| Neisson - Martinique French West Indies | |||
| Founded in 1931 by Jean and Adrien Neisson, the smallest distillery on Martinique has enjoyed considerable success due in large part to a unique combination of rich volcanic soil, plentiful sunshine and a family’s dedication to fine rhum. Today, Grégory Vernant, Jean Neisson’s grandson, continues the passionate work of making Neisson Rhum Agricole. Neisson Rhum Agricole has a distinct fresh sugar cane aroma and smooth finish. It is a popular drink in this part of the islands and can be found in every local rum shop. Neisson Rhum Agricole has a distinct fresh sugar cane aroma and smooth finish.
From only 40 hectares of sugar cane fields located on what is known as the Habitation Thieubert, near the coastal town of Carbet, only about 400,000 liters of Rhum Neisson are produced annually. In 2016, Neisson harvested five of the 12 varieties of sugar cane allowed by the AOC. The breakdown looked like this: R69.566 (blue cane)-75%, B64.277 (red cane)-10%, B59.92-5%, B51-129-5% and R533-5%. In the last decade the distillery has undergone extensive modernization including a new laboratory where yeast cultures are stored, an aging warehouse built to contain everything in the event of a fire and the acquisition of large, new French oak vats in which the Élevé Sous Bois rhum rests before being bottled. Hundreds of small French and American oak barrels have also been added to the aging inventory in an effort to meet the increasing demand for this much sought-after rhum. All of the Neisson rhum is distilled, aged and bottled at the distillery. | |||
 click for hi-res | Neisson Blanc 100 proof 6 Liters/case | ||
| Freshly-harvested sugar cane dominates the aroma and carries through the body highlighted with liberal citrus, fruit and floral notes.
The fresh sugar cane taste continues into the rich, clean finish
Distilled from fresh sugar cane juice grown only on the Thieubert-Carbet estate, the three day fermentation results in a superior full-flavored rhum agricole. More information at the Ministry of Rum website. | |||
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 click for hi-res | Neisson Reserve Speciale 84 proof 6 Liters/case | ||
| Neisson Rhum Agricole Réserve Spéciale is characterized by a rich aroma of dark
fruit and roasted nuts leading to a hearty body of fruit, nuts, smoky oak and vanilla
followed by hints of spice in the warm, lingering finish.
The premium rhum from Neisson, Réserve Spéciale is a blend of rhums aged up to eight years in French and American oak barrels in the distillery aging warehouse. More information at the Ministry of Rum website. | |||
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 click for hi-res | Neisson Profile 105 54.2% ABV 6 x 750ml | ||
| First bottled in 2018, Profile 105 refers to the preparation of the oak barrels. For this rum, the Neisson distillery turned to World Cooperage for the acquisition of new barrels. Numerous tests were conducted with oak from different sources and different toasting profiles. Finally, fine grained 225-liter barrels, seasoned for 36 months, made of American oak staves were selected. The toasting profile, number 105 whose characteristics are exclusive for Neisson, was retained.
Before being filled with rhum that will bear the Profile name the barrels are first filled with white rhum for four months to allow the tannins and bitterness of the new barrels to soften. On February 23, 2015, 15 barrels were filled with fresh white rhum from the Neisson and put to rest in their aging warehouse on the distillery property. In October 2016, six barrels were selected to be integrated into the 2000-liter vats to be destined for the creation of cask strength rum with the name Profile 105 having 54.2% alcohol by volume. This is the first AOC Martinique Rhum Agricole to have been aged in new American oak barrels. The soft copper hue of the spirit and light citrus, roasted coffee and balsamic notes in the aroma are the first indications that this is special rhum. Warm spice, smoky oak and dark fruit fill the body of this aged rhum, relenting to a long, rich finish of spice, coffee, fruit, sugar cane and oak. The higher proof and newer wood are evident in the finish of this aged rhum. | |||
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 click for hi-res | NEISSON SINGLE BARREL 2014 6/750ML 51% | ||
| Neisson Rhum Agricole Single Barrel 2014 was distilled in 2014 and put in a used Cognac barrels on November 25, 2014. In December 2017, the contents of several of these barrels was transferred to used American Bourbon barrels. One of these barrels was selected for this Special Bottling for Ed Hamilton.
