The Rumcast

Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.In this episode, we attempted a new mid-year exercise — picking 10 bottles each we think are the most talked about / anticipated releases of the year among rum enthusiasts, including bottles that have already hit shelves and some that are still on their way.The goal was not only to create a snapshot of what's popular with rum enthusiasts in 2025, but also to give you a handy list of bottles you may want to add to your list to try if you haven't already.After you've had a listen, send us an email or drop a comment on social to let us know — which releases are you most excited about this year? Which ones did we miss? We'd love to know!We've included the full lists below, so stop scrolling here if you want to be surprised!**Spoilers Below**.............John's Top 10 List:10. Holmes Cay Réunion Island Rum Traditionnel - Single Origin Edition #49. Black Tot Finest Caribbean (New Blend)8. Dead Reckoning Vanuatu 83 Islands7. Raising Glasses Full Circle Blend6. Bedford Park Westerhall Grenada 27-Year5. Alambique Serrano - Alambique de Cobre4. Habitation Velier Hampden PM Spirits / Prestige-Ledroit Blend3. Roaming Road Belize 18-Year2. Renaissance Clouded Leopard1. Alambique Serrano Vida Nativa Series #1: Pico CanoaWill's Top 10 List:10. Black Tot Historic Solera Blend9. Hampden 17538. Foursquare Exceptional Cask Selection: Mandamus7. Papalin Jamaica High Ester6. Renaissance Clouded Leopard5. Mhoba Rum: The Shaldon4. Bristol Classic Rum Jamaica DOK 20093. Hampden The Maverick2. Alambique Serrano Vida Nativa Series #1: Pico Canoa1. El Dorado High Ester Blend #2: PM/DHE

Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.In this episode, we sat down with the founder and distiller behind one of the most interesting rum projects in the U.S. right now, Robyn Smith of rum et al., a chemical engineering PhD turned rum distiller.The premise behind Rum Et Al is simple but fascinating. Robyn started with a foundational, always-available rum she named Baseline. She's since released batches in which she introduces a "variable" to the Baseline recipe, such as dunder. This allows you to taste the exact differences that the variable brings to the flavor profile when tasted side by side. If you're a rum geek, it's a really cool tasting experience.During the episode, we discussed:How she went from chemical engineering PhD to rum distillerHer experience in R&D for Lost Spirits DistilleryHow rum et al. came to beAll the nerdy rum production detailsThe joys and challenges of being a one-woman operationCongeners vs. estersHow ester measurements translate to flavor profileWhat we might see from her nextAnd much more!Be sure to check out her YouTube channel, This Blog's Neat! These videos about her rum et al. releases are a great place to start:How Baseline Was MadeHow Variable (Dunderclap) Was MadeHow Variable (Tailspin) Was MadeHave you had a chance to try Robyn's rum? What stood out to you in the conversation? Let us know via email (host@rumcast.com) or social!

Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.Sometimes we get in the mood to do something a little crazy, and this episode is one of those times.After the debut of the latest musical number from John Gulla (don't miss this one), we spend 60 minutes putting a big dent in our backlog of rum samples by tasting and sharing rapidfire thoughts on 10 interesting rums each, for a total of 20.We set a timer for two minutes and 30 seconds for each sample, leaving ourselves some extra time at the end to discuss our favorites, what we learned from the exercise, and more.From recent releases like Papalin Jamaica High Ester Blend, to classics like Rhum Bielle Blanc, to up-and-coming producers like Taiwan's Renaissance Distillery and Australia's Mt. Uncle Distillery (including an Australian agave cask finish??), to recently closed distilleries like Japan's Nine Leaves, to soon-to-be-released rums that we saved as surprises — the range is wide and vast, just like the category of rum and John's vocal range.You can check out the complete list of rums below, or just dive right into the episode!After you've listened, let us know — have you tried any of these rums? If so, what did you think of them?Cheers!Complete List of Rums Sampled:Oxbow Rhum Louisiane 2022 Harvest (United States)Uruapan Cana Cristalina Single Agricola (Mexico)Below the Salt L'Ardois JaQ (Nova Scotia)Velier Nine Leaves 2023 Last Drops (Japan)Botran Rare Blend - Italian Wine Cask (Guatemala)Grander Toasted Oak Small Batch (Panama)Rum & Cane - Asia Pacific XO (Fiji / Indonesia Blend)Mt. Uncle Iridium X (Australia)Crooked Island Rum - Waterman (Jamaica / Dominican Republic Blend)Mt. Uncle Iridium X Agave Cask Edition (Australia)Dràm Mòr Single Cask - Secret Distillery 7-Year (Mauritius)Foursquare Magisterium (Barbados)Rhum Bielle Blanc (Marie Galante, Guadeloupe)Papalin Jamaica High Ester (Jamaica)Renaissance 2018 Pedro Ximenez Sherry Cask (Taiwan)Raising Glasses Full Circle Blend (8 Countries)4 Surprise Rums (3 of which haven't been released yet)

Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.If you keep up with rum releases it's been pretty hard to ignore the arrival of Alambique Serrano's Vida Nativa series — 5 limited release bottles from the Oaxacan cane juice rum producer that feature a wide range of interesting cask types, different stills, and distinct flavor profiles (watermelon cucumber water?).In this episode, we tasted through 4 out of the 5 bottles, plus the new 3-year blend that's designed to be their first always available release. Along the way we debated our favorites, discussed a possible early favorite rum of the year, revealed John's secret connection to a beloved pop music icon, and much more.We cover the specs of each release during the show, but if you'd like to follow along, the Alambique Serrano website has all the details here.Have a listen and let us know what you think of these rums if you've been able to taste them!

Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.In this episode, we invited Grander founder Dan DeHart on the show to break down the making of an atypical new unaged rum called Cane Harvest. Unlike the vast majority of rums that come out of Panama, this rum is made of 100% heavy column rum that typically only serves as a blending component with lighter-bodied rums. It's a fascinating glimpse at a type of rum we don't often get to experience on its own.You can watch the video version of this episode here.We talked to Dan about:How an idea to recreate the defunct Caña Brava rum led to this much different rumThe source of the rum (hint: it's not from Las Cabras, the distillery where Grander has sourced all of its other rums to date)What makes this heavy style of column still rum differentWhether we'll see an aged version of this rumHow Grander has evolved over the last 5 yearsMost successful and most unsuccessful secondary maturationsAnd much more!

Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.In this episode, after a quick discussion of potential bottles for our Rumcast Single Cask Project, we dive into all things charanda with Miriam Pacheco, the general manager of Uruapan Charanda.If you're familiar with the aguardientes de caña from the Mexican state of Oaxaca, think of charanda like their cousin from the state of Michoacán — a similar Mexican cane spirit that is often made from fresh sugarcane juice, but can also be made from molasses or piloncillo. Once among the hundreds of charanda producers in the state, Uruapan is now one of only two or three remaining. Miriam talked us through the distillery's 100+ year history, including:What separates charanda from other Mexican cane spiritsWhy they put "rum" in quotation marks on their labelWhy the number of charanda producers has dwindled over the yearsThe range of distillates they produce from their collection of pot and column stillsTheir newer line of single cane varietal rumsWhat you might find aging in their warehouse of 400+ casksAnd much more!As we've said before, there's no shortage of interesting cane spirits coming out of Mexico these days. Uruapan is definitely one of them.Check out these links to learn more:Uruapan Charanda websiteImbibe article on charandaThe Rumcast Guide to Mexican Rum

Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.In this episode, we're excited to bring you the first public window into American Cane — the new American rum company that announced Maggie Campbell would be joining as CEO back in October.If you've been listening to the show for a while, you'll know that we've followed Maggie's career closely from her days leading Privateer Rum to her more recent work at Mount Gay's Estate Rum Program. So ever since the announcement came that she would be returning to American rum, tons of rum enthusiasts have been waiting for more details.Disclosure:As discussed in the intro,Will has served on American Cane's advisory board since 2022.We sat down with Maggie and the co-founder of American Cane, Darin Vest, to get as many answers as we could to questions like:What exactly is American Cane, and how did it begin?What kinds of rum can we expect to see from them (and when)?Is there a distillery? Where will it be located?How is the role of CEO different from Maggie's past roles at rum companies?Where does American rum stand stylistically, and where is it headed?What do the next five years look like for the company?And a whole lot more!Relevant links:American Cane websiteMaggie Campbell Instagram

Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.At long last, the day arrived — we visited the Main Rum Company in person to taste through dozens of incredible rum casks in search of the perfect one for our ongoing single cask project! In this episode, we take you inside the journey (and inside the warehouse itself) to show you exactly what it's like to pick a rum cask for release.You'll hear about:A step-by-step breakdown of the entire in-person tasting day at Main RumWhat a rum cask "offer sheet" looks like (and the types of casks they pulled for us) — check out the video version for a closer look at thisThe unusual brief we gave Main Rum on the types of casks we were seekingStandout casks we tasted throughout the dayExcerpts from inside the warehouse as we tasted our way through unforgettable casksAnd much more!Our goal was to make it feel like you are there with us, so we included a lot of clips we captured inside the warehouse. Have a listen, and let us know what else you'd like to learn about the process!

Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.It's that time of the year again! Per our annual tradition, we each make three predictions for the world of rum in 2025 — from types of releases, to specific distillery developments, to broader trends that may impact rum enthusiasts, and beyond! And of course we also revisit our predictions from last year to see how close we came.Have a listen and then let us know what your predictions are!

Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.In this episode we get an inside look at the status and future of the Jamaica Rum GI (Geographic Indicator) with Christopher Gentles, general manager of the organization championing the GI (and doing other interesting things), Jamaica's Spirits Pool Association.If you're a fan of Jamaican rum, this interview is a must-listen.We discuss:National Rums of Jamaica's legal challenge to the GIWhat rum enthusiasts can expect to happen nextWhy the GI is important to Jamaican rumThe debates over aging at origin and adding sugarCreating a tasting panel for Jamaican rum marksThe evolution of the Jamaican rum category in recent yearsAnd much more!Note: After the recording of this episode, the Jamaica Gleaner reported that National Rums of Jamaica has accused other producers of Jamaican rum involved in the GI of anti-competitive practices and sought help from the Jamaica Fair Trading Commission.If you want a deeper look at the Jamaica Rum GI, check out these articles:Jamaica Observer: Court battle over ‘Jamaica rum' unfortunate, says Jimmy Lawrence; NRJ argues litigation necessary as JIPO erred in GI designationThe Gleaner: New GI rum rules bar aging outside of JamaicaRum Wonk: Jamaica's Rum GI Changes - Overview and AnalysisRum Revelations: Jamaica GI Rumblings with a French Twist

Click here to watch this episode on YouTube and subscribe to our channel!Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.In the second installment of our Rumcast Single Cask Project series, we decide on a name for the brand and debate bottle designs ahead of our trip to Main Rum Company at the end of January.You can view the bottles in our bottles spreadsheet here.Like we mention in the intro, if you or someone you know has label design skills and is interested in collaborating (and knows the rum world), send us an email at host@rumcast.com!As a reminder, this episode is part of an ongoing series in which we take you along with us as we purchase a barrel of rum and do our first single cask release. If you missed Part 1, you can check it out here.

