Elements Eight Republica

Last week I published a little information on the upcoming release of Elements Eight Republica and you can refresh yourself with a little background on the Rum by clicking here. So essentially the Rum is a blend of two individual marques, each from a different distillery….one in Panama and one in Cuba. Each is a 100% multi-column distilled, non-chill filtered distillate, aged for a minimum of 5 years in the country of origin. The distilleries in question being  Varela Hermanos in Panama and Distilleria Cubay in Cuba. Now if you’re like the rest of us in the Rum world and have experienced the doctored offerings of Panama and the ‘historical processes’ of some Cuban offerings, you’ll instantly call out this blend as being doctored. Well Wes over at TheFatRumPirate has checked via his hydrometer and this blend comes up clean which is firstly reassuring for us as we may get an un-doctored Rum and secondly reassuring for Carl as he hasn’t fallen foul of the pre-doctored Rums of Panama as other independent brands have. Anyway….you’ve read the raison d’être behind the Rums introduction in the link above, so now its time to give my thoughts.

Elements Eight Republica – 40% abv

Tasting Notes

Glass: The Rum presents itself as a dark straw like gold. The nose is initially quite light and possesses an almost metallic aroma. Fortunately this dissipates quickly and is replaced by a faint sweetness and a light fruity quality. Mild honeyed vanilla and a little peppery spikiness back this up. There is a modest hint of smoke that is more akin to charred pineapple as it carries a touch of sweetness. The nose is pleasant without being groundbreaking. It is however refreshingly uncomplicated and straightforward. A little astringent alcohol rounds it out.

Mouth: This is where things become more interesting. Its more of a straight up Cuban on the palate. A light body with a mild sweetness gives way to a really firm peppery entry that soon displays the intensely dry mid-palate that some of my favourite Cubans display. A light nuttiness and the merest hint of dried pineapple follow before being pushed away by a dominating dryness and light whiff of smoke that plays out to a longer than expected finish. The finish is dry and just allows the smallest hint of tinned pears to appear. Repeated visits to the glass are a must.

As mentioned in the linked article, this Rum is said to excel in and Old Cuban and an El Presidente. So rather than just assume that it does, and because I don’t tend to have champagne at home, the El Presidente was my only choice…..

I’m very happy to report (not only because it’s a pretty booze laden concoction) that Republica plays really well in this drink. It’s also pretty good in a Rum and Coke providing you go heavy on the Rum.

As mentioned elsewhere, I seem to be moving away from the Rums of Panama and Cuba as my tastes crave something a little more in your face, but there is no arguing that at £25…and if it was able to find good availability…I would buy more in a heartbeat. It’s also not a ‘mood’ Rum. I’ve tried it at various times of the day….sometimes before lunch too and it always works. I think that it’d be killer in a Pina Colada and would also make a tasty Daiquiri. With all of this in mind, I’ve hovered over which score to give this Rum…..I’ve attached a 4 and a 3 to the end of this article and repeatedly switched them both around. There is a lot to love in this bottle and it stands up to repeated visits. I’ve mixed as much as I’ve has straight, and it really does stand up against a lot of the Rum on my shelf. If it were on a supermarket shelf with some of the similarly priced (and also more expensive) Cubans, it would outdo all of them. Priced fairly and the bottle contents aren’t half bad at all….Get yourself some….

 

© Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog 2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material, both written and photographic without the express and written permission from this blog/sites author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Elements Eight Rum launch Republica

Elements Eight Rum launch Republica

Elements Eight will be a familiar name to most of the readers of this site. Over the course of the past 10 years it has always been their ethos to source pure, unadulterated rums. Known and extensively used by bartender’s, Elements Eight is continually looking at new areas to express their passion to deliver unique rums with outstanding quality and product integrity.

Following on from their welcome 2016 re-launch into a new, shelf friendly smaller bottle with foiled label packaging; the brand announces an intriguing proposition with the launch of the next instalment of Elements Eight.

Elements Eight Republica

Elements Eight Republica Rum is released at 40% and is a break from the other releases in the Elements Eight portfolio as it is a blend of two individual marques, each from a different distillery….one in Panama and one in Cuba. Each is a 100% multi-column distilled, non-chill filtered distillate, aged and authenticated for a minimum of 5 years in the country of origin. By sourcing column distillates from the two distilleries, Varela Hermanos in Panama and Distilleria Cubay in Cuba, Republica is said to debunk the myth that ‘quality’ rum can only be made as a blend of pot and column distillates. The character of the blend attests to the harmonious balance of two individual rums from two historically important rum making Caribbean Republics.

