Click here to watch this episode on YouTube and subscribe to our channel!In this return to our Rumcast Guides series, we dive into Portugal's twist on agricole rum — Madeira!Madeira has been producing amazing cane juice rums for a very long time, but has only started becoming more well known in the broader rum world in recent years. So there's no better time than now to explore it!We take you through:A brief history of rum production and sugarcane cultivation in MadeiraTheir distinctive rules for rum productionHow their mythical "Chamber of Tasters" tasting panels for approving authentic Rums da Madeira workA look at each of the current Madeira rum distilleriesTastings of several Madeira rums from O Reizinho, Engenhos do Norte, Vinha Alta, and Engenho NovoOn-the-ground reporting from a Rumcast correspondent who recently visited MadeiraThe reveal of a "Madeira Mystery" blind tastingAnd more!Related links:The official Rum da Madeira websiteMadeira Rum certification process PDFMadeira Rum organoleptic requirements PDFOur episode 55 interview with Peter HollandOur episode 73 interview with Richard NicholsonSecret Rum Bar's Madeira Rum seriesFat Rum Pirate's Calheta rum reviewP.S.Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

Want to see video of this episode? Click here to watch on YouTube and subscribe to our channel!Check out the Rumcast Patreon community for more bonus content like this!In this free edition of our monthly bonus Patreon episode, we taste through three highly anticipated new rums in La Maison & Velier's Flag Series:Cambodia 2016: an 8-year-old pot still rum from Samai Distillery (48.7% ABV)Jamaica 2015: a 9-year-old pot still rum from Worthy Park (60.4% ABV)Fiji 2012: a 12-year-old pot still rum from South Pacific Distilleries (64.5% ABV)Tune in for some background on Cambodian rum, our thoughts on each rum, some reflections on the Flag Series as a whole, a digression on Bob Dylan, and more!Note: These samples were provided to us free of charge, and with no promise of a review or episode like this.Have you tried any of these yet? Is there one you're particularly interested in? Shoot us an email or comment and let us know!P.S.Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

Want to see video of this episode? Click here to watch on YouTube and subscribe to our channel!We're back with our semi-blind reviews series — but with a twist! In this mystery sample edition, both of us have no idea what the identity of this rum is before diving in headfirst for a review. Along the way, we offer our best guesses as to the rum's origin and key characteristics. This time, it's a 20-year-old rum from Trinidad Distillers Limited bottled by Compagnie Des Indes. Tune in to see how close we get! A special thank you to Rumcast patron Ben for providing the mystery sample. Have a listen and let us know what you think of this rum!P.S.Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

Want to watch the video version of this episode? Head to YouTube to watch and subscribe.Big news: we're buying a cask and branding, bottling, labeling, and releasing our own single cask rum! Throughout this process, we'll be taking you along on the journey as we conceptualize the rum, travel to the Main Rum Company in Liverpool to find the perfect cask, and do all the other stuff that goes into a first-time release.In this episode, we tackle our first creative challenge — coming up with a name for the brand / release! We discuss themes we'd like the name to capture, things we'd like to avoid, and then share ideas for names that we've brainstormed separately — including the bad, the ugly, and the...possibly OK?Have a listen and shoot us an email ([email protected]), comment, or message with your thoughts, ideas, or things you'd like us to throughout the process.P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

Want to watch the video version of this episode? Head to YouTube to watch and subscribe.In this episode, we're excited to take you inside a very new emerging rum locale — Sicily, the Italian island where Distilleria Alma is bringing back sugarcane cultivation. Since 2021, Hugo Gallardo and his co-founders have been crafting cane juice rum from multiple varietals and bottling it under the label Mater Rum.We were lucky to try multiple bottlings of Mater and can confirm that it's worthy of your interest not just because of its interesting origin, but also because it tastes pretty damn good. So obviously we had to get the full story from Hugo!We discussed:The long history of sugarcane in Sicily (and why it disappeared)How the distillery almost ended up in the PhilippinesThe ongoing evolution of Mater's production processThe differences between the yellow cane and purple cane rumsRumors of additional Sicilian rum projects from heavy hitters of the rum worldSicily's unique environment and cultureWhat kinds of Mater releases we may see in the futureBringing Mater to the U.S.And much more!Check out Distilleria Alma's website for more info on Mater Rum.Relevant links to the Jamaica Rum GI discussion in the intro:The Gleaner: New GI rum rules bar aging outside of JamaicaRum Wonk: Jamaica's Rum GI Changes - Overview and AnalysisRum Revelations: Jamaica GI Rumblings with a French TwistP.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

