That Boutique-y Rum Company Blended Rum #1 – Jamaica

Back into another Boutique-y Rum Company release. This time it’s a blended Rum comprising entirely Jamaican components. You can read a little about another Boutique-y Rum release and a little about the company itself here. Now that has been said, let’s get into its ribs.

That Boutique-y Rum Company Blended Rum #1 – Jamaica – 55% abv

The bottle hints at the use of Dunder with its skull and crossbones and bubbling, festering pit hogging the label. We also get little in terms of information. Just that the blend is composed of Pot AND Column Rum from a mix of Jamaican distilleries. Digging a little deeper we can ascertain that the blend components were distilled at some point in 2008 and bottled in 2018 making the blend 9 years old. Requesting info from Peter Holland has revealed more information. The Pot Distilled components are from Long Pond, New Yarmouth, Clarendon (Monymusk) and the Secret Distillery from Lluidas Vale…..*cough* Worthy Park *cough*. The Column component is from Clarendon (Monymusk) too.

Long Pond has seen a fair few releases recently and sitting around 18 miles away from Hampden it is also located in the Trelawny Parish. It releases very vibrant and fruity Rums from my experience with some of the continental aged products that I’ve tried and a fair few batshit mental offerings if the NRJ Velier releases are anything to go by. The VRW and STC❤️E are beautifully drinkable expressions whereas the TECA and TECC releases are monsters. New Yarmouth is the home of J Wray & Nephew and we have been fortunate to see some amazing releases from the distillery via Compagnie des Indes….Ethyl Acetate is king in these bottlings. Clarendon, the home of Monymusk and Captain Morgan produces both Pot and Column distillates and is more of a large scale modern facility. Worthy Park you will know all about.

So as you’ll see, quite a varied blend and hopefully the results will be positive….but there’s only one way to find out.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Yup. Definitely Jamaican. Definitely Long Pond. That bright, almost candied tropical fruit is first on the nose. Guava, mango and papaya. There follows a huge hefty weight of ethyl acetate bringing forth Grilled Pineapple, varnish, pear drops and glue that can only be the New Yarmouth kicking the door in. Crisp notes of white wine. There is a beautifully solid vanilla, warming oak and banana loaf backbone to the blend. This carries those bright acidic and fruity top notes and allows them to play so well together. Time brings Kola Kubes, banana jam and a hint of eucalyptus. Glorious stuff

Mouth: Initial entry is beautifully sweet with a very heated follow-up. It’s quite spirity initially and does display some of its 55% abv. You soon acclimatise to this though. Very fruity. It’s reminiscent of a mixed tropical fruit jam. A beautiful interplay of Pineapple, Guava and fresh Papaya with just a squeeze of lime juice. The mid palate brings the weight of the oak into play and this begins to dry your mouth from the tongue back. Spiced oak and pepper in turn announce vanilla, salted caramel and a beautifully sticky molasses note. The finish is not particularly long, choosing to make a sharp exit. Grilled pineapple, fresh papaya and a hint of that beautifully enticing caramel right at the back-end with lingering peppery oak dead centre of your tongue.

4.5 / 5

For me, this one is all about the nose. It’s so nuanced and interesting. You get the feeling that you’re experiencing some great individual distillates. The palate whilst it never reaches the extreme highs of the nose is superb. I have enjoyed it neat, it makes a great Milk Punch, Rum Cow and the other week I made a most enjoyable Jungle Bird with it. 485 bottles of this blend have been released and I’m on my bottle number two. I may even pick up a third before it disappears from shelves. I suggest that you follow suit.

*Hydrometer Test Result – Label stated abv 55% – Measured abv 55% – 0 g/l additives*

© Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog 2019. 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.

That Boutique-y Rum Company Secret Distillery #1 – Jamaica

That Boutique-y Rum Company follows hot on the heels of two other That Boutique-y entities…..their Whisky Company and Gin Company. I own a bottle of the Spit Roasted Pineapple Gin and also a couple of the Whisky bottlings….a lovely 11yr Aultmore and a killer peated 8yr expression from The English Whisky Company. I was clearly going to be very keen to pick up a few expressions from the rum range…..seemingly I ended up buying more than “a few”. But a little about the company first. The premise behind the company is to bring interesting expressions, not categorised by colour or ‘style’ to Rum Geeks, Adventurous Rookies and the Rum Curious. With the consultant at the helm being Peter Holland, they’ve certainly managed to bring a few interesting things to the market. So far I have picked up Blended Rum #1 – Jamaica (2 bottles), Diamond Distillery (Versailles Still) 13yr Old, O Reizinho 3yr Old from Madeira and this Secret Distillery #1 – Jamaica 9yr Old…..so let’s get into it.

That Boutique-y Rum Company Secret Distillery #1 – Jamaica – 58% abv – Pure Single Rum 

Let’s tackle the elephant in the room…..Secret Distillery. There’s only one distillery in a Jamaica that doesn’t permit independent bottlers to use the distillery name on the bottle….so we’re obviously dealing with a Worthy Park product. You can familiarise yourself with the work of the quite excellent Worthy Park here. No year of distillation on the bottle but an age of 9yrs coupled with a release in 2018 would lead me to see it as being from a 2009 distillation. Mine is bottle 378 of 426 and it has been bottled at 58%. Whether that is cask strength or reduced, I’m unsure….the upcoming Worthy Park 12 year Barrel Strength is noted as being 57% so I would say that it’s probably as close to cask strength as rounding down will allow. How many of its years have been spent in a tropical climate is unknown…but I’d hazard a guess at in excess of 5. I have queried the maturation locations and also the barrel marque so will hope to feed back. Although not noted, I’d also assume the ethos of the brand is no caramel colour and no chill filter. For future releases I’d like to see maturation location(s) listed similar to the Transcontinental and Excellence Rhum bottlings. Maybe an evolution of the rear label to include a little more info….or have it website listed. Anyhow….onwards.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Quite boozy initially. It shows its 58%. Time definitely aids this Rum as it definitely opens up. Certainly Worthy Park, but we don’t get the immediate up front banana in this. Instead it’s more spice led. Ginger juice. Spiced Fruit cake mix that has just been put into the loaf tin…think Raisins, Dried mixed peels and Molasses. This develops through a little of the Worthy Park stewed black tea and dialled down overripe banana to reveal a touch of Bakewell tart. Time brings a growing sweetness of cola pips, Perfumed oak and Wham Bars. Spiced barrel notes linger on the nose. Not completely your typical Worthy Park.

Mouth: Warming entry with a few sharp fruity notes. Gooseberries. Some fresh green apple. This is short-lived and soon develops into quite an oak led experience on the palate initially. Dry with plenty of black pepper. Vanilla. Spicy barrel notes and a hint of freshly picked pineapple mint. The mid palate is all tropical fruit. Banana, light Pineapple and Guava. This is accompanied by coconut shavings and molasses. Spice bun. Burnt sugar on Scottish shortbread. The long finish brings more of those spicy barrel notes and black pepper along with development of the frangipane element of a Bakewell tart. There is a development of sharp fruity white wine notes towards to back end…wait long enough and pleasant medicinal notes appear.

