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With John on vacation, I flew solo on this episode to welcome Ben Inglis, distillery manager and co-founder of The Islay Rum Company, to the show to get the full story on his unique approach to Scottish rum. If you listened to our Guide to UK Rum episode https://www.rumcast.com/episodes/uk-rum-guide, you'll remember that John and I rated both of the Islay Rum Company rums we tried quite favorably, so we'd been hoping to talk to Ben ever since. We discussed: How Ben convinced the Vintage Malt Whisky Company to back his vision of Islay's first rum distillery instead of building a Scotch whisky distillery Scottish Gaelic pronunciations The pressure that comes with putting the word "Islay" on a bottle of rum Contending with the island's flavor profile expectations Building out the distillery in a historic lemonade factory Why getting a custom made double retort pot still was a must Crafting their initial flavor profile Experiments with long fermentation, native bacteria, yeasts, and more Balancing inspiration with originality What's aging right now? And when can we taste it?? And a whole lot more! You can learn more about The Islay Rum Company here: https://www.islayrum.com/ Check out our episode on the wider UK rum scene here: https://www.rumcast.com/episodes/uk-rum-guide P.S.
This week, we’re introducing a new episode format — the Semi-Blind Rum Review! In these reviews, one of us will know the identity of the rum being reviewed and one of us will be going in with no information about the rum whatsoever, besides its color in the glass. Our goal is to hopefully provide an unbiased and fun look at new(ish) rums you might be curious about. We'll also be publishing video versions to YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJweQhO6f_Igps6gnMuMeBQ In this episode, we reviewed: Shakara 12-Year Thailand Rum (the new release from La Maison & Velier) ABV: 45.7% Molasses Column Distillation Price: Around $50-60 Transcontinental Rum Line High Seas ABV: 45% Blend: Tropically aged Panama rum, unaged Jamaican rum, unaged grand arome rum from Martinique Price: Around $30-40 As always, would love your thoughts on this episode format, and any takes you have on the rums! Cheers! THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY WONK PRESS — GET 10% OFF BY MATT PIETREK AND CARRIE SMITH NOW THROUGH MARCH 30 WITH PROMO CODE RUMCAST. https://www.wonkpress.com/discount/RUMCAST?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fmodern-caribbean-rum PLUS, MATT AND CARRIE WILL SIGN YOUR BOOK AT NO ADDITIONAL COST! P.S.
In this episode, we explore the impressive start of possibly the only independent rum bottler in Canada, Bira Rum https://www.birarum.com/bira-rum. Founder Karl Mudzamba took us inside his journey from Zimbabwe, to playing professional rugby in New Zealand, to starting Bira in his current home of Vancouver, BC. Bira has hit the ground running with unadulterated, cask strength releases from Fiji and South Africa, with much more to come. Along the way, fellow resident of Canada Ivar de Laat of Rum Revelations https://www.rumrevelations.com/ hopped on the call with us to chime in on the state of rum in Canada, from the options available to rum enthusiasts to the intriguing rums coming out of Canadian distilleries in recent years. We discuss: Karl’s rum origin story The nuances of the Canadian rum market versus other parts of the world Up and coming Canadian rum distilleries (yes — they exist!) The all-night Bira ritual of Zimbabwe’s Shona people Early lessons in launching a rum brand in Canada How Karl landed on Fiji and South Africa for his initial bottlings The quest for geeky unaged Fijian rum Do sugary rums help introduce rum to more people? The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) as one of the world’s chief rum villains What’s next for Bira And much more! To learn more about Bira Rum, check out their website at https://www.birarum.com/ Also, be sure to check out Ivar's website Rum Revelations at https://www.rumrevelations.com/ P.S.
