American Rum Report #22 — January 17, 2020
~ In This Report ~
#1: Maggie's Farm Rum readies a unique cask-finished expression of its Queen's Share rum (hint: 🍎)
#2: Montanya Distillers' latest release beats expectations, selling out in 6 weeks instead of 6 months 🙅♀️
#3: Here's a chance to taste a museum-worthy, 128-year-old bottle of American rum 🕵️
#4: Destilería Serrallés pledges $1 million for earthquake aid in Puerto Rico 🇵🇷
#5: Dented Brick Distillery is allowing the public to invest in its company (and offering a fascinating glimpse inside its financials) 📈
#6: A North Carolina rum distillery plans to shut down 🌅
#7: Quick links 🔥
#1: Maggie's Farm Rum readies a unique cask-finished expression of its Queen's Share rum (hint: 🍎)
Last year, Maggie's Farm Rum swapped one of their rum casks for an apple brandy cask from the folks at Catoctin Creek Distilling Company in Purcellville, Virginia. According to Instagram, it didn't take them long to put it to good use:
This is the first American rum finished in an apple brandy cask I can recall seeing, but the idea makes a lot of sense. It's easy to imagine how the flavors could complement each other, so I'm looking forward to hearing impressions from those who are able to grab some when it releases.
And I love seeing a proof north of 100! *flavor intensifies*
Maggie's Farm is no stranger to cask finishes, as they recently released 3-year-old expression of their base rum that was finished in sherry casks. They've previously released batches of Queen's Share rum with a variety of other cask finishes as well, though none as curiosity-inducing as an apple brandy cask.
#2: Montanya Distillers' latest release beats expectations, selling out in under 6 weeks instead of 6 months 🙅♀️
According to an Instagram post, the company's first batch of Valentia, its 4-year-old, 100% female-produced rum finished in Catoctin Creek rye barrels, has already sold out:
This was among the most heavily-covered American rum releases of 2019, so it's nice to see there was demand to match (particularly when you factor in the years of planning that went into the release).
#3: Here's a chance to taste a museum-worthy, 128-year-old bottle of American rum 🕵️
Ever wondered what rum from the first wave of American rum producers actually tasted like?
If you can make it to an upcoming event at Seattle's renowned rum bar Rumba, you can find out. They're cracking open a bottle of Daniel Lawrence's Old Medford Rum from 1892:
According to Rumba, the bottle's authenticity has been verified by cocktail and spirits historian David Wondrich. As Wondrich noted in his book Imbibe!, Daniel Lawrence's Old Medford Rum was regarded as the exception to the general consensus that New England rum of the era kind of sucked:
"The great exception here was Daniel Lawrence & Sons' Old Medford rum, a byword for quality from 1824 to 1905, when the company fell into the hands of a Lawrence who happened to be a Methodist bishop and promptly closed it."
As for a description of what the rum may have tasted like, I enjoyed this snippet from the 1881 Exhibition of the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association, which awarded the rum a silver medal:
If getting a 3/4 oz. pour from this 128-year-old bottle of Old Medford rum were the extent of the Rumba event, that would be enough. But it gets better!
Privateer Rum will also be there to provide a Medford-inspired rum punch, a flight of Privateer rums, and a presentation from president and head distiller Maggie Campbell.
I'm genuinely sad I'm not closer to Seattle.
The event is on Sunday, February 9, and you can purchase a ticket here.
#4: Destilería Serrallés pledges $1 million for earthquake aid in Puerto Rico 🇵🇷
By now, you've likely already heard about the devastating series of earthquakes that have crippled parts of Puerto Rico and displaced thousands of people from their homes.
It's yet another natural disaster in a part of the country that is unfortunately often overlooked. While it was nice to see that operations at Destilería Serrallés were relatively unaffected (production has already resumed), it was even better to see the makers of Don Q rum announce a contribution of $1 million for earthquake relief aid.