4 / 5

It’s a strange one to sum up. I enjoy this Rum, even though it’s not your typical Worthy Park expression….maybe I enjoy it because it’s not a typical Worthy Park expression. I enjoy a few other Worthy Parks a lot more though. But these are the fully tropically matured offerings such as the Habitation Veliers and the Estates own releases. All of the above aside, it’s a good, but different Worthy Park offering. It’s definitely a grower, and time is most certainly its friend. A very good example of multi location matured Worthy Park. Plenty to enjoy.

*Hydrometer Test Result – Label stated abv 58% – Measured abv 58% – 0 g/l additives*

© Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog 2019. 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.

The Duchess Jamaica 2006 12 Year Old Rum

Back to it for the new year after a considerable break due to a multitude of things, and what better way to come back than with another independent bottling by a relative newcomer to the Rum scene. I covered a quite excellent bottling of a Foursquare by The Duchess and information on that can be found here. It also covers a little information on the brand and its owner Nils van Rijn. Another resource for some insight into The Duchess, and more specifically Nils can be found over at thefatrumpirate.

The Duchess Jamaica 2006 12 Year Old Rum – 57.9% abv – Pure Single Rum

Let’s dig into this bottling though. There is no distillery name on this bottle. The information given is that it was distilled in Lluidas Vale. Now we obviously know that we’re at Worthy Park with that information so The Duchess have carried out their contractual duty whilst we all have the information that we need.

Much has been written about Worthy Park on these pages and you can refresh yourself by clicking here.

Again the artwork has been produced by Hans Dillesse and yet again it is an absolutely beautiful label. Vibrant purple and white it appears to be the National flower of Jamaica, Lignum Vitae, or Wood of Life. Distilled in 2006 at Worthy Park this Rum, which is from cask number 4 was bottled in Autumn 2018 at its cask strength of 57.9% abv. No colour. No additives. It was a release of 268 bottles. It has seen 8 of it’s 12 years of maturation in Jamaica with the balance in continental Europe. It’s difficult to know which marque this is, but it’s a 2006 distillation, and initial visits to the glass have revealed an astringency last seen in the Habitation Velier 2006 which was the WPM Marque possessing an ester level of 120-239 gr/laa. However, information given to me by the ever forthcoming Zan at Worthy Park confirms that this is the WPL Marque.

Tasting Notes

Nose: We’re in familiar, comforting territory here. Isoamyl acetate central….the trademark Worthy Park overripe banana is very apparent sitting alongside spice bun, banana bread and black pepper. Quite medicinal with a beautiful sweetness and the sting of a little acetone. Tropical fruit is there in the form of mango and papaya but it’s not the main event. Light citrus oils blend with a hint of brine and some coastal aromas. Stewed black tea is present and accounted for and is carried on a beautifully well integrated oaken spine running through the rum.

Mouth: Sweetness the moment it crosses your lips. A beautifully sticky tropical fruit sweetness. This soon abates to bring a very hot peppery influence. Quite medicinal again with obvious black olives and preserved lemon. Mashed overripe banana, beautiful molasses and sticky ginger cake. Light cocoa notes have an interplay with a growing warming oak. There’s also a savoury turmeric note playing with the oak. Stewed black tea and slice of spice bun. The medicinal, almost coastal nature of the rum return to lead into the long finish that is resplendent with overripe banana, fresh ginger, well integrated warming oak, a whiff of smoke and salted liquorice. Molasses sticks with you for a good while afterwards.

4 / 5

There’s a lot to love in this bottle. I don’t think that it hits the highs of the fully tropically matured Habitation Velier 2006 which for me is one of, if not the best Worthy Park that I’ve tried, but it’s an absolute belter of a Rum. Its accessible enough to appeal to less seasoned palates and it also possesses enough complexity to keep your interest. It’s not going to break the bank at €65 a bottle and for that you get a very enjoyable and quite unique example of Worthy Park. I’m struggling to think of a poor example of Worthy Park aside from the obvious blot on the copybook from a few years ago. They are extremely popular with the Rum crowd but I genuinely believe that they need to be brought to a wider audience. Maybe 2019 will see that.

© Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog 2019. 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.

Ultimatum Worthy Park 10

Ultimatum Rums are released under the Little Distiller brand which is under the ownership of The Ultimate Whisky Company. Those companies are again under the ownership of spirits specialist van Wees from Amersfoort in the Netherlands. The Dutch company was founded by Han and Maurice van Wees in 1994 to allow them to buy, bottle and sell Whisky. The Ultimate is their independent Whisky bottling brand, Ultimatum is their independent Rum bottling brand. They apply the same principles to their Rum bottlings as they do their Whisky bottlings…..Single Cask offerings…..No Colouring…..No Chill Filtration….Presented at 46%.

Worthy Park I have written about quite extensively and you can find a few of my articles here. Worthy Park Estate is located at the geographical centre of Jamaica in the Parish of St. Catherine which is in a valley known as Vale of Lluidas. Founded in 1670, the Worthy Park Estate has only ever been owned by three families. Commercial cultivation of sugarcane began in 1720 and has continued unabated to this day, and Rum production at Worthy Park has been recorded from as early as 1741, which makes it the oldest producer still in existence in Jamaica. Rum production at the facility ceased in the 1960’s and then some 40 years later, in 2004, a modern facility was created by Gordon Clarke. It opened in 2005 creating a multitude of marques. Upon their re-entry to the Rum market, the decision was made to begin selling bulk rum to brokers who would then sell to bottlers. This Ultimatum bottling is a result of a 2006 distillation. Production of all Worthy Park Rums takes place on their Forsyths Double Retort Pot Still.

Ultimatum Worthy Park 10 – 46% abv – Pure Single Rum

So, adhering to their principles, this 10-year-old Worthy Park, distilled in March 2006 and bottled in September 2016 has not been chill filtered, has no caramel colour added, and is completely free of nasties. A single cask offering (cask #19), 263 bottles were yielded at 46% abv. It cost me somewhere around 35 – 40 euros.

Tasting Notes

Nose: A warming and quite ‘bready’ nose. Bread and butter pudding. Quite a pleasant bright fruitiness to the early exchanges. Almost a touch of acetone. Could this be high-end WPL or low-end WPM? Not as banana forward as other offerings. It plays off some well-integrated oak with warm banana bread and molasses. The bright fruit notes are maybe some crisp apple and there is definitely a sharpness and a suggestion of gooseberries. The banana bread becomes quite malty and is accompanied by stewed strong black tea notes. Sugar on warm porridge and the hint of candyfloss.

Mouth: Quite a warming and peppery entry initially. This soon abates an brings the sweetness of banana bread that has just started to burn. A smidgen of treacle. Malt loaf and butter. The promise of the nose doesn’t fully translate to the palate though. Quite a weak mid-palate with light grain whisky sweetness (that’ll be the candfloss) and light oak with a whiff of smoke. The short to medium length finish is a little underwhelming with the sweetness of molasses and mashed overripe banana that rides through the oak into quite a dominant grain whisky quality. You’re left with the memory of bonfire toffee and a light medicinal note.

