In 1751, Severo Arango Y Ferro journeyed from Spain to the port city of Cartagena, situated in northern Colombia. Ferro had been sent to Columbia by the King, and was asked to establish and oversee commercial trading activities between Spain and its American colonies. Ferro proved himself to be an able and ruthless statesman and under his leadership, the city of Cartagena became a hub of economic activity and the most important port for the Spanish fleet in the Americas. Ferro's strength and power also earned him the nickname "Dictador." Dictador was partial to a variety of rums that were being distilled in the Caribbean at the time, many of which passed through Cartagena on their way to Spain. In 1913, over 150 years after Ferro initially arrived in Colombia, one of his descendants established Destileria Columbiana. Today, the distillery honors the legacy of its founding ancestors with Dictador Rum. Dictador XO Insolent Solera System Rum is made from the virgin nectar of raw sugar canes. Once the nectar has been fermented, it is distilled through a stainless steel alembic still and solera-aged in casks that were previously used to mature Jerez and Port. Solera aging is a process that has generally been reserved for aging cognacs, ports and sherries. It involves filling a series of casks at different intervals over a long period of time. As rum from the oldest cask is emptied and bottled, the cask is re-filled with an equivalent amount of rum from the second-oldest cask in the solera. This cascading effect continues until the youngest cask in the solera is filled with new rum. As a result, no cask in the solera is ever fully emptied. In addition, as the younger rum cascades through the solera, its average age and complexity gradually increases over time. As a result of this aging process, Dictador Insolent has a deep mahogany color, along with an aroma of honey, caramel, dark chocolate and wood tannins. Notes of rich brown sugar, milk chocolate and dried fruits dominate the palate, and lead to a finish accented by touches of papaya, bananas, cloves and vanilla. Dictador Insolent earned the Silver Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2012.

Cuvèe Homére Rhum Vieux is distilled from sugarcane juice as is typical in Martinique and proudly wears the “AOC Martinique” designation signifying an exemplary degree of expertise in every stage of production.

TASTING NOTES

Color: Mahogany

Maturation: An expert blend of the best ex-Bourbon barrels from 7-15 years old as chosen by cellar master Robert Peronet.

Nose: Warm biscuits and almond butter evolve into baking spice.

Palate: Very soft and balanced. Overwhelming notes of woody vanilla and toasted coconut.