Bottled at 51% ABV, the aroma is reminiscent of American dark spirits. The first taste reveals the complexity of aged rhum agricole with sweet hints of fruit, coconut and nutmeg. The complexity of the body follows in the finish Only 250 bottles of this rhum were bottled for Ed Hamilton at the Neisson distillery in Carbet, Martinique. | |||
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 click for hi-res | NEISSON VIEUX RHUM PAR NEISSON 6/750ML45% | ||
| Neisson Vieux par Neisson is another of the newest rhum blends from Neisson first bottled in 2018.
This rhum starting its maturation in used American bourbon barrels. Each year these barrels are tasted and then blended and put back into the bourbon barrels until they are ready to be finished in cognac barrels for about six months. After aging 36 to 60 months the rhum that has finished in cognac barrels is tasted and if it is ready it is bottled at 45% ABV to capture the essence of Neisson aged rhums. To bear the AOC Martinique Rrhum Vieux mark the rhum must be aged at least 36 months. Most of this rhum has aged much more. Tropical fruit and roasted nuts in the aroma lead to a rich palate of fruit, nutmeg, coconut, and finally followed by a slightly smoky oak finish. 45% ABV suits this aged rhum agricole well. "Elegant balance" sums up this rhum in two words. | |||
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 click for hi-res | Neisson Eleve Sous Bois | ||
| A slight oak and vanilla flavor blend with the freshly-harvested sugar cane aroma of
Neisson Rhum Agricole Éleve Sous Bois.
Rich in citrus, fruit and tropical florals, the golden color portends the oak, tropical nut and vanilla flavors in the finish. Born as Neisson Rhum Agricole Blanc, Élevé Sous Bois gains it's color during 18 months spent in new French oak vats before being bottled at the distillery.  .More information at the Ministry of Rum website. | |||
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 click for hi-res | Neisson Blanc 70% 140 proof 6x1L | ||
| During the six-month rhum making season the cane, fermentation and distillation varies. When everything is just right, Gregory Neisson puts some of this distillate aside to be bottled as l'Esprit. This spirit of Neisson is bottled at 70% ABV, only a couple of percentage points below the 72% ABV at which it is distilled.
Considered the best of Neisson, in 2013 only about 3000 liters were collected for this marque.
Lighter in character than Neisson Blanc, l'Esprit should not be underestimated. Freshly-harvested sugar cane in the aroma carries through the body highlighted with citrus, fruit and floral notes. The fresh sugar cane taste continues into the rich, clean finish. Story of Neisson pdf 4.15.2016 | |||
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 click for hi-res | Neisson Blanc 52.5 105 proof 6x1L | ||
| The best distillate of the season is bottled as L'Esprit, but a slightly larger cut is selected and bottled at 52.5% ABV, this rhum is slightly smoother than Neisson Blanc while bottled at only 2.5% more alcohol by volume. Look for citrus, tropical fruit aromas and the signature grassy finish in this overproof rhum agricole from Neisson. Story of Neisson pdf 4.15.2016 | |||
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 click for hi-res | Neisson Organic Blanc 52.5 105 proof 6 x 750ml/case | ||
| The first certified Organic AOC rhum agricole from Martinique. Organic by Neisson is bottled at 52.5% ABV. Only part of the rhum production at Neisson is certified organic and is the result of years of preparation, testing and tasting. Everything from the soil, sugar cane, yeast and final product are certified organic by Ecocert . Three varieties of sugar cane are grown for this organic product, B64 ( red cane), R583 ( Geyko cane) and B59 ( Reed cane). B64 and B59 are hybrids from Barbados while R583 is from Reunion. Organic production results in bolder sugar cane and fruit aromas, a complex body of citrus – orange/grapefruit/pineapple and a long grassy finish. Story of Neisson pdf | |||
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 click for hi-res | Neisson Single Barrel 57% ABV 6 x 750ml/case | ||
| Neisson Rhum Agricole Ed Hamilton 2015 was distilled in 2015 and put into new French Limousin oak barrels on February 23rd of that year. Each year the barrels of this vintage year were batched and the barrels were topped off with rhum from the same vintage and production. In 2018, two barrels totaling 350 liters were bottled for Ed Hamilton at just under cask strength - 57% ABV.