In this episode, we're back with a fresh entry in our Rumcast Guides series — and this time we're taking on the rums of the United Kingdom! Over the last 12 years or so, the UK has seen an explosion of domestic rum distilleries, with the number now reaching over 25 (and counting). We set out to taste a wide selection of these rums to get a sense of the emerging category's characteristics, standout bottles, and notable distilleries, encountering everything from straightforward crowdpleasers, to long fermentation, dunder-charged flavor bombs, to unique profiles we hadn't encountered before. Following an overview of the category, the episode is divided into four flights that cover nine different distilleries and 16 different rums: (13:45) FLIGHT #1 - UNAGED LOWER PROOF RUMS: Ninefold Pure Single Rum (46%) (pot still, molasses, 3-4 day fermentation) Sugar House White Rum (43%) (hybrid pot/column, molasses, 7-day fermentation) Outlier Distilling Hoolie Manx White Rum (41%) (pot still, molasses, 10-14 day fermentation) Scratch Faithful British Rum (42%) (pot still, molasses, around 14-day fermentation, use fresh and aged dunder) Islay Rum Distillery Geal 2022 Inaugural Release (45%) (double retort pot still, molasses, 7+ day fermentation) Retribution White Rum (44%) (pot still, molasses) (59:19) FLIGHT #2 - AGED LOWER PROOF RUMS: J. Gow Revenge Rum (43%) (pot still, molasses, aged 3 years in ex-bourbon and virgin oak, a blend of their HD and DS marks) J. Gow Fading Light Chestnut Cask (43%) (pot still, molasses, aged in chestnut cask over 12 months, 14-day fermentation) Ninefold Cask Aged Pure Single Rum (45%) (pot still, molasses, aged at least 1.5 years in American oak) Matugga Golden Rum (42%) (NAS, pot still, molasses, 7-day fermentation, ex-bourbon casks) (1:33:41) FLIGHT #3 - UNAGED HIGHER PROOF RUMS: J. Gow Culverin TC Marque (50%) (Pot and column, molasses, 5-day fermentation) J. Gow Wild Yeast Series #2 Kveik 2022 (62%) (molasses, double batch fermented for 7 days and 9 days with a triple blend of Hornindal Kveik, traditional Norwegian farmhouse yeast) Islay Rum Distillery Ùine Mhòr (55%) (double retort pot still, molasses, long fermentations ranging from 4-6 weeks featuring the use of matured dunder, native bacteria, and two commercial yeast strains) DropWorks Funk Drop Rum (63%) (double retort pot still, "sugar cane honey," 7-day fermentation featuring their "wild trinity" yeast, dunder, and addition of muck during distillation) (2:08:13) FLIGHT #4 - AGED HIGHER PROOF RUMS: J. Gow Hidden Depths Vol. 2 2017 (51.2%) (cask strength, molasses, aged 5 years in ex bere whisky/OWC oak cask) Ninefold 3 Year Old Single Pot Still TWE Exclusive (62.2%) (cask strength, molasses, aged 3 years in ex-bourbon from Woodford Reserve) P.S.
In this free bonus episode, we're releasing global rum ambassador and Equiano co-founder Ian Burrell's full interview from our 100th episode, which was full of interesting nuggets about the development of Equiano, rum education, where we can expect to see exciting new rums come from over the next several years, and much more! Also, we try to guess our way through a mystery sample provided by Rumcast Patron Kyle in DC, only to fail spectacularly. P.S.
Without further delay, we're super excited to share our 100th episode of The Rumcast with you! As we've hinted, this episode is special to us, and was really a labor of love. Rather than going with the typical format, we invited a dozen past guests to return for individual interviews where we looked back at how rum has evolved since 2019 (when we started working on the show), and where they think rum is headed over the next 5 years or so. You'll hear from: Kate Perry of La Maison and Velier Zan Kong of Worthy Park Eric Kaye of Holmes Cay Ian Burrell, the global rum ambassador and Equiano co-founder Margaret Monplaisir of St. Lucia Distillers and the new WIRSPA chairperson Lance Surujbally of TheLoneCaner.com http://thelonecaner.com/ Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, the legendary author and owner of Latitude 29 Craig Nicholson of Worthy Park Ed Hamilton of Hamilton rum Carsten Vlierboom of E&A Scheer Steve Magarry of the new Sydney Rum Distillery (formerly of Beenleigh) Maggie Campbell of Mount Gay We assembled highlights from those individual interviews into an episode that takes us through the major themes that came up, such as: The emergence of "new" rum regions around the world (and which ones we'll be seeing more of) The long-term prospects of all these emerging distilleries The good and bad sides of premiumization, and whether rum can avoid the latter New GIs we're likely to see in the future The future of bulk rum sales and independent bottlings What the acquisition of E&A Scheer means And so much more that it would be impossible to list it all! We'd love to know what you think of the episode and what your takeaways and thoughts are — so please shoot us an email at host@rumcast.com and let us know. And seriously — a huge THANK YOU to everyone for listening! P.S. THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY WONK PRESS — GET 10% OFF BY MATT PIETREK AND CARRIE SMITH NOW THROUGH FEBRUARY 11 WITH PROMO CODE RUMCAST. https://www.wonkpress.com/discount/RUMCAST?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fmodern-caribbean-rum PLUS, MATT AND CARRIE WILL SIGN YOUR BOOK AT NO ADDITIONAL COST! Music Credits for this Episode: “On the Delta” by John Patitucci W. A. Mozart, Symphony No.38 in D major” by A Far Cry “Cover Charge” by TrackTribe “Djansa” by The Mini Vandals featuring Mamadou Koita and Lasso “Momo Do” by The Mini Vandals featuring Mamadou Koita and Lasso “Ratatouille’s Kitchen” by Carmen Maria and Edu Espinal “Sleepy West” by JHS Pedals
Per tradition, we're back with our predictions for what will happen in the world of rum in 2024 — from trends, to releases, to new projects, and beyond. In the spirit of accountability, we also take a look back at last year's predictions for 2023 and grade how close each one came. Have a listen and send us an email at host@rumcast.com to let us know your predictions for the new year! P.S.