Want to watch the video version of this episode? Head to YouTube to watch and subscribe.In this special mini-episode, we reveal the full results and official WINNER of the 2024 Rumcast Fantasy Rum Draft! You can view the official results totals here (Spoiler Warning, obviously).As always, THANK YOU to everyone who listened and voted, and a special shout out to our special guest participant this year, Arminder Randhawa of The Rum Revival.Be sure to follow Arminder on YouTube and Instagram!Special thanks to The Auditor Reviews for his draft grades article. Check it out here!P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

Note: We need your help to make the most of this episode! Go to rumcast.com/vote after listening to help determine the winner of this year's Fantasy Rum Draft. Thank you!Want to watch the video version of this episode? Head to YouTube and subscribe: https://youtu.be/ZMT9r_GXk0wFor the third year in a row, we're back with our annual Rumcast Fantasy Rum Draft. In this annual competition, we compete head-to-head to “draft” rums from the selection of a single online liquor store for 10 different rum categories. The goal? To create the superior “desert island” rum bar.Also, for the first time ever, we welcomed a guest to the competition! Arminder Randhawa from The Rum Revival joined us to duke it out for fantasy rum bar supremacy.Have a listen, and then head to rumcast.com/vote to help us determine the winner!As always, we'd love to hear what thoughts or questions this episode brought to mind for you. Shoot us an email or join us in Patreon for access to the Rumcast Discord community.P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

Note: Watch this episode on YouTube for video of the whole interview!In this episode, we sat down with Nicolas Palazzi, the founder of PM Spirits. As a self-proclaimed "provider of geeky spirits" PM is an importer/distributor known for supplying the US with many sought-after rum releases thanks to relationships with brands like La Maison & Velier, Père Labat, Alambique Serrano, and many more.It was a fascinating conversation that touched on everything from visiting rum locales like Marie-Galante and Hampden Estate to the challenges of growing the rum category. We discussed:Nicolas's journey from working as an engineer in France to becoming a spirits importer in BrooklynBlending rums at Hampden for an upcoming collaboration with Habitation VelierThe magic of Marie-Galante rumGrowing the Mexican rum categoryHow Alambique Serrano has gotten so much early attentionAuthenticity in spiritsLessons from 10+ years bringing obscure spirits into the US marketWhat he looks for when evaluating a spirits producerWhy he will forever be known as Captain Cognac (despite John's attempts at new nicknames)And much more!Check out the PM Spirits website here.As always, we'd love to hear what thoughts or questions this episode brought to mind for you. Shoot us an email or join us in Patreon for access to the Rumcast Discord community.P.S.Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

Want to see video of this episode? Click here to watch on YouTube and subscribe to our channel!In this edition of our Semi-Blind Reviews series, we blind taste Rhum JM Fumée Volcanique (not to be confused with Rhum JM Terroir Volcanique), followed by the other two bottles in the distillery's new Atelier series — Jardin Fruité and Épices Créoles.These are all modestly priced, lightly aged rhum agricoles that bring something new to the table for Rhum JM.Have a watch and let us know what you think of these rums!P.S.Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

Note: Watch this episode on YouTube for video of the whole interview!In this episode, after a quick look at some of our favorite reactions to the Best Designed Bottles episode, we get the behind-the-scenes story of one of the year's most unique rum releases — the Holmes Cay Infinity Cask bottle.This bottle features a blend of exceedingly rare rums from 13 distilleries (five of which are no longer in operation). From 47-year-old Port Mourant, to 47-year-old rhum agricole from the closed Gardel distillery, to Caroni rums, to Hampden, Long Pond, and much more, it's a blend that began all the way back in 2003 as part of the Main Rum Company's infinity cask program — their own special blends of retained rum samples from some of their best casks.Holmes Cay founder Eric Kaye took us through the whole backstory, including:How the opportunity to bring this rum to market came aboutThe decision to release it in both 700ml and 200ml bottlesWhy is it $1,500? Is any rum actually worth that much? Is this just taking us into bourbon territory?What the rum actually tastes likeHow they unexpectedly lost a significant amount of the rumThe packaging headaches that go into designing a custom boxThe differences between this cask and Main Rum's other infinity casksSome exciting upcoming Mhoba and Savanna releasesAnd much more!We'd love to hear your thoughts on this release. Have a listen and leave a comment or hop into the Discord to let us know what you think!You can get more details on this rum on the Holmes Cay website.As mentioned in the intro, here are some of the worthwhile articles on eco-friendly packaging:Rumporter: Should We Do Away with the Glass Bottle?IWSC: Sustainable Spirits PackagingGlass Hallmark: How Is the Glass Industry Delivering on Lighter Weight Glass Packaging?P.S.Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