Baked tropical fruit lead in the aroma followed by spice and hints of smoke. The first taste is a rich entry of rich fruit, nutmeg, sweet baked plantain wrapped in a slightly smoky oak finish. Only 426 bottles of this rhum were bottled at the Neisson distillery in Carbet, Martinique. Although this is labeled single barrel, Ed Hamilton selected two barrels of this rhum for this Special Bottling of Neisson aged rhums because one barrel was just not enough. | |||
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| La Favorite - Martinique French West Indies | |||
| The La Favorite distillery, built in 1842, originally employed a water wheel to power the cane-crushing mills, the first step in sugar production.
At that time, the estate included two sugar refineries and a small rum distillery with five fermentation vats, a small boiler and copper pot still. Bankruptcy in 1875, followed by the hurricane of 1891 closed the estate until 1909 when Henri Dormoy purchased the property. Dormoy built a railway through the plantation to transport fresh cane from the surrounding countryside to the distillery where he installed a new distillation column and steam engine. Today La Favorite is one of the last two family-owned distilleries on the island and produces less than 500,000 liters of AOC rhum agricole per year. La Favorite contracts with farmers to buy sugar cane grown in the central region of Martinique near the distillery. All of the La Favorite rhums exported to the US are distilled, aged and bottled at the distillery. | |||
 click for hi-res | La Favorite Blanc 100proof 6 Liters/case | ||
| The fresh smooth aroma is accented by tropical florals, the body is rich in citrus and pear notes followed by citrus and fresh sugar cane juice in the finish.
Coeur de Canne is the heart of the sugar cane juice spirit distilled in a copper, single-column still, then rested and bottled at the distillery. The container changed in 2021 to a old-style bottle after several upgrades at the distillery including cane mills and some additional fermentation tanks. | |||
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| Duquesne - Martinique French West Indies | |||
| Named for Admiral Duquesne, the captain of the port of Martinique at the time when Martinique was the most important trading port in the Caribbean, Duquesne rhums are produced at the La Mauny distillery not far from the southeast coast of the island. Production at a larger distillery allows Duquesne rhums to be sold at less cost than the other rhums in the Caribbean Spirits portfolio. | |||
 click for hi-res | Duquesne Blanc 6 x 1Liter | ||
| The grassy notes in the aroma permeate this clear rhum agricole from the initial taste through the finish. Earthy undertones in the initial taste are reinforced through the body and into the fresh cut sugar cane finish.
More information at the Ministry of Rum website. | |||
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 click for hi-res | Duquesne ESB 6 Liters 80 proof | ||
| Burnished brass rhum agricole distilled from fermented fresh sugar cane juice. Aged 18 months in used whisky and bourbon barrels. A full-flavored aged rhum agricole with ample dark fruit, oak and spice flavors from the intial taste through the rich, viscous, slightly sweet finish. The young character of this burnished brass-colored rum lends itself to cocktails that call for an aged Martinique rhum. More information at the Ministry of Rum website. | |||
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| Petite Canne - Martinique French West Indies | |||
| Petite Canne is a brand owned by Caribbean Spirits, Inc. to fill the demand for a high quality sugar cane syrup. In 2027 Petite Shrubb was added to the offering. All of these products are produced by a long-established food supplier on Martinique. | |||
 click for hi-res | Petite Canne Sugar Cane Syrup | ||
| The preferred sugar cane syrup on Martinique. Containing 72% raw sugar, Petite Canne Sugar Cane Syrup is becoming the preferred sugar cane syrup in America. Petite Canne Sugar Cane Syrup is a traditional product of Martinique and captures the essence of the islands adding the taste of sugar cane to cocktails and desserts. Available in 500ml bottles and one liter bottles. | |||
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 click for hi-res | Petite Canne Shrubb | ||
