Exclusive Interview with Mr. John Fortman, Master Distiller of Southwest Spirits

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Q: What is your full name, title, company name and company location?

John Fortman, Master Distiller at Southwest Spirits, located in Dallas, Texas.

Q: What inspired you to get into the spirits industry?

I was in Chicago waiting on a conference call to begin when someone asked if I had ever heard of a wave of molasses coming down the street in Boston killing people.  Of course, it sounded like a tale that had grown over time, so I didn’t believe him.  I decided to look it up over the weekend and found an incredible story with old photos.  While I was searching, I discovered a wealth of history beyond this story.  So many countries are rich with history involving rum, some good some bad.  Mixed in the search were articles on how spirits are made so my interest quickly grew.

I was working at a food company at that time and every Friday I would bring in a bottle of rum in from a country or brand that I read about.  At the end of the day I would tell people it’s “rum thirty” for those who wanted to do a tasting.  The tasting was only a small sip, but it allowed us a little time to socialize.  One day our largest customer asked me to explore RTD’s (ready to drink) for their margarita mixer.  They were a national brand, and we needed their business so we decided to bottle spirits along with our non-alcohol business.  In our discovery phase I discovered a whole new exciting career without straying too far outside my experience level of food and beverage, so I was forever hooked.  It’s a balance of art and science.  As a side note, I have between 400 to 500 different bottles of rum thanks to “rum thirty”.

Q: Where did you gain your knowledge about the spirits industry?

Believe it or not it started while I was working on national food brands, we did daily tastings to ensure that the product quality not only met technical specifications but also organoleptic testing.  In food, we ensure that it not only looks and smells as it should, we taste the finished product.  When tasting, we had to mentally break down the components and identify what’s in it.

To answer the question, my R&D and blending work comes from the learning and education that I received over the years in food.  As for the operations, most of my career has been in manufacturing so blending, bottling, filling and packing was basically second nature.

When it comes to the creation of spirits, (grain, fermentation, distilling, etc.) well that is a different story.  We had a 103,000 square foot building with some food equipment and no employees.  I started by hiring a hand full of very talented people in the area and that I had a good work history with.  While we were waiting for business to come, we had meetings every day, reporting to each other on assigned sections of the TTB CFR manuals.  We also read everything we could on safety that was unique to spirits.  The distilling education started by using a very small still and documenting everything.  We studied the impact of yeast strains, temperatures in fermentation and cooking.  We worked on maceration times, molasses types, cuts in tales, etc.  In addition to hands on education, we used the internet for research, however we quickly found that mixed in with expertise were people that posted information that was just plain false.

Our greatest education came from people in the industry.  I just didn’t know anyone in the industry when we started, and I didn’t know how to reach the experts.  Until I discovered Rum University and Moonshine University, that is.  These classes are taught by professionals that have decades of knowledge.  They also gave me resources outside of the classes to reach out to.  The best part is that they love to share and help.  I tell people that if I had studied this hard in college, I would have a PHD.

The bottom line is, the one thing that bonds all master distillers, PASSION.  You must have the confidence that you can create world class spirits (otherwise you will not fully experiment) with the understanding that you are not near as good or educated as you need to be.

Q: Most people don’t know this, but Southwest Spirits is the third largest spirits distillery in Texas.  How do you compare your daily challenges to those experienced by small start-ups, are they the same, except in a larger scale, or is their nature different?

I really like this question; I believe it is a little of both.  We went 5 months before we ran our first case, so we have some experience with both small and larger operations.  A $10,000 dollar problem at a small distillery can be just as devastating as a $1M problem at a larger distillery.  We have many of the same issues; if you are missing corks or labels…you are not running that day.  If we would have an under filled bottle for example, we would get the same angry call from a manager as a smaller distillery.  So, from those standpoints we are the same, problems in any size distillery will keep you awake at night.

Where the separation begins is in scheduling and managing the employees.  As for scheduling, we have 8 storage tanks between 5,000 and 10,000 gallons.  We have six blending tanks (never enough), ranging from 2,500 gallons to 4,500 gallons.  We also have 3 production lines, so we must plan much farther in advance than we did several years ago.  We are always filling, cleaning, chill filtering or emptying tanks to meet the needs of the lines. It is a ballet of scheduling lines, tanks and people. 

When working with a large staff it takes a lot of thought and people skills to create and keep a great work atmosphere.  The larger the staff, the more complex the work dynamics between employees becomes. It was a little easier when we had 5 people vs our 50+.  The issues come at you fast and furious and so must the decisions.  We have a lot more SOP’s (standard operating procedures) written now to help us manage through them.   

Q: You produce your own house brands, but also bottle for numerous private labels.  How much has the private-label landscape changed since you entered the industry?

We do not make any spirits for any one store or chain.  With that said, those brands that have limited distribution have upped their game.  The younger consumers are looking for something different.  You have heard this before, but it’s true, they don’t want to drink what their parents do.  It is about the experience and discovering something new.  Stores are slowly starting to get away from generic looking brands.  The distributors are telling us that managers are looking for more complexity in the bottle and higher end label design.  Local field to glass distilleries have influenced the market tremendously.  Simply put, people are willing to spend a little more to get a better experience (within reason).  In my parents’ generation it was gin, for me, I remember when vodka was the hot market.  Currently bourbon and whiskey are exploding so it reasonable to assume rum will be next on the dance floor.  We are seeing the upside in the higher end aged rum category.  The process of aging rum is also getting more sophisticated to expand offerings.