Carl Stephenson, Founder of Elements Eight Rums and creator of Republica, comments “Elements Eight is a framework, a step by step process to apply a handcrafted, balanced approach to creating rums with artisans.  I hold product integrity dear and consult heavily on the liquid with distilleries, bartenders and rum writers.  Cuba has always fascinated me and this respects the spiritual home of rum for its rich, romantic and unorthodox roots”.

Signature Drinks include the Old Cuban and El Presidente and the Rum will be priced at £24.99.

Additional information can be found on the re-vamped Elements Eight website.

Fortunately I’ve been one of the lucky few to get an early sight of this release and have been trying an early release of it for over a month now and have been in contact with Carl offering feedback and input. You will be able to read my thoughts shortly when the article is published……Watch this space.

© Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog 2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material, both written and photographic without the express and written permission from this blog/sites author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Rumnaissance…..Rum Diaries Blog at Manchester Science Festival

This one is a little bit of a personal post asking (pleading) for your support as I take my first steps into talking to members of the public about the Rum in their glass.

It is worthwhile pointing out that the evening will be in its most basic form, a Rum tasting, but with added information about production and categorization. The event title is Rumnaissance and I have pieced together a little look at the breakdown of how I plan to structure the night:

Rums classifications have become somewhat outdated. Location based style classification is difficult as many rums straddle a line between styles. Colour based classification along with such horrific terms such as ‘Premium’ and ‘Super Premium’ give no indicators of true intrinsic value.  A new classification system proposed by Velier’s Luca Gargano and backed by Foursquare Distillery’s Richard Seale highlights a category of identification based upon the method of distillation employed in the Rums production.

During the evening we will discuss the proposed categorisation which from the top down is split into the distillation categories of batch and continuous, and then into further categories. We will look at the basic principles behind each distillation method, how they are used in Rum production and further explore how this relates to the proposed categories. We will also look at the effects that contact with wood has on a new spirit and also how Tropical age delivers a different result to European age.

To help you along during all of this we will be tasting Rums that demonstrate these categories as we discuss them. You’ll get to try Rum-Bar Aged and unaged “Pure Single Rum” from Worthy Park in Jamaica, Doorly’s “Single Blended Rum” from Foursquare Distillery in Barbados, Admiral Rodney “Traditional Rum” from St Lucia Distillers, “Agricole Rhum” from Martinique, and Ron Cubay “Rum” from Cuba. You’ll also get to try Glorious Revolution, an Unaged 100% Pot Distilled Rum made here in the UK by Spirit Masters. A few nibbles will be provided during the break, but even then, you’ll be tasting at least 6 or 7 Rums so it is advisable to fill up before you arrive.

The link to purchase tickets is here and it would be great to have your support if you can make it.

© Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog 2016. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material, both written and photographic without the express and written permission from this blog/sites author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Havana Club Unión Launch

HAVANA CLUB UNIÓN LAUNCH SEES CUBAN RUM AND CIGARS PAIRED IN WORLD ‘FIRST’

*Press Release*

Havana Club, the leading rum in the super-premium category, has announced the launch of Havana Club Unión, the first-ever rum made to perfectly match a Cuban cigar, the Cohiba Siglo VI. The new expression is the latest prestige product in the Havana Club Icónica Collection and will appeal to rum and cigar connoisseurs seeking to experience true Cuban culture.

Havana Club Unión joins two of the world’s most revered luxuries (Cuban rum and cigars) and their shared heritage and provenance. The launch marks a collaboration between two of the industries’ most passionate characters, Havana Club’s Maestro Ronero, Asbel Morales, and Cuba’s most renowned Cigar sommelier, Fernando Fernández. Together they have crafted the perfect blend of Cuban heritage, tradition and know-how. Asbel Morales has been inspired by the process of how tobacco leaves are aged, blended and matured, to create Havana Club Unión. By selecting small batches of rare rums that have been repeatedly aged and blended, Morales has created a prestige rum that beautifully marries the smooth and powerful flavour of the classic Cohiba Siglo VI cigar.

