery stores.   The legislation, known as the "Take Down the Wall" bill, allows spirits to be sold alongside wine and beer in grocery stores. Currently, retailers must segregate spirits into a side store separated by a wall, inconveniencing consumers. 

     "Florida consumers want a modern marketplace where they can purchase spirits, wine and beer at the same time and same place - like in most states," said Distilled Spirits Council Vice President Jay Hibbard. "We applaud the Florida legislature for listening to its constituents and urge Governor Scott to sign this pro-consumer legislation." 

     Following Governor Rick Scott's signature, Florida will become the 28th state to allow the sale of spirits, wine and beer in large retail locations such as grocery stores and big-box retailers.

Sailor Jerry Teams up with Harley-Davidson

     Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum has signed a multi-year partnership with Harley-Davidson ahead of the motorcycle company’s 115th anniversary in 2018.   To kick-off the partnership, Sailor Jerry will unveil a series of 22 customized Harley-Davidson motorcycles designed by US artists including Harley-Davidson’s own Styling Team, at a celebration this spring.

     Acclaimed tattoo artists Jonathan Valena, Oliver Peck, and Megan Woznicki have designed a selection of bikes as well as Miami-based muralist, Alexander Mijares, celebrated automotive designer, Michael Ramirez and artist L’Amour Supreme.   The artists were tasked with interpreting the flash art style of Norman ‘Sailor Jerry’ Collins into their motorcycle designs.   The motorcycles will be unveiled at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee on 2 May.

     Following the celebrations, the bikes will be available for viewing around the US all summer at alcohol retailers, Sailor Jerry’s Fleet Week New York celebrations and the Harley-Davidson Museum.   There will be a series of shared events from the two brands in the run up to Harley-Davidson’s 115th anniversary.

     “Between our shared American roots, values and traditions, collaborating with Harley-Davidson is an exciting and natural fit,” said Sailor Jerry senior brand manager Josh Hayes.   “Harley-Davidson shares Sailor Jerry’s genuine Americana values for freedom and living outside the lines. With Harley-Davidson, we look forward to a long partnership that celebrates our shared brand beliefs.”   Scott Beck, Harley-Davidson director of marketing, added: “Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum and Harley-Davidson are all about freedom of expression and customization, whether that is expressed by a Norman Collins tattoo or a bike. We are struck by the natural ties Sailor Jerry has to the motorcycle culture.”

Abuelo Finish Collection Tasting Friday at the Rum Bar at the Speakeasy Inn

     Friday April 28th, Bahama Bob Leonard will be at the Rum Bar at the Speakeasy Inn to introduce you to Abuelo Finish Collection.  The tasting begins at 4:00 pm through 6:00 pm.  This is your opportunity to try these impressive rums.   These are three of my favorite expressions, because of the awesome flavors that the wine cask aging adds to this already fine 12 year old Abuelo rums.

    Ron Abuelo XV Finish Collection is a masterful series rums that is a limited edition created by the master blender at  Panama's Varela Hermanos Distillery. There are three expressions in the series, Napoleon, Tawny and Oloroso.   The names were chosen to reflect not just the character of the finishing wood, but also the places that inspired their creation: Napoleon for Cognac and France, Oloroso for Sherry and Spain and Tawny for Port and Portugal. 

      NAPOLEON: What better name for a rum finished in barrels that have contained cognac!  The French oak of these barrels and the delicate and complex flavor and aroma of cognac, with its characteristic fruity sweetness, give Napoleon its distinctive character, because different notes appear to those that we traditionally have in our rums.  The aroma has notes of wood, fruit and a hint of cacao.  On the palate it has a dry fruit and wood with a lingering elegant finish.

     OLOROSO: Finished in “botas” of Jerez Oloroso (Fragrant Sherry) made of American oak.  The Jerez Oloroso is a really aromatic wine with a lot of body and mildly sweet.  It is perhaps the expression that most maintains the traditional character of our rums, but with a more complex character, which gives it its final finish where the notes of dried fruit can be distinguished.  First pass by the nose give you a complex blend of citrus peel and smokey wood.  In the mouth there are notes of citrus and toasted almonds in the rear of the mouth and a long and enjoyable finish.

