A Hammock on Great Guana Cay

     There is nothing more inviting than an empty hammock between two palm trees on the beach.  Seems that most everywhere I go I can find this inviting sight.   This Hammock on  Abaco, The Bahamas,Great Guana Cay made me happy relaxing on the beach with a nice rum on the rocks lazing in the sun.

Mount Gay Welcomes New Master Blender Trudiann Branker

Trediann Branker Master Blender

The Barbados rum Mount Gay has announced a new master blender, who represents a first for the company.  The 300-year-old rum brand has appointed Trudiann Branker, who steps into the role after a five-year apprenticeship with outgoing master blender Allen Smith.  Trudiann Branker will be responsible for overseeing hundreds of casks of ageing rum and hand-picking each one that goes into every blend.

     The new master blender graduated from The Siebel Institute, the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and has more than 11 years’ experience working in the spirits industry.   She joined Mount Gay in 2014 as a quality assurance manager and has followed the same path as former master blender Allen Smith.   Smith, who boasts more than 25 years’ working at Mount Gay, has held the position of master blender since 2005.    He was responsible for bringing blends such as Mount Gay XO and Mount Gay 1703 to market.

Beveland Introduces Peated Rum

     Spanish drinks group Beveland has extended its Ron Relicario rum range with a new peated expression.  Relicario Peated Finish has been aged for between five and 10 years in the Dominican Republic. It was finished for an additional six months in American oak barrels that previously contained peated malt whisky from Speyside.

     The expression is described as having “a unique flavor with aged notes and smoky nuances of peat and malt”.  The product made its debut at the trade fair ProWein in Düsseldorf previously this month.   Beveland expanded its portfolio back in February with the introduction of new expressions,  a brandy barrel-finished rum and an elder flower-flavored liqueur.

The Sun Also Rises in the Bahamas

     I love to get up relatively early in the morning to walk along the dune.  You see some very beautiful things as you gaze out over the water.  This life is so wonderful, I wouldn't trade it for anything.  Enjoy the view.

Off to "Camp Great Guana" for a Few Days of Music and Adult Beverages

     Heading today for “Camp Great Guana” in the Bahamas.  Four fun days of party and great music.  The Barefoot Man George Nowak is playing is final concert there this weekend.  We have been to Nipper’s for his concerts since the mid 1990’s and George has become a good friend over the years.  Looking forward to seeing and hearing him for the final time at Nipper’s on Great Guana Cay along the ”Crystal Sea”. 

    It is a long, narrow islet, 7 miles long, It is in the center of the Abaco Islands and is near Gurnelemi Cay.   It is located about 8 miles from Marsh Harbour.   There are approximately 150 people that live on the island, mostly along the five and a half mile long stretch of beach on the east side of the island overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

     Great Guana Cay's settlement is known for its loyalist culture and architecture, as well as its social scene. Several traditional loyalist homes are in the settlement, which wraps around a natural harbor.  Nipper’s and Grabber’s located around the area of Guana Harbour is one of the biggest tourist attractions on the island. 

Berry Brothers and Rudd are Launching Spice Hunter Spiced Rum

     London wine and spirits merchant Berry Bros & Rudd is preparing to launch Spice Hunter spiced rum in the United Kingdom, where it will be initially available across 19 Revolución De Cuba bars.  Launching through Berry Bros’ distribution arm, Fields, Morris & Verdin, Spice Hunter is made with Mauritian rum from the Medine distillery that has been blended with 13 spices – including clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper and ginger.  The combination of spices and aged rum gives Spice Hunter a “bold yet balanced taste” with notes of ginger, cloves and nutmeg that give way to a lingering spicy finish.

     Jack Denley, brands executive for Spice Hunter, said: “We’re hugely excited to bring Spice Hunter to the UK market. This is a rum that doesn’t get lost in the mix and challenges you to make a bold move.  “With its 13 exotic spices and aged Mauritian rum, Spice Hunter is designed for the modern drinker; complex, approachable and undeniably bold.”  Spice Hunter takes its name and inspiration from 18th century botanist turned spice smuggler Pierre Poivre.

     Wounded whilst fighting the British, he recovered from losing an arm on the Dutch-owned islands of Indonesia. Whilst there, he saw the abundance of nutmegs and cloves growing, which he began smuggling to start a botanical garden on his Mauritian homeland.