There are so many good examples of Worthy Park Rums on the market. This is competitively priced and has not been tampered with, for that it should be applauded. But although pleasant, there are better offerings out there. It never quite hits the mark of few of the independent 2005 releases and comes nowhere close to their own tropically aged releases. But nevertheless, if you don’t want to spend a fortune and you want to buy and appreciate a solid Rum at an accessible price, this could be just what you’re after.

3.5 / 5

 

© Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog 2018. 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.

Habitation Velier Worthy Park 2007

We’re no strangers to Worthy Park here at Rum Diaries HQ, we even started up the Worthy Park Society on Facebook, which you can join by clicking here. We have also written about quite a few Worthy Park releases. Todays review focuses on another Habitation Velier bottling, but this time it actually has the Worthy Park Distillery name on the label as opposed to WP or Forsyths from the previous Habitation Velier releases…..and talking about Habitation Velier releases, my thoughts on the earlier bottlings can be found here and a little history of the Worthy Park Estate can be found here. Right back to it…..

Worthy Park 2007 – Pure Single Jamaican Rum – 59% abv – 10 years old – WPL Marque

What is different about this release apart from the name. Well, a distillation date of 2007 for a start….but it is also the WPL marque. WPL being the Worthy Park Light marque with an ester level of 60-119 gr/hL AA which we first saw in the Habitation Velier Forsyths WP 2005. It was a very impressive Rum. This too has seen a maturation period of 10 years at the Worthy Park Estate, the Vale of Lluidas in the Parish of St Catherine. It also suffered a loss of 64% to evaporation….but this release is presented at 59%. Time to dig in….

Tasting Notes

Nose: Quite a calm approach for a 59% spirit. The trademark overripe banana is clearly present, the signature of Worthy Park. Quite waxy. A nice level of astringency, not too nose destroying and not underwhelming either. Nice integration of the alcohol here. New white board marker pens. Quite a lot of cereal notes and some spicy rye. Ice cream wafers. A touch of milk chocolate with freshly shaved coconut. Black tea, a freshly opened bag of mixed nuts and a beautiful warming and slightly spicy sweet oak. Something ‘dairy’ is in there too.

Mouth: Big oily mouthfeel. A real chewy palate pleaser. Citrus notes, salty lemon rind. Sweet cure bacon. Heavy bourbon oak influence and well-integrated alcohol. You have to wait for the sweetness to join the party…..but it does. Cocoa, banana chips, biscuity cheesecake base, BBQ bananas. Sweet grain whisky. The mid palate has the fading sweetness of coconut and milk chocolate and brings forward the stewed black tea before the spicy grains and bourbon oak make another appearance. The long finish is full and spice led initially. Very oaky, drying and suitably warm. A hint of molasses bitter sweetness. A short wait brings a smoke led oaken character and lightly smoked cheese. Molasses rounds off a truly pleasurable rum. So very drinkable.

Again Worthy Park have produced a corker of a rum. The only thing that this rum suffers from for me is the fact that it’s not the exemplary 2006 WPM…..but it’s not meant to be. Different marques, different Rums. They are all 100% unmistakably Worthy Park but they are doing things slightly differently than the Hampden, Monymusk and Long Pond releases. Less bright fruit, more banana and oak influence. It works, makes them unique and I love everything that they stand for and nearly everything that they produce. Colour me smitten. It’s worth your money.

5 / 5

© Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog 2018. 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.

Transcontinental Rum Line Jamaica WP2013

The Transcontinental Rum Line brand is owned by La Maison du Whisky and in their own words:

“The Transcontinental Rum Line is inspired by Rum Casks’ historical trips between the New World and the Old Continent. From the beginning of its production Rum has always been shipped to Europe for nautical, economical and technical reasons”

So what we gather is that the Rums within the range have a portion of both Tropical and Continental maturation. Fortunately this information is housed on the front and rear bottle labels.

Now I’ve written on a lot of solely Tropically matured Worthy Park releases, some unaged and some having a 12 month ‘finish’ in a Continental climate. This information can be found by clicking here, here and here. With a wealth of other Worthy Park bottlings on my shelves, this number of articles will only increase.

So lets dig straight into it……

Transcontinental Rum Line Jamaica WP2013 – 57% abv – Pure Single Rum

As stated on the label, this Rum is presented at 57% (Navy Strength). Distilled at Worthy Park in 2013 and bottled in Europe in 2017 it spent 57% of its maturation time in Continental weather giving just shy of 2 years maturation in Jamaica and just in excess of 2.5 years maturation in a Continental climate.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Oily in the glass and of a light straw colour. Huge nose of pear drops, acetone and model glue. Some window putty too. Trademark Worthy Park banana but it’s a vibrant green banana initially carried on those stinging estery notes. A large punchy molasses note runs straight through the nose carrying with it buttery pastry wrapped treacle tart and creamy vanilla custard. There is a small wood influence but it’s more sappy and resinous than outright oak. Time in the glass works wonders for this rum….allow the initial sting of young alcohol to subside and you’ll be rewarded. It has that salty oily citrus and powdered sugar thing that I adore in young Ledaig offerings. A little rubbery note follows most visits to the glass along with brine and black olive tapenade. It has a grassy agricole like edge and it’s also a little ‘farm yard’ with notes of hay.

Mouth: Very heated entry with a dominant peppery note gives way to a growing sweetness once the initial alcohol shock has subsided. Light cocoa and milky hot chocolate. It becomes quite salty too….salted liquorice. That trademark overripe banana appears and brings with it caramelised sugar and syrupy pineapple. Tropical fruit topped flapjacks. Quite drying on the mid palate which is where the molasses takes hold. Light nuttiness and a lot of spice….think nutmeg and fennel seeds. There’s a slight metallic tang to the rum and it sits off the back of the molasses notes that feels like licking treacle off a spoon….in fact I’ve previously described this rum as being like licking treacle off a spoon whilst someone flambes bananas in the next room. It’s youth remains very apparent throughout and the alcohol is not as well-integrated as I would like and as well-integrated as some of the unaged Worthy Park that I’ve tried, but sometimes that doesn’t ruin the experience….and this is one of those times. Olives, vibrant cane and floral notes nestle in the resultant vapours at the back of your throat. The finish is a long one, resplendent with those caramelised mushy bananas, molasses and salty brine. Growing peppery dryness and those acetone vapours keep you company for a good while.

It’s a very good rum. I purchased my second bottle the day after my first sip of this bottle. It sits on an almost 50/50 split of tropical and continental maturation and is a very good example of that practice. Sure it’s not as impressive as some of the Habitation Velier releases or their own Single Estate Reserve Cask Strength and the alcohol integration issues could be off-putting, but it just works for me. I love the stuff. Makes a killer daiquiri too.

4 / 5

© Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog 2018. 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.