Happy holidays and New Year (in advance), everyone! In our fourth annual Year in Review episode we take a look back at our favorite rums of the year in the following categories: Unaged molasses rum Unaged cane juice rum Aged rum (5 years or less) Aged rum (Over 5 years) “New to me” rum Best value rum Most surprising rum Overall rum Plus, we each throw in picks for Distillery of the Year, along with another round of "Am I the a**hole for not liking this rum?" Have a listen, and let us know your favorites in these categories from the past year! Also, what did we miss? What were we too high or low on? We'd love to hear your takes. P.S.
In this episode, we went deep on the eight marks of Jamaica's Hampden Estate and the making of the recently released 8 Marks Collection with Peppie Grant (Tour Manager at Hampden), Daniele Biondi (Export Manager at La Maison & Velier), and Howard McCalla (Production Manager at Hampden). Speaking with people from both Hampden and La Maison & Velier allowed us to get the full story behind the 8 Marks Collection, from the rum itself to how the release came together in the first place. We discussed: How the idea for the 8 Marks Collection came about Challenges in creating a unique product like this The best ways to taste through Hampden's marks How to approach blending marks together Why higher ester level does not automatically make a rum more complex What exactly is cane juice vinegar? Whether certain marks are only made on certain stills or not Hampden's rumored 3,000 (or even 7,000!) ester level rums Why Jamaica limits ester levels in rum The perils of the "high ester" descriptor The upcoming aged version of the 8 Marks Collection Hampden's future And much more! P.S.
THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY WONK PRESS — GET 10% OFF MODERN CARIBBEAN RUM BY MATT PIETREK AND CARRIE SMITH NOW THROUGH DECEMBER 10 WITH PROMO CODE RUMCAST. https://www.wonkpress.com/discount/RUMCAST?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fmodern-caribbean-rum PLUS, MATT AND CARRIE WILL SIGN YOUR BOOK AT NO ADDITIONAL COST! In this episode, we set out to answer a surprisingly interesting question — which 80 proof rums are the best values? Which ones punch above their weight? Which ones should we not ignore just because they're 80 proof? We selected a group of 10 popular aged molasses-based rums we had on hand and pitted them against each other in a head-to-head tasting bracket. While it would be impossible to fit ALL the worthy 80 proof rums into one episode, we tried to select 10 that represent popular, widely available options around the world. And we're open to doing additional brackets with other 80 proof rums (or other types of rum) if you like this episode! While we often pine for higher proof options, the reality is that 80 proof will likely remain the most common option for standard releases for the foreseeable future, so why not figure out which ones offer the best sipping experience for the money? This turned out to be a really fun exercise that delivered several unexpected winners and losers along the way. At the end, there could only be one champion. Here is the link to the article on 80 proof spirits mentioned in the introduction: https://vinepair.com/articles/80-proof-liquor-spirits-history/ P.S.
In this episode, we got a full report of all the exciting happenings and new bottles showcased at UK RumFest, Whisky Live Paris, and other events across Europe from Chris Hassan Francke, owner of one of Washington, DC's premier spots for rum, The Green Zone. https://www.thegreenzonedc.com/ Chris took us deep into the rum festival scene in Europe from the perspective of both a rum fan and bar owner. We discussed: First impressions of new releases like the El Dorado High Ester Blend, Worthy Park Overproof, Foursquare's second edition of LFT, and more Other standout bottles from all events The differences between these events and typical rum festivals in the U.S. Noticeable absences from UK RumFest His impressions of the many UK-made rums showcased at the event UK RumFest vs. Whisky Live Paris — which is better for rum geeks? Tasting Bacardi from 1905 The types of rum he most wishes existed for his bar The new 100% rum bar concept he's working on in DC The underground Richard Seale t-shirt economy And much more! Whether you're interested in upcoming releases, which rum events to attend, or designing a rum bar, there's a little something for everyone in this interview. And as we mentioned in the intro, send an email to host@rumcast.com to let us know what some of your favorite rums of 2023 have been! P.S.