Situated over 1,000 feet above sea level in southwestern Guatemala, the Ron Zacapa Plantation enjoys generous amount of sunlight and mineral-rich, volcanic soils, making it ideal for the cultivation of fresh, raw sugar cane. There, expert farmers many of whom have been tending to the land for decades carefully analyze the sugar cane as it matures on the estate, harvesting only the canes that are rich in sucrose and fiber and lacking in impurities. While most rums are made using molasses, which is a byproduct of refining sugar cane, Ron Zacapa Rum is made using virgin sugar cane honey. The virgin sugar cane honey is extracted from the first pressing of raw sugar cane harvested on the Zacapa Plantation, and lends a luxurious, smooth texture to the rum. Once the honey has been extracted, it is fermented with a unique strain of pineapple yeast before being distilled through a single column still lined with copper. Following distillation, Ron Zacapa Gran Reserva Sistema Solera 23 Rum is solera-aged through a series of casks that were previously used to mature bourbon, sherry and Pedro Ximnez wine. Solera aging is a process that has generally been reserved for aging cognacs, ports and sherries. It involves filling a series of casks at different intervals over a long period of time. As rum from the oldest cask is emptied and bottled, the cask is re-filled with an equivalent amount of rum from the second-oldest cask in the solera. This cascading effect continues until the youngest cask in the solera is filled with new rum. As a result, no cask in the solera is ever fully emptied. In addition, as the younger rum cascades through the solera, its average age and complexity gradually increases over time. As a result of this solera-aging process, Ron Zacapa Gran Reserva Rum has notes of dark figs, raisins, candied nuts and dried fruits. In addition, the solera used to age the rum is situated in the highlands of Quetzaltenango, 7500 feet above sea level. The thinner air and lower atmospheric pressure at "the solera above the clouds" intensifies the maturation process, and creates a more complex, layered rum. Once the rum has cascaded through the solera, Lorena Vazquez Ron Zacapa's master blender blends together rum that has matured for up to 23 years. "I like things to have a structure, to be complex," says Vazquez, "so when you sip a rum, you're going to discover it, and it should surprise you." Ron Zacapa Gran Reserva Sistema Solera 23 Rum has a light mahogany color, along with an aroma of sweet caramel, vanilla, cacao beans and butterscotch. The aroma opens up to notes of sweet honey, raisined fruit and apricots on the palate, which are well-complemented by notes of oak, coffee, leather and tobacco. The finish, which lingers just enough, ends with a touch caramel. The rum earned a score 97 points from the Beverage Tasting Institute, and won five consecutive Gold Medals at the International Rum Festival, where it was ultimately inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Situated along the northern coast of South America, Guyana was colonized by the Netherlands in the early 17th century. Much like other European countries at the time, the Dutch used their settlement's tropical climate Guyana enjoys an average temperature of up to 89.6 F and up to 137.8 inches of rain annually as a source of raw, fresh ingredients that were unable to be harvested on the European continent. In 1658, Guyana began exporting sugar back to the Netherlands and within a decade, farmer's along the Demerara River began distilling their excess cane sugar into rum. By the turn of the century, the tiny Caribbean country had over 300 unique distilleries. Today, Demerara Distillers Co. the last remaining rum distillery in the country pays homage to Guyana's rich tradition of distilling fine rum with El Dorado 12 Year Old Rum. El Dorado Rum is made from fresh, raw sugar cane cultivated in Guyana's rich, alluvial soil. After the sugar cane has been harvested by hand, it is transported back to Demerara Distillery by barge. There, the molasses is fermented with a proprietary strain of yeast specifically designed to control the Brix of the wash (Brix is the measure of dissolved solids in a solution). Following fermentation, the rum is distilled through Demerara Distillers' antique wooden and copper stills (the stills, which are up two centuries old, were used when the country was still a settlement). El Dorado 12 Year Old Rum is matured in bespoke, 45-gallon American oak casks for a minimum of twelve years. The hand-coopered barrels are allowed to mature in a custom-built warehouse, where Guyana's intense heat and tropical climate forces the rum and wood to mingle. Th rum has a smoky, savory aroma, with hints of oak, cinnamon and caramelized oranges. Notes of tropical fruits, banana bread and coconuts dominate the palate, and are complemented by touches of tobacco, cedar and woody spice, and lead to a long, caramel finish. El Dorado 12 Year Old Rum earned the Gold Medal and the title "Best in Class" at the International Wine and Spirits Competition in 2011. In addition, it was named on the "Top 10 List" by the The New York Times. 

"Kirk and Sweeney was the name of a wooden schooner that was best known for smuggling rum from the Caribbean to the United States during Prohibition," says August Sebastiani, President of 35 Maple Street Distillery. Just before it entered the territorial waters of the United States, the schooner would drop anchor and sell the rum to smaller boats which would come up alongside the Kirk and Sweeney. The smaller boats, which were faster and more maneuverable than the boats in the Coast Guard's fleet, would smuggle the rum ashore. As other boats followed suit, the edge of U.S. jurisdiction the line where boats like the Kirk and Sweeney dropped anchor became known as the "Rum Line" and the row of ships waiting to sell rum on the Rum Line were said to be anchored on "Rum Row." Kirk and Sweeney 12 Year Old Rum is a rum crafted in the Dominican Republic from raw sugarcane. After being distilled, the rum is aged for twelve years in American oak casks. As a result, it has deep mahogany color along with an aroma of earthy sugar cane and vanilla. The initial flavors of sweet nectar and honey give way to notes of oak and toffee. The finish, which is bold and ripe, ends with a smooth vanilla kick. "Playing off the concept of global navigation," says Sebastiani, "we silkscreened an antique nautical map of the main rum smuggling route around the circumference of the bottle"of Kirk and Sweeney Rum. In addition, the neck of the bottle is hand-numbered with the rum's batch and bottle number, while a photo of the Kirk and Sweeney and the bottle's safety seal are printed to look like authentic nautical brass. "The overall design serves as a reminder of the risk so many were willing to take for a good taste of rum during the 1920s," says Sebastiani. Kirk and Sweeney 12 Year Old Rum earned a score of 95 points from Wine Enthusiast, which named it one of the Top 50 Spirits of 2013, and was called one of the Best New Rums of 2013 by Liquor.com. 