Worthy Park Single Estate Reserve – Velier 70th Anniversary Edition

This review is kind of an extension to my overview of all three of the Worthy Park Signature Range which you can read all about here. I had no idea that this Worthy Park release was even a thing. One day whilst browsing the pages of an Italian spirits site, this release jumped out towards me. A 57% abv version of the quite fabulous 45% Worthy Park Single Estate Reserve. After a little chat with Zan, it was added to my basket and duly purchased. Eventually (following a little incident with 24 bottles of Ginger Beer), it arrived.

Worthy Park Single Estate Reserve – Velier 70th Anniversary Edition – 57% abv – Pure Single Rum

As with the 45% release, this Rum is tropically aged for between 6 to 10 years. It is made up of 100% WPL Marque (60-119 gr/laa). As with the 45% release, this has caramel colour but has not been chill-filtered. Let’s get to it then.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Beautifully oily. A huge nose. A fair bite and sting of alcohol given its abv. A little air and time allows the goodness to push through. Intense Worthy Park banana. Thick, gloopy molasses….think dipping a spoon into a tin of treacle. Shortcrust pastry mincemeat tarts with a spoonful of stewed apples laced with cinnamon. Black tea and buttered spice bun. Vanilla and a solid undercurrent of oak. Salty olives and preserved lemons. Acetone but not a dominant note. A little kola nut on the back-end. 5 or 6 drops of water opens up a basket of fresh tropical fruit and a gentle creamy custard tart. It also evokes the molasses aroma from a hot distillery tour.

Mouth: Big. Fat. Oily. Very hot initially. It takes over your mouth entirely. You’re powerless to resist. A strong spike of black pepper initially gives way to a drying, moisture sapping oak that grabs your tongue and won’t let go. Salty brine and preserved lemons. Citrus oil drips over the edges of your tongue. The mid-palate is where this rum shines. Flambé banana. A freshly open pack of dried tropical fruit. The bitterness of molasses and soft liquorice. It’s a chewy rum full of chocolate coated banana chips and toffee-like dates. Buttery slices of malt loaf….the kind that sticks to your teeth. Rum and Raisin fudge stuffed into a banana and warmed on the bbq. Added water (bringing it down to about 52-53%) affords you the ability to enjoy a less heated sip that brings the addition of date and walnut cake, lighter molasses and banana pancakes.

I had a slight issue with the finish on the 45%….enough to mark it with the same 4.5 stars as the Marsala Cask Finish as I thought that the Oloroso finish trumped them both. No such issues here. It’s everything that I needed from the 45% and so much more. Very long, warming and peppery. Dry oak, a little cigar leaf. A full spoonful of molasses, liquorice root, walnut and the merest hint of fudge. It just goes on and on. A really beautiful finish for a really beautiful rum.

5 / 5

Worthy Park are pretty much nailing it release after release. It’s all there in this bottle. Including heaps of the trademark Worthy Park banana…..to quote a man far more eloquent than me…..“nobody does banana better than WP which of course is a very good thing because who the fu*k does not love banana”

It’s an exciting (and expensive) time to be embedded in the rum universe.

© Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog 2018. 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.

Habitation Velier Worthy Park Range

Well OK, if we’re being honest it should be the Habitation Velier Forsyths Range as though the distillery name is there, it’s not there where it matters….which is in the large letters adorning the top of the label……yet.

I picked up the first releases in the range early doors when the Habitation Velier concept was introduced and immediately picked up the Forsyths WP 502 and Forsyths WP 151 Proof. This was then quickly followed by the Forsyths WP 2005 when released and the latest addition arrived over UK Rumfest weekend….Forsyths 2006.

I recently published an article about the Worthy Park Estate Signature Range which you can read here……I’d say that its worth a read.

That’s kind of all that there is to say before moving onto actually appraising the Rums…..which is of course why you’re here.

Forsyths WP 502 – Pure Single Jamaican Rum – 57% abv – Un-aged

Firstly the 502 in the name directly relates to the congener level of 502 gr/laa….or in layman’s terms….pungent. This also (as far as marques go) puts it firmly in the WPE category (WPE – Up to 800 gr/laa). This Rum is distilled from a wash that undergoes a 3 month fermentation period to create all of those flavours and aromas that will be extracted in the Forsyths Double Retort Pot Still.

Tasting Notes

Glass: Crystal clear. Very oily. Waxy. Viscous. Initial aromas are all varnish and incredibly powerful acetone. Pear drops. Deep molasses. Creamy, overripe bananas. Natural yoghurt??? There is also an underlying sweetness to the whole affair with Banana Jam. It’s very aromatic with almost floral notes popping up until the brine, olives and coastal notes hit home. It’s incredibly ‘funky’ and unbelievably lovely stuff.

Mouth: Remarkably approachable. Sweet entry initially before the peppery bite and heat build to a crescendo. A creamy, almost milky coffee. Overripe banana which is the Worthy Park trademark. Fresh sugarcane. It’s very agricole like, but in its sweetness…its not really a vegetal Rum. Fresh coconut shavings. Salty. coastal. The finish is relatively short in length but it crams a lot in…..Brine. Olives. Pineapple. Overall it is not as ‘giving’ as the nose suggests but man its massively impressive. Imagine this with 5 years tropical age…Take. My. Money.

4 / 5

Forsyths WP 151 Proof – Pure Single Jamaican Rum – 75.5% abv – Un-aged

This is very much a more intense, higher abv version of the WP 502….best used in mixed drinks…..does go unbelievably well with Ting and makes a killer Daiquiri.

Tasting Notes

I’ll focus this brief set of tasting notes on the additions to the notes found in the WP 502. In the glass there is a very obvious apple turnover and marshmallow along with a real herbal quality (think marjoram). It has hints of Bajan Blackened Spice Mix. In the mouth the molasses is thicker, heavier and almost chewy….though there are lighter moments with vanilla and citrus oil. Cloves and apple juice round things out. I’d love to taste this Rum fresh from the still. That’s the dream.

4 / 5

Forsyths WP 2005 – Pure Single Jamaican Rum – 57.8% abv – 10 years old

This Rum was from the first distillation at Worthy Park Estate in 50 years. It is the WPL marque which is the most commonly aged marque produced by the estate (WPL – 60-119 gr/laa). Distilled in 2005 it sees just over 10 years of tropical age. There was a loss of in excess of 64% due to evaporation during that 10 year period which averages at 6.4% loss per year. Crazy.

Tasting Notes

Glass: Oily. Beeswax. Overripe Bananas. Bourbon Oak. Dulce de leche. Chocolate. Dried tropical fruit. Light acetone. An almost Rye Whiskey spice to it. The ex-bourbon barrels have had a huge impact. Sweet. Lightly medicinal with smoke and leather. Quite floral.

Mouth: Quite astringent from the off. Oily. Warming. Almond milk. Heavy drying bourbon oak influence. Powdery cocoa. Kinder Bueno. Growing sweetness. Fruit and nut chocolate. Dried banana chips. Rye spice. It skirts very close to whisky territory with its spiced oak but stops just short thankfully. A medium length finish that is heavily bourbon oak led….slight cocoa and nut sweetness gives way to dryness. Cigar smoke. This could genuinely be a good Jamaican Rum for a newcomer. Forget the sugary gateway tripe…this is Jamaican enough to give a really solid grounding yet approachable enough to be enjoyable as the pot still is dialed down a touch by the oak. It all plays really well. Nose translates to palate. It gives easily.