Click here to watch this episode on YouTube and subscribe to our channel!Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.Happy holidays and New Year (in advance), everyone!In our fifth (!) annual Year in Review episode we take a look back at our favorite rums of the year in the following categories:Unaged molasses rumUnaged cane juice rumAged rum (5 years or less)Aged rum (Over 5 years)“New to me” rumBest value rumMost surprising rumOverall rumPlus, we each throw in picks for Distillery of the Year and Bottler of the Year, along with another round of "Am I the a**hole for being lower on this rum?" and another classic rum-themed holiday tune from John Gulla.Have a listen, and let us know your favorites in these categories from the past year! Also, what did we miss? What were we too high or low on? We'd love to hear your takes.The List (Spoilers Ahead!)...........Unaged Rum (Molasses):Will: Pelée's Fury Martinique Grand Arôme Rum from Raising GlassesJohn: Pelée's Fury Martinique Grand Arôme Rum from Raising GlassesUnaged Rum (Cane Juice):Will: Alambique Serrano — Cartier 30John: Alambique Serrano — Cartier 30Aged Rum (5 Years or Less):Will: Hampden Estate Great House 2024John: Ghana 2020 from Down Island SpiritsAged Rum (Over 5 Years):Will: Fiji 2012 Flag Series Rum from La Maison & VelierJohn: Cambodia 2016 Flag Series Rum from La Maison & Velier“New to Me” Rum:Will: O Reizinho Limited Edition White RumJohn: The category of UK RumValue Rum:Will: Shakara 12-YearJohn: Shakara 12-YearMost Surprising Rum:Will: Unaged Rum from Line 44 DistilleryJohn: Ten To One Five Origin Select“Am I the A**hole?" Rum:Will: El Dorado High Ester BlendJohn: El Dorado High Ester BlendOverall Rum:Will: Alambique Serrano Blend #3: MatadiabloJohn: Fiji 2012 Flag Series Rum from La Maison & VelierDistillery of the Year:Will: Krassel Family Distillery (Alambique Serrano / Cañada)John: Krassel Family Distillery (Alambique Serrano / Cañada)Bottler of the Year:Will: Raising GlassesJohn: La Maison & Velier

Click here to watch this episode on YouTube and subscribe to our channel!Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.We're back with another entry in our semi-blind reviews series — but yet again with a twist! In this mystery sample edition, both of us have no idea what the identity of this rum is as we review it. Along the way, we offer our best guesses as to the rum's origin and key characteristics.This time, it's a 13-year-old rhum agricole from Isautier Distillery in Réunion Island bottled by Swell de Spirits.Rum specs:Bottler: Swell de SpiritsOrigin: Réunion IslandDistillery: IsautierBase material: Cane juiceDistillation: ColumnAge: 13 yearsCask: Ex-CognacABV: 59.4%A special thank you to Rumcast patron Ben for providing the mystery sample.

Click here to watch this episode on YouTube and subscribe to our channel!Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.In this episode, we went inside a brand new distillery in a rarely explored rum origin of the Caribbean — Dominica (not the Dominican Republic). Rosalie Bay Distilling is a unique operation that is producing rum from sugarcane juice supplied by 80+ local farmers, and contributing 100% of its profits toward conservation efforts that protect sea turtles, coral reef, whales, and more.We got to sit down with Kernean George (head distiller), Marcella Harris (conservationist and board member of Dominica Sea Turtle Conservation Organization), and Brett Steigerwaldt (distillery advisor and head distiller at Lyon Rum) to learn about Rosalie Bay from a variety of angles, including:How a chance encounter at a Maryland rum distillery sparked Rosalie Bay DistillingA brief history of rum production in Dominica, and why it differs from neighboring islands Martinique and GuadeloupeKernean's journey from not drinking rum to becoming a head rum distillerHow Rosalie Bay developed its style of cane juice rumWhat it's like to source cane from 80+ local farmersThe unique terroir of DominicaThe dangers to sea turtles, coral reef, and sperm whales — and how the distillery funds efforts to protect themAnd much more!Links to things mentioned during the episode:You can order bottles of Rosalie Bay via Raising Glasses (it's also currently available in Massachusetts retail stores)Rosalie Bay's websiteOceans Forward's websiteThe Last Turtle documentary (available on YouTube)National Geographic's Secrets of the Whales docuseries (episode 4 features Dominica's sperm whales)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

With John on vacation, I flew solo on this episode to welcome Ben Inglis, distillery manager and co-founder of The Islay Rum Company, to the show to get the full story on his unique approach to Scottish rum.If you listened to our Guide to UK Rum episode, you'll remember that John and I rated both of the Islay Rum Company rums we tried quite favorably, so we'd been hoping to talk to Ben ever since. We discussed:How Ben convinced the Vintage Malt Whisky Company to back his vision of Islay's first rum distillery instead of building a Scotch whisky distilleryScottish Gaelic pronunciationsThe pressure that comes with putting the word "Islay" on a bottle of rumContending with the island's flavor profile expectationsBuilding out the distillery in a historic lemonade factoryWhy getting a custom made double retort pot still was a mustCrafting their initial flavor profileExperiments with long fermentation, native bacteria, yeasts, and moreBalancing inspiration with originalityWhat's aging right now? And when can we taste it??And a whole lot more!You can learn more about The Islay Rum Company here: https://www.islayrum.com/Check out our episode on the wider UK rum scene here: https://www.rumcast.com/episodes/uk-rum-guideP.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