Note: Watch this episode on YouTube to see all the bottles we discuss!In this episode we have something completely different — rather than talking about the rum in the bottle, we're talking about the bottle itself!We each selected our five current favorite bottle designs, considering a range of factors like bottle aesthetics, functionality, label design, stopper, and much more.As you may know, our tastes differ quite a bit, so things got spicy along the way.Let us know — what are your favorite bottle designs out there right now? What did we get right and wrong? Send us an email at [email protected] or a comment on social to share your takes!P.S.Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

In this episode we sat down with John Hsu and Lorri Kern to learn all about their bold approach to bottling rum as the relatively new independent bottler Raising Glasses. This year alone, they've released rums from the Netherlands, Madeira, Ecuador, and other unexpected locales, which is all part of their willingness to try things other rum brands aren't doing.It was a great conversation that features multiple Rumcast firsts, including the first ever Rapid Fire Revenge Round (John and Lorri turned the tables and questioned us), the debut of an original song about rum (listen to the end for this one), and also a new segment in the intro where we take you inside the Rumcast Innovation Lab™.Additionally, we cover topics like:Standouts from John and Lorri's recent trip to The Whisky Exchange's Rum Show in LondonThe promise of the UK rum sceneRaising Glasses' "white whale" distillery they're trying to source a barrel fromThe pros and cons of their signature 375ml bottlesTheir philosophy when it comes to bottling rumBehind the scenes of their legendary April Fool's release, AtmôspheréThe future of Raising GlassesAdventures in board gamingAnd much more!Like we mentioned earlier, you'll want to listen all the way to the end of this one for a special musical ode to an icon of the rum world.Check out Raising Glasses on their website.P.S.Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

Want to see video of this episode? Check it out on YouTube and subscribe to our channel! We're back with another bite-sized episode in our Semi-Blind Rum Reviews series. This time, John braved the challenge of blind-tasting and attempting to identify Roulaison Overproof, a pot-distilled, molasses-based rum from Roulaison Distilling out of Louisiana. Along the way, we both share our overall thoughts on the rum as John tries to uncover its identity.Have a listen and let us know what you think of this rum!P.S.Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

Note: See the end of this episode description for the Hurricane Beryl aid links we mention in the intro.In this episode we revisited one of rum's iconic institutions from a totally different perspective from our previous episode (from over 2 years ago!) on it. We're talking, of course, about The Main Rum Company — keepers of E&A Scheer's boutique single cask program, and possibly the most extensive collection of single cask rum (excluding distilleries) in the world. You know all those great single cask releases from independent bottlers? A huge number of them came from Main Rum.To guide us through this deep dive, we spoke with Main Rum's Senior Cask Expert (what a cool title) Ian Hoyles. Ian spoke with us about:The art of matching the right cask to the right rumThe crown jewels of Main Rum's collection over the yearsHow exactly Main Rum's mysterious "infinity casks" are createdPushing the limits of agingHow to know when a cask is ready for saleHow Main Rum collectively assesses casksThe rum world's most distinctive flavor profilesAnd much more!Go here to check out The Main Rum Company’s website.***Hurricane Beryl Relief***As we mentioned in the intro, we reached out to friends in the Caribbean and were told that the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) does impactful relief work across the region. They have set up a bank account for Beryl relief that you can find on their website here: https://www.cdema.org/index.phpThere is also an organization called Airlink that is coordinating with the CDEMA to bring relief supplies to the region. There are ways to donate online here: https://airlinkflight.org/responses/hurricane-beryl/John's colleagues at the university spoke highly of CORE, an organization they are currently working with that is bringing aid to the Caribbean as well: https://www.coreresponse.org/hurricane-beryl/P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.P.S.Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