4.5 / 5

Forsyths 2006 – WPM – Pure Single Jamaican Rum – 57.5% abv – 11 years old

Distilled in 2006 and bottled in 2017, this Rum carries the WPM marque (WPM- 120-239 gr/laa) so we’re kicking things up a notch here. Aged for a full 11 years in a tropical climate, losses were in excess of 63%.

Tasting Notes

Glass: The closest thing that I’ve had to the sheer punch of LROK without being from that distillery. Oily. Wow. You get that stinging bright acidic fruit note upon first pour reminiscent of so many classic Jamaican Rums. This is a brute. No dunder remember. Time, and it needs time, gives acetone. Heavy stinging acetone. Sharp tropical fruits. Mango. Starfruit. Fruit Salad chewy sweets. A solid medicinal note binds the aromas together. It leads with sweetness, that trademark Worthy Park overripe banana is here in abundance. Banana bread. Sticky ginger cake. Peppery oak brings iodine. Smoked cheese. Brine. Olives. Citrus. Acetone is ever-present with the medicinal, coastal notes. Very deep. Very revealing. Rewarding.

Mouth: It takes over your mouth from the off. Tangy, lip smacking sweetness. Candied tropical fruit peels. Pear drops. Acetone. Spice bun. Dark fruit and spices. An almost sugared almond note. Overripe banana bursts through. Vanilla fudge. Salty liquorice. Growing heat and oak influence. A dry and salty mid palate. Solid, all-encompassing and chewy. It demands your attention. The long finish starts with sharp tropical fruit and creamy mashed banana moving through biting, peppery dryness, earthy turmeric and heat onto brine, acetone pear drops and powdered liquorice root. Molasses right at the back with an almost sherried oak. Best Worthy Park yet……I mean best Forsyths yet……

5 / 5

Worthy Park Estate really are hitting their stride in terms of the Rums that they’re producing. A real quality output from some really great people. Buy all of the above now alongside their flagship Signature Range and you’ll be rewarded with hours of enjoyment and maybe a new favourite Rum producer.

© Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog 2018. 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.

Worthy Park Estate Signature Range

“How the hell has it taken me so long to write something about Worthy Park” is what I asked myself when I looked at the collection of Rums from the distillery that I have on the shelves. Ever present at Rum Festivals globally since around 2015, which is incidentally where I first met Zan Kong and Gordon Clarke. Boutique Rumfest London in 2015. It’s also where I got my first taste of Rum-Bar Gold, Overproof and their amazing Rum Cream. That was their ‘core range’ at the time and kind of has been for a while. Teased with development samples both at home and at subsequent Rum Festivals, we finally got to see what Worthy Park had been working on behind the scenes at last years UK RumFest. But before we get into this……maybe a little background on Worthy Park and their history.

A Brief History of the Worthy Park Estate

The Worthy Park Estate is located at the geographical centre of Jamaica in the Parish of St. Catherine which is in a valley known as Vale of Lluidas (previously it sat in the Parish of St. Thomas but this was later folded into St. Catherine)

Founded in 1670, the Worthy Park Estate was gifted to Lieutenant Francis Price for his services to Oliver Cromwell during the English invasion and capture of the island of Jamaica from the Spanish in 1655. Since 1670, Worthy Park Estate has only been owned by three families. The Clarke Family have owned the Estate for 100 years. Henry Clarke emigrated to Jamaica in 1846 aged just 18 years old. He became an Anglican Minister and founded the Westmoreland Building Society which is now known as the Jamaican National Building Society. Henry was Father to five sons, one of which was Frederick Clarke.

Frederick Clarke

Frederick (current owner Gordon Clarke’s Great Grandfather) purchased the Worthy Park Estate from J.V Calder in 1918 for £44,000. During his period of ownership he took production levels from 250 tonnes p/a to at its peak 1800 tonnes p/a at the time of his death in 1932. Upon his death his three sons, Clement, Owen and George took over the running of the estate. The company has continued to be operated by successive generations of the Clarke and McConnell families who are all descendants of Frederick Clarke’s children. They have seen that continual re-investment has been made in the estate, expanding cane production and improving the efficiency of the sugar factory.

Commercial cultivation of sugarcane began in 1720 and has continued unabated to this day. Rum production at Worthy Park has been recorded from as early as 1741, which makes it the oldest producer still in existence in Jamaica.

Post World War 2 there was an over-supply of Jamaican Rum in the marketplace and as you would imagine, this drove prices down. Because of this reduced value, the Spirits Pool of Jamaica met with the islands distillers and between them an agreement was made to stop Rum production at the facility in the 1960’s. So, some 40 years after it was last in operation, in 2004 a decision was made by Gordon Clarke to begin Worthy Park Rum production again. Rather than attempting to attach the defibrillator and revive the abandoned distillery set-up, Gordon took on the decision to build a modern facility which would have the capability to produce a wide range of marques. Upon their re-entry to the Rum market in 2005, the decision was made to begin selling bulk rum to brokers who would then sell to bottlers. This would give a steady income whilst allowing Worthy Park to focus on building the Worthy Park brand. Rum-Bar White Overproof was the first product to be unleashed upon the Jamaican market. This was then followed by Rum-Bar Gold and Rum Cream. Having credibility at home was a key driver in delaying the presentation of Worthy Park Rums to the masses.

Copyright Nikos Arvanitis – Rum Traveller

Cane, Yeast, Fermentation and Production

Production wise, Worthy Park uses four sites. They own the Worthy Park and Enfield sites, lease Caymanas from the Jamaican Government and lease Tulloch from a private farmer. The main operations which include the Distillery, Sugar Factory and Bottling Facility are all on the main Worthy Park Estate site with the three other locations being solely used for sugarcane cultivation which encourages efficiency and the consolidation of the operational side allows for reduced logistical costs.

Copyright Nikos Arvanitis – Rum Traveller

Worthy Park have in excess of 20 varieties of sugarcane that are harvested with the majority of the fields being dedicated to 3 varieties. They also utilise 3 different yeasts within their fermentation. An activated dry yeast, an isolated proprietary yeast ( taken from one of their sugarcane varieties) and a wild yeast. This wild yeast is cultivated in 4 american white oak pre-fermentation vats. This yeast is developed in a 3 month process which involves molasses, crushed cane stalks, cane juice and ‘special’ ingredients. The yeast is then allowed to develop on its own in these open tanks which are devoid of any temperature control. Worthy Park have 6 fermentation tanks, of which 4 are temperature controlled via a heat exchanger in order to create the ideal temperature for fermentation. The 2 non-temperature controlled tanks are dedicated to the wild yeast fermentation for their high ester distillate and this is a process that can last for between 2 to 3 weeks. So, these various yeast strains and fermentation methods allow Worthy Park to produce a varying number of marques that each has its own code based upon ester count with the most commonly aged marque being WPL.