This week, we're introducing a new episode format — the Semi-Blind Rum Review!In these reviews, one of us will know the identity of the rum being reviewed and one of us will be going in with no information about the rum whatsoever, besides its color in the glass.Our goal is to hopefully provide an unbiased and fun look at new(ish) rums you might be curious about. We'll also be publishing video versions to YouTube.In this episode, we reviewed:Shakara 12-Year Thailand Rum (the new release from La Maison & Velier)ABV: 45.7%MolassesColumn DistillationPrice: Around $50-60Transcontinental Rum Line High SeasABV: 45%Blend: Tropically aged Panama rum, unaged Jamaican rum, unaged grand arome rum from MartiniquePrice: Around $30-40As always, would love your thoughts on this episode format, and any takes you have on the rums!Cheers!This episode is sponsored by Wonk Press — Get 10% off Modern Caribbean Rum by Matt Pietrek and Carrie Smith now through March 30 with promo code RUMCAST. Plus, Matt and Carrie will sign your book at no additional cost!P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

In this episode, we explore the impressive start of possibly the only independent rum bottler in Canada, Bira Rum. Founder Karl Mudzamba took us inside his journey from Zimbabwe, to playing professional rugby in New Zealand, to starting Bira in his current home of Vancouver, BC. Bira has hit the ground running with unadulterated, cask strength releases from Fiji and South Africa, with much more to come.Along the way, fellow resident of Canada Ivar de Laat of Rum Revelations hopped on the call with us to chime in on the state of rum in Canada, from the options available to rum enthusiasts to the intriguing rums coming out of Canadian distilleries in recent years.We discuss:Karl's rum origin storyThe nuances of the Canadian rum market versus other parts of the worldUp and coming Canadian rum distilleries (yes — they exist!)The all-night Bira ritual of Zimbabwe's Shona peopleEarly lessons in launching a rum brand in CanadaHow Karl landed on Fiji and South Africa for his initial bottlingsThe quest for geeky unaged Fijian rumDo sugary rums help introduce rum to more people?The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) as one of the world's chief rum villainsWhat's next for BiraAnd much more!To learn more about Bira Rum, check out their website at https://www.birarum.com/Also, be sure to check out Ivar's website Rum Revelations at https://www.rumrevelations.com/P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

In this episode, we're back with a fresh entry in our Rumcast Guides series — and this time we're taking on the rums of the United Kingdom!Over the last 12 years or so, the UK has seen an explosion of domestic rum distilleries, with the number now reaching over 25 (and counting). We set out to taste a wide selection of these rums to get a sense of the emerging category's characteristics, standout bottles, and notable distilleries, encountering everything from straightforward crowdpleasers, to long fermentation, dunder-charged flavor bombs, to unique profiles we hadn't encountered before.Following an overview of the category, the episode is divided into four flights that cover nine different distilleries and 16 different rums:(13:45) Flight #1 - Unaged Lower Proof Rums:Ninefold Pure Single Rum (46%) (pot still, molasses, 3-4 day fermentation)Sugar House White Rum (43%) (hybrid pot/column, molasses, 7-day fermentation)Outlier Distilling Hoolie Manx White Rum (41%) (pot still, molasses, 10-14 day fermentation)Scratch Faithful British Rum (42%) (pot still, molasses, around 14-day fermentation, use fresh and aged dunder)Islay Rum Distillery Geal 2022 Inaugural Release (45%) (double retort pot still, molasses, 7+ day fermentation)Retribution White Rum (44%) (pot still, molasses)(59:19) Flight #2 - Aged Lower Proof Rums:J. Gow Revenge Rum (43%) (pot still, molasses, aged 3 years in ex-bourbon and virgin oak, a blend of their HD and DS marks)J. Gow Fading Light Chestnut Cask (43%) (pot still, molasses, aged in chestnut cask over 12 months, 14-day fermentation)Ninefold Cask Aged Pure Single Rum (45%) (pot still, molasses, aged at least 1.5 years in American oak)Matugga Golden Rum (42%) (NAS, pot still, molasses, 7-day fermentation, ex-bourbon casks)(1:33:41) Flight #3 - Unaged Higher Proof Rums:J. Gow Culverin TC Marque (50%) (Pot and column, molasses, 5-day fermentation)J. Gow Wild Yeast Series #2 Kveik 2022 (62%) (molasses, double batch fermented for 7 days and 9 days with a triple blend of Hornindal Kveik, traditional Norwegian farmhouse yeast)Islay Rum Distillery Ùine Mhòr (55%) (double retort pot still, molasses, long fermentations ranging from 4-6 weeks featuring the use of matured dunder, native bacteria, and two commercial yeast strains)DropWorks Funk Drop Rum (63%) (double retort pot still, "sugar cane honey," 7-day fermentation featuring their "wild trinity" yeast, dunder, and addition of muck during distillation)(2:08:13) Flight #4 - Aged Higher Proof Rums:J. Gow Hidden Depths Vol. 2 2017 (51.2%) (cask strength, molasses, aged 5 years in ex bere whisky/OWC oak cask)Ninefold 3 Year Old Single Pot Still TWE Exclusive (62.2%) (cask strength, molasses, aged 3 years in ex-bourbon from Woodford Reserve)P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