In this episode, we have a freewheeling conversation on a topic we've wanted to delve into for a long time — molasses production and the role it plays in rum! Maggie Campbell (Estate Manager at Mount Gay https://www.mountgayrum.com) and Zan Kong (Commercial Manager of Spirits at Worthy Park https://worthyparkestate.com) lent their expertise and sterling personalities to guide us through the ins and outs of the sticky liquid that goes into making the overwhelming majority of the world's rum. Of course, we also discuss the new Mount Gay and Worthy Park releases that have been making the news recently — Mount Gay's first single estate rum https://www.mountgayrum.com/rum/single-estate-series-release-01/ and Worthy Park's new overproof expression. Zan and Maggie both have firsthand experience working at distilleries that have their own sugar mills, which is quite uncommon in the world of modern rum production. This allowed them to guide us through a number of fascinating topics, including: The incredible amount of work that goes into molasses and sugar production — and the unique skillsets it requires The differences between all the various molasses descriptors we often see, from Grade A to Grade C to blackstrap to high test, and beyond Worthy Park's decision to integrate cane juice into their rum-making process The making of Mount Gay's new sugar mill (and what it allows them to do) The concern level for the quality of modern mass-market molasses Does "single origin" molasses make a difference? How different types of molasses impact flavor in rum And much more! THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY INDEPENDENT BOTTLER RAISING GLASSES https://raisingglasses.com. To check out (and order) their latest releases, visit their website. https://raisingglasses.com P.S.
For this episode, we asked our patrons to send in their top rum-related questions — and they delivered! We share our thoughts on: What is presently the most underappreciated rum-producing country? What rums do you always keep in stock? What is your go-to daily drinker? (Go-to rum and go-to cocktail) Now that you have been into rum for a while, have your buying habits changed? If each of you were an independent bottler with no limit on cost, what is the one distillery you would want to pick a barrel from, and why? If you could resurrect one now defunct rum, or now defunct distillery, which would it be and why? How do you handle the questions like "I don't like rum, convince me", or "I drink Captain Morgan, what should I try next"? How do you recommend rum to tequila, gin, bourbon, and scotch people? Can American rum go toe to toe with rum from other countries? What developments do you hope to see over the next decade in U.S. rum distilleries located in sugarcane producing states? What are some rum events on your bucket lists? And what rum events have you gone to that you do and, just as importantly, don't recommend to the community? What is a way someone new to rum can learn about what is going on in the rum industry, new rums coming out, etc? What is the weirdest, but most accurate, descriptor you've ever picked up when nosing/tasting a rum? We plan to get to all of the remaining questions in a Mailbag Volume 2 bonus episode that will release later this month. EPISODE LINKS: Here is the GoFundMe for Daniel Regueira's (co-founder and distiller at Chicago Cane Cooperative) motorcycle injury recovery mentioned during the intro: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-daniels-motorcycle-injury-recovery The Rumcast Guide to American Rum https://www.rumcast.com/episodes/american-rum-guide P.S.
In this episode, we sat down with Jason Zeno of Porchjam Distillery / Cheramie Rum https://www.cheramierum.com to take us inside one of the most interesting up-and-coming American rum distilleries out there right now. Located in New Orleans, they're making a significant volume of fresh cane juice rum that's beginning to trickle its way into several markets across the U.S., and have some exciting aged releases coming up as well. We talked to Zeno about: How he went from making whiskey for Beam-Suntory to making cane juice rum in Louisiana Their long journey to finding a source of fresh cane juice The perils of trucking fresh cane juice in from two hours away The upcoming harvest season Their multi-faceted approach to aging Why they make 3 different types of cane juice rum The broader landscape of Louisiana rum The status of a regional designation for Louisiana rum Winning over more drinkers for cane juice rum Pearl Jam, somehow And much more! If you want to learn more about Cheramie, you can check out the interview Will did with Zeno back in 2021 https://www.americanrumreport.com/blog/cheramie-rum-porchjam-distillery for deeper details into their production process. P.S.
Thanks again to all who listened and voted in our Second Annual Rumcast Fantasy Rum Draft https://www.rumcast.com/episodes/fantasy-rum-draft-2023 — we reveal this year's champion at the top of this new episode! After revealing the champion (and a bit of gloating from one of us), we get to our latest experiment: investing 6 inexpensive rums we normally would either overlook or outright reject to see if we could find some diamonds in the rough! We each selected 3 rums under ~$20 that we had either never tried or couldn't remember trying and then put them through a series of tasting to see if we could find any pleasant surprises along the way. P.S.