WPEL – <60 gr/laa

WPL – 60-119 gr/laa

WPM- 120-239 gr/laa

WPH – 240-360 gr/laa

WPE – Up to 800 gr/laa

You’ll note that these levels have been indicated on some of the Habitation Velier bottlings and in certain instances (the 2006) the marque was used on the bottle (WPM)

Production takes place on a Forsyths Double Retort Pot Still…..and what a magnificent beast it is.

I would personally say that bulk Rum sales have mostly been a blessing for Worthy Park. Without releases by bottlers such as Mezan, Kill Devil, Bristol Spirits, Habitation Velier, Kintra, Cadenheads, Ultimatum and Compagnie des Indes the Worthy Park name would not be as well-known as it is. But for every good and honest representation of a very well produced and honest product, there are some that were allowed to use the name that really didn’t treat it with the respect that it deserved….and I’m specifically looking at the Single Cane Estate Worthy Park which was unfortunately released with ‘additions’ by the brand owner Bacardi. This is the downside of bulk rum sales…..you have no controls over what people do and how they present your Rum. A double-edged sword really as additions are the last thing that a pure single rum producer such as Worthy Park would consider.

Anyhow, let’s get back into what we’re here for……the Rum.

Worthy Park Estate Signature Range

We had been waiting a while for Worthy Park to release their own product with the Worthy Park name proudly up front and centre of the bottle. Now we know what they have been busy working on. At the UK Rumfest in 2017 we were lucky enough to try the two main releases that will see their way into the UK Rum market….and also one that wont…but thats why we order online. At the date of publication, none of the Rums are UK available but if you look hard enough they are available online from elsewhere *cough* France *cough*. Within the range there are two cask strength cask finished Rums and one without additional finishing and presented at a more approachable abv. The bottles are heavy, curved, tapered wide shouldered things of beauty with wooden topped synthetic cork closures and its so good to see Worthy Park Estate so prominent on the bottle. It’s almost reflective of a puffed out chest bursting with pride. So without further ado…..

Worthy Park Single Estate Reserve – 45% abv

The Worthy Park Single Estate Reserve is a blend of Rums tropically aged between 6 and 10 years. It is 100% WPL Marque and is aged in ex-bourbon American white oak . It has added caramel colour for batch consistency given that it is the mainstay in the range but it is not chill filtered. It obviously has no other additions. Pure Single Rum. This Rum will see a UK release.

Tasting Notes

Glass: The Rum is a vibrant gold in the glass and is immediately identifiable as Worthy Park. Banana. Spice Bun. Savoury brine and Olives. Time and a little blow into the glass gives freshly cut fennel. Heavy molasses. Whiffs of English Breakfast Tea. Baking apples filled with mincemeat. Bonfire Toffee. Rich Vanilla and an oily citrus. All rounded out with a pleasing acetone note. Glorious.

Mouth: A beautifully sweet entry is accompanied by a peppery bite. That trademark overripe banana is there along with a little funk. Tropical fruit like Guava and Mango. Brine and salty liquorice by the boat load. A little sticky buttered Soreen malt loaf is a very enticing addition. Nutmeg and Allspice chime in. There is a growing heat and peppery kick. Quite a lot of really pleasant heat on the mid palate as the oak begins to take hold and dry things out. It is nice and oily. Quite chewy. Pancakes with mashed banana and golden syrup with a little vegetal bite too. Sticky dates and treacle toffee. The medium length finish is all oak and black pepper initially with just a trace of sweetness. Salty brine and raisins develop and though I don’t say this a lot about Jamaican rum….there is a leathery and almost tobacco quality in the finish. Burnt cigar leaves and Malt loaf round things out. An amazingly pleasurable experience that has totally been worth the wait. The abv probably sits about right too.

Worthy Park Single Cask Selection Series #1 –  Marsala Finish – 60% abv

Worthy Park Single Cask Selection Series #1 – Marsala Finish is again 100% WPL Marque but this time tropically aged for 4 years in ex-bourbon American white oak. It is then shipped (undiluted and unblended) to their partners in Denmark. The Rum is then put into ‘dry’ Marsala casks that were shipped with some liquid in them prior to being emptied and checked for leaks before the Rum was added. No caramel colour and it is not chill filtered. Pure Single Rum. This Rum will not see a UK release.

Tasting Notes

Glass: A slightly darker gold in the glass, the nose is quite astringent up front. The alcohol really shows itself and needs a few minutes to disperse. Prunes. Apricots. Blackberries. Raisins. Quite an apparent oak and a fair bit of smoke. Caramelised BBQ banana and fudge. A pomegranate molasses sourness. Clearly pungent pot still with the brine and saltiness that it brings but this is subdued. It is still unmistakably Worthy Park but with another layer.

Mouth: There is an initial astringent and peppery bite with moisture sapping oak that gives way to a growing sweetness. Overripe banana. Apricots. Blackberries. Red currant jelly. Not quite as oily and all-encompassing as the Reserve. There is some real heat in the mid-palate as the astringent oak makes a welcome reappearance. It’s quite tannic and a little reminiscent of hedgerow fruits. There is a sweet and sour interplay on the sides of my tongue with the sweetness of woody berries being offset by sour tamarind. It invites further sips. The medium length finish is initially led by the alcohol vapours. Once the heat that they bring subsides you are left with a warm, tannic and peppery oak that calmly drifts into berries and a hint of red liquorice. The cask finish is really well-integrated, but I can’t help but wonder what more time would’ve done.

Worthy Park Single Cask Selection Series #2 –  Oloroso Finish – 59% abv

Worthy Park Single Cask Selection Series #2 – Oloroso Finish is again 100% WPL Marque but this time tropically aged for 4 years in ex-bourbon American white oak. It is then shipped (undiluted and unblended) to their partners in Denmark. The Rum is then put into ‘dry’ Oloroso casks that were shipped with some liquid in them prior to being emptied and checked for leaks before the Rum was added. No caramel colour and it is not chill filtered. Pure Single Rum. This Rum will see a UK release.

Tasting Notes

Glass: The Rum is a darkish straw gold in the glass and there is a huge dollop of molasses up front backed up with creamy Caramac bar. A hint of mashed banana and caramelised brown sugar. Rhubarb. There are developing savoury notes with brine and black olives and it appears to be quite salty and reminiscent of crumbled Oxo cubes. It is also a little rubbery and sulphury on the nose……like someone is lighting matches in the next room whilst a car is doing burnouts outside an open window. A growing white pepper and nutty character develops before leaving you with date and walnut cake.

Mouth: This has by far the hottest entry of the three. It opens with quite a distracting heat which gives way to a freshly opened bag of dried raisins and mixed peel. Plump ripe greengages. A really apparent powdery white pepper and burnt paper. Speculoos spread. It has a really astringent mid-palate resplendent with white pepper and a grating of fresh nutmeg atop an egg custard. Hidden within the vapours that play at the back of your throat is a block of pipe tobacco similar to the one that my Grandad used to shred and cut with his penknife. Tannin’s aplenty lead what is the longest and most pleasing finish of all three. Its simplicity and enjoyment at its best. Peppery oak and a real heat are carried through to a tobacco and nut laden finish. If I had to add anything, it would be that I think the Rum needs longer in the Oloroso barrels. It’s almost like a layer on top of the Rum and even though its seen the same time in the barrel as the Marsala, it’s not as well-integrated.