| For centuries, locals have spiced and flavored rum in the Caribbean. On Martinique, Shrubb (local orange liqueur spelled 'bb' and made without any vinegar) is considered one of the prized drinks in almost every household. We start with La Favorite rhum agricole straight from the still and add locally grown orange peels. After macerating until the rhum just starts to take on a bitter note, the orange peeels are removed and filtered water is added slowly until the alcohol has been diluted to about 40% ABV. After the most significant part of dilution has been completed, a sugar and water mixture is added to further reduce the ABV to 35% for bottling. This is the same sugar used to make Petite Canne Sugar Cane Syrup. There are no spices or caramel coloring added to this product letting the rhum agricole preform its magic and deliver a round mouthfeel and longer finish than found in any other orange liqueur. Sip Petite Shrubb straight, over ice, or in cocktails. Shrubb will add an orange component to confection icing and desserts. Petite Shrubb is also finding favor as an ingredient in margaritas and other cocktails that call for orange liqueur. | |||
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| Diamond Distillery - Guyana | |||
 click for hi-res | Hamilton Demerara Overproof 151 proof 12 x 750ml | ||
| Hamilton Demerara Overproof is a unique blend of aged rums distilled and aged at the Diamond Distillery in Guyana and bottled at 151 proof. This rum was imported in bulk containers, then bottled at Five & 20 Distillery, Westfield, NY. This full-flavor blend of pot and continuous still rums was blended to complement tiki drinks as an ingredient and as a float on your favorite rum cocktail. | |||
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 click for hi-res | Hamilton Demerara Rum 86 proof 12 x 750ml | ||
| A unique blend of aged rums distilled and aged at the Diamond Distillery and bottled at 86 proof. This rum was imported in bulk containers then bottled at Five & 20 Distillery, Westfield, NY. This full-flavor blend of pot and continuous still rums was blended to add flavor to your favorite rum cocktail. Notes of dark fruit, roasted nuts, tobacco, smoky oak and spice in the aroma carry through the body to the lingering oak and spice in the finish. | |||
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 click for hi-res | Hamilton 151 Overproof 12 x 375ml | ||
| Hamilton Demerara Overproof is a unique blend of aged rums distilled and aged at the Diamond Distillery in Guyana and bottled at 151 proof. This rum was imported in bulk containers, then bottled at Five & 20 Distillery, Westfield, NY. This full-flavor blend of pot and continuous still rums was blended to complement tiki drinks as an ingredient and as a float on your favorite rum cocktail. | |||
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click for hi-res | Hamilton 86 proof 12 x 375ml | ||
| A unique blend of aged rums distilled and aged at the Diamond Distillery and bottled at 86 proof. This rum was imported in bulk containers then bottled at Five & 20 Distillery, Westfield, NY. This full-flavor blend of pot and continuous still rums was blended to add flavor to your favorite rum cocktail. Notes of dark fruit, roasted nuts, tobacco, smoky oak and spice in the aroma carry through the body to the lingering oak and spice in the finish. | |||
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| Worthy Park Estate - Jamaica | |||
 click for hi-res | Jamaican Pot Still Black Rum 93 proof 12 x 750ml | ||
| A blend of extra light, light and heavy pot still rums distilled from fermented molasses from the Worthy Park Estate sugar mill.
Shipped to Five & 20 Spirits in Westfield, NY in bulk tanks at 85% ABV, then diluted and colored with DS-400 cane sugar-based caramel for bottling. Worthy Park Estate Story pdf | |||
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 click for hi-res | Jamaican Pot Still Gold Rum 93 proof 12x750ml | ||
| A blend of extra light, light and heavy pot still rums distilled from fermented molasses from the Worthy Park Estate sugar mill.
Shipped to Five & 20 Spirits in Westfield, NY in 1000-liter IBC totes at 85% ABV, then diluted and colored with cane sugar-based caramel for bottling. Worthy Park Estate Story pdf 4.15.2016 | |||
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 click for hi-res | Hamilton Jamaican Pimento Dram 30% ABV 12x750ml | ||
| A blend of pot still rums distilled from fermented molasses from the Worthy Park Estate sugar mill, sugar and Jamaican Pimento, also known as allspice.