Banks Rum is named for the botanist Sir Joseph Banks, an adventurer who sailed with Captain Cook in the mid 18th century. The 5 Island blend is composed of 21 rums from 5 different islands - Trinidad, Jamaica, Guyana, Barbados, and Java, each lending their own unique style, flavors and character. The final formula was created by Master Blender Arnaud de Trabuc, who uses a combination of pot-stilled and column-stilled rums, charcoal filtered for clarity.

TASTING NOTES

"This super funky rum is clear, however the depth of flavor would suggest otherwise. It manages to reveal the rich, blackstrap molasses of the Jamaican rum, mixed with the earthiness of Guyanese, the fruitiness of Barbados, the bitterness of Batavia Arak from Java and the lightness from Trinidad rum to smooth it all out. The flavors are strong and rich, allowing it to be sipped neat, but it's a favorite with bartenders because of its flavor impact in cocktails."

In 1820, Don Juan Sebastian Serralls emigrated from Spain and arrived in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico. After living frugally and saving carefully for many years, Serralls began a small family in the city. Four decades later, his son founded Hacienda Teresa a sugar plantation just outside the city borders. Situated in southern part of Puerto Rico, Hacienda Teresa enjoys generous amounts of sunlight and large flatlands, making it ideal for the cultivation of fresh, juicy sugarcane. In 1865, the Serralls family began distilling the excess sugar cane harvested from Hacienda Teresa into rum. Today, Felix J. Serralls, Jr. a third generation master distiller continues to shepherd his family legacy forward. Don Q Gran Aejo Rum is made from freshly harvested sugar cane, which is crushed before being fermented using a proprietary strain of yeast (the Serralls family has been using the same strain of yeast for over 75 years). Following fermentation, the rum is distilled five times before being matured in American white oak casks. "The interaction of wood and rum matures and mellows the spirit, as well as endows our Gran Aejo with a luxurious golden color," says Serralls. "Our Gran Aejo contains rums aged between 3 and 12 years, creating a balance between sweet and dry that you won't get in other spirits." Once the rums have been aged and blended together, Don Q Gran Aejo Rum is brought to proof with water from the Ro Inabn (in 1898, the family was granted exclusive rights to use water from the river for their rum). The Inabn River travels through Puerto Rico's volcanic mountains and as a result, contributes a slightly earthy and mineral flavor profile to the rum. Don Q Gran Aejo Rum has an aroma of caramelized oranges, citrus zest and herbal vegetables. The aroma gives way to notes of tropical fruits, caramel and vanilla on the palate, and finishes with hints of salty minerals, molasses and coconuts. The rum has won numerous awards, including the Double Gold Medal at the Beverly Hills Competition in 2013 (where it was named "Best in Show"), the Five Star Diamond Award from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences and the Platinum Medal at the 2013 Sip Competition. In addition, it earned a score of 96 points at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge in 2014, which named it the Best Rum in the World.

We find it hard to do anything halfway. So when we make our Very Special Old Reserve blend, we really go all out. We wanted it to be rich, have a great body, a nice smell, an exceptional taste and leave a nice feeling in your mouth. It was not easy, but we managed to get it done. This well-aged, premium rum has it all - a beautiful mahogany colour, a lovely toffee, vanilla and oak aroma, a taste suggestive of bourbon and vanilla and a warm oak aftertaste. Yes, it is hard work and takes time… but it is worth it.

​

Known as COCKSPUR 12 in select markets.