The company is currently identifying local non-profits that can help ensure the money goes directly to impacted families in Ponce and surrounding areas. Serrallés has also opened two donation collection centers in Mercedita and Guaynabo. President and CEO Philippe Brechot had this to say:
"We stand in solidarity with our communities in Ponce and the Southwest region as they confront this tragic and unprecedented disaster. The entire team at Destilería Serrallés is committed to providing a helping hand and we are confident that this contribution will help alleviate some of the suffering while providing immediate supplies and direct services to assist our local communities in need."
If you're interested in donating to earthquake relief efforts, Charity Watch has a list of vetted organizations that are actively involved.
Of those options, I quickly found that Hispanic Federation has an overview available here outlining the work its team on the ground is doing.
#5: Dented Brick Distillery is allowing the public to invest in its company (and offering a fascinating glimpse inside its financials) 📈
Dented Brick Distillery, the Salt Lake City, UT makers of Antelope Island Rum and Jan Stephenson rum, announced a special type of crowdfunding campaign that allows people to purchase future equity in the business.
This type of investment is called a SAFE (an acronym that stands for Simple Agreement for Future Equity, while also attempting to reassure you your money won't go up in flames). It was first developed by startup incubator Y Combinator in 2013. Essentially, a SAFE allows you to get equity in the company if it sells shares in a future round of financing.
Dented Brick is hoping to raise up to $1 million in order to expand production, with the eventual goal of being acquired. The masterplan is laid out on the crowdfunding page:
"We're building Dented Brick with the goal of acquisition, of being acquired by a large conglomerate distilled spirits supplier at a high multiple to earnings, which similar companies have done recently when sales reached from 40,000 to 60,000 cases."
If you're at all interested in the business side of craft spirits, I recommend checking out the page. It provides detailed financials, investor decks, and an interesting window into the business's overall strategy:
Obviously, keep in mind that the goal of the page is to convince the right people to invest. But that doesn't mean it avoids all warts (there's an entire section on risks).
#6: A North Carolina rum distillery plans to shut down 🌅
Sad news out of Knightdale, NC—Lassiter Distilling Company is closing its doors in February. The rum-focused operation opened in 2016 and produced unaged, aged, and coffee-infused expressions of its molasses-based rum. According to a Facebook post from the distillery, they're being acquired by a yet-to-be-named North Carolina distillery.
Local publication Indy Week got a few more details on the impending transition from co-founder Gentry Lassiter, revealing the hint of a silver lining:
"Gentry Lassiter was tight-lipped Monday, saying the deal was still being worked out with the other company. He hopes some of his products will continue to live on after the acquisition and is excited to take on a more creative, strategic role with the new company."
I didn't have the opportunity to try any Lassiter rums, but the company always gave me the impression of dedication. Just another reminder of how difficult this business is.
#7: Quick Links 🔥
Let's hit a few items rapid-fire before we go today:
The Fat Rum Pirate reviews Privateer's New England Bottled in Bond Rum — It includes an interesting note on why he had not reviewed Privateer rums in the past: "Another reason I had not sought out Privateer in the past is that they were producing rum from Cane Sugar – rather than molasses. Under EU ruling that would mean it is not a rum. Please note in the US it is acceptable to produce rum in this manner. I understand that Privateer are now producing rum exclusively from molasses."
(One note for clarification: Although Privateer did use crystalized cane sugar in fermentations for some of their expressions in the past, they also produced 100% molasses rums as well. However, he is correct in saying that all of their rums are now produced from 100% molasses, as I've covered in previous reports.)
Speaking of Privateer, their Queen's Share rum popped up when Punch asked bartenders for their favorite "high-end spirits" to use in cocktails — "Chu, meanwhile, is an outspoken fan of Privateer Rum The Queen’s Share ($51), which comprises distiller Maggie Campbell’s hand-selected “seconds” across multiple distillation runs; these cuts are re-distilled together, before being aged for four years. 'It makes for one of the most delicious Daiquiris,' says Chu."
Lost Spirits Distillery in LA opens a restaurant called Fish or Flesh, and it sounds every bit as off-the-wall as their mad scientist rums — From the article: "One of the nine courses is called 'The Exploding Grape.' As Davis said after we tasted the exploding grape, 'The fun part is to figure out how we got the whiskey and Pop Rocks into a grape.'"