Fresh Jamaican pimento is ground and blended into a tank of light Jamaican rum from Worthy Park. After seven days, the mixture is filtered, then sugar and water are slowly added until the ABV has been lowered to 30% ABV. There is no color added to this product. After checking the flavor, ABV and color of each batch, the liqueur is bottled. Hamilton Pimento Dram adds a complex spice note to cocktails or can be sipped over ice. | |||
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 click for hi-res | Jamaican Pot Still Blonde Rum 90 proof 12 x 750ml/case | ||
| After bottling Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Gold and Black Rum and emptying some St Lucian Pot Still Rum barrels I refilled a few barrels with the base rum from Jamaica diluted to 70% ABV. This diluted base blend from Worthy Park aged about 18 months at the Five & 20 Spirits Distillery in Westfield, NY then we added about 12% one year old light rum from Worthy Park aged in Jamaica and put that blend back in the barrels to marry another five to six months. During the last month, the ABV was reduced to about 90 proof before a few barrels were batched and prepared for bottling (got the proof right, let the rum settle without filtering and tasted it a few times - for quality control.) There was no caramel or sugar added to this rum after distillation.
In the mean time, the name was finalized, the label was finished and printed. Everything in this bottle was distilled from fermented molasses from the Worthy Park Estate sugar mill and then diluted with pristine, filtered, upstate NY well-water and bottled at the Five and 20 Distillery. Only 198 cases of this rum were bottled in the first batch, but there are more barrels peacefully resting to be bottled as more Hamilton Jamaican Blonde rum or another blend later this year. Stand by, patience will be rewarded. Some things you can't hurry, rum wasn't built in a day. | |||
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click for hi-res | Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Gold Rum 93 proof 12 x 375ml/case | ||
| A blend of extra light, light and heavy pot still rums distilled from fermented molasses from the Worthy Park Estate sugar mill.
Shipped to Five & 20 Spirits in Westfield, NY in bulk tanks at 85% ABV, then diluted and colored with SB121 cane sugar-based caramel for bottling. Worthy Park Estate Story pdf | |||
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click for hi-res | Hamilton Jamaican Pimento Dram 12 x 375ml | ||
| A blend of pot still rums distilled from fermented molasses from the Worthy Park Estate sugar mill, sugar and Jamaican Pimento, also known as allspice.
Fresh Jamaican pimento is ground and blended into a tank of light Jamaican rum from Worthy Park. After seven days, the mixture is filtered, then sugar and water are slowly added until the ABV has been lowered to 30% ABV. There is no color added to this product. After checking the flavor, ABV and color of each batch, the liqueur is bottled. Hamilton Pimento Dram adds a complex spice note to cocktails or can be sipped over ice. | |||
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| West Indies distilleries - West Indies | |||
 click for hi-res | Hamilton Navy Strength 114 proof 12 x 750ml | ||
| After ignoring the pleas from bartenders from Boston to DC for a Hamilton Navy Strength rum that was more consumer-friendly than what was already on their bar this blend was finalized in Sept 2016. Although the blend is straightforward, the path was not. 40% high proof Jamaican Pot Still Rum from the Worthy Park Estate and 60% high proof aged Guyanese rums is bottled at 114 proof for spirit-forward rum cocktails. Before this blend was bottled I suggested mixing one ounce of Hamilton 151 and 0.51 ounces (a fat half ounce) of Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still rum. Although everyone who tried this blend agreed it was good, but bartenders wanted it bottled so their staff couldn't accidentally mess this up and it would be much faster for them. When it came time to bottle this product we tested blends of 60/40, 50/50 and 40/60 rums from Jamaica and Guyana and found the 60/40 Guyana/Jamaican blend to be the best. But we couldn't stop there. After blending and tasting blends of 65/35, 60/40 and 55/45 Guyana/Jamaican it was time to get to work. 60% Guyana rum at 154 proof and 40% Jamaican rum at 170 proof are blended together and slowly stirred for 48 hours before dilution to 114 proof with filtered well water at the Five & 20 Distillery in Westfield, NY. | |||
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 click for hi-res | Hamilton New York Blend 12 x 750ml | ||