In 1778, the HMS Resolution, commanded by Captain James Cook, made landfall on the island of Kaua'i, the oldest island in the Hawaiian archipelago. Cook was the first European to visit the Hawaiian islands, and his sailors undoubtedly exhausted from a long and arduous journey are believed to have introduced the concept of rum to the Hawaiians. Within a few years, Hawaii's first successful sugar plantation was established near the town of Koloa on the island of Kaua'i. "In many ways, this is where it all began," says Robert Gunter, master distiller at Koloa Rum Corporation. Each Koloa Rum is made exclusively from raw sugar cane crystals, which are grown on the island of Kaua'i. The island's rich, volcanic soil, along with its temperate climate, produce naturally flavorful and dense sugar cane. In addition, unlike most distilleries which use molasses in order to produce rum, Gunter only uses raw sugar cane crystals, which contain naturally higher concentrations of sucrose and minerals. "It just creates a better rum," says Gunter. After purchasing the sugar crystals from the Gay & Robinson Sugar Plantation (situated on the western part of the island), Gunter ferments the sugar using a proprietary strain of yeast he sourced from Guadeloupe, an island in the French Caribbean. "Never underestimate the importance of yeast in producing a quality rum." Following fermentation, the wash is twice-distilled through Koloa Rum's vintage, 1210-gallon, hybrid copper pot and column still. The still, which was originally manufactured in Pennsylvania shortly after World War II, was previously used to distill bourbon in Kentucky. During distillation, Gunter forces the alcohol vapors to pass through the column's seven plates. As the alcohol vapor rises, it is stripped of impurities and becomes more concentrated. In order to create Koloa Gold Rum, Gunter infuses the rum with carmalized sugar following distillation. Koloa Gold Rum has a vivid golden color, along with notes of sugar cane, candied apples, maple and vanilla that lead to a caramel finish. The rum earned the Silver Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2012 and at the International Rum Festival in 2013. In order to create Koloa Spice Rum, Gunter infuses the rum with carmalized sugar, natural vanilla and a proprietary blend of herbs and spices following distillation. Golden wheat in color, Koloa Spice Rum has hints of allspice, cinnamon and cake, and finishes with a touch vanilla. The rum earned the Silver Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2012, and the Bronze Medal at the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival in 2011. In order to create Koloa Dark Rum, Gunter infuses the rum with a completely unique set of herbs and spices, which gives the rum its signature deep mahogany color, and contribues notes of crme br?le, vanilla and caramelized oranges to the rum. Koloa Dark Rum earned the Gold Medal at the Miami Rum Renissance Festival in 2011, where it was named "Best in Class." Once each rum has been infused with the requisite ingredients, Gunter brings the rum to proof using water sourced from Mt. Waialeale, one of the wettest spots on earth. "The water is captured during rainfall and is slowly filtered through layers of volcanic strata before reaching these vast, underground aquifers," says Gunter. "That's what adds the unique taste and mouthfeel to our rum." Once the rum is brought to proof, each bottle is filled and labeled by hand. 