🗳️ NOTE: AFTER YOU LISTEN, GO TO RUMCAST.COM/VOTE https://www.rumcast.com/vote TO HELP US DETERMINE THE WINNER! 🗳️ It's here! After a year of trash talk, victory laps, and hardcore preparation, the second annual Rumcast Fantasy Rum Draft has arrived. In this annual competition, we compete head-to-head to “draft” rums from the selection of a single online liquor store for 11 different rum categories. The goal? To create the superior “desert island” rum bar. Now, we need you to determine which of us did the best job. HAVE A LISTEN, AND THEN HEAD TO RUMCAST.COM/VOTE https://www.rumcast.com/vote TO HELP US DETERMINE THE WINNER! We "drafted" rums for the following categories from a selection of 300+ rums currently available at Hi-Time Wine Cellars https://www.hitimewine.net/spirits/rum/: Unaged Lightly Aged (1-4 Years) Aged (5-14 Years) Long Aged (15+ Years) Cane Juice Unaged Cane Juice Aged (Any Length) Multi-Country Blend Non-Caribbean Overproof 100% Column 100% Pot After you listen, head to rumcast.com/vote https://www.rumcast.com/vote to access the complete list of picks, along with a link to our Fantasy Rum Draft Command Center if you'd like to have a look. THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY INDEPENDENT BOTTLER RAISING GLASSES https://raisingglasses.com. To check out (and order) their latest releases, visit their website. https://raisingglasses.com P.S.
At long last, we speak to our first rum producer from Réunion Island! In this episode, we welcomed Marie Ferrand (Cellar Master) and Yann Auberval (Director of Marketing) to take us inside Isautier Distillery's traditions of both cane juice and molasses-based rums. We discuss: The differences between the rhum agricoles of the Caribbean and Réunion Why Isautier has long focused on both rhum agricole and rhum traditionnel (molasses-based rum) The approach to aging that contributes to the rum's unique profile How the recent partnership with La Maison & Velier came about The differences between the LM&V bottlings and Isautier's typical releases Marie's philosophy on rum blending A walkthrough of their production process (and some experiments they're currently working on) The story behind Rhum Charrette — the best-selling rum on Réunion that features distillate from all of the island's distilleries And much more! You can learn more about Isautier on their website: https://www.isautier.com/en/ THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY INDEPENDENT BOTTLER RAISING GLASSES https://raisingglasses.com. To check out (and order) their latest releases, visit their website. https://raisingglasses.com P.S.
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, the dog days of summer are officially here. And if you're like us, that means it's the perfect time of the year for tasty rum cocktails that don't require much effort to make. So with that in mind, we picked out a handful of our favorite "lazy" recipes we've been experimenting with lately and walked each other through making them. Some are variations on classics, some are riffs on recipes from talented bartenders, and some are just, well...their own kind of thing altogether. But they all have one thing in common—they're simple enough for cocktail amateurs like us to (usually) not screw them up. Recipes are included below. Give 'em a whirl and email host@rumcast.com to let us know what you think! THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY INDEPENDENT BOTTLER RAISING GLASSES https://raisingglasses.com. To check out (and order) their latest releases, visit their website: https://raisingglasses.com/ . . . . . . . . Recipes CORN AND OIL WITH A TWIST: 2 oz aged Barbados rum (43-46% ABV recommended) 1/2 oz JTD Velvet Falernum (or a touch less if you want it less sweet) Hefty dropperful of Bittermens 'Elemakule Tiki bitters Combine everything in a glass over ice and stir. NOT A TI' PUNCH: 1.5 - 2 oz blanc Agricole or cane juice rum A dash or two of Angostura bitters One small ice cube Combine first two ingredients in a Glencairn. Add the small ice cube and swish it around a bit. Hat tip to Colton Weinstein of Liba Spirits https://libaspirits.com/ for this idea. WILLIS'S PUNCH: 1oz Wray & Nephew Overproof or Rum Fire 2 oz pineapple juice 1/4 oz simple syrup (optional, but I think it helps) Fever Tree Ginger Beer Combine first three ingredients over ice. Top with ginger beer. Give it a stir. This is a riff on Shannon Mustipher's Miss Ting cocktail. https://www.instagram.com/p/CNvFxG3r1ot/ MIGHT-BE: 2 oz lightly aged/filtered rum like Havana Club 3 or Bacardi Heritage Owen’s grapefruit lime soda (3/4 cup) Dash grapefruit bitters (Fee's) Barspoon or two of 1:1 simple syrup Sprig of fresh mint Muddle mint with simple syrup. Add ice, rum, and bitters. Top with grapefruit lime soda. ANGRY DAIQUIRI: 2 oz Havana Club 3 (or similar) 3/4 oz fresh sour orange (naranja agria) juice 1/2 oz simple syrup (1.5-1 semi-rich) Combine all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain. P.S. https://www.patreon.com/therumcast