| After blending Hamilton Navy Strength Rum, a New York bar group asked me to blend a rum to be mixed in their daiquiris. Sounds simple, right? Believe me if it was that simple someone would have already done it. The starting point was the 60/40 blend of Guyana and Jamaican rums that are the keys to Hamilton Navy Strength. The goal was a bottled rum at a lower proof that would be more consumer friendly. As much as bartenders and many consumers love higher proof spirits, when you're dealing with blends higher than 100 proof it can be difficult to maintain consistency in the glass as dilution is critical. After diluting my Navy Strength Blend down to 84 proof I found that 60/40 was a bit heavy with the Jamaican rum on the palate. After more tests at varying proportions and at 80 , 82 and 84 proof the blend was finalized. High proof Jamaican and Guyana aged rums are blended together and slowly stirred for 48 hours before dilution to 84 proof with filtered well water at the Five & 20 Distillery in Westfield, NY. The lower proof lets the aromas in the rum come through. Look for honeyed stone fruit in the nose followed by smoky hints of caramelized fruit. The first taste reveals smoky cedar, dark fruit, spice and more smoky fruit flavors leading into a long finish with a brine note underlying the smoky wood finish. There are a lot of daiquiri recipes and after much experimentation, tasting and drinking, here's my best shot at a recipe. I'm not a bartender and I don't play one on the internet but here's what I drink at home. One part lime juice - I use a graduated cylinder as limes don't all yield the same amount of juice One half part Petite Canne Sugar Cane Syrup - I like the flavor and it's already dissolved so there's no sugar left in the glass or shaker Two parts Hamilton New York Blend Shake with ice until you're happy Strain into a coupe and enjoy Shelf talkers to come, soon. | |||
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 click for hi-res | Hamilton West Indies 1670 Blend 12 x 750ml | ||
| First, this is the same blend as the New York Blend. But because not everyone loves NY I have printed a new label. 1670 is the year that both distilleries in this blend trace their heritage to. After blending Hamilton Navy Strength Rum, a New York bar group asked me to blend a rum to be mixed in their daiquiris. Sounds simple, right? Believe me if it was that simple someone would have already done it. The starting point was the 60/40 blend of Guyana and Jamaican rums that are the keys to Hamilton Navy Strength. The goal was a bottled rum at a lower proof that would be more consumer friendly. As much as bartenders and many consumers love higher proof spirits, when you're dealing with blends higher than 100 proof it can be difficult to maintain consistency in the glass as dilution is critical. After diluting my Navy Strength Blend down to 84 proof I found that 60/40 was a bit heavy with the Jamaican rum on the palate. After more tests at varying proportions and at 80 , 82 and 84 proof the blend was finalized. High proof Jamaican and Guyana aged rums are blended together and slowly stirred for 48 hours before dilution to 84 proof with filtered well water at the Five & 20 Distillery in Westfield, NY. The lower proof lets the aromas in the rum come through. Look for honeyed stone fruit in the nose followed by smoky hints of caramelized fruit. The first taste reveals smoky cedar, dark fruit, spice and more smoky fruit flavors leading into a long finish with a brine note underlying the smoky wood finish. There are a lot of daiquiri recipes and after much experimentation, tasting and drinking, here's my best shot at a recipe. I'm not a bartender and I don't play one on the internet but here's what I drink at home. One part lime juice - I use a graduated cylinder as limes don't all yield the same amount of juice One half part Petite Canne Sugar Cane Syrup - I like the flavor and it's already dissolved so there's no sugar left in the glass or shaker Two parts Hamilton West Indies 1670 Blend Shake with ice until you're happy Strain into a coupe and enjoy Shelf talkers to come, soon. | |||
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 click for hi-res | Hamilton White Stache 43.5% ABV 12 x 1L | ||