From 2 April, Spice Hunter will be available throughout the United Kingdom at Revolución De Cuba’s 19 sites as well as a host of other United Kingdom  bars and pubs. It will also be available to buy through Amazon and Berry Bros & Rudd for £25 or $32.00.

The Sky is the Palate

     One thing that makes the Florida Keys so special is the sky.   Whether it be at sunrise, sunset clear or cloudy, it is always very impressive to my eyes.  Today it was the clouds that make the day a very special one.    When the sky touches the land and the sea there is art in my eyes.

Bermuda's Most Famous Drinks

     When in Bermuda, there are several famous items associated with cocktailing.  The Rum Swizzle, Barrett's Ginger Beer and of course Gosling Rum.  When it comes to a must have cocktail when it Bermuda, you head for the Swizzle Inn and order a Rum Swizzle.  The Swizzle Inn of Bailey’s Bay whose motto is "Swizzle Inn, Swagger Out."  The Swizzle Inn is known as "the home of the Rum Swizzle" and Bermuda's oldest “watering hole”.  The Swizzle Inn pub sold its first Rum Swizzle in 1932 and the rest, as they say, is history.   Now it's the perfect place to whet your whistle with Bermuda’s national drink, the very potent Rum Swizzle cocktail.!

The Swizzle Inn's Rum Swizzle Recipe

• 1 ½  Oz. Goslings Black Seal Rum
• 1 ½  Oz. Goslings Gold Seal Rum or Barbados Amber Rum
• ½  Oz. Triple Sec
• 1 Oz. Pineapple Juice
• 1 Oz. Orange Juice
• 2 Oz. Bermuda Falernum or Sugar Syrup
• Juice Of ½  Lemon
• 6 Dashes of Angostura Bitters

Mix all ingredients with ice and shake vigorously until a frothing head appears. Strain into stemmed cocktail glasses.

Saint James Creates Bitters for Agricole Rum Cocktails

     Saint James Agricole rhum brand has created new cocktail bitters following two years of research and development.   Saint James Aromatic Cocktail Bitters was created using a base of sugarcane alcohol, which is macerated with plants and spices such as wormwood, gentian, quinquina, angelica flower, caraway, coriander and ginger.

     Saint James brand ambassador Stephen Martin used historical pharmacist, distiller and bartender manuals to come up with the final recipe.   The mix of ingredients is said to offer a “perfect balance” of four flavor characteristics – floral, herbal, spicy and bitter – resulting in an “organoleptic profile perfectly adapted for white rhum-based cocktails”.

     Produced in Martinique, Saint James is the world’s best-selling agricole rhum, with a distribution footprint in more than 50 countries.

The Pelicans are Back

     Sometimes I really don't appreciate all of the sights that are right in front of me here in Sunset Marina.  I was walking in front of the ship's store yesterday and I looked down and saw this beautiful bird.   If you "don't slow down and smell the roses," you really miss out on a lot in this life.

Mount Gay Celebrates 316th Anniversary Of Making Rum

     This is exciting news, Barbados has long been in the rum business and one of the original distillers of rum, Mount Gay has been continuously been making rum since 1703.  This is one of the premier rum companies in the world and still making so many fine rums.  Mount Gay has marked its 316th anniversary as the world’s oldest operating rum distillery by showing appreciation to its valuable staff members, clients and customers.


     The company celebrated in fine style with a series of events including visits to clients and customers at bars and rum shops, a staff appreciation event and a massive product sale for the public.   Speaking at the staff appreciation, Managing Director Raphael Grison said that 316 years was a great accomplishment and explained that the company wanted to say a huge ‘thank-you’ to all who made it possible to mark the significant milestone.

     “The rum shop crawl gave us the opportunity to meet with our customers one-on-one to thank them for pushing our brand and to also get a better insight into what is happening in the trade,” he said.  “The sale at our distribution center was our way to say thanks and give-back to our loyal customers and clients, by providing the opportunity for them to purchase their favorite products at a reduced price.”

     “There is a pioneer mindset at Mount Gay and we intend to keep that going. Yes, we are the oldest but we do not intend to rest on our laurels. We intend to continue to be innovative, engage our customers and keep our brand visible as we look forward to celebrating many more years.” 