In this free bonus episode, we're releasing global rum ambassador and Equiano co-founder Ian Burrell's full interview from our 100th episode, which was full of interesting nuggets about the development of Equiano, rum education, where we can expect to see exciting new rums come from over the next several years, and much more! Also, we try to guess our way through a mystery sample provided by Rumcast Patron Kyle in DC, only to fail spectacularly.P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

Without further delay, we're super excited to share our 100th episode of The Rumcast with you!As we've hinted, this episode is special to us, and was really a labor of love. Rather than going with the typical format, we invited a dozen past guests to return for individual interviews where we looked back at how rum has evolved since 2019 (when we started working on the show), and where they think rum is headed over the next 5 years or so. You'll hear from:Kate Perry of La Maison and VelierZan Kong of Worthy ParkEric Kaye of Holmes CayIan Burrell, the global rum ambassador and Equiano co-founderMargaret Monplaisir of St. Lucia Distillers and the new WIRSPA chairpersonLance Surujbally of TheLoneCaner.comJeff “Beachbum” Berry, the legendary author and owner of Latitude 29Craig Nicholson of Worthy ParkEd Hamilton of Hamilton rumCarsten Vlierboom of E&A ScheerSteve Magarry of the new Sydney Rum Distillery (formerly of Beenleigh)Maggie Campbell of Mount GayWe assembled highlights from those individual interviews into an episode that takes us through the major themes that came up, such as:The emergence of "new" rum regions around the world (and which ones we'll be seeing more of)The long-term prospects of all these emerging distilleriesThe good and bad sides of premiumization, and whether rum can avoid the latterNew GIs we're likely to see in the futureThe future of bulk rum sales and independent bottlingsWhat the acquisition of E&A Scheer meansAnd so much more that it would be impossible to list it all! We'd love to know what you think of the episode and what your takeaways and thoughts are — so please shoot us an email at host@rumcast.com and let us know.And seriously — a huge THANK YOU to everyone for listening!P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.This episode is sponsored by Wonk Press — Get 10% off Modern Caribbean Rum by Matt Pietrek and Carrie Smith now through February 11 with promo code RUMCAST. Plus, Matt and Carrie will sign your book at no additional cost!Music Credits for this Episode:“On the Delta” by John Patitucci“W. A. Mozart, Symphony No.38 in D major” by A Far Cry“Cover Charge” by TrackTribe“Djansa” by The Mini Vandals featuring Mamadou Koita and Lasso“Momo Do” by The Mini Vandals featuring Mamadou Koita and Lasso“Ratatouille's Kitchen” by Carmen Maria and Edu Espinal“Sleepy West” by JHS Pedals