In 1778, the HMS Resolution, commanded by Captain James Cook, made landfall on the island of Kaua'i, the oldest island in the Hawaiian archipelago. Cook was the first European to visit the Hawaiian islands, and his sailors undoubtedly exhausted from a long and arduous journey are believed to have introduced the concept of rum to the Hawaiians. Within a few years, Hawaii's first successful sugar plantation was established near the town of Koloa on the island of Kaua'i. "In many ways, this is where it all began," says Robert Gunter, master distiller at Koloa Rum Corporation. Each Koloa Rum is made exclusively from raw sugar cane crystals, which are grown on the island of Kaua'i. The island's rich, volcanic soil, along with its temperate climate, produce naturally flavorful and dense sugar cane. In addition, unlike most distilleries which use molasses in order to produce rum, Gunter only uses raw sugar cane crystals, which contain naturally higher concentrations of sucrose and minerals. "It just creates a better rum," says Gunter. After purchasing the sugar crystals from the Gay & Robinson Sugar Plantation (situated on the western part of the island), Gunter ferments the sugar using a proprietary strain of yeast he sourced from Guadeloupe, an island in the French Caribbean. "Never underestimate the importance of yeast in producing a quality rum." Following fermentation, the wash is twice-distilled through Koloa Rum's vintage, 1210-gallon, hybrid copper pot and column still. The still, which was originally manufactured in Pennsylvania shortly after World War II, was previously used to distill bourbon in Kentucky. During distillation, Gunter forces the alcohol vapors to pass through the column's seven plates. As the alcohol vapor rises, it is stripped of impurities and becomes more concentrated. In order to create Koloa Spice Rum, Gunter infuses the rum with carmalized sugar, natural vanilla and a proprietary blend of herbs and spices following distillation. Golden wheat in color, Koloa Spice Rum has hints of allspice, cinnamon and cake, and finishes with a touch vanilla. The rum earned the Silver Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2012, and the Bronze Medal at the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival in 2011. Once each rum has been infused with the requisite ingredients, Gunter brings the rum to proof using water sourced from Mt. Waialeale, one of the wettest spots on earth. "The water is captured during rainfall and is slowly filtered through layers of volcanic strata before reaching these vast, underground aquifers," says Gunter. "That's what adds the unique taste and mouthfeel to our rum." Once the rum is brought to proof, each bottle is filled and labeled by hand.

In 1908, Don Jose Varela Blanco, a young Spanish entrepreneur, opened the first sugar mill in Pes just five years after Panama seceded from Colombia. With the encouragement and help of his three eldest sons, he began distilling spirits in 1936 in the same town where it all began. Today, Luis J. Varela, Jr. is the third generation of the Varela family running the company. "Our brand is the expression of our long and passionate quest to produce the finest aged rum in the world," Varela says. While rum is aged across different regions of the world, the rum distilled in Pes is uniquely flavorful due to the climate in Panama.The tropical rainfall, humid days and breezy nights add character and personality to the development of the rum.In addition, the Varela family controls the entire rum-making process from grain to glass they grow, hand-pick and hand-harvest their own sugar cane, distill it into rum and age it in used, bourbon white oak casks in Pes.Their commitment to making the finest rum in the world earned them a gold medal at the 2009 Ministry of Rum Tasting Competition and a double gold medal at the 2010 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Distilled in a four-column still and aged for a minimum of seven years, Ron Abuelo Anejo 7 Aos has a nose of toffee and butterscotch and notes of vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and oak. "Abuelo means grandfather in Spanish, and the old man image on our labels reflects the essence of this brand: heritage and tradition," says Varela Jr.

Pyrat Rum is a brand owned by owned by Patrn Spirits, and was released in 1997. The company is not a distiller, but rather a blender of spirits. Pyrat Rum was previously produced by the Anguilla Rums Company, but is now produced and bottled in Guyana South America, in the Diamond Bottling Plant owned by Demerara Distillers Ltd. (DDL). Pyrat XO Reserve, is a blend of 9 different Rums, sourced from all over the Carribean, primarily consisting of 2-year-old Demerara rum. Demerara rum is produced by DDL, which produces well over 20 million liters of rum a year. Though they have their own label, El Dorado, their rum is also commonly used in blends like Pyrat XO Reserve. The Diamond Bottling Plant -which is owned by DDL- has its own private bottling line within the plant itself. The rum in Pyrat XO Reserve is partly produced in a traditional pot still, and a portion of the blend is produced using Demerara Distillers High Ester Still, which is a John Dore Still. The oldest rum in the Pyrat Rum XO blend is 15-years-old, and all of the XO rum is aged in a combination of American Oak and French Limousine oak casks. Bottled at 40%, ABV Pyrat XO has a stout corked bottle said to resemble the type of bottles used by Caribbean rum runners, ship captains, and pirates in the 19th century. This XO Reserve has a dark amber color. It is sweet on the nose with notes of molasses, toffee, citrus, and spice. The palate is sugary, with signature bright citrus notes of orange liqueur and lemon, and tobacco. The deep flavors of Demerara rum are also present. It has a long finish with hints of ginger and cinnamon.