Read  More at https://barbadostoday.bb/2019/03/16/mount-gay-celebrates-316th-anniversary-of-making-rum/

Gender Stereotyping in Spirits Marketing Can Lead to Problems

     #MeToo and the fight to combat sexism in wider society is being reflected in the spirits industry, with moves afoot to ban stereotypical advertising and promote inclusive. But there is still more to be done to put an end to gender bias in spirits marketing.   Over the last few years, the collective conversation about gender equality has shifted up a gear. In 2017, the worldwide Women’s March brought attention to issues such as women’s rights, healthcare reform and workplace parity. Meanwhile, discussions about sexual harassment in Hollywood, governments and big businesses catapulted the #MeToo movement into the mainstream.  The issue has become more prevalent in the drinks world as brands face a crackdown on gender stereotyping in advertising, with a number of initiatives and regulations unveiled in the past 12 months.

     Major brands have been criticized for their portrayals of gender in the past. Historically, it wasn’t unusual to see sexualized representations of women in spirits marketing, and images of scantily clad pin-ups are still used by some today.  Past examples include Bulgarian brand Flirt Vodka, famous for its series of raunchy posters, while sex has also driven publicity for Lust Vodka, Skyy Vodka, Evan Williams Bourbon, Bacardi rum and Cabana cachaça. “The whisky industry has come a long way since the advertising from the 1960s and 1970s, when we saw advertising being polarized as either ‘drink this and you’ll be successful’ or ‘sex sells’,” says Georgie Bell.  “Some of that sort of marketing still comes up in advertising today, but less and less so.”

     It’s not just specific products that are being assigned a gender, either – entire alcohol categories have been coded as either male or female too. Tom Harvey, co-­founder of alcohol marketing agency Yesmore, says the pink gin category “feels like it’s a movement to target women through a somewhat basic way of using a color that is stereotypically seen to attract women”.  Last year, several companies unveiled new products to coincide with Women’s History Month in March and International Women’s Day.   One of the biggest women-inspired launches was that of Jane Walker, a limited edition iteration of Johnnie Walker Black Label. However well intentioned, the launch backfired with a number of consumers and commentators arguing it was patronizing and unnecessary.   “What was intended to be a celebration of women was interpreted by many as Johnnie Walker trying to appeal to a female audience, and generated much criticism”.   Nevertheless, the brand was also praised for donating US$1 from every bottle sold to organizations championing women’s causes.

     “Targeting women with feminine brands or female celebrities doesn’t work”. She says: “How about doing more to celebrate the real people behind the spirit brands, whether that’s a re­telling of the founders’ and distillers’ stories that so many brands have in abundance, or a celebration of the real distillers and ambassadors these brands have today. Whether they be men or women, their stories would in many cases provide a perfect marketing opportunity.”

Read More at https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2019/03/analysis-gender-stereotyping-in-spirits-marketing/

Happy St. Patrick's Day in Key West

     Key West is one of those towns that really make the most of St. Patrick's Day.  Saturday started out with our St. Patrick's Day Bar Stroll that began at noon from the Southernmost Beach Cafe and wound its way down Duval Street and finished at Schooner Wharf.  The event is always a lot of fun, and if you were here, you are most likely pretty hungover after participating.  Enjoy your day in the green in Key West.

Sittin' on the Dock of the Gulf Watching the Clouds Drifting Away

     Sitting at Marlyn's Bar looking out over the Gulf of Mexico.  I can't help but to think of that Otis
Redding song as I watch the day and the tide drifting away.  It is a n afternoon that will lead to Karaoke at the Hurricane Hole a little later on and then back to share the night here before calling it a day.

     Today there are boys fishing from the breakwater while the rest of us sit at the bar and watch the clouds and the wind paint another beautiful picture.  Though the temperature is in the low 80's here today the winds put a certain chill to the evening.

     A month ago I would be looking at another sunset at this time of the day, but on this evening it is still bright with the clouds and the blue of the sky creating the canvas for the evening.  As always it is a great place to sit and enjoy the end of the day before heading out to the Hurricane Hole for an evening of fun and song with so many of my friends.

Drinks to Avoid for Your First Impression

     I ran across an article about drinks that you don't want to drink on your first date, but it also
applies to your first time drinking with people you have just met.  I see so many people that go on a company picnic or get together with co-workers for the first time and head straight off "power drinking" and end up in a heap on the ground or just make a complete fool of themselves.  No one is impressed with that at anytime, but if this is who you introduce yourself as, it is really remembered.

