June 2016 - Rum In The News

June 2016- Rum in the News

PENNY BLUE VSOP

The Indian Ocean Company and Berry Bros. & Rudd Spirits have announced the launch of a VSOP bottling of Penny Blue Mauritian Rum, marking the first VSOP release from the Medine Distillery. As a part of the award-winning Penny Blue Rum Collection, the VSOP is aged for a minimum of four years in a combination of ex-cognac, whisky and bourbon casks. It is an authentic Single Estate Mauritian Rum, distilled from the molasses of home-grown sugar canes, carefully matured in oak and bottled at the Medine Estate on the tropical Island of Mauritius. Doug McIvor of Berry Bros. & Rudd, the world’s oldest wine and spirit merchant, and Jean-Francois Koenig, Master Distiller at Medine Distillery combine their expertise to distill, age and identify casks at the very peak of their maturity. Jean-Francois Koenig comments, “Following the successful launches of the limited edition XO range and the Single Cask releases, we are proud to announce the first VSOP expression which will be exclusively available in Mauritius.” Doug McIvor adds “the new VSOP expression retains the same character that Penny Blue has come recognized for with lots of tropical fruit notes and subtle wood spice flavors.” Penny Blue VSOP will be bottled at 40% ABV.

GRUPPO COMPARI

Two titans of the spirit world mark major milestones, As Appleton Estate® Jamaica Rum Master Blender and Wild Turkey® Master Distiller celebrate 35 years in the industry. In today’s fast paced world it might be hard to imagine spending five or even ten years at one job. Gruppo Campari is celebrating two loyal employees and spirits industry legends who have been on the job for three and a half decades each. Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum Master Blender Joy Spence and Wild Turkey Master Distiller Eddie Russell were recognized at the Gruppo Campari Annual Convention for both having served the spirits industry for 35 years. In commemorating Joy and Eddie’s contribution to the industry, with both careers spanning back to the 1980s, Gruppo Campari’s Chief Executive Officer, Bob Kunze-Concewitz, said: “Gruppo Campari is honored to have two legends of the spirits industry in charge of crafting and ensuring the exceptional quality and taste of our Appleton Estate and Wild Turkey brands. The entire Campari family joins with rum, bourbon, and spirits enthusiasts around the world in congratulating Joy and Eddie on this significant milestone in their careers.” Joy Spence has the distinction of being the first female Master Blender in the Spirits industry, and she will also celebrate her 20th Anniversary as Master Blender in 2017. Among Joy’s many award-winning creations for Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum are Appleton Estate 50 Year Old Jamaica Rum (the oldest barrel-aged rum in the world), Appleton Estate Reserve Blend, Appleton Estate Rare Blend 12 Year Old, and the Appleton Estate 250th creation as Master Blender. In addition, Joy is currently preparing a limited edition blend of rums aged at least 25 ears which will be released in concert with her 20th anniversary as Master Blender. Joy was awarded the Order of Distinction in the Rank of Officer by the Government of Jamaica for her service to the industry. Joy also possesses an honorary Doctorate of Science degree from the University of Loughborough and an honorary Doctorate of Laws degree from the University of the West Indies. Both Joy and Eddie enjoy traveling the world spreading the word about rum and bourbon respectively, and they kicked off their 35th Anniversary Celebrations with a dinner for spirits writers and enthusiasts that they jointly hosted in London on May 24th.

BARON SAMEDI SPICED RUM

Campari America introduces a new deviously delightful addition to its award-winning rum portfolio – The Baron Samedi® Spiced Rum – named for the Haitian guardian of all things enchantingly dark and otherworldly. Bursting with flavor, the 90-proof spirit is now available in select US markets nationwide. Known to be raucous and unruly, the Baron Samedi is one of the most notorious Vodou figures and has existed in the Haitian Vodou culture since the 18th century. He is pictured as tall, dark and handsome, wearing a black top hat and black tuxedo. Frequently, he is called on for healing those near death, as only the Baron can shepherd an individual’s spirit into the realm of the dead. His drink of choice? Rum. Featuring Caribbean column still rum enhanced with Jamaican pot still rum, The Baron Samedi features natural ingredients including vanilla, cocoa, cinnamon, clove, and our signature spice, vetiver – a grass native to Haiti that lends a fantastic woody and earthy flavor to the product. The rum is smooth and rich, and was specifically blended to be paired with traditional mixers such as cola or ginger beer, or enjoyed as a shot. The standout packaging features 13 unique hand- illustrated elements with the portrait of Baron Samedi being the 14th element – inspired by his Caribbean home, the label is abstract, mysterious, and multifaceted – an intriguing puzzle you can’t help but be enticed. The illustration of a spotted breasted frog, native to Haiti, is revealed on the inside of the front label as the rum is consumed. The closure features Vodou Veve inspired adornments. “The Baron Samedi delivers an exceptional liquid and tells a different backstory to the nautical themes that dominate the spiced rum category today,” said Christine Moll, Marketing Director for Rums at Campari America. “The compelling story, standout packaging, and delicious liquid complements our premium rum portfolio, which also includes the award winning Appleton® Estate Jamaica Rum and Wray & Nephew® White Overproof Rum brands.” The Baron Samedi joins a spiced rum category that doubled in size globally from 2000 to 2010 (source: IWSR ), and a premium rum segment that demonstrates increasing volume levels and continued growth by the category’s top brands. The Baron Samedi Spiced Rum will be available in Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