In this episode, we sit down with Mike Streeter, founder of Down Island Spirits https://www.downislandspirits.com — a brand that's part of the new wave of American independent bottlers hitting the rum scene over the last few years. We talk through all aspects of starting a rum brand (and sourcing great rum), including: The hardest parts of becoming an independent bottler Down Island's process for selecting what to bottle How he arrived at Down Island's inaugural four selections Sourcing from brokers versus directly from distilleries The story behind Down Island's two newest releases from Brazil and Martinique The style of Brazil's Epris Distillery The unique effect of aging rum in amburana casks His love of St. James Distillery Overlooked amazing rum travel destinations Getting into the rum importing business What types of releases we can expect to see in the future And much more! You can learn more about Down Island at their website: https://www.downislandspirits.com/ P.S. https://www.patreon.com/therumcast
At long last, we sit down to interview Jeff "Beachbum" Berry, decoder of the Zombie and scores of other classic tiki cocktails, author of books like Sippin' Safari and Potions of the Caribbean, owner of Latitude 29, and purveyor of multiple rum blends via his collaboration with Ed Hamilton. A true icon of the rum world! We covered a lot of ground in our conversation, including: His techniques for getting bartenders to reveal the secrets to classic recipes like the Zombie The long lost rums of yore he wishes brands would revive What's missing from modern rums Exploring the shelves of legendary rum collector Stephen Rembsberg The more recently available styles of rum he's particularly interested in The pursuit of rums circa 2000 The making of the rum blends he created with Ed Hamilton What it's like to build out a rum menu for a bar The perfect taglines for rum cocktails Which long lost recipes he's still pursuing And much more! Check out Jeff’s website here: https://beachbumberry.com/index.html Check out Jeff’s books here: https://beachbumberry.com/publications.html P.S. https://www.patreon.com/therumcast
In this episode, we asked ourselves an interesting question: what gaps currently exist in rum brands' lineups that we'd love to see them fill? We each privately constructed our own list and then revealed and debated our wish list rums in real time. Have a listen and let us know — which of these rums would you most like (or NOT like) to see in the market? What ideas do you have for rums that should exist (but don't right now)? Send us an email at host@rumcast.com and let us know! P.S. https://www.patreon.com/therumcast
In this episode, we sat down with co-founder Elisandro Gonzalez Molina to learn all about Dakabend Rum — an aguardiente de caña made in the Sierra Norte region of Oaxaca in Mexico. We discussed: The journey Elisandro and his cousin, Edgar Gonzalez Ramirez, took from building their own mezcal palenque and brand (Mezcal Tosba) over the last 20+ years to getting into rum production The culture of aguardiente de caña and sugarcane in his region of Oaxaca Dakabend's unique production process (which includes a continuous fermentation that never stops during harvest season) The wider category of Mexican rum (and what the future might look like) The history of sugarcane in Oaxaca How the presence of Mezcal Tosba and Dakabend has impacted his hometown, San Cristóbal Lachirioag The story behind the name Dakabend Early experiments in aging Dakabend and what their aging program might look like going forward And much more! If you want to learn more about Dakabend and Elisandro, check out these links: The 2014 episode of NPR's Planet Money that featured the story of Mezcal Tosba https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2014/01/24/265708532/episode-512-can-mezcal-save-a-village Mezcal Review's article about their trip to San Cristóbal Lachirioag https://www.mezcalreviews.com/mezcal-tosba-a-visit-to-san-cristobal-lachirioag/(which has some info on Dakabend in addition to Mezcal Tosba) The Dakabend website https://www.dakabend.com/ P.S. https://www.patreon.com/therumcast
In this episode, we sat down with Calbert Francis, global export manager for Antigua Distillery Ltd. to talk all things English Harbour Rum. Antigua Distillery Ltd. is interesting, as it doesn't fit neatly into the English/Spanish/French categorizations (and is a great example of why they're flawed categories in the first place). While some might expect it to be "English" style, there isn't a pot still to be found at the distillery—everything is 100% column (and the column is quite unique). We chatted with Calbert about: Antigua Distillery's Portuguese origins and the unique backstory behind the distillery (which dates back to the 1930s) The birth of the English Harbour brand (and why it almost didn't get off the ground) The distillery's unconventional modified column still (and what makes it different from other column stills) The potential return of English Harbour's 25-year release Experiments with high-congener rum production and atypical maturation that led to some of the distillery's most memorable limited releases Carnival culture in Antigua The difference in the local market and export markets' rum tastes The evolution of English Harbour's cask finish releases The additives question What the distillery is planning for its 90th anniversary And more! Photo Credit: Prayitno Photography https://www.flickr.com/photos/prayitnophotography/51112643726 P.S. https://www.patreon.com/therumcast