     When it comes to cocktails, a new survey from Alcohol.org showed that the worst thing you could order is Vodka and Red Bull, (30 percent of respondents) according to women, while men say it’s a Sex on the Beach (35 percent).  Wine was considered the best drink to order on a first date, according to 47 percent of surveyed Americans, followed by beer and a Margarita.   The survey also identified the 20 most popular alcoholic drinks, with beer taking the top spot, as well as which common drinks are considered upscale . Champagne and wine topped the list as the most classy drinks, while Vodka Red Bull and beer were considered the least classy.

     This is something to keep in mind as you head out on your first date or get together's with new friends.  Your first impression is a lasting one and you don't want to leave them with the impression of you laying on the ground passed out or having to leave your car behind because you had too much to drink,  That is not a bad idea if you do, but its not the first impression you want people to have of you.

Read more about this subject at https://www.alcohol.org/guides/drinking-on-dates/ 

Rum Point Grand Cayman

     After a visit to "Stingray City", it was off to Rum Point for some lunch and an adult rum beverage before heading back to Georgetown.  Reminds me a lot of hanging out in the keys on the boat for the afternoon.

Havana Club Announces the 2019 Tributo Rum Expression

     Pernod Ricard-owned Havana Club has unveiled its 2019 Tributo bottling, a blend that includes rum aged in Cognac casks.  Tributo 2019 was created by three generations of maestros del ron Cubano – masters of Cuban rum – including don José Navarro, primer maestro del ron Cubano; Asbel Morales, maestro del ron Cubano; and Salomé Aleman, the first and only female maestra del ron Cubano.

     Each master selected a rare and extra-aged rum base that was deemed representative of their individual styles, which were first left to mature in the 1970s, 1990s and 2010s.  These rum bases were blended with a rum that has been matured for more than 25 years in French oak barrels.  A total of 2,500 bottles of Havana Club Tributo 2019 have been created at 40% ABV.

     The rum will be available in more than 20 markets from March, priced at a suggested price of $455 per 700ml bottle.  Tributo 2019 is said to have notes of oak and dried fruits on the nose, with flavors of vanilla, dried fruits and toasted almonds on the palate.  Morales said: “Once again, the Havana Club Tributo collection praises the richness and variety of styles that form the base of the authentic Cuban rum category.

     “Each rum in the Tributo range uniquely focuses on a different element of the production process, from our ancient rum bases to cask experimentation and the 2019 edition continues this story by honoring the craftsmanship of three of the maestros del ron Cubano.”  The 2018  Havana Club Tributo edition was a rum finished in smoky whisky casks.  Pernod Ricard first launched the annual limited edition Havana Club Tributo Collection in 2016.

Ron Del Barrilito Reveals its New Two Million Dollar Visitor Center

  

     Puerto Rico’s oldest rum brand, Ron del Barrilito, has opened its visitor center at Hacienda Santa Ana in Bayamón.  Almost US$2 million has been invested in the visitor center. Guests will be able to enjoy guided tours that will also delve into the history of the Fernandez family, which owns the company.  Visitors will also learn about the wider history of Puerto Rican rum, and will be able to taste different expressions of Ron del Barrilito and create their own cocktails using the rum.

     Hacienda Santa Ana started out as a sugar plantation when it was established in the 1700s. It wasn’t until the early 1800s that rum production commenced.  Luis Planas, Ron del Barrilito master blender, said: “The new visitor center is a monument to the arsenal tradition of the oldest rum in Puerto Rico.   “Tradition that has survived almost intact, transferring from generation to generation, the deepest secrets of its original recipe and its elaboration process, which was first crafted by Don Pedro Fernández and perfected by mother nature through the aging process, which is much more than what it takes to age traditional rum.

     “I feel great satisfaction in ensuring that the visitor will have a very intimate encounter with the product and will be able to understand why we have been recognized as the world’s finest sipping rum.”

Trinidad's Port-of-Spain as Seen From the Mountain

     Port-of-Spain, the capital city and primary port for Trinidad and Tobago.   Located on the west coast of Trinidad on the Gulf of Paria, in the southeastern part of the West Indies.  The Gulf is all that separates Trinidad from Venezuela.

     This is a view of the Port and the Gulf of Paria on a rainy day.  The view is from the mountain resort that we stayed in while visiting the House of Angostura Distillery.

Wealth Solutions Releases 20 Year Old Rum from Closed Caroni Distillery in Trinidad and Tobago

     This is a great event for the people of Trinidad and Tabago in addition to the rum lovers of the world.  The once state operated Caroni Distillery will live on in more than legend with the release of these vintage rums.