Per tradition, we're back with our predictions for what will happen in the world of rum in 2024 — from trends, to releases, to new projects, and beyond. In the spirit of accountability, we also take a look back at last year's predictions for 2023 and grade how close each one came.Have a listen and send us an email at host@rumcast.com to let us know your predictions for the new year!P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

Happy holidays and New Year (in advance), everyone!In our fourth annual Year in Review episode we take a look back at our favorite rums of the year in the following categories:Unaged molasses rumUnaged cane juice rumAged rum (5 years or less)Aged rum (Over 5 years)“New to me” rumBest value rumMost surprising rumOverall rumPlus, we each throw in picks for Distillery of the Year, along with another round of "Am I the a**hole for not liking this rum?"Have a listen, and let us know your favorites in these categories from the past year! Also, what did we miss? What were we too high or low on? We'd love to hear your takes.P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

In this episode, we went deep on the eight marks of Jamaica's Hampden Estate and the making of the recently released 8 Marks Collection with Peppie Grant (Tour Manager at Hampden), Daniele Biondi (Export Manager at La Maison & Velier), and Howard McCalla (Production Manager at Hampden).Speaking with people from both Hampden and La Maison & Velier allowed us to get the full story behind the 8 Marks Collection, from the rum itself to how the release came together in the first place. We discussed:How the idea for the 8 Marks Collection came aboutChallenges in creating a unique product like thisThe best ways to taste through Hampden's marksHow to approach blending marks togetherWhy higher ester level does not automatically make a rum more complexWhat exactly is cane juice vinegar?Whether certain marks are only made on certain stills or notHampden's rumored 3,000 (or even 7,000!) ester level rumsWhy Jamaica limits ester levels in rumThe perils of the "high ester" descriptorThe upcoming aged version of the 8 Marks CollectionHampden's futureAnd much more!P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

This episode is sponsored by Wonk Press — Get 10% off Modern Caribbean Rum by Matt Pietrek and Carrie Smith now through December 10 with promo code RUMCAST. Plus, Matt and Carrie will sign your book at no additional cost!In this episode, we set out to answer a surprisingly interesting question — which 80 proof rums are the best values? Which ones punch above their weight? Which ones should we not ignore just because they're 80 proof?We selected a group of 10 popular aged molasses-based rums we had on hand and pitted them against each other in a head-to-head tasting bracket.While it would be impossible to fit ALL the worthy 80 proof rums into one episode, we tried to select 10 that represent popular, widely available options around the world. And we're open to doing additional brackets with other 80 proof rums (or other types of rum) if you like this episode!While we often pine for higher proof options, the reality is that 80 proof will likely remain the most common option for standard releases for the foreseeable future, so why not figure out which ones offer the best sipping experience for the money?This turned out to be a really fun exercise that delivered several unexpected winners and losers along the way. At the end, there could only be one champion.Here is the link to the article on 80 proof spirits mentioned in the introduction: https://vinepair.com/articles/80-proof-liquor-spirits-history/P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

In this episode, we got a full report of all the exciting happenings and new bottles showcased at UK RumFest, Whisky Live Paris, and other events across Europe from Chris Hassan Francke, owner of one of Washington, DC's premier spots for rum, The Green Zone. Chris took us deep into the rum festival scene in Europe from the perspective of both a rum fan and bar owner. We discussed:First impressions of new releases like the El Dorado High Ester Blend, Worthy Park Overproof, Foursquare's second edition of LFT, and moreOther standout bottles from all eventsThe differences between these events and typical rum festivals in the U.S.Noticeable absences from UK RumFestHis impressions of the many UK-made rums showcased at the eventUK RumFest vs. Whisky Live Paris — which is better for rum geeks?Tasting Bacardi from 1905The types of rum he most wishes existed for his barThe new 100% rum bar concept he's working on in DCThe underground Richard Seale t-shirt economyAnd much more!Whether you're interested in upcoming releases, which rum events to attend, or designing a rum bar, there's a little something for everyone in this interview.And as we mentioned in the intro, send an email to host@rumcast.com to let us know what some of your favorite rums of 2023 have been!P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

