January 2016- Rum in the News

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January 2016- Rum in the News

BUNDABERG RUM

Bundaberg Rum is investing AU$7.5 million on building a new visitors’ center at its Australian distillery. The upgrade will feature an interactive and self-guided tour, as well as a dining area and special-event facilities. Bundaberg hopes that the new center, which is to be completed by July 2016, will increase the number of tourists who visit the Queensland-based site. Currently, the distillery at tracts around 60,000 domestic and international visitors every year. “We’ve modelled the new visitor center off our state-of-the-art Barrel House, as it offers visitors the chance to get a first-hand view of how our premium rums are crafted,” said Duncan Littler, senior brand manager of Bundaberg Rum. The new center will house the world’s largest display of historical Bundaberg Rum bottles, as well as an expanded retail experience where consumers will be able to purchase the full range of Bundaberg Rum products, including products that are exclusively sold at the distillery. In addition, visitors will have the opportunity to blend their own bottle of rum to take home.

RUM, THE CONCEPT

Rum, the Concept is an innovated travel series that will provide an insight into the history, culture and future of rum in Trinidad and Tobago, as well as throughout the West Indies. The series is the brainchild of rum connoisseur, producer and director André Chrichlow and Spectrum One’s Colin Blaze. They said the show will detail the history of rum, and will visit distilleries in Trinidad and throughout the Caribbean. The television series will be officially launched at the upcoming IT McLeod All Inclusive Carnival Fete, which takes place on January 10th, 2016.

DISTILLER 2.0

Back in 2010 Mikael Mossberg had the idea for an app that would help make decisions about which spirits to buy when we were at the store or the bar. He had read so many whiskey blogs, books, magazines, but unless he made a point of writing something down in his phone to look for, he was always at a loss when it came time to buy. He saw some amazing beer apps that people were using, as well as dozens of high quality wine apps that iTunes featured regularly, but couldn’t find any great apps for spirits discovery. So he got to work. In February of 2014 he launched Distiller 1.0. It had a few hundred original whiskey reviews, a very early version of a recommendation engine, and that was pretty much it. Just in time for the 2015 holiday season, he introduced Distiller 2.0, the next stage of the app, complete with three brand new spirit categories: Rum, Tequila/Mezcal, and Brandy. You can easily switch between spirit types, add them to your lists, check out their flavor profiles, get recommendations in our updated recommendation engine, and learn all about everything these new spirits have to offer. There’s even a handy color code so you know what kind of spirit you’re looking at without having to think about it. Think “Booze Google.”

RHUM CLEMENT

Rhum Clément will be launching its Canne Bleue Agricole Rhum in select bars across Europe in January 2016. First released in the US, Canne Bleue became popular among mixologist for its flavor and finish. It could be the first mono-varietal rum in the world. Resulting from the juice of one single variety of sugar cane called “canne bleue” (blue cane), this rum is selected for its fine aromatic qualities and rich sugar content.

RUM ROK

Midtown Sacramento’s nightlife is getting a new tropical twist with a tiki-themed bar called Rum Rok. Bob Simpson, who also operates Republic, Vanguard and Pour House, among others, said the Rum Rok is the first full-fledged tiki bar Sacramento has seen in many years. The bulk of the cocktail menu is rum-based, the drinks served in Polynesian-styled mugs decorated with paper umbrellas and wedges of pineapple– just like a trip to Trader Vic’s or TV’s Fantasy Island.

COVER OVER FUNDS EXTENDED 

The Virgin Islands Daily News recently reported that the U.S. Congress extended a temporary tax measure that will keep rum tax revenues coming to the territory at its current rate throughout 2016. The package of tax extenders, which keeps the territory’s rum cover-over revenue coming in at a $13.25 per proof gallon rate instead of $10.50, is now on its way to President Obama for a signature to become law. Whenever rum produced in the territory is sold in the United States, the V.I. government receives rum cover over revenues. The cover-over monies are gleaned from the $13.50 excise tax that the U.S. government collects on every proof gallon of Virgin Islands produced rum sold in the United States. A portion of that excise tax is returned - or covered-over - to the territory. The cover-over rate is set by law at $10.50 per proof gallon, but in 1999, it was temporarily increased by Congress to $13.25 per proof gallon. Since that time, Congress has extended the higher rate of return for the territory multiple times, typically ever y year or two in a package of tax measures called the extenders.

HAMILTON PRINCESS SINGLE BARREL RESERVE RUM

Bermuda’s Hamilton Princess has partnered with the island’s world renowned Goslings Rum to launch its own exclusive blend, Princess Single Barrel Reserve. Offering a “smooth, dark, traditional Bermuda rum with hints of earth tones and spice,” the signature reserve promises to give the hotel’s patrons a unique taste of the island as they enjoy its sights and sounds. With many new facilities opening as part of its $100 million renovation, Hamilton Princess saw an increase in its rum sales; as a result, it asked Goslings to bottle a Single Barrel Reserve especially for the hotel. After many tastings, the hotel now has its Princess Rum. Allan Federer, general manager of the Hamilton Princess, said, “Princess Rum can be ordered as part of a Dark & Stormy cocktail, or neat, after dinner, in a snifter. “The Single Barrel Reserve is a smooth drink, without bark or bite. Rum is a quintessential Bermudian drink and we are excited to offer our very own Goslings rum.”

BAR TOSSES FLOR DE CAÑA

The foodie website Eater reported that Bobby Heugel, owner of Anvil Bar & Refuge in Houston, dumped more than 20 bottles of his bar’s Flor de Caña rum down the drain after reading a Munchies article that detailed the punishing, and ultimately fatal work conditions of its sugarcane cutters, and how the brand has long been indifferent to the alarming death rate. The provocative piece called out the “silent epidemic” behind Flor de Caña, Nicaragua’s most popular export, that its sugarcane mill workers in the municipality of Chichigalpa and surrounding communities have been dying from (and are continuing to die from) chronic kidney disease of unknown origin (CKDu). However, the Munchies piece states the disease isn’t a result of exposure to pesticides, as many workers had believed, but rather from not receiving enough, if any, water, shade and rest.

BEENLEIGH RUM

Australia’s oldest rum distillery has opened its doors to visitors for the first time since the 1980s. Beenleigh Rum, owned by beverage company Bickford’s Group, is Australia’s oldest rum and its distillery in Eagleby was opened in the late 1800s after being built by convicts. Bickford’s Group spokesman Chris Illman said “visitor reactions to tours of the distillery have been nothing but positive. It’s been something I think the local community and tourism industry has been crying out for, for a long, long time. Consumers are looking to understand how to make great spirits. This provides the opportunity to change how people view rum in this country. It’s the oldest and continuous distillery in the country, and its story continues to be told for future generations.” The Beenleigh distillery initially opened in the late 1800s and produces its rum from Australian molasses and using copper pot distillation. Its products are aged for up to five years and include Beenleigh Copper Pot Distilled Rum, Beenleigh Double Barrel, Beenleigh Honey and Beenleigh White. The distillery has faced many challenges in its time, including being completely swept away in the 1887 Albert River flood, with the now iconic red building being built in the 1890’s.