Situated along the northern coast of South America, Guyana was colonized by the Netherlands in the early 17th century. Much like other European countries at the time, the Dutch used their settlement's tropical climate Guyana enjoys an average temperature of up to 89.6 F and up to 137.8 inches of rainfall annually as a source of raw, fresh ingredients that were unable to be harvested on the European continent. In 1658, Guyana began exporting sugar back to the Netherlands and within a decade, farmer's along the Demerara River began distilling their excess cane sugar into rum. By the turn of the century, the tiny Caribbean country had over 300 unique distilleries. Today, Demerara Distillers Co. the last remaining rum distillery in the country pays homage to Guyana's rich tradition of distilling fine rum with El Dorado 8 Year Old Rum. El Dorado Rum is made from fresh, raw sugar cane cultivated in Guyana's rich, alluvial soil. After the sugar cane has been harvested by hand, it is transported back to Demerara Distillery by barge. There, the molasses is fermented with a proprietary strain of yeast specifically designed to control the brix of the wash (brix is the measure of dissolved solids in a solution). Following fermentation, the rum is distilled through Demerara Distillers antique wooden and copper stills (the stills, which are up two two centuries old, were used when the country was still a settlement). Following distillation, El Dorado 8 Year Old Rum is matured in bespoke, 45-gallon American oak casks that were previously used to mature whiskey. The hand-coopered barrels are allowed to mature in a custom-built warehouse, where Guyana's intense heat and tropical climate forces the rum and wood to mingle. Once the rum has rested for a minimum of eight years, it is brought to proof and bottled by hand. The rum has a dark aroma, with hints of tobacco, caramel and toffee. Notes of stone fruits, banana, creme brulee and papaya dominate the palate, and lead to a soft and slightly sweet finish with traces of oak and butterscotch. The rum was named the Best Rum of 2014 by F. Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal, which also named it one of the top ten spirits of the year. In addition, El Dorado 8 Year Old was named the second best rum at the Imbibe Magazine tasting competition in London.

Born in southern Burgundy, Alexandre Gabriel spent his youth working on his family's farm in central France. His grandfather, a strict disciplinarian, taught Alexandre how to graft a tree, milk a cow and harvest grapes. "For my grandfather, the only wealth is the one from the land," says Alexandre, fondly. After studying at the Macalester College in Minnesota and earning a degree in Lyon, Gabriel began working with Maison Ferrand, one of the oldest cognac houses in France. During his tenure at Maison Ferrand, Gabriel would dispose of used cognac casks by selling them to distilleries in Scotland and the Caribbean. "Our love affair with true rum began when we sold the prized casks that once held our Cognac to rum producers, and we fell in love with their product," says Alexandre. Centuries ago, Caribbean rum producers would send casks of rum to Europe and the United States, where the rum would mature before it was bottled and sold to the public. This is a practice that was done more commonly in the past but has almost disappeared now. We thought who better than Ferrand, with our know-how and exceptional casks, to resurrect this ancient technique." Plantation Grande Rserve 5 Year Old Rum was initially distilled on the island of Barbados and then matured for five years in ex-bourbon casks that were laid to rest in the Caribbean. Following this maturation process, the rum was transported to France and matured in used French oak casks at the Chteau de Bonbonnet. This secondary maturation adds hints of oaky vanilla, fudge and caramel that complement the rum's intense notes of tropical fruits, bananas, toasted almonds, brown sugar and coconuts. Plantation Grande Rserve 5 Year Old Rum earned a score of 94 points from Wine Enthusiast.

Clément VSOP Rhum Vieux is distilled from sugarcane juice as is typical in Martinique and proudly wears the “AOC Martinique” designation signifying an exemplary degree of expertise in every stage of production.

TASTING NOTES

Color: Mahogany

Maturation: 4 years of tropical aging in ex-Bourbon and French oak

Nose: Aromatic notes of mocha, cocoa, salted toffee and vanilla.

Palate: Very soft and balanced. Overwhelming notes of woody vanilla and toasted coconut.

