In this eye-opening conversation and rum tasting with Global Rum Ambassador Ian Burrell, some of the topics we discuss include:

• How Ian entered the rum world as a bartender, which led to several career transformations as a brand and category ambassador, then the creator of UK Rumfest, and now as one of the cofounders of a blossoming rum brand.
• The fascinating life of Olaudah Equiano, slave-turned-entrepreneur-turned-freedom-fighter-and-philanthropist. He, of course, is the namesake of Equiano rum and the inspiration for both its products and its philanthropic mission.
• How rum from the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean is blended with meticulously distilled and aged spirits from Barbados to create the unique flavor profile and multicultural DNA of Equiano's flagship product and its brand new light rum, which I had the privilege of tasting before it even hit shelves here in the US.
• We discuss the impact of colonialism and geographic indications on today's rum landscape
• We explore the exciting emergence of multi-style or multi-island rum blends, the difference between "nursing" and "doctoring" a drink, how Ian plans to convert Barack Obama into a rum drinker, and much, much more.