A premium cedar wooden box houses the expression, and features the logos of Havana Club and Cohiba together in an elegant combination of black and gold colours, bringing the luxury character of the expression to life. The bottle’s clean and round design is in line with the distinct shape of Havana Club’s award-winning Icónica Collection, which includes the brand’s most prestigious rums; Havana Club Selección de Maestros, Havana Club Añejo 15 Años and Havana Club Máximo Extra Añejo.

Jérôme Cottin-Bizzone, Managing Director of Havana Club International, comments: “This is a very exciting time for the ultra-premium rum category, and the launch of Havana Club Unión helps strengthen our position in the category.  Our Icónica Collection is now even more appealing, and we’re confident that consumers looking for quality extra-aged drinks with great authenticity will be drawn to Havana Club Unión”.

Asbel Morales, Maestro Ronero for Havana Club, comments: “Havana Club Unión and Cohiba cigars represent distinguished expressions from the same soil and authentic tradition; their shared origins and rich heritage make them natural partners. It was an honour to collaborate with Cigar Sommelier Fernando Fernández to create this prestige rum, which presents notes of sweet vanilla, chocolate and dried fruit flavours”.

Havana Club Unión has a 40% ABV and is a permanent addition to the brand’s Icónica Collection. The expression will be available in more than 15 countries, including Cuba, China, Peru, Germany and Mexico.

As the likelihood of us getting to try this Rum is pretty non-existent, we have included the producers official tasting notes below:

Tasting Notes:

Colour: Havana Club Unión distinguishes itself by an impressively deep amber glow as testimony to its long natural aging.

Nose: The rich aroma of the liquid balances oak and smoke with subtle tones of citrus, coconut, dried fruits and coffee.

Palate: Softly woody on the palate, Havana Club Unión is accented with sweet vanilla, chocolate and dried fruit flavours.

Finish: Rich and aromatic.

Perfect serve: Havana Club Union is best enjoyed by rum connoisseurs as a slow-sipping rum, neat or on the rocks. For the ultimate tasting experience, it is best paired with a Cohiba Siglo VI cigar.  

*End*    

The presentation looks wonderful and the pairing combination sounds like it will provide a great experience. We are big fans of Havana Club at Rum Diaries Blog and if miracles do indeed happen and we get to try this wonderful sounding Rum, and even the Rum and Cigar pairing experience, we’ll be sure to post our findings here!

© Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog 2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material, both written and photographic without the express and written permission from this blog/sites author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Ron Cubay

This is a new one for me and maybe for most of you…..unless of course you’ve visited Cuba, which means that you will be more than well versed with the delights that this range of rums has to offer! Cuban rums hold a special place for me as it was Havana Club Anejo Especial ( a rum that my wife had a fondness for and introduced me to ) that became one of my staple drinks and one of my entry points into the world of rum. Anyway, I digress. It is Ron Cubay that I’m talking about and please forgive me if ‘talking’ becomes ‘raving’.

A little rum history to begin with. Rum production was first undertaken in Cuba in the 17th Century when sugarcane was used to create a crude molasses wine which would eventually be called Ron, or Rum. The sugarcane that was used was first introduced to Cuba in 1493 by Christopher Columbus on his return visit after discovering the Island on his first voyage to the Americas in 1492. The sugarcane, which had come from Spain from its origins in the Far East grew well in Cuba’s climate and soon became its main crop. In the 19th Century, rum production in Cuba really ramped up with places such as Havana, Cardenas and Santiago de Cuba beginning to produce large quantities of rum for export.

Fast forward to 1964 and Ron Cubay was founded in Santo Domingo, Villa Clara, which is centrally located in Cuba. The Cubay rums are produced by the distilleries of Cuba Ron S.A which also produce Havana Club. The Ron Cubay brand was only ever intended for domestic consumption, hence the reason that we are only just seeing it in the UK with it only having a presence in Europe since 2010. Distribution rights within the UK are held by a company called JBE Imports and it is thanks to Jonathan of JBE imports that I have the opportunity to sample and write about these rums.