So there we go. The new range has been worth the wait. What makes writing about the Rums from Worthy Park even more enjoyable is that having met Gordon once and Zan numerous times, they’re such nice people that you cant help but wish them every success. If this is their first run at a signature range worthy of the Worthy Park Estate name, the future looks very bright.

I’ve maybe copped out a little with scoring the Marsala and Reserve equally. In my own mind I know that the Reserve is the better product. It’s an amazing representation of what for me Worthy Park is, but with so much more depth than we’ve seen in their own releases thus far. But I was and am so taken with the Marsala Cask with its extra abv and all that it offered, I struggled with the score for a while.

Huge thanks to Nikos Arvanitis and Zan Kong for their help compiling this article.

I hope to one day bring you first hand experience of visiting the distillery……but in the meantime if you would like to read more about Worthy Park and see a few images of the things mentioned above, click on this link.

Images of Frederick Clarke and Lluidas Vale map photographed from ‘A Jamaican Plantation: A History of Worthy Park 1670-1970’. If you would like to really get deep into the history of Worthy Park then I would definitely suggest purchasing A Jamaican Plantation: A History of Worthy Park 1670-1970

© Steven James and Rum Diaries Blog 2018. 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

An Interview with Nikos Arvanitis – Rum Traveller

Copyright Nikos Arvanitis

Nikos Arvanitis will be familiar to most of my Facebook Rum forum frequenting audience. He’ll also be more than familiar to Rum Festival attendees throughout Europe. In fact his biography reads very well:

Nikos Arvanitis has been working as a bartender since 2006. Rum is his passion and his desire to understand it led him to the Caribbean. Living in Barbados and using this island as his base, he has visited 30 islands of the tropical zone of the “West Indies” and over 45 distilleries and sugarcane fields, both active and inactive. His journey is still on, it will soon be reflected on paper and he has named it “From the West Indies to the World”.

Nikos Arvanitis through his travels and speeches is trying to spread the traditional production process of Rum and the culture of the Caribbean people.

He is a member in the jury panel and an instructor in rum presentation, in several European Rum Festivals (Berlin, Paris, Poland, Greece, Spain etc.) and bar shows.

Instructor of Rum in Bar Academy Hellas

Copyright Rum Diaries Blog

On a personal level, I have known Nikos for around three years and during that time we have conversed a lot about life, Rum and everything in between. During our period of friendship I have seen Nikos grow into a very well-respected spokesman for Rum and an evangelist for the history and tradition that exists within the Caribbean. More recently he has become a very active independent spokesperson for the Gargano / Seale Classification and a campaigner and activist for Pure Rum and raising the category in general.

I was fortunate enough to meet Nikos earlier this year in his natural habitat….a Rum distillery. The distillery in question was Foursquare Rum Distillery in Barbados and it was also my first Rum Distillery visit. We chatted for a while, walked through the distillery with Richard and sampled untold delights in the Foursquare Tasting Room. We also shared a pretty eventful taxi ride with him.

Open and honest is all that I have known from Nikos and I’m giving his full, unedited responses to my questions. No cutting, snipping or leaving out of any detail. Hopefully you’ll see that his responses relay the passion that he has and the high regard in which he holds Rum as the true essence of the Caribbean and its people.

1 – For those that may not already be familiar with you and your work, explain to them what your project “From the West Indies to the World” is about.

“From the West Indies to the World”

It’s a personal project including photos, thoughts and notes for the real side of Caribbean islands and the connection between the locals and the Rum, through the eyes of the unknown reality.

Sugar cane fields, unknown dead estates, Rum Distilleries and traditional Rums.

In short, it’s my lonely trip-wandering in the tropic zone of the West Indies. Personal experiences, emotionally charged stories, culture, people. I don’t travel the easy way. I’m visiting places that they are really inaccessible to many white people and also I organized the 95% from all these trips myself, without sponsors, companies etc. The final collection of these experiences is the reason that this project is born, and due to that, I don’t focus only the to rum and the production process..

I’m not an author / writer and I do not even want to be. I just have the feeling and the belief that the experiences created to share. This project is an extension of me and the opposite.

The ultimate goal of my project is to make as many people as possible respect and fall in love with the Caribbean, the local culture, the people and finally the distilleries that are keeping alive and  unchanged the traditional production process of the spirit we love the most.

2 – Your travels are followed by and envied by many people….including me. One thing that often gets said to people like me is that to truly understand Rum and all that it is, you have to visit distilleries. Just how many countries and distilleries have you visited?

I would like to speak on a personal level without meaning that it’s either wrong or right. Yes, I clearly believe that if you don’t visit the Caribbean by yourself and the distilleries as well, it’s really difficult to understand rum. There’s a huge difference between the word ‘knowledge‘ and the word ‘understanding‘. Countless sites on the Internet with completely different opinions and misleading information, distributors, companies and ambassadors talk about rum and they’ve never touched sugarcane in their life. So there is misinformation and false information about rum. When I visited the distilleries I acquired a complete image, totally different to the one I had before. And yes, I was reading and attending seminars. But I figured that it wasn’t enough. It was like I was going inside the glass and becoming one with rum. Of course, it is important that the people of the distilleries are also honest with you. I was lucky (and a pain in the ass for them)

I have visited in total 30 islands of the Caribbean tropic zone. The number of distilleries is 45 out of 50. My last trip was in Haiti and trust me, Haiti is a unique situation. It’s a category by itself.

Copyright Nikos Arvanitis

3 – I personally see you as a direct link to Rum producers that are not active on social media and have little to no online presence. Do you think that your relationship with these Rum producers is vital in bringing the plight of forgotten and overlooked distilleries such as the Callwood Distillery in the BVI and River Antoine in Grenada into the spotlight?

The first time I saw distilleries like the ones you mentioned, I said to myself, “I will spread all over the world about these distilleries-Caribbean’s heritage”.
I saw this subject in a very romantic tone. It is truly a shame that 90% of the whole world does not even know the existence of wonderful rums like these. But the most important thing is that they do not know the passion, the love and respect that the people who surround distilleries have for their rums. Their existence is the link between the past and the present. And if you do forget the past, the heritage and the history, the future is cloudy and uncertain…

Copyright Nikos Arvanitis

4 – Apart from your project and the Rum, what continues to drive you to travel to these places?

People. Certainly people. The human relationships that I created there are by far the most important school of my life. They changed my worldview. I’m not the same person as I used to be before. At least I do not act and think the same way.