According to a 2013 poll by WIN/Gallup International Association, Colombia is the happiest country on earth Parce founders (and brothers) Brian, Jim and Patrick Powers hypothesize that this has something to do with the rum. Upon travelling to Colombia, the three brothers were taken by the country's beauty, culture, and the warmth and hospitality of its people, and they wanted to share the time-honored Colombian tradition of celebrating quality rum with others. "In South America, they would be drinking rum much more as a sipping rum, enjoying the complexity and character Certainly sipping rums have existed here [in the United States], but I dont think there's been much awareness of them, and we thought maybe we could get the sipping rum on the map here, too." The Powers brothers were inspired to go into business together by their father, and they found the perfect partners for their venture in another family business the father-and-son duo of master blenders from Bogota, Colombia, Arthur and Brojen Fenandes Domecq. Together, Arthur and Brojen have over 50 years combined experienced working with rum, and the Domecq family boasts nearly three centuries of history crafting traditional wine, sherry and brandy in the south of Spain (Brojen's grandfather, Jose Ignacio Domecq, was known in the industry as "La Nariz" the nose for his expertise in sniffing and blending). Parce 8 Year Old Straight Colombian Rum is crafted from sugar cane carefully selected from both local (San Cristobal) and foreign (Barbados, Trinidad) sources, all of which is harvested manually every season. Under the guidance of master blenders Arthur and Brojen Fenandes Domecq, the sugar cane is processed and then fermented with natural spring water and homegrown yeast for 36 to 48 hours. Once fermented into "cane wine," the resulting spirit is distilled through a stainless steel, 4-column still each still produces a slightly different unaged spirit for use in the final aging and blending process. The spirit is then transferred to spent, charred American oak casks where it is aged for eight years before being bottled in the lush Andean mountains of Quindo, Colombia. Parce 8 Year Old Straight Colombian Rum has an exquisite aroma of cherries and candied fruit, which leads to a playful palate filled with light vanilla sweetness along with notes of almonds and toasted coconut. The finish is accented by a subtle oakiness and more hints of cherries, dark chocolate, whipped cream and baking spices. Parce 8 Year Old Straight Colombian Rum won a Gold Medal at the 2012 Ministry of Rum Tasting Competition.

Kirk and Sweeney was the name of a wooden schooner that was best known for smuggling rum from the Caribbean to the United States during Prohibition," says August Sebastiani, President of 35 Maple Street Distillery. Just before it entered the territorial waters of the United States, the schooner would drop anchor and sell the rum to smaller boats which would come up alongside the Kirk and Sweeney. The smaller boats, which were faster and more maneuverable than the boats in the Coast Guard's fleet, would smuggle the rum ashore. As other boats followed suit, the edge of U.S. jurisdiction the line where boats like the Kirk and Sweeney dropped anchor became known as the "Rum Line" and the row of ships waiting to sell rum on the Rum Line were said to be anchored on "Rum Row." Kirk and Sweeney 18 Year Old Rum is a rum crafted in the Dominican Republic from raw sugarcane. After being distilled, the rum is aged for 18 years in American oak casks. As a result, it has a deep amber and iridescent copper color along with an aroma of dried fruits and sweet, toasted breads. On the palate, initial hints of honey, toffee and caramelized sugar lead to subtler notes of almond and vanilla, which finally give way to bursts of figs, dried plums, caramel and sherry on the finish. "Playing off the concept of global navigation," says Sebastiani, "we silkscreened an antique nautical map of the main rum smuggling route around the circumference of the bottle" of Kirk and Sweeney Rum. In addition, the neck of the bottle is hand-numbered with the rum's batch and bottle number, while a photo of the Kirk and Sweeney and the bottle's safety seal are printed to look like authentic nautical brass. "The overall design serves as a reminder of the risk so many were willing to take for a good taste of rum during the 1920s," says Sebastiani. This limited edition 18 year old bottling builds off of the success of Kirk and Sweeney's flagship 12 year old rum, which earned a score of 95 points from Wine Enthusiast and was named one of the Top 50 Spirits of 2013.

