Don Q Rum Has Released Reserva de la Familia Serralles

Roberto Serralles

     Roberto Serralles has released one of the most expensive and exclusive rums in the world.  They have released Don Q Reserva de la Familia Serralles 20 year old drawn from their most special barrels.  Available in the United States for around $1899.99 for a 750 ml.  

     In 1994, the Serralles family tasked themselves with aging a special rum in charred American white oak barrels. From this original lot of 36 barrels, the best samples were chosen for the creation of a truly sublime blend. This singular blend was combined and returned to the charred barrels for a few months so a balance between aroma and taste could be achieved. This special lot was named Reserva de la Familia Serralles, producing a rum robust in color and aroma, with a very silky and refined taste in the palate. The contact with the wood gives it a natural dark amber color which is both intense and brilliant. Its aroma has notes of vanilla oak, sweet air, touch of burnt wood and even a slight taste of molasses, which help build the character of this exceptional rum. It is deliciously smooth in the mouth while the sweet notes of rum are distributed evenly throughout the palate. Its aroma awakens the senses and at first sip sends a wave of warmth to the heart, literally in the center of the chest, where the spirit of a great rum is meant to be felt. Flavors linger for a while forever tied to the memory of a unique experience. 

     A masterpiece of the finest aged rums drawn from hand selected 20 year old single barrels from a special place in the oldest rum warehouses. Honey and exquisite nose that lingers with the woody essence of the rackhouse in which it has slept for so long. Sweet, bright honey notes with the elegance and complexity of an ancient cognac that gives way to warm tannins and a lingering mahogany and fig finish with notes of apricot. 

Barefoot Man in Key West this Week

     George Barefoot Man Nowak with Sea 'n B, one of the most fun entertainers around will be back in Key West this week. Barefoot Man kept the full to capacity crowd fully engaged for you  last year and is returning for some more fun on Friday and Saturday.  First he will be at Two Friends on Front Street will have George Barefoot Nowak with Sea 'n B in concert at 5:30 pm this Friday the 19th.  Plus a second concert Saturday the 20th at Truman Annex Multi - Complex Field at 7ish.

   George Barefoot Nowak, is a resident of Grand Cayman who can be found entertaining all over the Caribbean entertaining his hordes of fans.   Probably best known for his shows at Nipper's on Great Guana Cay in the Abacos Islands of the Bahamas.   His annual concerts there are always SRO and last from 1:00 in the afternoon until deep into the night.  His way of looking at life with the thoughts of "there might be a song there" eye for situations that when looked at with fun and great humor.  Playing weekly in Grand Cayman at the Wyndam Reef and Margaritaville Resort on Seven Mile beach, we are pleased that he is spending a weekend here in Key West to entertain us.

My Friend George in Grand Cayman

     He has been in movies like "the Firm" with Tom Cruise and Gene Hackman, along with playing nearly every week in Grand Cayman at the Wharf on Seven Mile Beach and The Reef on the east end of the island.

     I know, you probably haven't heard of him, but I promise you, if he is near, sit in on one of his
sessions, you'll be a fan for life.   I had several friends with me yesterday that became instant fans.  We all had a great time listening to life through the creative eye of The Barefoot Man.  Thank You George for another wonderful afternoon of listening to your stories and music.

Appleton Estate’s Joy Spence on the Brand’s Most Premium Blend Yet

     Rum seems to be having its moment. The spirit, a former component of seafarer's grog, has found a new audience in recent years. “Millennials!” shrieks Joy Spence, Appleton Estate’s celebrated master blender - the first woman in the world to hold the title and the brains behind Appleton’s new "Joy Anniversary Blend".

     “From London to Kingston, attitudes are changing,” explains Joy Spence.  “Young professionals between 25-40 years-old are actually drinking their rum neat and enjoying it for its sophistication and complexities.” Appleton’s new blend, an exclusive mix limited to only 1200 bottles, is sure to sate this newfound appetite.  As the name suggests, Appleton’s Joy Anniversary Blend is a celebration of their master blender, a woman whose superhuman sensory perception, chemical nous, she retains the highest BSc chemistry results in Loughborough University’s history, and larger-than-life character have propelled her to fame amongst the international rum community.