Want to see video of this episode? Check it out on YouTube and subscribe to our channel! https://youtu.be/8b99b-s4isgWe're back with another episode in our Semi-Blind Reviews series — this time with a rum sourced from a region that came up quite a bit in our 100th episode a few months back: Ghana!From Down Island Spirits, this is a 4-year-old pot still cane juice rum sourced from Ghana's MIM Distillery. John shares his thoughts knowing full well what the rum is and Will shares his thoughts while having no knowledge of it other than its color in the glass.P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

In this episode, we sat down with John Georges, former master distiller of Angostura Rum / Trinidad Distillers Ltd. to discuss his 40+ year career in rum, all things Angostura, and much more.This episode is sponsored by Nossa Cachaça — Get 10% off any order at NossaCachaca.com with promo code RUMCAST.We discussed:The evolution of rum-making at Angostura over the yearsAngostura's involvement with Bacardi in the 1980sWhy pot stills have yet to catch on at Angostura, despite a few attemptsWhat changed in rum over the course of his four decades of making itAdded sugar in Angostura rumWhich blends Angostura did and did not add Caroni rum toThe career path of a master distillerAnd much more!P.S.Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

In this episode, we chatted with Jason Paul Cox and Isidoro Krassel Jr. of Alambique Serrano and Cañada Rum — two exciting projects featuring cane juice rum from Mexico. Jason is the founder of the brands and Isidoro is one of the four brothers from a family that has been producing aguardiente de caña in Oaxaca's mountainous cloud forest for over 100 years.This episode is sponsored by Nossa Cachaça — Get 10% off any order at NossaCachaca.com with promo code RUMCAST.These are truly fascinating rum projects and we had a blast learning more about them. We discuss:What makes this rum different from other Oaxacan producers like Paranubes and DakabendThe Krassel family's unique approach to muck pits and high ester experimentationThe vast range of profiles they can create thanks to their custom column still, pot stills, and dry and humid aging environmentsThe challenges of harvesting cane and fermenting on the side of a mountainThe making of Alambique Serrano's initial blendsThe unique design of the Krassel still, which Isidoro's grandfather inventedA surprise reveal of their new 70% ABV rum, Cartier 30And much more!Also, a few links to stuff mentioned in the episode:Alambique Serrano website: https://www.alambiqueserrano.com/Cañada Rum website: https://www.cloudforestrum.com/P.S.Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

This episode is sponsored by Nossa Cachaça — Get 10% off any order at NossaCachaca.com with promo code RUMCAST.In this episode, we talked to Turner Wathen and Jordan Morris, the co-founders of Rolling Fork Rum, and went DEEP on everything the Kentucky-based independent bottler has learned about secondary maturation (and more) since getting started in 2017. We discussed:Rolling Fork's focus on utilizing an array of ex-bourbon and ex-whiskey casks for secondary maturationHow much of a difference do different types of ex-whiskey casks REALLY make on a spirit that is primarily already aged in ex-bourbon casks?Why they just launched a rum blend designed for cocktails after their first cocktail rum failedHow they work through disagreements as co-foundersWhat it's like selling rum deep in the heart of bourbon countryHow different types of casks — from ex-fortified wine barrels to ex-whiskey barrels — react to the wild temperature swings in their aging warehouseMatching the right type of cask to the right rumHow the independent bottler landscape has changed since they got started in 2017And a whole lot more!A few links to stuff mentioned in the episode:Check out The Rum Revival's blind tasting of Rolling Fork rums finished in five different cask typesCheck out Rolling Fork's website and online store hereP.S.Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

We're back with another episode in our Semi-Blind Rum Reviews series. This time, we swapped roles with Will as the blind taster and John as the rum selector. It turned out to be a quite rare rum — English Harbour 1981, a 25-year-old rum from Antigua Distillery Limited, bottled all the way back in 2006!You can also view the video version of this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36qPUvfw5vYBe sure to subscribe to us there as well for more video content!P.S.Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

