Exclusive Interview with Mr. Marco Pierini, Author and Rum Historian

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Exclusive Interview with Mr. Marco Pierini, author and Rum Historian 

Q: I know our regular readers are already familiar with you and your work, but for the sake of completeness, could you tell us a bit about who you are and what you do?

In my university years I studied Philosophy in Florence and Political Science in Madrid, but my real passion has always been History.

Then life brought me to work in tourism, event organization and vocational training. Round 10 years ago I discovered rum. With my business partner, Francesco Rufini, I founded a firm that runs a beach bar in Tuscany and selects Premium Rums that we bottle with our own label: La Casa del Rum (The House of Rum).

Soon I discovered that rum it is not only a noble spirit, it is a world. So I decided to join my life- long passion, History, with my new love studying the History of Rum. And here I am.

Q: Your title “Rum Historian” represents two subjects that you are passionate about. What are some of the challenges involved when trying to combine these two worlds?

There have been three main challenges: firstly, tracking references to rum in books dealing with other subjects, for example the history of certain countries, sugar, the American Revolution, the British Empire and so on, because there are very few books on rum written by historians and scholars.

Secondly, verifying the accuracy of the mass of information present in many books on rum written by popularizers and enthusiasts and then set it within its historical context.

Thirdly, deciding what to do with the many sources of the time which I had been discovering: what to publish, and what, unfortunately, to leave out for lack of time and space.

Q: Last month you published your very first book called “American Rum”. Congratulations! Where is your book currently available for purchase?

It is available on Amazon.com and on Amazon Europe. At the moment there is only the print, paper edition, but I hope to offer also the Kindle Edition soon.

Q: Most people don’t know how hard it is to write a book, can you describe some of the  obstacles you encountered?

The biggest obstacle has been to move from the particular to the general, that is, narrate a single event or quote a specific text but embedded in the general historical frame of the period – without drowning in the documentation and, I hope, without boring the reader.

Q: You list your son, Claudio Pierini, as a contributor. It’s always nice to see a father and son working together. What were some of your reasons for choosing your son to help with your book? There is an obvious generational gap between the two of you, do you feel his perspective on rum is different than yours and, if so, is it due to this age gap?

After two years as Consultant and Data Analyst in Milan, Claudio discovered that that kind of life was not his cup of tea. So he decided to help me in my business: both rum and tourism.

Therefore it was only natural for me to ask for his help in the making and in the editing of the book. Different perspective? I prefer to drink rum straight, not in cocktails, while Claudio, like many young drinkers, likes cocktails and he has also a deep interest in mixology’s trends and history. 

Q: When researching rum, some of the information that is easiest to find is not always accurate. By the same token, I imagine some of the most insightful information was very hard to come by. What are your thoughts about these ideas?

In our modern digital world it is relatively easy to find information. But information per se is not knowledge.

Firstly you have to understand whether that information is true or false (or the whole range of intermediate possibilities). Does that old document really exist? Is its translation correct? Did that word really use to have that meaning? Is that thing really written in that book? (The readers interested in this question can read my article “Caçaza” in “GOT RUM?”, September 2015). Then the correct information, in order to help us understand the past, must be seen in its historical context, which we must know about. It is not always easy, but it is exciting.

Q: Do you think this book fulfills the goals you had in mind when you first started researching rum, or is this book just the tip of the proverbial iceberg?

Good question Margaret, the answer is both of them. I had in mind to write a rigorous History of American Rum which was not too long and at the same time enjoyable to read and I hope I succeeded. At the same time yes, this book is only the tip of an iceberg.

During my research I have understood that, if you look hard, you can unearth enough material to write a book like this about many of the Thirteen Colonies! Then, as well as Early America, there is a whole world waiting to be explored.

Q: Having published several books with my husband, Luis Ayala, I can reflect back and recall some of the topics in our books that I really enjoyed working on. Do you have a specific topic in your book that you truly enjoyed writing about?

Well, as you know, I began my travel as Rum Historian looking for the Origin of Rum, and this is still one of my favorite topics. But it was also very amusing to write about Smuggling and Flag of Truce during the French and Indian War. And I found it intellectually challenging to delve into the relation between rum and slavery and in the role of rum in the economy of the Continental Colonies. Actually, I enjoyed writing the whole book!

Q: Now that the book is published, will you take a break from your research or are you still uncovering new and exciting material?

Yes, I am taking a little break also to decide which way to go now. It might be very interesting to approach the inheritance of Prohibition and the revival of craft rum production in today’s America. But I have found also new, very exciting lines of enquiry about the role of the French in the Origin of Rum and I would really like to pursue them. We’ll see.

Q: If our readers would like to contact you, how may they reach out to you?

I have just started a new Blog: www.therumhistorian.com but it is still a work in progress, so at the moment it is better to contact me on FB, or write to marco@gotrum.com.

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

If among the readers there are any young historians, I would like to make an appeal: rum is a fascinating subject, and it is a prism through which the Atlantic World can be better understood. It deserves your attention.

Margaret: Thank you again Marco, for sharing these insights with all of our readers. We wish you and Claudio the best of luck with the book!