  

     TAWNY:  means “amber or dark brown”.  This was the name given by the British in the XVII century to the most aged wines from Oporto, because of their color. As a dessert wine, it gives our rum a special and distinctive sweetness with notes of “berries,” but without notably transforming its characteristics.  On the nose this is unique with a sweet and dryness that is a blend of the wood and the berries.  In the mouth, there is a natural sweetness of a well rounded blend.  The flavors in the mouth seem to remain for an inordinate amount of time with woody and fruited notes at the finish.

    Please join us on Friday afternoon for a couple of hours of rum tasting and education.

Back on the Water after Three Months as a "Landlubber"

     Finally getting my water fix. for the past three months between the work in North Carolina, Miami Rum Festival and a few other things we haven't been out on the "camper".  This morning we headed out to Bahia Honda and after a really nice ride here we are finally relaxing in the sunshine and enjoying the beautiful day.



     Made it to Bahia Honda and the boat is Tied up and the Kayak is
in the water.  Time to head out as see what we can find.  There is a little coral rock about 3/4 of a mile out into the Atlantic side from the old Railroad bridge that we haven't gotten over to in quite a while, so off we go.  A little bit choppy still, but undaunted, we head out to the rock and do some exploring.  The tide pools are really heat, there are many species of young fish riding in and out with the wave action over the pools.  Really interesting.  Several of the succulents growing in the tidal zone are starting to bloom with their tiny purple flowers, along with a few stranded sponges.

     The sunset cruise in the kayak out to one of the marker buoys for sunset is another highlight of every trip out to Bahia Honda and we didn't miss it on this trip.  Two rum cocktails in hand and away we go for an hour or so rocking along with the waves.  After returning it is time to turn on the blue courtesy lights and sit on the aft deck and enjoy the rest of the evening under the blue led lights.

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RumJava: The New Rum on the Scene

     RumJava Artisan Crafted Rums are all natural and inspired by the Brian and Mindy Cunninghams’ passion for Caribbean culture, rum, and coffee.   Created from Java'mon Coffee cocktails made in Cruz Bay, St. John bars, RumJava’s handcrafted selection of unique fine Rums are infused with five of their Java'mon coffee blends and other natural flavors. 

     RumJava is twice distilled in a copper stack pot from Florida sugarcane at the Citrus Distillery until it has reached between 80 to 90% ABV.    RumJava has been personally nurtured by the Cunninghams through every step of their proprietary process.  The formulation, mixing, testing, and tasting has resulted in this wonderfully unique expression. The rum is infused freshly roasted Java’mon Coffee beans to yield the perfect coffee flavor and then the natural ingredients for added give the blend a nice depth and balance.  This expression has subtle notes of vanilla, hazelnut, chocolate, caramel, coconut, cinnamon, oak, and coffee.  The result is a unique collection of smooth, silky, flavorful rums and rum creams unlike any other.   RumJava is proudly offered as a 100% handcrafted, hand filled, and hand sealed, and infused product that they are sure you will enjoy. “RumJava is a truly one of a kind expression and yes, it really is rum!”

Learn More at http://rumjava.com/

The 2017 RumXP Tasting Competition Results

     The 2017 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival is in the books.  It was a really fun week as usual in Miami.  Lots of new faces and great to see many of the old ones.  The judging, the parties, and the grand tastings all made for some really fun and interesting times.  Here are the winners in the 2017 RumXP Tasting Competition.

RumXP Award Winners 2017

White
Antelope Island Rum - Best In Class
Diplomatico Planas - Gold
Texas Silver - Gold
Plantation 3 Stars - Gold
Maggie's Farm White – Gold

Overproof
Plantation OFTD 69% - Best In Class
Lost Spirit Navy Style 61% - Gold
Mantawny 47% - Gold
Florida Mermaid – Gold

Flavored 
Carmelita's Spiced Orange - Best In Class
Alligator Dark Chocolate - Gold
Plantation Pineapple - Gold
Rumjava Signature - Gold
Rumjava Cacao'mon – Gold