For this episode, we reached DEEP into the backs of our cabinets and pulled out a selection of rums we had long overlooked, neglected, or even forgotten about in our bars to see how our thoughts have evolved (or IF they have at all).The rules were simple: it just had to be a bottle we hadn't tasted in at least two years.Along the way, we discuss everything from market correcting Myers's Original Dark to John discovering (re-discovering?) one of the three best rums he's tried all year to packaging debates and more. It was a fun time, and we hope this inspires you to have your own back-of-the-cabinet adventure!P.S.Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

In this episode we talked to Pepe Álvarez, founder of San Juan Artisan Distillers, the only Puerto Rican distillery making pot still rum from fresh sugarcane juice in a true farm-to-bottle setting.You may recall we featured Pepe as one of three interviewees in an episode back in 2021, but we wanted to bring him back for a solo interview so we could take a deeper dive into what we both think is a super interesting distillery making great rum.It was also a chance to speak more broadly about the new wave of craft rum distilleries that have launched in Puerto Rico over the past decade or so, opening an exciting new chapter for the island's rum industry.We discussed:Creating a new, unconventional style of Puerto Rican rumThe evolution of the distillery's sugarcane farming operationHow much help Puerto Rico's craft distilleries receive from the government's rum tax cover over relative to the big distilleries on the islandIdeas for leveling the playing field in Puerto Rican rumWorking with legends in rum like Frank Ward and Luis PlanasLearning to make pot still rum on an island where no one used pot stillsDeciding on bottling ABVThe broader craft rum scene in Puerto RicoThe perils of finding distribution outside the islandUpcoming blends and releases from San Juan Artisan DistillersAnd much more!Oh, and John decided to replace the rapid fire segment???You can check out San Juan Artisan Distillers' website here: https://sanjuanartisandistillers.com/P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

In this episode, we sat down with Steve Jefferson, co-founder and CEO of Kuleana Rum Works, a distillery on Hawaii's Big Island that's putting their own spin on fresh cane juice rum. From growing their own heirloom Hawaiian sugarcane to sourcing and blending rums from around the world, they have a unique approach that's resulting in some pretty damn good rum. We chatted about:Going from sailing around the Caribbean to starting a rum distillery in HawaiiWorking with a 30+ year veteran of Martinique rhum agricole on Kuleana's production processThe big gamble Steve made to acquire the 45 acres that became Kuleana's farmNerdy production and still design detailsThe current state of their aging programHow they plan to utilize the 35 varieties of heirloom Hawaiian sugarcaneTheir relationship with Ko Hana on OahuWhy Kuleana sources and blends rums from around the world in addition to distilling their ownTheir connection to High West WhiskeyTheir crowdsourced funding campaignAnd more!Plus, at the beginning, some rambling thoughts on John's travels in Italy, amaro, chasing the solar eclipse, and the impact of minor ABV differences.You can check out Kuleana's website here (which also has a link to their funding campaign): https://kuleanarum.com/P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

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, 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 distilleryScottish Gaelic pronunciationsThe pressure that comes with putting the word "Islay" on a bottle of rumContending with the island's flavor profile expectationsBuilding out the distillery in a historic lemonade factoryWhy getting a custom made double retort pot still was a mustCrafting their initial flavor profileExperiments with long fermentation, native bacteria, yeasts, and moreBalancing inspiration with originalityWhat'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-guideP.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

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.In this episode, we reviewed:Shakara 12-Year Thailand Rum (the new release from La Maison & Velier)ABV: 45.7%MolassesColumn DistillationPrice: Around $50-60Transcontinental Rum Line High SeasABV: 45%Blend: Tropically aged Panama rum, unaged Jamaican rum, unaged grand arome rum from MartiniquePrice: Around $30-40As 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 Modern Caribbean Rum by Matt Pietrek and Carrie Smith now through March 30 with promo code RUMCAST. Plus, Matt and Carrie will sign your book at no additional cost!P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

In this episode, we explore the impressive start of possibly the only independent rum bottler in Canada, 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 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 storyThe nuances of the Canadian rum market versus other parts of the worldUp and coming Canadian rum distilleries (yes — they exist!)The all-night Bira ritual of Zimbabwe’s Shona peopleEarly lessons in launching a rum brand in CanadaHow Karl landed on Fiji and South Africa for his initial bottlingsThe quest for geeky unaged Fijian rumDo sugary rums help introduce rum to more people?The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) as one of the world’s chief rum villainsWhat’s next for BiraAnd 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. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

