Raphael Grisoni, originally from Marseille, is the Managing Director of Mount Gay in Barbados. A fact which is often overlooked is that, although the Rémy Cointreau Group bought the Mount Gay brand in 1989, it only took over the distillery in 2014. Since then, Raphael has been…
Tag: rhum
Mount Gay goes old school
For over a year already, Mount Gay has been dabbling in a stylistic exercise: the Master Blender collection. After leaping into the future with its “Peat Smoke Expression,” the brand is peddling back in time to delve into the genesis of its distillation. We’re talking about 100%…
Marc Sassier: “La Salle is a place steeped in history with stone, fire, wood…”
Interview with Marc Sassier Rumporter: 2019 was a successful year for the distillery with, in addition to its usual business, the launch of a well-received aromatic bitters and the opening of Habitation La Salle. Can you tell us about the origins of this project and its purpose?…
Distillery spotlight: Saint James – always on the square with rum!
As the market leader of agricole rums in Martinique, and as one of its precursors, Saint James offers the widest range of agricole rums currently being produced by any distillery. However, it has taken more than 250 years of history to achieve this undeniable success… with its…
Focus on the distillery: Long Pond, secrets of the phoenix of Jamaica
Despite its age, the history of this mythical Jamaican distillery is mostly unknown. Its rums were never marketed under its own name, except very recently, and it almost disappeared in a fire in July 2018. And yet it has made more than one humble enthusiast dream, beginning…
Glen Moray partners with Saint James Rums to create a new finish
Glen Moray Scotch whisky welcomes a new addition to the Elgin Curiosity range: a single malt finished in agricole rum barrels. After tinkering with a “rum finish” whisky last year aged in Depaz rum barrels, it’s now Saint James’ turn. The Scotch has spent two years in…
Saint James Bitters: Stephen Martin launches his own bitters
Our dear Global Brand Ambassador, Stephen Martin has rolled up his sleeves and has presented his favourite brand with a bitters worthy of its name! He asked himself the legitimate question “Why should signature cocktails be made with bitters produced by a brand that competes with our…
The Spirit Business 2019: Trois Rivieres and Maison La Mauny crowned winners in agricole rum category
It is always interesting, or amusing, to discover what appeals to our British neighbours. The Spirits Business unveiled the winners of its awards in early March. While some products have no brand presence in France (or a very limited one), others are more familiar and highly appreciated on…
Trois Rivières launches its “The Bar Editions Range”
Trois Rivières rums are expanding their presence in the mixology and bar world by offering a new range of rums – exclusively to bartenders. Daniel Baudin, cellar master at Trois Rivières, has surpassed himself in proposing these new products: “55 Origins”, “Double Wood”, “Cannes Brûlées” (Charred Canes)…
HSE Rums: The Fount of All Understanding 3/3
Read part one of the interview here Meeting between Cyrille Lawson, one of HSE Rum’s figureheads and Cyrille Mald, for a frank exchange on the production secrets that lie behind HSE’s treasures. Cyrille Mald: You said that at the molecular level, if you add water, this increase…
HSE Rums: The Fount of All Understanding 2/3
Read part one of the interview here Meeting between Cyrille Lawson, one of HSE Rum’s figureheads and Cyrille Mald, for a frank exchange on the production secrets that lie behind HSE’s treasures. Cyrille Mald: Let’s move on to the second batch: The Marquis de Terme 2, which…
HSE Rums: The Fount of All Understanding 1/3
Meeting between Cyrille Lawson, one of HSE Rum’s figureheads and Cyrille Mald, for a frank exchange on the production secrets that lie behind HSE’s treasures. We may as well be totally complicit in addressing all these little mysteries, possibly as never before, and reveal the secrets behind…
Patience is the key to paradise! Interview with Daniel Baudin (Trois Rivieres, La Mauny)
If there is one job that fascinates in the world of rum, it is that of cellar master! For me, growing and aging rums is an art and for good reason: a rum’s DNA has its origins in its terroir. Then there’s the variety of cane that…
HSE: The Program of Cheerfulness
The most certain mark of wisdom is cheerfulness.¹ ¹ Montaigne, Essays These are 5 new HSE expressions, which wisdom dictates will bring you certain enjoyment. HSE Cuvée 2016, White Rum – 50° Rich on the palate (naphtha and citrus caviar) becoming enchanting (mango, white pepper). Hints of…
HSE Rums: Two Cask Strengths that give all they’ve got!