     Feel the rhythm of Caribbean carnival with glass of Caroni rum in your hand!  The Caroni Distillery was located on Trinidad and its home country is known, among the others, from music and carnival.

    With these three editions they plan to pay tribute to three music genres which were created or developed on this beautiful and exotic island. The label of each edition presents different character referring to particular type of music, carnival dancer, parang singer, and man playing on traditional steelpan. In addition, the colors of the labels and boxes refer to the colors of flag of the Trinidad and Tobago, because Caroni was a state distillery.

Read More at http://en.wealth.pl/our-projects/caroni-2/   

Warehouses at the Brugal Rum Distillery Burned and the Fire Injured Two Employees

     A fire that broke out at the Brugal rum distillery in the Dominican Republic last week has injured two employees.  The fire broke out on the morning of Thursday 14 February in one of the Puerto Plata site’s warehouses.  The Brugal warehouse is located on the Puerto Plata-Imbert highway.

     During attempts to put out the fire, 12 firefighters and two Brugal employees were “affected in different circumstances” and received medical attention instantly. Some firefighters were affected by smoke inhalation.  Employee Francis José González suffered a broken ankle after being hit by a forklift and will undergo surgery.      “Thanks to the rapid action of the firemen and rescue workers, their professionalism and the operation followed to prevent the flames from expanding, the fire was controlled, impacting only one of our warehouses.”

     The fire at the warehouses of the rum distillery Brugal in Puerto Plata since 11 am Thursday, More than 40 fire trucks and two helicopters were used to douse the flames.  An extensive blaze is leveling the warehouse of the rum distiller Brugal & Compañía, located in northern Puerto Plata province.  The blaze was completely extinguished two days later on the morning of Saturday 16 February. The company said more than 50% of the debris has been removed.   Fire Department firefighters and Civil Defense rescuers are at the scene of the inferno to douse the flames and provide assistance.  There are no reports of fatalities but one person was injured thus far.

Read More at https://dominicantoday.com/dr/uncategorized/2019/02/15/rum-factory-fire-still-not-controlled/

The San Pedro de la Roca Morro Castle

     A few years back I was fortunate enough to visit Santiago de Cuba for a week and The San Pedro de la Roca Morro Castle on the southeastern coast of Cuba.  The view from the walls over looking the sea were simply breath taking.

Originally designed by Battista Antonelli in the late 1600's.   Antonelli's design was adapted to the situation of the fortress on the steep sides of the promontory reaching into the bay. It was constructed on a series of terraces; there were four main levels and three large bulwarks to house the artillery. Supplies would be delivered by sea and then stored in the large warehouse, which was cut directly into the rock, or transported up to the top level which housed the citadel. Construction of the citadel took 62 years, starting in 1638 and finally being completed in 1700,

The Premiumization of Rum Comes With a Price

     Last week, I spent two days in Miami at a rum congress with some of the most influential rum producers in the world.  Two of the most prolific topics was the Geological Indication  and Transparency within the category.  With the move by the category to more premium and super-premium expressions, this has to to happen if the category is going to be taken seriously.

     Transparency has been a buzz word in the spirits world for quite some time, and as consumers become more inquisitive and knowledgeable, secretive operations are vulnerable to backlash.  Rum has so far avoided the public wrath inflicted on categories such as gin and whisky, but as its premiumization’s trajectory accelerates, distillers are under greater pressure to speak about their production methods openly and honestly.    Alexandre Gabriel, master blender of Plantation Rum, feels that any rules for rum production, “must first and foremost promote transparency, while not killing the diversity that makes rum so special”. He also believes, “The work of putting together a Geographical Indication must be a careful process and it must be done in a way to explore and research collectively the heritage of a particular country in rum making.  It is also something that needs to be keep in mind is that rum is a vibrant spirit and that has to continue and Geographical Indication should not stifle that.”

Richard Seale:  Foursquare Distillery

     Richard Seale, master distiller and blender at Foursquare Distillery, says transparency is “essential to creating a super­-premium category” and identifies two ways to achieve premiumization – through adding ‘perceived value’ or ‘intrinsic value’. ‘Perceived value’, he says, is created through “packaging, misleading solera age claims and the addition of sugar syrup”, which creates the “illusion of quality”. But ‘intrinsic value’ is based on “genuine artisanal distillation and genuine age”, and is an ethos largely associated with the whisky category.