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. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

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. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

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 VelierZan Kong of Worthy ParkEric Kaye of Holmes CayIan Burrell, the global rum ambassador and Equiano co-founderMargaret Monplaisir of St. Lucia Distillers and the new WIRSPA chairpersonLance Surujbally of TheLoneCaner.comJeff “Beachbum” Berry, the legendary author and owner of Latitude 29Craig Nicholson of Worthy ParkEd Hamilton of Hamilton rumCarsten Vlierboom of E&A ScheerSteve Magarry of the new Sydney Rum Distillery (formerly of Beenleigh)Maggie Campbell of Mount GayWe 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 distilleriesThe good and bad sides of premiumization, and whether rum can avoid the latterNew GIs we're likely to see in the futureThe future of bulk rum sales and independent bottlingsWhat the acquisition of E&A Scheer meansAnd 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 [email protected] and let us know.And seriously — a huge THANK YOU to everyone for listening!P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.This episode is sponsored by Wonk Press — Get 10% off Modern Caribbean Rum by Matt Pietrek and Carrie Smith now through February 11 with promo code RUMCAST. 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 [email protected] to let us know your predictions for the new year!P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

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 rumUnaged cane juice rumAged rum (5 years or less)Aged rum (Over 5 years)“New to me” rumBest value rumMost surprising rumOverall rumPlus, 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. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

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 aboutChallenges in creating a unique product like thisThe best ways to taste through Hampden's marksHow to approach blending marks togetherWhy higher ester level does not automatically make a rum more complexWhat exactly is cane juice vinegar?Whether certain marks are only made on certain stills or notHampden's rumored 3,000 (or even 7,000!) ester level rumsWhy Jamaica limits ester levels in rumThe perils of the "high ester" descriptorThe upcoming aged version of the 8 Marks CollectionHampden's futureAnd much more!P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

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. 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. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

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. 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 moreOther standout bottles from all eventsThe differences between these events and typical rum festivals in the U.S.Noticeable absences from UK RumFestHis impressions of the many UK-made rums showcased at the eventUK RumFest vs. Whisky Live Paris — which is better for rum geeks?Tasting Bacardi from 1905The types of rum he most wishes existed for his barThe new 100% rum bar concept he's working on in DCThe underground Richard Seale t-shirt economyAnd 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 [email protected] to let us know what some of your favorite rums of 2023 have been!P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

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) and Zan Kong (Commercial Manager of Spirits at Worthy Park) 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 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 requiresThe differences between all the various molasses descriptors we often see, from Grade A to Grade C to blackstrap to high test, and beyondWorthy Park's decision to integrate cane juice into their rum-making processThe 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 molassesDoes "single origin" molasses make a difference?How different types of molasses impact flavor in rumAnd much more!This episode is sponsored by independent bottler Raising Glasses. To check out (and order) their latest releases, visit their website.P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

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-recoveryThe Rumcast Guide to American RumP.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

In this episode, we sat down with Jason Zeno of Porchjam Distillery / Cheramie Rum 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 LouisianaTheir long journey to finding a source of fresh cane juiceThe perils of trucking fresh cane juice in from two hours awayThe upcoming harvest seasonTheir multi-faceted approach to agingWhy they make 3 different types of cane juice rumThe broader landscape of Louisiana rumThe status of a regional designation for Louisiana rumWinning over more drinkers for cane juice rumPearl Jam, somehowAnd much more!If you want to learn more about Cheramie, you can check out the interview Will did with Zeno back in 2021 for deeper details into their production process.P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

Thanks again to all who listened and voted in our Second Annual Rumcast Fantasy Rum Draft — 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. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

🗳️ Note: After you listen, go to 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 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:UnagedLightly Aged (1-4 Years)Aged (5-14 Years)Long Aged (15+ Years)Cane Juice UnagedCane Juice Aged (Any Length)Multi-Country BlendNon-CaribbeanOverproof100% Column100% PotAfter you listen, head to 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. To check out (and order) their latest releases, visit their website.P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