Spiced
Black Magic Black Spiced - Best In Class
Carmelita's Dark Spiced - Gold
Brinley Gold Spiced – Gold

Agricole
Maison La Mauny 40% Hors XO - Best In Class
Trois Riveres VSOP 40% Reserve Speciale - Gold
Trois Riveres Rhum Vieux Agricole Hors D'Age 1998 2000 2007 - Gold
Trois Riveres 50% Rhum Blanc Agricole – Gold

Cachaca
Velho Barreiro Cachaca 40% - Best In Class
Paratiana Ouro Cachaca 42% - Gold
Werneck Gold 40% Cachaca – Gold

Gold
Monymusk Classic Gold - Best In Class
Maggie's Farm Single Barrel - Gold
Plantation Original Dark - Gold

Tiburon - Best In Class
Plantation Jamaican 2002 - Gold
Monymusk Special Reserve - Gold
Ron Del Barrilito - Gold
Plantiaton Barbados 5 Years – Gold

Premium Aged
Mount Gay XO - Best In Class
Cihuatan 12 - Gold
Centenario 20 - Gold
Plantation XO 20 - Gold
Centenario 25 - Gold

The Things You See in Miami

     Thursday night was the RumJava Launch party, which was a real great evening, but leaving the Langford Hotel in downtown Miami, I ran across a real 16 foot tall. Jumbee.  Now the Jumbee is a very interesting figure that comes from Caribbean folklore and can be a very scary demonic creature if you believe in many of the Caribbean cultural beliefs.

          A Jumbee is a type of mythological spirit or demon in the folklore of some Caribbean countries.   Jumbee is the generic name given to all malevolent entities. There are numerous kinds of jumbees, reflecting the Caribbean complex history makeup, drawing on African, Amerindian, East Indian, Dutch, English, and even Chinese mythology.   Different cultures have different concepts of jumbee's, but the general idea is that people who have been evil are destined to become instruments of evil (jumbee) in death. Unlike the ghost folklore which represents a wispy fog-like creature, the jumbee casts a dark shadowy figure.

     It gives you an interesting feeling when you walk out on to a dark street and meet one of these Jumbee's.

     Results from the Rum XP judging will be published here on Monday. along with the other wrap up stories from this years Miami Rum Renaissance Festival.  Tonight the Yolo Rum Clear Launch Party.

Day 3 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival

     These days are just flying by, the days turn into nights and the nights back to day before you even know it.  Especially today where we finished the night with the RumJava launch party and started today with breakfast presented by RumJava.  This is an interesting operation, founded in St. Johns along with Brian and Mindy Cunningham.  Fueled by Mindy's passions for fine coffee and  Brian's passion for rum, this is a real snapshot of their marriage.  Their flourishing coffee business, Java'mon was the basis of the RumJava and its creation.   They took rum produced in Citrus Distilling's Pot-column still and infused it with their "Signature Blend" coffee beans along with some added flavors to create their Rum Java Signature Rum.  They have created a total of 5 expressions that are now available here in South Florida and coming soon to the Caribbean.

     Round 5 of the rum judging was next with the aged rums with no age statement.  These are some of the more enjoyable expressions to judge.  The reveal had very few surprises, but an enjoyable session anyway as it contained many of the rums that I enjoy on a regular basis.

     Ok, its is lunch time and today it is brought to us by George Manska, the mastermind of Neat Tasting Glass.  George availed all of us of the latest scientific information about how we all taste things and the effect of the dropping the idea that your tongue can sense different aspects of flavor on different parts of the tongue.
Aroma makes up the  major part of what you taste and the flavors that you sense.  He covered why the NEAT Glass can give you a truer and more consistent evaluation of the aromas from your spirits compared to conventional glassware.

     The sixth and final session of judging paired us with the Gold Rums and the Overproof Rums.  Gold was really enjoyable as was the overproof.  Overproof rums these days have improved in quality tremendously over the past few years, but by the end of the session, my lips and mouth was numb.  Good thing they were saved until last.

     Tonight is the welcome party for all of the rum producers that are presenting their wares this year in the "Grand Tasting that begins tomorrow at 1 PM when the doors open.