     “It’s called Joy, because that’s what people feel when they taste this blend for the first time - it also happens to be my name,” she jokes. A more appropriate name for the copper-colored rum might be "epiphany" - so revelatory is the flavor profile of the drink - but few names other than Joy best suit the vivacious mastermind behind the beverage.  “People are looking for a pure drink where all the flavors are derived from the process,” she says, stroking the curves of her namesake bottle, “there’s no additives in there”.

Joy Spence

     Much has been made lately of the so-called "rum revolution" and it’s artisanal drinks like this that are sinking the drink’s barnacled reputation as a pirate’s preserve. Tiki no more: premium rum is big business. Unlike wine, rum isn’t going to develop with age but - if you choose your bottle carefully - you could see a hefty return on your investment.  “The standard rum category is pretty flat” says Joy, “but premium rum is going to be hot. It’s predicted to be the next whisky.” Blessed with an indefinite shelf-life, to uncork a bottle of rum is to be transported to a moment in history. The Joy Anniversary blend for instance, is comprised of a 35-year-old and a 25-year-old matured rum - Jamaicans have gone mad for the stuff.

Read More at appletonestate.com

     Appleton Estate Joy rum can be sampled today at the Rum Bar at the Speakeasy Inn here in Key West.  This is a wonderful fum worth every penny of its price and can only be tasted in the finest rum bars around the world.

Grand Opening for Hemingway Rum Company

 
     After nearly four years of hard work, the Hemingway Rum Company Distillery and Trading Post will be opening its doors to the public on Saturday May 20th.  This is an exciting day for all of those that have worked on this project since the beginning.  Congratulations to all involved, and on your next visit to Key West, stop by the corner on Greene and Simonton streets and visit the Hemingway Rum Company.

Bahama Bob's Papa's Pilar Blonde Cosmo

     Sex and the City was promoting the sweet pink drink to the masses, Sasha Petraske was opening Milk & Honey on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. A speakeasy in which the bartenders made cocktails focused on true craftsmanship, they were drinks that sought to challenge the consumer, not simply provide them with an easy delivery method for booze. As music too was reacting to the bubblegum pop of this time period, drinks were as well and Sex and the City created The Cosmo.

     The exact origin of the Cosmopolitan is fuzzy at best, mostly because until the late ‘80s it was a similar drink that went by a different name.  In the late nineteenth century a cocktail was known as the Daisy, it emerged as a delicious drink that was loved for its ability to modify harsher flavors of booze. The classic recipe called for spirit, sweetener and citrus, which is similar to the structure of the Cosmo – this recipe is now known as the classic “sour family” recipe, because cranberry isn’t a citrus, it’s possible that this proven drink structure is the foundation for which the Cosmo is based.

     I prefer the use of a nice rum which unlike vodka has some flavor of its own and marries well with the other ingredients of the cocktail.  Give this one a try I feel like you will be really surprised.

Bahama Bob's Papa Pilar Blonde Cosmo

• 3 oz. Papa’s Pilar Blonde Rum
• 1 oz. Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curacao
• Juice of ½ Lime
• 1 oz. Cranberry Juice

Place all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Garnish with a lemon zest.

Don Papa is Arriving in the United States

     Filipino rum brand Don Papa is set to launch in the US for the first time following “rapid success” in Europe and Asia.  Don Papa Seven Year old Rum, produced by Bleeding Heart Rum Company, a single island super-premium rum is arriving on our shores. It is made from sugar cane grown on the southern island of Negros, and then aged for seven years in American oak in the foothills of Mount Kanlooon before also being blended and bottled on Negros Island.   Don Papa will be available initially in New York and Boston, and will be rolled out to select retailers nationwide at an RRP of $39.99. Bottled at 40% abv, Don Papa is described as light and fruity on the nose with flavors of vanilla, honey and candied fruits.    “The US is ready for a ground-breaking luxury spirit that embodies their passions in a bottle. They are ready for Don Papa Rum,” said Stephen Carroll, founder of Don Papa.