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 RéunionWhy 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 profileHow the recent partnership with La Maison & Velier came aboutThe differences between the LM&V bottlings and Isautier's typical releasesMarie's philosophy on rum blendingA 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 distilleriesAnd 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. To check out (and order) their latest releases, visit their website.P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

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 [email protected] to let us know what you think! This episode is sponsored by independent bottler Raising Glasses. To check out (and order) their latest releases, visit their website: https://raisingglasses.com/........RecipesCorn 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 bittersCombine everything in a glass over ice and stir.Not a Ti' Punch:1.5 - 2 oz blanc Agricole or cane juice rumA dash or two of Angostura bittersOne small ice cubeCombine 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 for this idea.Willis's Punch:1oz Wray & Nephew Overproof or Rum Fire2 oz pineapple juice1/4 oz simple syrup (optional, but I think it helps)Fever Tree Ginger BeerCombine first three ingredients over ice. Top with ginger beer. Give it a stir.This is a riff on Shannon Mustipher's Miss Ting cocktail. Might-Be:2 oz lightly aged/filtered rum like Havana Club 3 or Bacardi HeritageOwen’s grapefruit lime soda (3/4 cup)Dash grapefruit bitters (Fee's)Barspoon or two of 1:1 simple syrupSprig 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. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

In this episode, we sit down with Mike Streeter, founder of Down Island Spirits — 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 bottlerDown Island's process for selecting what to bottleHow he arrived at Down Island's inaugural four selectionsSourcing from brokers versus directly from distilleriesThe story behind Down Island's two newest releases from Brazil and MartiniqueThe style of Brazil's Epris DistilleryThe unique effect of aging rum in amburana casksHis love of St. James DistilleryOverlooked amazing rum travel destinationsGetting into the rum importing businessWhat types of releases we can expect to see in the futureAnd much more!You can learn more about Down Island at their website: https://www.downislandspirits.com/P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

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 ZombieThe long lost rums of yore he wishes brands would reviveWhat's missing from modern rumsExploring the shelves of legendary rum collector Stephen RembsbergThe more recently available styles of rum he's particularly interested inThe pursuit of rums circa 2000The making of the rum blends he created with Ed HamiltonWhat it's like to build out a rum menu for a barThe perfect taglines for rum cocktailsWhich long lost recipes he's still pursuingAnd much more!Check out Jeff’s website here: https://beachbumberry.com/index.htmlCheck out Jeff’s books here: https://beachbumberry.com/publications.htmlP.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

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 [email protected] and let us know!P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

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 productionThe culture of aguardiente de caña and sugarcane in his region of OaxacaDakabend'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 OaxacaHow the presence of Mezcal Tosba and Dakabend has impacted his hometown, San Cristóbal LachirioagThe story behind the name DakabendEarly experiments in aging Dakabend and what their aging program might look like going forwardAnd 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 Mezcal Review's article about their trip to San Cristóbal Lachirioag (which has some info on Dakabend in addition to Mezcal Tosba)The Dakabend website P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

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 releaseExperiments with high-congener rum production and atypical maturation that led to some of the distillery's most memorable limited releasesCarnival culture in AntiguaThe difference in the local market and export markets' rum tastesThe evolution of English Harbour's cask finish releasesThe additives questionWhat the distillery is planning for its 90th anniversaryAnd more!Photo Credit: Prayitno PhotographyP.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

Hey Rumcasters, we’re making one of this month’s bonus episodes (typically exclusive to patrons) 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!Relevant Links:Forbes Article: "Rum's Holy Grail: Appleton Recreates the Rum Used in the First Mai Tai"Rum Wonk: "Appleton Estate's "Legend" 17-Year Rum: What We Know"

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 distilleryThe cool story behind the making of Chairman's Reserve Legacy, which we've often lauded as a great value rumWhat the future of sugarcane cultivation (and cane juice rum production) looks like at St. Lucia DistillersWhy Rhum J.M VO is being replaced by Terroir VolcaniqueAn update on high ester production at St. Lucia DistillersThe growing market for cane juice spirits from around the world and how that impacts the rhum agricole categoryWhat to expect from Spiribam's acquisition of Saint-Maurice in French GuianaThe future of Spiribam's Mauritian rum brand, ArcaneAnd more!P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

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=sharingThese 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.