| In the twenty years I lived on a yacht sailing the West Indies I really enjoyed drinking some great white rums. Back in the US, I missed that clean, fresh flavor of aged molasses-based rum that had been carbon-filtered to remove the color gained during a few years spent aging in oak barrels in the tropics. In addition to the fresh flavor of the rum there was also a slight coconut note attributed to the American oak barrels in which these rums were aged. Look for a bit of ethanol on the nose as you open the bottle, if there's no ethanol on the nose when you open a full bottle of 87 proof rum something has been added. After a minute or so to breathe ripe papaya, banana and coconut aromas replace the ethanol. The body has more hints of tropical fruit, coconut with a slight vanilla note in the finish. Like so many things those rums that I enjoyed in the '90s are no longer made. In 2001, Trinidad stopped growing sugar cane commercially but continued to make rum from imported molasses, the end of an era that stretched more than two centuries. To capture those flavors and aroma that are as rare today as the elusive green flash that signaled the end of another day in paradise anchored in the lee of a West Indies island I had to blend several rums from different islands. The bulk of this rum is aged rum from Trinidad to which I blended sugar cane and molasses distillates from Guyana and Santo Domingo, as the windward half of Hispaniola is known in the islands. This high proof blend is carefully diluted with filtered, well water at the Five & 20 Distillery in Westfield, NY over five days. Only by slowly diluting the high proof spirits can the most delicate aromas and flavors be preserved. I choose the Five & 20 Distillery to bottle my rums because they are care about quality as much as I do and their water source has never been part of a municipal water supply to which chemicals such as chlorine or flourides have been added. Once diluted to 87 proof, bartenders told me they really didn't want another 80 proof clear rum, Hamilton White 'Stache is bottled only in liter bottles. Because 750 milliliters of this stuff just isn't enough. Enjoy this white rum in moderation in cocktails that call for premium white rum. While this is no substitute for rhum agricole in a 'ti punch I drink it in daiquiris and swizzles with a dash of bitters. And if you're still reading this, I want you to know there is nothing in this bottle but rum and filtered, well water. No flavors, sugar, glycerine or anything else that you might find in other spirits. And yes, this is gluten and GMO free, but I can't put that on the label due to federal regulations. It seems some Washington, DC offices are not communicating these days. Hopefully that will change in the near future. In the mean time, I hope you enjoy this rum as much as I have enjoyed bringing it to you. Cheers and Salud! | |||
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click for hi-res | Hamilton White Stache 12 x 375ml | ||
| In the twenty years I lived on a yacht sailing the West Indies I really enjoyed drinking some great white rums. Back in the US, I missed that clean, fresh flavor of aged molasses-based rum that had been carbon-filtered to remove the color gained during a few years spent aging in oak barrels in the tropics. In addition to the fresh flavor of the rum there was also a slight coconut note attributed to the American oak barrels in which these rums were aged. Look for a bit of ethanol on the nose as you open the bottle, if there's no ethanol on the nose when you open a full bottle of 87 proof rum something has been added. After a minute or so to breathe ripe papaya, banana and coconut aromas replace the ethanol. The body has more hints of tropical fruit, coconut with a slight vanilla note in the finish. Like so many things those rums that I enjoyed in the '90s are no longer made. In 2001, Trinidad stopped growing sugar cane commercially but continued to make rum from imported molasses, the end of an era that stretched more than two centuries. To capture those flavors and aroma that are as rare today as the elusive green flash that signaled the end of another day in paradise anchored in the lee of a West Indies island I had to blend several rums from different islands. The bulk of this rum is aged rum from Trinidad to which I blended sugar cane and molasses distillates from Guyana and Santo Domingo, as the windward half of Hispaniola is known in the islands. This high proof blend is carefully diluted with filtered, well water at the Five & 20 Distillery in Westfield, NY over five days. Only by slowly diluting the high proof spirits can the most delicate aromas and flavors be preserved. I choose the Five & 20 Distillery to bottle my rums because they are care about quality as much as I do and their water source has never been part of a municipal water supply to which chemicals such as chlorine or flourides have been added. Once diluted to 87 proof, bartenders told me they really didn't want another 80 proof clear rum, Hamilton White 'Stache is bottled only in liter bottles. Because 750 milliliters of this stuff just isn't enough. Enjoy this white rum in moderation in cocktails that call for premium white rum. While this is no substitute for rhum agricole in a 'ti punch I drink it in daiquiris and swizzles with a dash of bitters. And if you're still reading this, I want you to know there is nothing in this bottle but rum and filtered, well water. No flavors, sugar, glycerine or anything else that you might find in other spirits. And yes, this is gluten and GMO free, but I can't put that on the label due to federal regulations. It seems some Washington, DC offices are not communicating these days. Hopefully that will change in the near future. In the mean time, I hope you enjoy this rum as much as I have enjoyed bringing it to you. Cheers and Salud! | |||