Dionisio Magbuelas - Papa Isio

     Don Papa rum is named after one of the heroes of Negros Occidental.  On November 6, 2009, the National Historical Institute of the Philippines unveiled a historical marker in honor of Dionisio Magbuelas at the public plaza of Isabela, Negros Occidental.   The marker states, Papa Isio was known to be a leader in Negros and organized a group in Isabela fighting for freedom from the Spanish colonizers in 1896. He became the military chief of the municipality of La Castellana under the Cantonal Government of Negros in November 1898. He also fought the American colonizers in 1899-1907, surrendered on August 6, 1907, and died at the Manila Bilibid Prison in 1911.  A well suited name for a rum made on Negro Occidental for the one of their beloved leaders.

     Don Papa is a premium aged small batch rum from the isle of Negros Occidental, the Philippines. Distilled from some of the finest sugar cane in the world, Don Papa is first aged 7 years in oak barrels in the foothills of Mount Kanlaon before being blended to perfection. 

Negros Occidental is and has always been the sugar capital of the Philippines. Due to the perfect combination of climate, geography and the rich volcanic soil on the island, Negros is ideally suited for sugar cane production.

And, where there is sugar you will find rum. Where there is rum, you will find Don Papa.

Light and fruity on the nose whilst smooth and delicate on the palate, the light amber colored Don Papa has a long, rich-textured finish and offers flavors of vanilla, honey and candied fruits.

What in the World are Congeners

     There are a lot of things that come out of a still beside alcohol in the production of spirits.  We hear about some of the bad booze that are loaded with things like fusel oils, esters, and water.  These are the result of sloppy distillation.  Without getting to deep into the long chain carbon molecules of organic chemistry, I'll try to explain about these impurities.  When to cut the heads from the hearts from the tails determines the quality of the distillate.   What are these impurities that are getting into some of the cheaper spirits out there.  Your better quality spirits spend time and money to get rid of many of these impurities, but you have to be careful, because some of them also give you the flavors that are enjoyed by the consumers.  All of these impurities are part of a group known as “congeners”.

     To the alcohol producing industry, congeners are substances, other than the ethanol, produced during fermentation. These substances include small amounts of chemicals such as methanol and other alcohols, known as fusel alcohols, acetone, acetaldehyde, esters, tannins and aldehydes. Congeners are responsible for most of the taste and aroma of distilled alcoholic beverages, and contribute to the taste of non-distilled drinks.  These substances contribute to the symptoms of a hangover as well.

     Esters get far less attention than they should.  Esters are flavor compounds responsible for many of the characteristic tastes we know very well, like Propyl acetate (Pears), Octyl acetate (Oranges), Isoamyl acetate (Banana), Ethyl butyrate (Pineapple), Butyl acetate (Apple), Methyl trans-cinnamate (Strawberry) and Ethyl cinnamate(Cinnamon).   The problem with esters is that a little goes a long way.  Most have detection thresholds measured in parts per billion.  Many have an odor detection threshold in water of 1 part per billion, in comparison, ethanol in air has an odor detection threshold of about 50 parts per million.  

     Fusel alcohols or also sometimes called fusel oils are a mixture of several alcohols, chiefly amyl alcohol produced as a by-product of alcoholic fermentation.  The word fusel is German for "bad liquor".   A by-product of carbohydrate fermentation to produce ethyl alcohol.  The material varies widely in composition, depending on the fermentation raw material used.  Described as an oily liquid with a disagreeable odor; 60% boils at 122-138° making it primarily a part of the "heads" that would be discarded.   Amyl alcohol (commercial) obtained by chemical treatment and refining of fusel oil.

     There are processes in the production of spirits that address the removal of many of these congeners, esters, and fusel oils, while assuring that some of the more beneficial congeners are left behind.  That relate to the temperature that the cut between the heads, the hearts, and the tails are made. and how many times the final product is passes through the still.  When all of the impurities are removed or at least to a point of 95% pure ethanol, you have a neutral spirit, or Vodka.  To allow some of the flavor to be left in the distillate, how the cuts are made and how many times they are passed through the still is where the skills of the distiller come into play.

The Distilling Process and How it Effects the Final Product

     Ethanol is the “good” type of alcohol that we consume, hopefully with party hats on! Congeners are a mix of other alcohols, acids, fats, and so on. Congeners are what give a spirit its unique taste. Some congeners are pleasant tasting while others are nasty. Controlling which congeners end up in your bottle is a big part of the distiller’s skills.