Day 2 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival

Our Diplomatico Crew

     Today is starting out with a bang.  Diplomatico Rum of Venezuela hosted out breakfast.  They are
here to tell us about their new packaging and the changes being made to two of their traditional rums.

Diplomatico Planas

     The Blanco is getting a complete make over and the Reserva is getting a more subtle makeover.

        The Blanco has become Planas which is named for the valley in
Venezuela where the Diplomatico Distillery is located.  It also has a new bottle that is modeled after the traditional bottle used for the Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva, their flagship traditional rum.  The rum is blended with rums up to six years old. and presented at 47% ABV.  The Planas was launched in the United States back in January and will be availablle throughout the US by years end.

     Reserva has been renamed to Mantuano, meaning a person with great taste and appreciates the finest things in life.   The new Mantuano has a richer taste and a higher percentage of pot still rum in the blend when compared to the Reserva and presented at 40% ABV.  The oldest rum in the blend is eight years old.  The label also has been redone to be more like the Reserva Exclusiva label.

     The Reserva Exclusiva has had no changes to the rum, but there is a slight modernization of the label.  Still the same fine expression that it has always been.

     There is a hint that in the fourth quarter of this year there will be a new technically innovative expression arriving from the rum masters at Diplomatico.

     Round three of the judging is in the books and the white rums fell under our scrutiny in this session.  Several really nice expressions again this year have appeared.

Richard Davis

     Lunch was one of those rare and wonderful experiences.  Richard Davis, Owner of Neptune Rum came here to the United States to give us an exclusive first ever here int states taste of his new Neptune Rum.

The Only Bottle in the US

     This is another of the Richard Seale Foursquare Distillery creation.   Richard Davis tells us that it is a 100% pure rum expression and that he is excited to have Foursquare Distillery producing and blending his rum.  He tells us that quality of the rum speaks for itself.


     The fourth judging session was very interesting, Agricole and Cachaca.   The Agricole's and the
Cachaca's are very unique expressions and require time to evaluate as they are very different and complicated.

     Later in the evening it was off to the Pawnbroker Bar at The Langford Hotel for the Launch Party for Rum Java Brand with its group of new expressions.  I love these special events that the rum companies set up for the judges.  WOW!!! What a great evening, tin pan steel drums and Havana style dancing lovelies.  Great time enjoying the rum, food and the entertainment.

Day One of the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival

     The day started at 9:30 am with the welcome breakfast hosted by the Rob and Robin Burr.  After a nice breakfast and a chance to get together for the first time with all of the judges, many of who we haven't see each other since last year.  All of the particulars were discussed and it was time for for the opening round of the judging.

     Off we went into the judging room for the first round of tastings and low and behold, it is spiced, flavored and rum creams.  29 of them to be exact.  These categories are usually saved for last, but this year we get to start with them.   This is a segment of the rum category that is tough on the judges because it is very hard to properly cleanse the palate between expressions.  This means a lot of water and bland crackers to wash away the taste of the previous one.  One by one the tasting moved ahead until they were all evaluated and it was time for a little break before lunch.

Robert Elliott

     Robert Elliott, owner of Marauda Rum filled us in on his Marauda Steelpan Blend Rum.  This is an interesting rum that has its roots in Guyana, Trinidad and Jamaica.   A three year old column still rum from Angostura in Trinidad is blended with a three year old column still rum from Demarara in Guyana and a three year old pot still rum from Worthy Park in Jamaica to give you the very unique flavor. All of the rum is aged in first filled American Oak barrels and blended at barrel strength before it is reduced to 80 proof at bottling.  The three rums unite to give this rum a unique full flavor with a little bit of funkiness.


     Round two of the judging was premium aged rums.  This was an improvement over the flavored and spiced rums of the first round.  Only 10 expressions to judge made it a lot easier on us compared to the 29 in the morning session.

     Many of the gang are headed to the Mai Kai for the evening, but I feel like staying in and doing some writing and rest up up for the next few days when things will be getting a bit wilder and a lot more rum involved.  I'm looking forward to the Diplomatico breakfast tomorrow morning along with sessions three and four of the six total.