Hey Rumcasters, we’re making one of this month’s bonus episodes (typically exclusive to patrons https://www.patreon.com/therumcast) free for all! This past week, Appleton formally announced the coming special release of the long-awaited Appleton 17-Year Legend rum, which they've billed as a "faithful recreation" of the legendary J. Wray & Nephew 17-Year rum used in Trader Vic's first ever mai tai. The reactions from the rum enthusiast community have been strong, to say the least. In fact, we struggled to think of any other recent limited release that sparked this level of reaction in rum enthusiast circles. With that in mind, we recorded this episode to talk through our thoughts on the rum itself, why the rum community got so excited about it, why there seems to be so much frustration with the release, whether the release of these 1,500 bottles could be done in a better way, and the perils of limited releases in general. If you'd like to get more episodes like this every month, just head on over to patreon.com/therumcast! https://www.patreon.com/therumcast RELEVANT LINKS: Article: "Rum's Holy Grail: Appleton Recreates the Rum Used in the First Mai Tai" https://www.forbes.com/sites/tonysachs/2023/05/17/rums-holy-grail-returns-appleton-aims-to-recreate-the-rum-used-in-the-first-mai-tai/ : "Appleton Estate's "Legend" 17-Year Rum: What We Know" https://www.rumwonk.com/p/appleton-estates-legend-17-year-rum
In this episode, we caught up with Ben Jones (director of North America for Spiribam) to catch up on all things related to Spiribam's portfolio of rum brands/distilleries, like Rhum J.M, Rhum Clément, St. Lucia Distillers, and their latest acquisition — Saint-Maurice Distillery in French Guiana, makers of La Belle Cabresse and other brands. We chatted with Ben about: New and upcoming releases from J.M and Clément (including several off-the-wall cask finishes) How involved he/Spiribam are with product development and feedback at each distillery The cool story behind the making of Chairman's Reserve Legacy, which we've often lauded as a great value rum What the future of sugarcane cultivation (and cane juice rum production) looks like at St. Lucia Distillers Why Rhum J.M VO is being replaced by Terroir Volcanique An update on high ester production at St. Lucia Distillers The growing market for cane juice spirits from around the world and how that impacts the rhum agricole category What to expect from Spiribam's acquisition of Saint-Maurice in French Guiana The future of Spiribam's Mauritian rum brand, Arcane And more! P.S. https://www.patreon.com/therumcast
In this episode, we embark on a journey to discover which Foursquare rums that are $50(ish) or less are truly the best value. To do this, we went through a blind tasting of 10 widely available affordable rums distilled at Foursquare Distillery: Alleyne Arthur's Special Barbados Rum (43% ABV) Old Brigand Black Label (43% ABV) Real McCoy 5-Year (40% ABV) Doorly's 5-Year (40% ABV) Doorly's XO (40% ABV) Doorly's 8-Year (40% ABV) R.L. Seale's 10-Year (43% ABV) Doorly's 12-year (43% ABV) Real McCoy 12-Year (40% ABV) R.L. Seale's 12-Year (46% ABV) NOTE: We mention in this episode that some online sources state that Doorly's 12 is a blend of 90% ex-bourbon cask rum and 10% ex-Madeira cask rum. We reached out to Richard Seale to ask about it and he responded with, "We have never released any info on the blend of Doorly’s 12." Along the way, we rate each rum blind so we can walk away with our own personal rankings (and a Rumcast average ranking). We edited in a reveal of each rum so that you will know which rum we are talking about as we taste it. You can find the spreadsheet with our scores and the reveal of each rum here (spoiler alert!): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pJ--B3oDKMu4pXVkHF7uBEwgyXFfC_gMN1AXnXHwEMc/edit?usp=sharing These rums represent one of the most common gateways to Barbados rum, Foursquare, and even the rum category itself for so many people. It was a blast to go through them, and we came away with a bunch of surprises. P.S. If you’d like to watch a video version of this episode, it’s already available for our Patreon subscribers at patreon.com/therumcast. https://www.patreon.com/therumcast
In this episode, we sat down with Ed Tiedge, master distiller at Copal Tree Distillery (the makers of Copalli Rum) in Belize. Copalli is yet another example of a large, relatively new operation devoted entirely to making cane juice rum all the way from field to glass. They have some interesting upcoming releases that caught our eye (we noticed them in the TTB label registry), so it was a good time to connect with Ed and get the scoop on everything they're up to. We discussed: Ed's journey from owning a craft distillery in New York to moving to Belize to become a rum distiller nearly 8 years ago How he applied his background to making rum Having their early rums evaluated by Richard Seale How Copalli arrived at its initial lineup of releases (and how they landed on a 75% column / 25% pot blend for their unaged rum) The different cane varietals they're cultivating (and how each expresses itself differently in the rum) Experimenting with various cask types Their upcoming single cane varietal 100% pot still release How a self-avowed hater of flavored rums ended up making a cacao rum And more! You can learn more about Copalli on their website. https://copallirum.com/ P.S. https://www.patreon.com/therumcast