HSE Rums unveil two products: two Cask Strengths to complement the “Expert Cask” range. After fifteen or so years of research and development, HSE brings us two rums whose aromatic profiles are quite distinct, thanks to the different technical characteristics of the selected casks. Indeed, the origin…
“Over 300 years experience in serving our clients” – rendez-vous with Raphael Grisoni
Interview with Raphael Grisoni by Allen Smith Rumporter: Without entering the specialist debate on the birthplace of rum, Mount Gay is in any case one of the very first rum distilleries and the only one that can boast of being documented for over 300 years. What does…
Mount Gay, the summit of Barbados
On this island, the birthplace of rum, as Barbados has been called for centuries, Mount Gay is a must-see landmark. This coral island, as flat as a pancake or almost – its highest point, Mount Hillaby “culminates” at 336 m – Barbados offers little in the way…
HSE Rums: Two great vintage white rums coming your way
HSE Rums have brought out two new products this autumn: their first plot-specific rum and a 2016 cuvée. Beware! Great vintages coming your way! HSE – Rhum blanc Agricole – Parcellaire #1 A handful of very lucky people were able to taste this at the last Rhum…
Alexandre Gabriel: the reopening of the ancestral Long Pond distillery, a highly emotional moment
Jamaica… an island lost in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba and off the coast of Haiti. Colonized in 1494 by the Spanish, the island officially became English in 1670 and finally gained independence in 1962 and remains part of the Commonwealth.
HSE unveils Ragtime!
HSE further complements its range with its Ragtime but before talking about the product, let’s talk about the name… Ragtime is an African-American musical genre and a precursor to jazz, with its origins in 1900s America. Listen to an excerpt from Scott Joplin below: Not bad, eh?…
Tasting of 2 HSE Wine Finishes: a feat of strength
Tasting of 2 HSE wine Finish : a feat of strength - Château Marquis de Terme Finish 2005 & Sauternes Finish 2005.
Artificial Intelligence’s rum : Interview with Ian Burrell
In an interesting move for the British rum market, Virgin Holiday has begun production of their own blend - ‘the Virgin Holiday Spirit’ - once again proving that rum is the ambassador of tourism. But of course busy Richard Branson and his team didn’t just follow the…
Rhumbellion: round 2 of the competition from Trois Rivières Rhum Agricole
Boosted by the success of this first competition, which attracted 200 barmen from all over the globe, Trois Rivières is dusting off the shakers and launching the second edition. And we’re delighted!
Tasting 3 Trois Rivières Single Casks
Tasting 3 Trois Rivières Single Casks: Trois Rivières Single Cask 2004 ex-Bourbon barrels, Single Cask 2006 & Cask Strength 2006.
Trois Rivières: from the plantation to the still
Thanks to Rhum, this little Martinique hamlet has become famous around the world - even if its distillery has been out of action since 2004. But the 120 ha plantation still provides its sugarcane juice, and the two distillation columns are still active on the Riviere-Pilote site,…
Mount Gay, noblesse oblige
Barbados, dubbed the birthplace of rum, required a lord to play the role of its illustrious representative, a role that history gave to Sir John Gay Alleyne, particularly since Mount Gay is the oldest rum distillery in the world. And yet it could have been given many…
An upmarket move for Maison La Mauny
Whilst in 2014 the BBS group decided to review the Trois Rivières range and, to our great pleasure, this year they have decided to revisit the products of the recently renamed Maison La Mauny.