     Distillation is what turns a mash of fermentation into something you might want to drink.  Distillation might sound complicated and wizard-like, but it certainly can be.  The basics of the concepts are very easy.  Simply put, distillation is a way of concentrating the good parts of the fermented mash, and leaving behind the less desirable elements.  Using heat to break apart the various elements of the mash, a distiller can select just the desirable components. Of course, sloppy distillation can leave lots of the bad stuff, which makes hangover’s particularly nasty. That’s one reason why higher end spirits are less likely to cause you a hangover after you consumed the same amount of the cheaper spirit.

     If you were to take a pot 

of water from a mud puddle and place it in a still on the hot stove with a thermometer in it, heat the water temperature to around 212 degrees F.  As it approaches 212 F, the steam would start coming off the muddy water.   This is the water changing state from liquid to gas.   Now let’s keep the water boiling for a good long time and watch the thermometer. No matter how high you turn up the heat, the water won’t get hotter than 212 F. Sure, turning up the heat makes the water turn into steam faster, but the liquid will stay at 212. This is the fact that allows you to separate the water from the “muck”.  The steam leaves the “pot” and travels to the condenser, what is left is pure water.  This is the basis, but there are a few other items involved. 

     Everything that is condensed that comes off the still before it reaches 212 degrees are the “heads” of the distillation and need to be discarded.  When the water temperature levels at 212 degrees the output is pure water or the “hearts” of the distillation.  The collection of the distillate continues until the temperature in the pot starts rising again.  This means that the water is gone and the other materials are turning to vapor.  What is collected at this point, what comes out from there on is called the “tails”.

Late 1700 to Early 1800 Pot Still

     The Still of room temperature fermented mash is now heated up to 173 degrees the boiling point of ethanol.  What you’d observe is the temperature is rising and pauses and then starts rising again until the temperature for in the still levels off at 173 degrees. That vapor is simply the ethanol in gaseous form.   As long as ethanol is remaining in the solution, the temperature stays at 173 degrees.   Eventually all the ethanol boils off and we notice the solution’s temperature starts rising again.  Once it starts to rise, all the ethanol is gone from the mash and the collection needs to be stopped. At this point different vapors other than ethanol begin coming off the liquid. As with the water, the solution’s temperature stays steady till all the ethanol has been vaporized off. Once this happens we’re left with just plain old water and other dregs.

Laboratory Pot Still

Chill the outside of this vapor tube cooling the vapor faster, perhaps bathing the tubing in some cool water for example.  This is the essence of fractional distillation!  How do you know which liquid is coming out of the tubing? That’s easy! Look at the thermometer. Knowing the temperature of the liquid you can infer what’s boiling, and hence what’s coming out of the tube in cooled form. If all you want is ethanol, only collect the liquid that’s coming out when the thermometer reads 173 F.

     Of course, distillation is never quite so cut and dried. While the ethanol is boiling off, the occasional congener molecule (the flavor, you’ll recall) or water gets carried along in the rising ethanol vapor. As a result, the cooled liquid you collect has more ethanol than you started with, but also some amount of water and congeners.  You can redistill the resulting mix to further purify it. When a vodka advertises exactly how many times it’s distilled, this is exactly what they’re doing, removing impurities and congeners with each distillation run. On the other hand, congeners also contain the components that give each type of spirit its distinct taste.   The congeners in tequila taste different than the congeners in rum.  Using heat-based distillation, you can’t get above 95% purity of ethanol, no matter how many times you distill. It turns out that water molecules bond to ethanol molecules and more elaborate methods are needed to strip the water out if you needed a higher alcohol percentage. This is not coincidentally why Vodka by definition is 95% alcohol, as it comes off of the still, also known as a “neutral spirit”.

Modern Column Still

     The beauty of distillation is that it can be performed multiple times, each time further concentrating the desired elements and leaving out the undesirable. Much of the differences between brands of spirits come down to How many times the liquid was distilled, what type of still was used and where in the boiling process the distiller started and stopped collecting the finished product.

     Some spirits have legal requirements about the minimum or maximum alcohol content they must be distilled to. Note that this is not the same as the final alcohol percentage in in the bottle. Many spirits are distilled to much higher alcohol percentages, aged in barrels, and then water is added to bring the final bottled result down to more palatable alcohol levels, typically between 40% and 50%.   Bourbon cannot legally be distilled to more than 80% alcohol, but before it’s put into barrels, it must be no more than 62.5% alcohol.  Compare that to vodka which is typically distilled to 95% alcohol.  It’s easy to see that bourbon has many more congeners in it so has far more taste than vodka ever will.