“This is how we must build the premium category of rum,” he says. “It is more than just to premiumize – it is how we premiumize that matters and will determine our ultimate success. A consumer can and should buy on taste, which is subjective, but what the consumer has to pay should always be based on intrinsic value.”

     Richard Seale finds that the “terrible myth that rum has no rules, but rather, the problem is that our rules are not recognized”. He says the United States and European Union, both key rum markets, do not recognize the specific regulations from rum­-producing nations, which he calls a “genuine disgrace”. Seale also says the EU fails to properly enforce its own regulations for rum, which prohibits the use of neutral grain spirit and flavorings, among other things. “This lack of enforcement has helped make rum a dishonest category, and has prevented the category from having the confidence in its integrity that is necessary to develop the super­-premium class,” he says. Seale urges the European Union to recognize rum’s Geographical Indication Is in the same way it recognizes Scotch whisky, but he also says that the United States is a “vastly greater problem”.

Caribbean Rum Producers Move to Protect Intellectual Property

     Caribbean rum producers met in Barbados recently to discuss how best to protect the intellectual
property behind regional rums.  The attending members of the West Indies Rum & Spirits Producers Association (WIRSPA) heard from several experts, including Francis Fay, head of geographical indications in the European Union Commission and Bernard O’Connor, a well-respected international attorney on intellectual property and author on geographical indications.

     The half-day panel discussion examined the establishment of geographical indications (GIs) for rums from individual countries. Several in the grouping — Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Guyana – are close to or have already established national GIs for their products. Participants also discussed ways to protect and advance the reputation of the authentic Caribbean rums produced by WIRSPA members.

Speaking at a reception and tasting of member brands, Komal Samaroo, chairman of the grouping and head of the Demerara Distillers conglomerate, observed that while the industry was one of the oldest in the region, its future potential was considerable. Already the largest agro-based export earner after minerals for CARICOM/CARIFORUM states, it is also its premier export product with an international reputation for quality.

     Protecting this heritage and developing the opportunity, said Samaroo, called for careful management

of the intellectual property intrinsic to the value of the product. The panel discussion and the view of the international experts were that a participatory approach based on broad consensus was a key factor in successfully realising the potential of the industry in the global market.   Also speaking at the event, minister for agriculture and food security for Barbados, Indar A. Weir, gave his government’s commitment to supporting the industry, to achieve its full potential in the international market.

Read More at https://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/2019/01/31/caribbean-rum-producers-move-to-protect-intellectual-property/

Fort Matthews Grenada

    The Ruins of Fort Matthews just above St Georges, is a real testimony to the suffering that the people of Grenada went through in the American Invasion of 25 thru the 29 of October, 1983.  What was thought to be the fort was in fact an asylum, the fort was further to the south.

Which Alcohol is Consumed First Has No Effect on Hangovers

     Research published by two leading British and German universities has debunked the myth “beer before wine and you’ll feel fine; wine before beer and you’ll feel queer”.  A study has found that the order in which alcoholic drinks are consumed has no effect on hangovers.  The research, carried out by the University of Cambridge and Witten/Herdecke University in Germany, aimed to discover how the order in which alcoholic drinks are consumed can affect the next morning’s hangover.

     To test this, 90 volunteers aged between 19- and 40-years-old were recruited and split into three groups. The first group consumed two and a half pints of beer followed by four large glasses of wine. The second group consumed the same amount of alcohol, but in reverse order. Subjects in the third control group consumed either only beer or only wine.

     A week later, participants in the first and second study groups were switched to the opposite drinking order. Control group subjects who drank only beer the first time around received only wine on the second study day, and vice versa.  After each day of drinking, participants were asked about their hangover and gave a score for how they felt from 0-56, based on factors including thirst, fatigue, headache, dizziness, nausea, stomach ache, increased heart rate and loss of appetite.

     Dr Kai Hensel, a senior clinical fellow at the University of Cambridge and senior author of the study, said: “Unpleasant as hangovers are, we should remember that they do have one important benefit, at least: they are a protective warning sign that will certainly have aided humans over the ages to change their future behavior. In other words, they can help us learn from our mistakes.”

