Green Engineering attended again the UK most amazing event of the Rum
Industry : the UK Rum Fest, organised by the Global Rum Ambassador Ian
Burrel . This year was the third time we attended the Rum Fest (2011, 2012 and 2013) and the second year in which we have sponsored the Master Rum Blender Award during the event .
As usually our stand was in the Boutique Rum Fest area, that is the area reserved for the Trade and for the Professionals involved in the Rum Industry. The Boutique Rum Fest is also the perfect place for many Rum producers , blenders and bottlers, that want to present their new products or find a distributor .
Let's see some ofthenew products presented at this year edition of the UK Rum Fest in the boutique area .
The Real McCoy is a rum distilled in Barbados at the Foursquare Rum Distillery, realised by Green Engineering in 1996 and directed by Mr. Richard Seale .
The name "Real McCoy" comes from William Frederick McCoy (1877 – December 30, 1948), also known as "Bill" McCoy. He was an American sea captain and in 1920, when prohibition began in the United States, he started to become famous as the first "rum runner" , trading Rum from the Bahamas to the East Coast of the US . The history is succesfully summarised in the flag of the rum brand, reporting "established in 1920" and "prohibition tradition".
Capt. McCoy, a nondrinker who never touched liquor , took pride in the fact that he never paid a cent to organized crime, politicians, or law enforcement for protection. Unlike many operations that illegally produced and smuggled alcohol for consumption during Prohibition, McCoy sold his merchandise unadulterated, uncut and clean.
At the RumFest , we enjoyed the 3 , 5 and 12 years of this Rum .
Bottles of 3, 5 and 12 years old of "The Real McCoy"
I and at the Real McCoy booth at the UK RumFest 2013
An iPad showing a presentation of Capt Billi McCoy
duing one of its travel to bring Rum to the US
Ron Santiago de Cuba
The Ron Santiago de Cuba is produced, aged and bottled still only in the oldest distillery in Cuba, where the Ron Ligero was born in 1862.
Known by the Cuban people as "The Cathedral of Rum", the distillery has now taken the name of Ronera Santiago De Cuba and part of Corporación Cuba Ron SA.
According to the Cuban tradition, all the Santiago de Cuba Ron are distilled in continuous stills, starting from fermented molasses .
According to the Cuban tradition, all the Santiago de Cuba Ron are distilled in continuous stills, starting from fermented molasses .
The aging phase takes place in the old warehouse called "ship of Don Pancho" where both new barrels and old barrels with more than 60 contribute to give body to the family of Ron Santiago de Cuba .
A map of Cuba showing the location of the distillery and of the warehouse of Santiago de Cuba Ron
Enjoying the "Extra Anejos 25 years old"
Virgin Gorda Rum
Here is the Virgin Gorda Rum , winner of the Boutique Rum of the year 2013
Virgin Gorda is a golden rum, blended from rums from the British Caribbean islands; Barbados, Trinidad and Jamaica, produced by the distillation of fermented sugar cane, in pot-stills. After distillation, the rums go through a natural aging process in old, American Oak Bourbon barrels. Achieving an average age of 7 years, with 20% of 8 year old rum included in the blend.
A differentiating factor of Virgin Gorda compared with the majority of rums is its 100% natural state; no color, flavor or aroma additives are used. Trinidad provides refreshing notes and vanilla characteristics. Jamaica adds body and a strong backbone from the molasses. Barbados provides the strongest woody, aged characteristics, being the oldest rum of the blend with 8 years ageing.
A differentiating factor of Virgin Gorda compared with the majority of rums is its 100% natural state; no color, flavor or aroma additives are used. Trinidad provides refreshing notes and vanilla characteristics. Jamaica adds body and a strong backbone from the molasses. Barbados provides the strongest woody, aged characteristics, being the oldest rum of the blend with 8 years ageing.
The Rum name "Virgin Gorda" comes Cristoforo Colombo. In fact, during his navigation from Europe to the West Indies, Colombo was fashinated by the provoking image of a large island similar to a reclining woman; for this reason he gave the name "Virgen Gorda" to the island , name that was then anglicised becoming "Virgin Gorda" . By the end of 17th century its territory became part of the British Virgin Islands.
The Golden Rum Barrel Awards Dinner
The "Golden Rum Barrel Awards and Dinner" is the awards event of the UK Rum Fest . The main idea of this event is to celebrate not only the brands, but the professionals working in the Rum industry. The categories of the awards are :
-Best Rum Distiller
-Best Rum Master Blender
-Best Rum Distillery
-Best New God Rum
-Best New White Rum
-Best Boutique Rum
-Rum Ambassador of the Year (International / UK)
-Best Rum Blogger ( Europe / America )
-Best Rum Package
-Rum Pioneer of the year
This year the event, at its fourth edition, has been organised at The May Fair in London (whose Cocktail Bar has been rated as the one of Best Hotel Cocktail Bar in London, )
The finger food dinner accompyining the event was enriched with a good selection of Rum based cocktails an shots. The Mojitos come from the selection of May Fair Cocktail Bar (that is very famous for its Mojitos) , while Don Q Rum , presented a collection of their best rums to finish the dinner .
The delicious "May Fair Mojito"
The sensual and spicy "Mango Chilli Mojito"
For the second year, Green Engineering has been sponsor of the Master Rum Blender Award , and as usually our John Whetstne has been our showman. In the following pictures you can see him with Ian Burrel, announcingthe award and with Tito Cordero, from Diplomatico Rum, that won the 2013 Master Rum Blender Award.
Our John Whetstone (Green Engineering) and Ian Burrel (Global Rum Ambassador)
announcing the 2013 Master Rum Blender Award
Mr. Tito Cordero (Diplomatico Rum) , Awarded as Master Rum Blender, with John Whetstone (Green Engineering) during the interview
Mr. Richard Seale , from the Foursquare Rum Distillery , has been awarded again this year as Rum Pioneer of the year, being added to the Rum Hall of Fame .
Mr. Richard Seale , awarded as Rum Pioneer, during an interview
I and John during the Awards Dinner at May Fair London
V.I.F (Very Important Friends)
visiting our stand at the Rum Fest 2013
One of the best reason for us to be at the UK Rum Fest, is to meet people that are really enthusiast about Rum. Here are just few of the friends that visited our stand during the event :
Ingvar Thomsen, Rum blogger ("Rom Thomsen" is his blog) and author of articles and book about Rum . He also wrote an article about the Foursquare Rum Distillery, that we published on the GreenCLUB, check this post
Mr. Richard Seale from The Foursquare Rum Distillery :
Ian Burrel , Global Rum Ambassador :
As in the previous editions of the UK Rum Fest, in the main area there were many Rum producers, like Plantation Rum (that last year won the Master Rum Blender Awards , chek this post)
And, in addition to Rum, there were many stands offering delicous caribbean foods :
We are already looking to the next edition of the Rum Fest, but in the meanwhile check these articles about this 2013 edition :