Kirk and Sweeney was the name of a wooden schooner that was best known for smuggling rum from the Caribbean to the United States during Prohibition," says August Sebastiani, President of 35 Maple Street Distillery. Just before it entered the territorial waters of the United States, the schooner would drop anchor and sell the rum to smaller boats which would come up alongside the Kirk and Sweeney. The smaller boats, which were faster and more maneuverable than the boats in the Coast Guard's fleet, would smuggle the rum ashore. As other boats followed suit, the edge of U.S. jurisdiction the line where boats like the Kirk and Sweeney dropped anchor became known as the "Rum Line" and the row of ships waiting to sell rum on the Rum Line were said to be anchored on "Rum Row." Kirk and Sweeney 23 Year Old Rum is a rum crafted in the Dominican Republic from raw sugarcane. After being distilled, the rum is aged for 23 years in American oak casks. As a result, it has a deep amber and iridescent copper color along with an aroma of dried fruits and sweet, toasted breads. On the palate, initial hints of honey, toffee and caramelized sugar lead to subtler notes of almond and vanilla, which finally give way to bursts of figs, dried plums, caramel and sherry on the finish. "Playing off the concept of global navigation," says Sebastiani, "we silkscreened an antique nautical map of the main rum smuggling route around the circumference of the bottle"of Kirk and Sweeney Rum. In addition, the neck of the bottle is hand-numbered with the rum's batch and bottle number, while a photo of the Kirk and Sweeney and the bottle's safety seal are printed to look like authentic nautical brass. "The overall design serves as a reminder of the risk so many were willing to take for a good taste of rum during the 1920s," says Sebastiani. This limited edition 23 year old bottling builds off of the success of Kirk and Sweeney's flagship 23 year old rum, which earned a score of 95 points from Wine Enthusiast and was named one of the Top 50 Spirits of 2013.

According to a 2013 poll by WIN/Gallup International Association, Colombia is the happiest country on earth Parce founders (and brothers) Brian, Jim and Patrick Powers hypothesize that this has something to do with the rum. Upon travelling to Colombia, the three brothers were taken by the country's beauty, culture, and the warmth and hospitality of its people, and they wanted to share the time-honored Colombian tradition of celebrating quality rum with others. In South America, they would be drinking rum much more as a sipping rum, enjoying the complexity and character Certainly sipping rums have existed here [in the United States], but I dont think there's been much awareness of them, and we thought maybe we could get the sipping rum on the map here, too. The Powers brothers were inspired to go into business together by their father, and they found the perfect partners for their venture in another family business the father-and-son duo of master blenders from Bogota, Colombia, Arthur and Brojen Fenandes Domecq. Together, Arthur and Brojen have over 50 years combined experienced working with rum, and the Domecq family boasts nearly three centuries of history crafting traditional wine, sherry and brandy in the south of Spain (Brojen's grandfather, Jose Ignacio Domecq, was known in the industry as "La Nariz" the nose for his expertise in sniffing and blending). Parce 12 Year Old Straight Colombian Rum is crafted from sugar cane carefully selected from both local (San Cristobal) and foreign (Barbados, Trinidad) sources, all of which is harvested manually every season. Under the guidance of master blenders Arthur and Brojen Fenandes Domecq, the sugar cane is processed and then fermented with natural spring water and homegrown yeast for 36 to 48 hours. Once fermented into cane wine, the resulting spirit is distilled through a stainless steel, 4-column still each still produces a slightly different unaged spirit for use in the final aging and blending process. The spirit is then transferred to spent, charred American oak casks where it is aged for 12 years before being bottled in the lush Andean mountains of Quindo, Colombia. Parce 12 Year Old Straight Colombian Rum has an attractive aroma of creme brulee, toffee, dried tropical fruits and baking spices. The palate, which is medium-bodied and semi-sweet, leads to a long, meandering finish complete with notes of mocha, toasted nuts and pipe tobacco. Parce 12 Year Old Straight Colombian Rum earned a score of 92 points from the prestigious Beverage Testing Institute.