In this episode, we begin a conversation on the myths, misconceptions, and “marketing-speak” that create confusion in the rum category. From the all-too-common “rum is sweet” to eyebrow-raising marketing claims, we bounce around a variety of the stuff we’ve heard a lot lately and discuss what fuels it.

In this episode, Master Distiller Don Benn takes us behind the scenes at West Indies Rum Distillery in Barbados. Topics discussed include his 20+ year career in rum, how WIRD has changed over time, rebuilding the Rockley still, creating the Stade’s Rum brand, and more. Also, before the interview, we introduce a new segment (What Are You Buying?), and do a quick Rerum inspired by this episode’s guest.

Links for Further Reading:

”Rockley — Deconstructing the Myth” on Single Cask Rum

“A Potted History of the Rockley Still” on Rum Diaries Blog

“Bristol Spirits 1986 Rockley Still 26 YO Barbados Rum Review” on The Lone Caner

“Stade’s — A New Barbados Rum Brand Emerges” on Cocktail Wonk

“Barbados Rum Cheat Sheet” on Cocktail Wonk (for more WIRD history)

In this episode, a listener’s message about visiting St. Lucia Distillers inspires us to each pick three destinations for our rum travel bucket lists. Listen in on the discussion, then send us your own picks!

In this episode, we talk to Kyle Reutner of Kō Hana Distillers about the Hawaii distillery’s approach to making fresh sugarcane juice rum from heirloom Hawaiian sugarcane varietals. We go deep into:

How sugarcane’s journey to and role in Hawaii differs from other places around the world

Why Kō Hana is focusing exclusively on single cane varietals in their rum

The distillery’s production process (and how it’s designed to isolate the sugarcane as the key variable outside of time and location)

The differences between heirloom sugarcane varietals and sugarcane that was used for modern sugar refining before the decline of Hawaii’s sugar industry

The challenges of creating aged rums that highlight the sugarcane rather than obscuring it

What the future of Hawaiian rum as a category looks like

Kō Hana’s place in the larger category of sugarcane juice rums around the world

And more!

Links to Explore After Listening:

Check out Kō Hana’s website here

Book Recommendation: Kō: An Ethnobotanical Guide to Hawaiian Sugarcane Cultivars by Dr. Noa Kekuewa Lincoln

Book Recommendation: From King Cane to the Last Sugar Mill: Agricultural Technology and the Making of Hawaii's Premier Crop by C. Allan Jones and Robert V. Osgood

Ever thought you had your mind made up on a certain rum, distillery, or brand…only to have another experience change the way you look at it? Yeah, us too! In this episode, we each share three experiences that caused us to look at a particular producer a little bit differently.

In this episode, we chat with Knud Strand about the rapid rise of Mhoba Rum, a single estate distillery making rum from fresh sugarcane juice in Malelane, South Africa. Over the last few years, Knud has worked closely with founder Robert Greaves to guide Mhoba’s development, bring the rum to new markets, and get it on the radar of rum enthusiasts around the world. Knud takes us through the distillery’s origin story, how he got involved, his own backstory in the rum and spirits world, the ever evolving production process at Mhoba (which includes everything from homemade pot stills to muck pits, unconventional aging methods, and more), how deals with independent bottlers like Velier and Holmes Cay came together, the magic of terroir-driven spirits, what’s next for Mhoba, and much more.

Links to Learn More:

Check out Mhoba’s website here

Follow Knud on Instagram

In this episode, we get caught up on everything new happening at Worthy Park with one of the Jamaica distillery’s newest team members—Craig Nicholson! As quality control manager and senior blender, Craig has a hand in just about everything the distillery puts out, from Rum Bar products to the distillery’s eponymous lineup of aged releases. Prior to joining Worthy Park, Craig spent over a decade working for National Rums of Jamaica in roles at both Clarendon and Long Pond distilleries. We discuss everything from Craig’s journey into the rum industry, to the differences between working at Worthy Park vs. NRJ, how he is acclimating himself to the many varieties of rums produced at Worthy Park, his preferences between the distillery’s marks, high ester rum production, Worthy Park’s latest releases (like Worthy Park 109 and Select), and much more.

In this episode, we each selected three rums we think rum drinkers are underrating right now and discuss why they’re worth giving a second (or first) look. There are so many factors that can contribute to a particular bottle being underrated, whether it’s price, style, design, category perception, lack of media coverage, lack of distribution, and more. Give it a listen and then email us at [email protected] to let us know what your underrated picks are!

In this episode, we chat with Jen Akin, general manager of Rumba in Seattle, about the ins and outs of managing one of the world’s top rum bars. Jen talked us through creating new rum blends, managing a 20-page rum list, tasting rum from 1892, where cocktail ideas come from, the opening of the new bar next door (Inside Passage), the challenges of presenting rum to a broad spectrum of clientele, what makes Rumba special, rum regions she’s most excited about, recreating an Amazon box as a drinking vessel, and much more.

Relevant links:

The official Rumba website

The official website for Inside Passage, the new bar next door

Follow Jen on Instagram

Thanks to Holmes Cay for sponsoring this episode. Explore their current releases at HolmesCay.com and keep an eye for new ones coming this year.

In this episode, we chat with Lance Surujbally of The Lone Caner about his Key Rums of the World series—one of our favorite pieces of rum writing online right now. It’s an essential series for anyone wishing to understand the rums that are defining the modern era, whether you’re new to the category or have enjoyed it for years. Lance talked us through the origin of the series, how he settled on his criteria for a key rum, the challenges of the project, why the series is important, which entries have gotten pushback, what we might see next in the series, and much more. At the end, we discuss the art of review writing, the importance of disclosure and transparency, the transience of rum discourse, and have a few laughs along the way.

Relevant links:

Key Rums of the World Series (you can explore every entry in the series from this page)

The Rumaniacs Series (mentioned several times throughout the show)

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