Read More at https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2019/02/order-in-which-alcohol-is-consumed-has-no-effect-on-hangovers/

Diageo ‘Very Focused’ on Putting Some Life Back in the Captain Morgan Brand

     Diageo is “very focused on getting the energy back into Captain Morgan” after the rum brand’s half-year sales declined.   In the group’s results, net sales of Captain Morgan fell by 4% making it the only one of Diageo’s ‘global giants’ to decline during the final six months of 2018.   More broadly, rum was Diageo’s only spirits category to decline in the period, falling by 3%. This was largely attributed to Captain Morgan’s performance in the US, which decreased 9% and “lost share in a declining category”.

     Speaking at a Diageo roundtable last week, CEO Ivan Menezes said “rum has been tough for us”.  He said: “The spirits sector is so dynamic in the US.  “Even vodka brands that are on trend are doing really well. Rum is a more muted category. It’s been tougher. Captain Morgan, as a result, is not performing well.  “We’re very focused on getting the energy back into Captain Morgan so there’s a lot of work going on that.

     This is not a surprise to me, Rum is only growing in the areas of premium and ultra-premium expressions.  The consumers in the United States are looking for a better spirit, not something they can bury in a mixer and barely be able to tastes it.  Finding the sales of lower end spirits are slipping is not a surprise to me.  Many of the makes of the mass “mixing expressions” are working to bring premium ones to the market in order to produce sales gains. 

     Consumers of “brown spirits” are not the ones that generally mix it with colas or other sugared mixes that bury the flavor of the spirit.  Rum drinkers are following in the path of quality that they are willing to pay extra for that can stand alone with a little water or ice if anything at all.

An Unusual Sight, A Mangrove Blossom

     During a recent visit to Grand Cayman, I visited the Queen Elizabeth Botanical Garden.  It was an absolutely wonderful experience that allowed me to see some very unusual plants, birds and reptiles.  The one thing that really stood out in my mind ws this mangrove blossom.  Living in Key West, I'm surrounded by mangroves, but this is the first time that I ever saw one in bloom.  They are not a spectacular blossom, but it was great to actually see one blooming.

Zaya Gran Reserva Rum Issues a New Formula and Age Statement

     Trinidad and Tobago-made rum Zaya Gran Reserva has been relaunched with a new age statement of “aged up to 16 years”.  The new expression is said to have notes of vanilla, caramel, cocoa, apple, banana and cherry, leading to a “heavy, velvety smooth finish”.  Zaya Gran Reserva Rum is bottled at 40% abv or 80 proof and has a new packaging design to indicates the new formula.  The bottle has a new slimmer, sleeker design including a longer neck to allow, that adds an ease of pouring along with a cork closure.

     The label incorporates the brand’s home, Trinidad and Tobago, which is also known as the ‘land of the hummingbird’.  The design features this phrase and a gold hummingbird on a medallion, which sits between the neck of the bottle and the label.  The teal accents on the bottle and label are an adornment that gives a hint to the tropical waters on which the island lies.

      Zaya Gran Reserva is available from select retailers across the US and online, including Shop Wine Direct, for an suggested retail price of $29.99 for the 750ml bottle. It is being imported by Infinium Spirits.

     I find it interesting that it was able to get the label for the United States, where regulations require the age statement on the bottle be that of the youngest alcoholic component in the blend.

I Thought That I Had See Everything in a Bar

     I was at the “Hog’s Breath Saloon” on Duval Street on Sunday enjoying some great music when the people from IV’s in the Keys came in and set up 4 IV’s and hooked 4 clients up to them.  I’d thought that I’d seen everything that I could see in a bar, but this was a new one for me.  I had to ask what it was all about, and I was told that it was a method of hangover prevention and / or cure. 

    “No need to suffer the residual effects of excessive alcohol consumption.  Don’t let a night of overindulgence ruin the rest of your weekend or vacation!  We have the cure!   Before you get carried away with the party, here is an idea that could possibly help with your recovery the day after.  The IV Restores Hydration, Decreases Inflammation, Delivers An Energy Boost, Relieves Stomach Pain, Relieves Nausea & Vomiting and Boosts Immune System”, according to IV’s in the Keys website.

     Not being one to judge, I guess that this has the possibility of working.  I’ve seen many racers get hooked up to IV’s after a long race to assist with dehydration and exhaust inhalation, so why not for a hangover.  It is a wild and crazy world out there, and this may be just what we need in our local saloons, have a cold one and get hooked up to and IV and then carry on like a crazy person for the rest of the night.  Why Not?