Although the Ron Cubay range consists of 5 rums……a 3-year-old Carta Blanca, a 4-year-old Carta Dorada, a 5-year-old Anejo Suave, a 7-year-old Anejo and a 10-year-old Anejo Reserva Especial, it is only the 3, 7 and 10-year-old expressions that will be marketed in the UK. As it has been making waves in Europe, particularly in The Netherlands, Ron Cubay has also been collecting awards with the Anejo winning Best Golden Rum at the 2012 Dutch Rum Awards and the Anejo Reserva Especial winning Best Premium Rum at the 2012 Dutch Rum Awards. All of which is nice, but what you really want to know is how it tastes…..so here goes.

Tasting Notes – Ron Cubay Carta Blanca

In the glass: The rum is clear but does display a slight golden hue. Immediately you get green sugarcane and a freshness. No harshness at all and a little sweetness.

In the mouth: There is a slight sugarcane on your tongue and a little fruity sweetness. The finish is medium length and leaves you with a grassy, fresh sugarcane taste. It’s clear that this rum will mix well.

I wanted to use the rum in a drink that would allow the rum to be at the fore, therefore I went for a daiquiri, or more specifically, a Hemingway Daiquiri. If you look online there are numerous recipes with varying quantities, some have sugar syrup as well as maraschino liqueur and others have an insane amount of lime. Truth is, as mentioned previously, you will find a combination that suits you, and you wont believe how different this tastes to a standard Daiquiri. I don’t like mine too sour so I opted for 10ml fresh lime juice, 10ml fresh ruby grapefruit juice, 10ml Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur and 50ml Ron Cubay Carta Blanca. Put it all in a Boston Shaker with plenty of cubed ice and shake well for about 10 seconds so as not to dilute too much. Double strain into a pre-chilled glass of your choice, mine is a rocks glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry if you desire, I just dive straight in.

Tasting Notes – Ron Cubay Anejo

In the glass: The rum is a bright golden colour and there is an initial brown sugar and honeyed vanilla aroma. The rum smells quite light and doesn’t look to viscous in the glass but there is a nice light sweet fruit depth to the rum that I can’t quite put my finger on.

In the mouth: The rum tastes quite light and doesn’t coat your mouth too heavily but my word its tasty. The sweetness that I couldn’t put my finger on is displaying itself as an almost pineapple and peach mixture. I then get a wave of warming vanilla. The rum has a medium finish and ends with brown sugar and fruit. The glass, once empty, which happens far too quickly, displays the trademark leather and tobacco aromas and it is unbelievable. This rum is so easy to drink neat, I forgot to mix it with anything and continued to sip glass after glass, enjoying each one more than the last.

Tasting Notes – Ron Cubay Reserva Especial

In the glass: The rum is a deep mahogany brown and shows itself to be more viscous than the Anejo. It hits you straight away with dark brown sugar and an almost treacle sweetness. You can smell warm honey drenched peaches and a little spiciness. This all leaves a lasting vanilla above the glass when you leave it to sit. It smells like it has more going on than the Anejo in terms of complexity.

In the mouth: Instant warming sweetness envelops your mouth and it leads with treacle and a liquorice feel. Almost bonfire toffee. Not chewy in any way but like you’re about to enjoy fireworks! This gives way to a warm but not bitter oakiness and a little spicy vanilla. There is a little kick on the back of the tongue and it just lets you know that its there. It has quite a long vanilla and toffee finish. Its amazing what another 3 years in the barrel can do over and above the Anejo. It also benefits from the additional 2% abv that it has over the Anejo with the Reserva Especial weighing in at 40%.

 

So that pretty much sums up my experiences so far with Ron Cubay. It’s not as well-known ( in the UK ) as other Cuban Brands, but it has equally as much to offer and at the potential price point, could offer incredible value should demand lead to a presence with your favourite online retailer’s. I for one am sold on these rums, particularly the Anejo which I think it’s a very nice rum to sip at any time and now having tried the Reserva Especial to complete my tasting of the range, you can really tell that this is truly a family of rums and the Reserva Especial is that natural progression from the Anejo in terms of complexity and quality. It is my favourite rum in the range as far as sipping goes but there is something about the Anejo and its taste both neat and when mixed that makes me think that it could become the pouring rum in quite a few bars that are adventurous enough to break from the familiar.

If you are attending Rumfest this year, JBE Imports will be showcasing Ron Cubay and it should be available for purchase there. I wholeheartedly recommend that you grab a bottle of all 3 expressions because based on my experiences so far, you will not regret doing so.

© Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog 2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material, both written and photographic without the express and written permission from this blog/sites author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.