In this episode, we have a freewheeling conversation on a topic we've wanted to delve into for a long time — molasses production and the role it plays in rum! Maggie Campbell (Estate Manager at Mount Gay) and Zan Kong (Commercial Manager of Spirits at Worthy Park) lent their expertise and sterling personalities to guide us through the ins and outs of the sticky liquid that goes into making the overwhelming majority of the world's rum. Of course, we also discuss the new Mount Gay and Worthy Park releases that have been making the news recently — Mount Gay's first single estate rum and Worthy Park's new overproof expression.Zan and Maggie both have firsthand experience working at distilleries that have their own sugar mills, which is quite uncommon in the world of modern rum production. This allowed them to guide us through a number of fascinating topics, including:The incredible amount of work that goes into molasses and sugar production — and the unique skillsets it requiresThe differences between all the various molasses descriptors we often see, from Grade A to Grade C to blackstrap to high test, and beyondWorthy Park's decision to integrate cane juice into their rum-making processThe making of Mount Gay's new sugar mill (and what it allows them to do)The concern level for the quality of modern mass-market molassesDoes "single origin" molasses make a difference?How different types of molasses impact flavor in rumAnd much more!This episode is sponsored by independent bottler Raising Glasses. To check out (and order) their latest releases, visit their website.P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

For this episode, we asked our patrons to send in their top rum-related questions — and they delivered! We share our thoughts on:What is presently the most underappreciated rum-producing country?What rums do you always keep in stock?What is your go-to daily drinker? (Go-to rum and go-to cocktail)Now that you have been into rum for a while, have your buying habits changed?If each of you were an independent bottler with no limit on cost, what is the one distillery you would want to pick a barrel from, and why?If you could resurrect one now defunct rum, or now defunct distillery, which would it be and why?How do you handle the questions like "I don't like rum, convince me", or "I drink Captain Morgan, what should I try next"? How do you recommend rum to tequila, gin, bourbon, and scotch people?Can American rum go toe to toe with rum from other countries?What developments do you hope to see over the next decade in U.S. rum distilleries located in sugarcane producing states?What are some rum events on your bucket lists? And what rum events have you gone to that you do and, just as importantly, don't recommend to the community?What is a way someone new to rum can learn about what is going on in the rum industry, new rums coming out, etc?What is the weirdest, but most accurate, descriptor you've ever picked up when nosing/tasting a rum?We plan to get to all of the remaining questions in a Mailbag Volume 2 bonus episode that will release later this month.Episode Links:Here is the GoFundMe for Daniel Regueira's (co-founder and distiller at Chicago Cane Cooperative) motorcycle injury recovery mentioned during the intro: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-daniels-motorcycle-injury-recoveryThe Rumcast Guide to American RumP.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

In this episode, we sat down with Jason Zeno of Porchjam Distillery / Cheramie Rum to take us inside one of the most interesting up-and-coming American rum distilleries out there right now. Located in New Orleans, they're making a significant volume of fresh cane juice rum that's beginning to trickle its way into several markets across the U.S., and have some exciting aged releases coming up as well. We talked to Zeno about:How he went from making whiskey for Beam-Suntory to making cane juice rum in LouisianaTheir long journey to finding a source of fresh cane juiceThe perils of trucking fresh cane juice in from two hours awayThe upcoming harvest seasonTheir multi-faceted approach to agingWhy they make 3 different types of cane juice rumThe broader landscape of Louisiana rumThe status of a regional designation for Louisiana rumWinning over more drinkers for cane juice rumPearl Jam, somehowAnd much more!If you want to learn more about Cheramie, you can check out the interview Will did with Zeno back in 2021 for deeper details into their production process.P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.

Thanks again to all who listened and voted in our Second Annual Rumcast Fantasy Rum Draft — we reveal this year's champion at the top of this new episode!After revealing the champion (and a bit of gloating from one of us), we get to our latest experiment: investing 6 inexpensive rums we normally would either overlook or outright reject to see if we could find some diamonds in the rough!We each selected 3 rums under ~$20 that we had either never tried or couldn't remember trying and then put them through a series of tasting to see if we could find any pleasant surprises along the way.P.S. Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.