Q: What spirits are you currently producing?

We are very fortunate that most of our brands have won top awards.

George Ocean Rum: White, Gold, Spiced, Coconut.  These are great rums that are slightly sweeter for those who like that style.

Texas Navy Rum: We have a white, and a dark which is really a gold rum that is a very smooth 1 to 2-year-old blend.  These were designed to be mixers; however, I hear many people are also sipping the gold.

Boqueron Rum: This is a rum that was also formulated on smooth slightly sweeter side.  We have a white, gold, spiced and coconut rum.  Side note: it is a great looking bottle.

Nue Vodka: This is our flag ship spirit; we won the current rising star award for this 7x distilled Vodka.  The price is ridiculously low for this high-end quality vodka.

Blumenflucker: It is a balanced light liquor that has botanicals and star anise…and it’s just fun!

Title 21: Named for the 21st amendment repealing prohibition.  We offer a whiskey, an 88% rye whiskey, and a smooth bourbon.

Henderson: A nice spirit whiskey, formulated for mixing.

Calamity Gin: A fantastic balanced gin that falls between a modern and classic gin.  It has floral notes and just enough juniper to balance but not overpower.

Knockmore: A true smooth Irish whiskey distilled and bottled in Southern Ireland.

Q: Where are your products currently available for purchase?

The rums are currently limited mostly to Texas outlets; however, Nue vodka is currently available in 35 states.  The whiskey and bourbon vary but also can be found in many states.

Q: Do you have plans to increase your rum portfolio in the near future?

Our entire portfolio is under review and rum is certainly near the top of our list.  Our new CEO is Guillermo Rodriguez who founded 4 Corners Spirit Company.  In addition to starting his own business, he has held various executive roles over a 20-year period for Bacardi, both in the U.S. and internationally.  With that background I am excited to see what the future brings, especially when it comes to rum.  Guillermo has a great deal of industry knowledge that I can’t wait to discuss.

Q: There is a trend nationwide to allow more direct-to-consumer sales online, but Texas seems to be trailing the rest of the country, do you think this will change in 2020?

I believe that 2020 is a little aggressive for Texas at this point.  The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) has a lot on their plate and I would guess that they and the legislators will take their time and review direct sales to fully understand the implications.  

Q: You have been a judge at some of the rum competitions in the recent past.  Are there rum profiles that tend to do better at competitions or is their success more dependent on how the competitions are structured?

The categories certainly play a role, for e.g. in a recent competition the gold rum was competing with aged rum in the same category.  In a blind tasting, gold rum is usually not going to win against a nice balanced older rum with a lot of character.  More categories usually are available in the larger competitions.

The expression that is most likely to take home a medal is very well balanced.   As a blender I love it when people must give it a little thought to figure out what is going on.  You want them to go on a journey when tasting, the front end, mid pallet and finally how does it finish.  If any part of that journey is off, it will be remembered as a less pleasant experience.  Don’t sweat competitions, they can be subjective.  A panel of very trained palates may like something different than the general public. We won a bronze on one of our spirits in a competition, I was pretty down.  A few months later that same spirit won the SIPS (consumer) Platinum Award.

For U.S. rum producers, if I had to give some advice as a judge, it would simply be this:

For those new distillers that are struggling with a long, not so pleasant finish, consider the following.  Try distilling at a slightly higher ABV or run it through the still for one final pass to cut down on the fusel oils.  Don’t convince yourself that your rum is great, let the rum do that.  My opinion, if you are a craft distiller and you want to appeal to the masses, don’t stray too much from a clean rum.  If you want a smaller, loyal following and could care less about 500,000 cases…let the “funky” rum flow.

Q: What are your thoughts on chill filtration, caramel and sugar use for spirits in general and rum in particular?

Let’s start with chill filtration, I think it is fine since it is a subtractive process, I just don’t want to get too lazy.  Yes, the long and medium chain fatty acids can create chill haze, but they are also flavor components.  In other words, don’t remove more than you must.  I think we need to do our homework and find the right amount of filtration, rather than simply over filtering.

Rum is the wild west of spirits in that each country has their own specific guidelines.  With that said, all countries agree that it must come from sugarcane molasses or juice.  For me, when it comes to sugar, less is more.  Sugar does help carry flavor, and as I like to say, rounds out the rough edges.  Sugar is certainly okay to add in rum liqueurs, it is part of the identity just don’t let it control the experience.  As for putting sugar into straight rum after distillation, I don’t judge.  It is being added to many or most rums I purchase, so there is no sense in me debating it.  Personally, I don’t care for overly sweet rums, and as a distiller, I would rather experience the natural profiles of rum.

Q: If people want to contact you, how may they reach you?

My email address is john@sw-spirits.com.  I will try to respond in a timely manner, however be patient, we are growing quickly so it gets a little busy sometimes.

Q: Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

I have been a long-time fan of “Got Rum” and “Rum University” so it is an honor that you allowed me to voice my opinion.

I participate in spirit shows around the country, and there is one thing that is clear: whiskey and vodka shows are great however, rum people really do have more fun!  There are no strangers at a rum event, they all share a love for rum and dream of Caribbean beaches.

Margaret: Again John, thank you so much for this interview and I wish you and your team much success.

Happy New Year!

Margaret Ayala, Publisher