Martinique’s appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) is perhaps the best-known regulation in the rum world of rum. Less known is that Guadeloupe, its sister French overseas department also has its own regulations, in the form of a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), which I translated into English and summarized here. If that weren’t obscure enough for French West Indies... Continue Reading →
US TTB to Allow 700 ml bottles – American Drinkers Rejoice
In a surprising move, the US TTB announced today (Dec. 28th, 2020) they will soon expand the set of “standards of fill” for wine and distilled spirits. While this sounds bureaucratic and sleep inducing, its huge news for distilled spirits enthusiasts (including my rum geek friends), who will benefit from more access to bottlings which... Continue Reading →
Rum Label Transparency: Quantifying Enthusiast’s Desires
Rum label transparency is of substantial interest to many enthusiasts. No, not whether you can see through the label or not. Rather, transparency in exactly how the rum was made. While the rum world has made great strides towards greater transparency recently, there’s still a great distance for brands to travel. Information disclosure is still... Continue Reading →
British Navy Rum Ration Hijinks
Stories about the British Navy’s daily rum ration inevitably include imagery of sailors lined up at the grog tub, emblazoned with “God Save the Queen” - or “King”, if you go back far enough. It suggests that sailors were anxiously awaiting their mix of rum and water (“grog”), eager to consume it straightaway. However, sailors... Continue Reading →
The 1969 Ministry of Defence Signal Ending the British Navy Rum Ration
July 31st, 1970 -- a day that lives in infamy as Black Tot day. It was on this day that British navy sailors received their final daily rum ration, something dear since its 1731 establishment. These days, every July 31st is an annual occasion for enthusiasts and marketers to tell the remarkable story of British... Continue Reading →
Pusser’s Rum Charles Tobias On the Record: Part Two
What follows is part two of my interview with Charles Tobias, the U.S. marine aviator, technology CEO, and globe-crossing sailor who created the Pusser’s Rum brand in 1979, based on the British Royal Navy’s rum recipe. Part One of the interview delves into Charles’ background and his approach to the British navy to get the... Continue Reading →