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click for hi-res | Hamilton West Indies 1670 Blend 12 x 375ml | ||
| First, this is the same blend as the New York Blend. But because not everyone loves NY I have printed a new label. 1670 is the year that both distilleries in this blend trace their heritage to. After blending Hamilton Navy Strength Rum, a New York bar group asked me to blend a rum to be mixed in their daiquiris. Sounds simple, right? Believe me if it was that simple someone would have already done it. The starting point was the 60/40 blend of Guyana and Jamaican rums that are the keys to Hamilton Navy Strength. The goal was a bottled rum at a lower proof that would be more consumer friendly. As much as bartenders and many consumers love higher proof spirits, when you're dealing with blends higher than 100 proof it can be difficult to maintain consistency in the glass as dilution is critical. After diluting my Navy Strength Blend down to 84 proof I found that 60/40 was a bit heavy with the Jamaican rum on the palate. After more tests at varying proportions and at 80 , 82 and 84 proof the blend was finalized. High proof Jamaican and Guyana aged rums are blended together and slowly stirred for 48 hours before dilution to 84 proof with filtered well water at the Five & 20 Distillery in Westfield, NY. The lower proof lets the aromas in the rum come through. Look for honeyed stone fruit in the nose followed by smoky hints of caramelized fruit. The first taste reveals smoky cedar, dark fruit, spice and more smoky fruit flavors leading into a long finish with a brine note underlying the smoky wood finish. There are a lot of daiquiri recipes and after much experimentation, tasting and drinking, here's my best shot at a recipe. I'm not a bartender and I don't play one on the internet but here's what I drink at home. One part lime juice - I use a graduated cylinder as limes don't all yield the same amount of juice One half part Petite Canne Sugar Cane Syrup - I like the flavor and it's already dissolved so there's no sugar left in the glass or shaker Two parts Hamilton West Indies 1670 Blend Shake with ice until you're happy Strain into a coupe and enjoy Shelf talkers to come, soon. | |||
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click for hi-res | Hamilton Navy Strength 114 proof 12x375ml | ||
| After ignoring the pleas from bartenders from Boston to DC for a Hamilton Navy Strength rum that was more consumer-friendly than what was already on their bar this blend was finalized in Sept 2016. Although the blend is straightforward, the path was not. 40% high proof Jamaican Pot Still Rum from the Worthy Park Estate and 60% high proof aged Guyanese rums is bottled at 114 proof for spirit-forward rum cocktails. Before this blend was bottled I suggested mixing one ounce of Hamilton 151 and 0.51 ounces (a fat half ounce) of Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still rum. Although everyone who tried this blend agreed it was good, but bartenders wanted it bottled so their staff couldn't accidentally mess this up and it would be much faster for them. When it came time to bottle this product we tested blends of 60/40, 50/50 and 40/60 rums from Jamaica and Guyana and found the 60/40 Guyana/Jamaican blend to be the best. But we couldn't stop there. After blending and tasting blends of 65/35, 60/40 and 55/45 Guyana/Jamaican it was time to get to work. 60% Guyana rum at 154 proof and 40% Jamaican rum at 170 proof are blended together and slowly stirred for 48 hours before dilution to 114 proof with filtered well water at the Five & 20 Distillery in Westfield, NY. | |||
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| Saint Lucia Distillers Ltd. - Saint Lucia | |||
 click for hi-res | 9YR 134 PROOF(14X4) 12/750ML WT:36LBS VINTAGE:2005 | ||
| After being used to aged American whiskey and/or
bourbon, seven casks were sold to St Lucia Distillers Limited. These casks #452, 7, 155, 157, 161, 418 and 421 aged Vendome Pot Still rum for nine years in St Lucia before being shipped to the US in late 2014 where they were emptied, batched and bottled at full strength. Scroll down for more details about these casks and their history.
St Lucia Pot Still Rum shelf talker pdf Product Sheet pdf | |||
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