In this episode, we sat down with Shaun Caleb, master distiller at Demerara Distillers Ltd. (makers of El Dorado Rum) to discuss a wide range of topics related to DDL and his career in rum, including... His path from Guyana to Princeton University and back to Guyana to work for DDL Learning to distill on some of the oldest stills in the world How DDL's range of both historic and modern stills allow them to produce an array of 20+ rum marques The differences between the Port Mourant double wooden pot still and Versailles single wooden pot still, and how they express themselves in the rum How DDL had the foresight to preserve its heritage stills Why modern distilleries don't use wooden stills High ester rum production at DDL (and how it differs from Jamaican high ester rum production) Why there aren’t “lost” DDL rum marques The backstory on DDL's decision to reduce its practice of aging rum with caramel in the barrels The one type of still Shaun would add to DDL if he could What to expect from El Dorado Rum in the future And much more! Also, before we got to the interview, we created a March Madness themed bracket of Demerara rums (it ties into the interview, we swear). You can find out more info about El Dorado Rum and Demerara Distillers Ltd. at the following links: Official El Dorado Rum website https://theeldoradorum.com Matt Pietrek’s deep dive into Demerara Distillers Ltd. on Cocktail Wonk: Part One https://cocktailwonk.com/2020/02/demerara-distillers-part-one.html Part Two https://cocktailwonk.com/2020/02/demerara-distillers-part-two.html Q&A with Shaun Caleb https://cocktailwonk.com/2021/05/ddl-heritage-stills-qa.html P.S. https://www.patreon.com/therumcast
ANNOUNCEMENT: We’re now offering annual subscriptions that allow you to save 10% on the Rumcast Patreon community! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out. https://www.patreon.com/therumcast In this episode, we're picking back up with our Rumcast Guides series and turning our focus toward home with the United States. With hundreds upon hundreds of distilleries making rum (most of which have spotty distribution at best), it can be a difficult to actually find the stuff worth exploring in the first place. Which distilleries are actually serious about making rum? What kind of styles are emerging? What do we even mean when we say "American rum"? We explore all this and more, including... The most common characteristics of American rum Does American rum have a style? The most intriguing regions within the category What's up with so many distilleries using crystallized sugar as a portion (or all) of their rum base rather than 100% molasses? The landscape of cane juice rum in the U.S. A high-level look at 20 noteworthy distilleries What we would put in our "Intro to American Rum" rum flights And more If you'd like to explore our past episodes on some of the producers mentioned in this episode, check out: Episode 37 with Kyle Reutner of Ko Hana Distillers: https://www.rumcast.com/episodes/kohana-distillers-hawaiian-sugarcane Episode 27 with Erik Vonk of Richland Rum, Steve Jefferson of Kuleana Rum Works, and Pepe Alvarez of San Juan Artisan Distillers: https://www.rumcast.com/episodes/the-sugarcane-files To explore other episodes in our Rumcast Guides series, check out: The Rumcast Guide to Jamaican Rum: https://www.rumcast.com/episodes/jamaican-rum-guide The Rumcast Guide to Mexican Rum: https://www.rumcast.com/episodes/mexican-rum-guide The Rumcast Guide to Puerto Rican Rum (Part 1): https://www.rumcast.com/episodes/puerto-rican-rum-guide-1 The Rumcast Guide to Puerto Rican Rum (Part 2): https://www.rumcast.com/episodes/puerto-rican-rum-guide-2 P.S. https://www.patreon.com/therumcast
In this episode, we sat down with Shannon Mustipher (rum educator, cocktail consultant, and author of ) to dive deep into the art of making modern rum cocktails. Shannon has spent the better part of a decade designing and launching many rum-focused bar programs and is known for her modern approach to cocktail making. Topics discussed include: The creative process of constructing rum cocktails Naming cocktails What she's been up to since the 2019 release of How to use multi-spirit split bases in recipes Knowing when to use Rum Fire vs. Wray & Nephew vs. Rum Bar Overproof Rum styles that are the most challenging to work with in cocktails Her thoughts on cocktail competitions and shows like Netflix's Drink Masters What is was like to appear on a recent CBS segment about rum Her favorite bar right now And much more! You can find Shannon on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/shannonmustipher/ You can find all the info on her book, , here: https://www.rizzoliusa.com/book/9780789335548/ Photo Credit: Noah Fecks - https://www.noahfecks.com/ P.S. https://www.patreon.com/therumcast