     A huge part of the spirit-making craft is controlling the distillation process. Knowing when to start and stop collecting is just one part of the story. Every batch of starting mash is different and the distiller’s craft is to know how to adjust things to create an optimal distillate to get the final results they are looking for.

Foursquare Offering New Expression That Will be Coming to the United States Soon.

Richard Editing the Labels

     Richard Seale and Foursquare Distillery of Barbados have recently announced their new newest expression "Criterion".  The really good news unlike some of the other fabulous expressions, this one is coming soon to the United States.  Richard has been producing a string of very special expressions over the past years, but most of them go the the European market and never reach the United States shores.

Madeira Casks Ready to Empty

     Criterion is a very special new expression, because it starts off as a blend of pot and column stilled rums that after blending spends three years in previously filled bourbon barrels followed by seven more years in previously filled Madeira barrels. The expression is bottled at 56% ABV to preserve the beautiful color and flavor. 

     Criterion is the third of the wine cask finished expressions that Richard Seale has released, Port, Zinfandel, and now Madeira.  I'm so excited that this one is coming to the United States.  Madeira is a fortified wine available in a range of dry to sweet styles.   It gets its name from the island of Madeira, a small, beautiful rock in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.   Madeira’s unique taste comes from repeatedly heating the wine.   The heating creates a wine with fascinating flavors of roasted nuts, stewed fruit, caramel, and toffee.

      Criterion: n. cri·te·ri·on \krī-ˈtir-ē-ən also krə-\   1: a standard on which a judgment or decision may be based.   The name just fits, both in the way the rum is produced and the way that the man insists on how it is made and the inherent quality of his products.

Vodka or Rum?

     “Island Company Rum has offered a new “new ultra-premium” spirit, that was created to appeal to both rum lovers and vodka lovers alike. It is a blonde rum with virtually no burn and has even less calories than your favorite liquor.”  Vodka by definition is clear and tasteless. “I wanted to make a rum that women could drink straight and that appealed to the sailors and mariners I know throughout the Caribbean,” according to Island Company, founder, Spencer Antle.  The spirit is “blonde” which immediately takes it out of the vodka category.  The spirit was obviously taken to the point where it became a “neutral spirit” before being aged for three years.   The rum may be good. “Handcrafted in Trinidad and five times distilled for purity, but that is just moving out of the rum category and into the neutral spirit category.  Once you strip the conigers from the wash, you raise the percentage of alcohol and remove the flavors.  You have to make a choice, are you a neutral spirit or a rum?

     There a number of very good rums that can be substituted into cocktails that were originally based on vodka, but the flavor of the light rum will add new notes to the cocktail that will bring a once good and popular cocktail to the level of a premium cocktail.  I believe in the fact that rum really has no rules, but honesty has to be the new rule of rum.  You can’t turn your wash to “vodka by stripping all of the character, flavor and color from the distillate and bring it back to being rum by barreling it.  This is a gray area, but it is still for the most part a neutral spirit even though the barrel has put flavor back into the spirit “naturally”.

     You can’t have it two ways, vodka has no flavor profile, yet what you are saying there is a flavor profile.  “Island Company Rum® has hints of natural vanilla and wild honey. On the palette, this blonde rum is effortlessly smooth with virtually no burn. The clean, gluten free, sugar free, zero carb quality of Island Company Rum® goes easy on the body as well, perfect any time of the day or night, at any bar or on any beach.”

     This may well be a wonderful product, but there are a lot of clean rums out there that can replace vodka in cocktails just like vodka did to gin, but they are still rum.  Passing rum off as vodka is a real problem.

Bahia Honda by Night

     Camping at Bahia Honda in the Marina is a unique experience.  All of the cars have left the parking lot, the beach is empty and there are very few people around.  The occasional ranger making his rounds will stop by to chat with us, but for the most part is is very dark and very silent.  This is a wonderful thing and we love sitting on the deck enjoying a cocktail and watching the skies and the shadows cast by the moon and the lights from the highway in the distance.

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.