I adore the warm climate. I don’ really like the cold and I am freezing really quick and easy. I am not really sure if I will survive this winter in Paris. Hahahaha. Yeah, Paris is going to be my base for the following year(s)…

Finally, the word “vibe“. I can’t explain this feeling in a few words. It’s something much deeper. The vibe in the tropic zone makes me happy and above all, I’m 100% myself. Something I have never experienced before in the big European countries even in my own country, where the friendship and human relationships are in the second or even third fate. Unfortunately…

Copyright Nikos Arvanitis

5 – You’re a firm advocate of the proposed Gargano / Seale Classification. Explain the classification for those that may not be aware of it. Why you feel that it is so important?

Usually, my presentations for this matter last like 4 hours…..So I believe it’s a little bit difficult to explain in a few words.

Yes, I am a 100% supporter of this wonderful classification. It was the middle of 2014 I think when Richard (Seale) firstly introduced me to this classification in one of my weekly visits to Foursquare distillery. When I saw the classification I told to myself: “Yes, this is the only way to have a better and promised future for the category of Rum, to put things in a row and first of all to give Rum the respect it deserves”. Two years later I found Luca (Gargano) in one of his trips in Barbados. He also helped me understand the classification. So, my communication with the two most influential persons of the Rum world plus my personal research was the common link for the final result…..to spread this classification all over the world.

This Classification focuses to the type of the producer, the type of the still and of course at the distillery statement. I believe that this last thing is the biggest problem in Rum. The 70% of rums of the global market haven’t got a distillery statement. This is really bad.

This classification it’s not about what’s good and what’s bad. Tasty or not. Originally, it’s a chronological order of the history of distillation and is based on facts. There is a separation between the traditional production process and the modern.  This doesn’t mean that tradition overtakes modern methods, but we surely have to have a different approach to an original artisanal Rum from an industrial one.

Finally, some people say that this classification is a copy of the Whisky’s classification. This is not true, not at all and please if you don’t understand the role of the classification, don’t judge. Open your mind and be more Caribbean…I am always open for conversations about this subject, contact me and it would be my pleasure to help you have better understanding about the classification.

Copyright Nikos Arvanitis

6 – Your time spent with Rum producers has seen you spearheading the important job of communicating the classification through your interactions on social media and your presentations to industry and consumers. Do you see knowledge of the classification spreading throughout the community to the point that there is a basic understanding already when you talk to the industry and consumers?

First of all I really need to share with you that NONE of the producers ever told me what to say in my presentations or to promote specific Rums (I am not a f****n promoter or brand ambassador and I will never be). I was In Berlin some weeks ago and someone came to me and said that: “You promote the rums of your friends distilleries”. This is not true. I love to promote the Rums I love and the distilleries who still respect the Caribbean’s heritage and tradition. It’s true that I have a personal connection with many distilleries like Worthy Park, Foursquare and others but this connection is more a friendship and match to our beliefs than a business. The people out there who know me personally, know this much better than anyone. The situation with the association is something new but all of us used to fight about the traditional production process of the Rum many years ago, but our voice is heard by a lot of people only in the last 2-3 years. The customers really want to know more about the Rum and this is wonderful. The promise I am giving is that I will always act 100% as Nick and I will do the best to raise the category of the Rum.

7 – A large proportion of the Rum producers appear to fear the classification. Why do you think that is?

From my point of view, the main reason is that they initially believe that if they accept this sort of classification, it is like neglecting what they say so many years about their products on the market. I think that they are only interested in the rise of their own label and not rum as a spirit. We all have to understand that sales cannot go up in a particular bottle if the category is not developed in general. You cannot deny that tradition, not least the complicated production process of rum, should not go into the same sink as modern industrial products. They cannot have the same prices and above all the word “artisanal” on their bottle. So yes, I think they initially think of their sales which is not true because if the rum is classified and developed in general, this will be a good thing for everyone. Speaking so much time for the world market, I will give a personal example from my own country that reflects what I have said. See it as a miniature of the market.

Ambassadors who have never touched a still, have not bitten sugar cane, have never walked in the Caribbean, have not spoken to locals and have not understood the rum, continue to promote products that are in the company’s portfolio, for which you do not know the existence of the distillery (which of course does not exist), so-called spiced easy rums and pure alcohol full of flavors and sweeteners, industrial products that have nothing to do with the history of the island are being produced. How do you orient yourself in the market by telling lies and having the main goal of selling your own only products and at the same time looking for the good for the future of rum? It can not be done. Quite simply because there is no love for rum and the Caribbean but love for your dominance in the market and the word “monopoly“.

The shawls have no pockets. What is the essence if you are not faithful to your values ​​and your beliefs as a person and you adapt to what the system imposes on you…?

8 – Do you think that the Classification will ever become industry standard?

I am very optimistic and positive as a human and yeah man, I believe that it will. Already you can see a great rise of the artisanal Rum in the global market and this is wonderful and makes me very happy. But I don’t like to use the world “industry” next to the word “Rum“. Let’s use another term: “The World of Rum” is much better I think.

From me and my team, there is a promise that we will do all we can to build strong foundations in this classification and we will fight for it through presentations, seminars, articles etc. What is the essence of human being as if you haven’t got something to fight for??

Copyright Nikos Arvanitis

9 – Do you think that having a Geographical Indication for Rum production will become the natural progression?

Yes, I believe that this is the path. Jamaica for example, is fighting about this. But I would like to make a general statement on this really important subject.

In Jamaica we have distilleries that make completely different rum in a totally different way. In particular, it’s not possible to consider a pure single rum from Worthy Park or Hampden with that of Clarendon. Yes, these three distilleries take place in the same island, they are all Jamaican, but the Rums are completely different. The production process as well. In Clarendon they use a small amount of Rum from Batch distillation. The majority of the final blend is coming from distillation in Multi column ethyl alcohol plant. This does not happen in the first two distilleries I mentioned earlier. So, I say that simply saying Jamaican Rum is not enough because there is diversity within Jamaican Rum.

They all rely on some common elements in the production process, but at the end of the day the final products are completely different. So, just the world Jamaican Rum I don’t feel that it’s enough.

There must be also control to the independent bottlers with no distillery statement. I’m tasting very often rums like these, let’s say a Barbadian Rum, and this rum has nothing to do with the traditional rums of the island. The same happens also with other bottlings. Personally, I find it unacceptable to add sweeteners, aromas and other extras that literally do not respect the distillery, the history and the heritage of the island, and also the tradition, except some special situations. Of course, the majority of these independent bottles haven’t got distillery statement on the labels and at the same time they say that they choose personally the best barrels from the distilleries. They didn’t .They just bought these rums from other companies. Be careful with the false marketing terms. I really would like to see better control and balance between the distilleries and the independent bottlers in future. If the rum is not even close to the character of the distillery and the distillery bottlings, don’t give the permission to the independent companies to make the bottling. The master distiller has to taste the rum and if he agrees, enter the name of the distillery and his signature. So everyone cannot bottle whatever they want. Quite honestly, I believe this.

Copyright Nikos Arvanitis

So there we have it…..an amazing amount of passion and a completely open forum for Nikos to give his true, unedited opinions.

I’d like to personally take this opportunity to thank Nikos again for his agreement to undertake this interview and I hope that I have given him the platform which he deserves.

© 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