DON Q

Destilería Serrallés Inc., the producers of Don Q Rum, announced the limited distribution of 6,000 bottles of its exclusive 2005 Signature Release Single-Barrel Rum. Aged for more than 10 years, the Signature Release Single- Barrel is a departure from Don Q’s portfolio of blended rums, the company says. The 80-proof light rum has a deep woodiness, mingled with tannins and sweeter notes, the company says, with aromas of heavy oak bouquet, leather and dried fruit. “We are commit ted to expanding our rum portfolio and elevating the rum category. We started experimenting and having fun outside of our comfort zone,” says Roberto Serrallés, Vice President of Business Development at Destilería Serrallés and sixth generation master distiller. “During this process, we created the first single-barrel expression we have ever released, barreled in 2005.” This launch is the first of a planned series of single-barrel aged rum releases. The first being the Single-Barrel 2005 expression, with 3,000 4.5- liter cases allocated to the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and the remaining 1,000 cases destined for Europe. A 2007 Single-Barrel variant will follow in 2017. Furthermore, the firm is also planning to bring out a spiced rum expression mid- 2016, aimed as “elevating” the spiced rum category. Titled Don Q Barrel Aged Spice, the expression has been designed to offer a “next step” to fans of spiced rum and will be a permanent addition to the brand’s portfolio. The rum has been infused with “natural” spiced, including cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and tamarind. “The spiced rum segment is growing and it’s an interesting category,” said Serrallés. “Everyone knows the big players in spiced rum, they know Captain Morgan. “But where do spiced rum drinkers graduate to? Our rum will offer a more sophisticated version of a spiced rum – we want to elevate the category.  “We need to get away from pirates and sea monsters – we’ve talked too much about pirates and forgotten the fantastic proper ties of the rum itself. It has such an amazing taste profile that we think consumers who are interested in spiced rum are going to love.”

BACARDI

Bacardi announced the release of two new flavored rums, Bacardi Grapefruit and Bacardi Raspberry. Bacardi Grapefruit is a white rum infused with pink grapefruit flavors to create a sour and semi -sweet fresh taste, while Bacardi Raspberry is infused with citrus raspberry flavors to create a mouthwatering taste mixture of sweet and tart. Both new flavors are now available in 750ML , as well as 50ML , 200ML , 375ML, 1L and 1.75L sizes. The Grapefruit and the Raspberry are easily mixable in any type of cocktail, and traditional flavors like citrus and berry continue to grow in popularity. According to the Nielsen Pert White Spirits A&U study from March 2014, traditional flavors now represent 85% of flavored spirit volume (versus non-traditional fruit flavors), and two-thirds of flavored spirits volume is coming from millennial consumers. “The new flavors, BACARDÍ Grapefruit and BACARDÍ Raspberry, will cool down all your warm weather occasions, especially in fun summer cocktails like punch,” said Juan Coronado, National Brand Ambassador, BACARDÍ rum. “Punch is a communal way to reconnect with friends and share a fun bonding experience over a great cocktail.”

MEZAN RUM

In the April issue of “Got Rum?”, our own rum reviewer, Paul Senft, had good things to say about Mezan’s Panama 2006 bottling. Two other rums from Mezan to consider are the Jamaica 2000 and Jamaica 2003. The 2000 was made at the Long Pond Distillery in the Trelawny  District of Jamaica, famous for their ‘wedderburn’ style of rum. Wedderburn is named after the deep, heavily pungent spirit modeled on that first shipped to Wedderburn Webster of London in the late 1700’s. Produced from a slow fermentation enhanced by the addition of dunder, this rum was double distilled through a single pot, double retort still. It just won a Double-Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The 2003 was made at the Monymusk Distillery, Jamaica’s oldest sugar and rum producing estate. It has been producing rum from molasses for over 200 years and traces its beginnings to Archibald Grant, a Scottish Baronet who named it after his estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The distillery is the largest in Jamaica and has six pot stills and three column stills. The Jamaica 2003 is a medium-heavy ester rum and was double distilled in pot stills.

GRANDER RUM

When Dan DeHart moved from Bourbon country Kentucky to Rum country Florida, he wanted a rum that he could sip like the bourbons back home. When he couldn’t find one that did not have additives (sweeteners and coloring agents) he decided to create his own brand. The result is Grander 8 Year Old Panama Rum and it recently won a Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and earned 92 points at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge. To create his Grander Rum, DeHart went to the San Carlos Distillery in Panama. There he met distiller F.J. Fernandez, who had been aging rum in barrels that previously held bourbon. The two teamed up and created a rum that was a blend of 8-year-old barrels and bottled at 90 proof. They named the rum Grander, after a Florida fishermen’s term for the elusive 1,000 pound marlin. The rum is made from hand-harvested sugarcane from Herraara, Panama, which is then turned into molasses. This molasses is fermented with a proprietary, locally grown yeast. Distillation is done on a 1922 continuous American Copper and Brass Works copper still. Once the year’s crop is complete, the still is broken down, cleaned and stored until the next year. The rum is aged for eight years in bourbon barrels from Kentucky, a fact somewhat ironic for former Kentuckian DeHart. Grander is a blend of several of these barrels and is bottled at 45% ABV.