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Ed Hamilton

eGullet Society staff emeritus
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Everything posted by Ed Hamilton

  1. A couple of years ago a giant rum producer introduced a 8 year old rum with a cork closure, as it's called in the industry. The day that rum was supposed to be launched in Chicago, the product was recalled. Not for the product itself but for the closure. Seems the cork was attached to a piece of plastic so it could be easily removed by the consumer. But, the plastic and cork would separate leaving the smallish piece of natural cork stuck in the bottle. That problem has been resolved, at great expense. Today there are a small number of rums that are contained under cork closures. El Dorade Special Reserve comes to mind. But in my experience, the corks tend to come apart, or like wine, unless the bottle is properly stored, the cork may shrink and then it doesn't seal. Fortunately, distilled spirits don't suffer the way wine does. Distilled spirits won't turn to vinegar, but in time, the alcohol will evaporate and the spirit will oxidize. While I like the look and feel of a cork stopper it really doesn't have anything to do with the quality of the product, only the percieved quality. On the other hand, I don't like to throw bottles away and cork-closed bottles are my favorite for flavored olive oil - garlic and hot pepper, thyme and garlic, rosemary and hot pepper, etc. Surprisingly I've had several cork-closed bottles for several years and they haven't leaked when stored on their side, unlike the cheap aluminum tops that commonly strip their threads, especially when they're covered with wax to make a nicer presentation, and there isn't a wire or thread to pull that will nicely cut the wax.
  2. There are a number of Monymusk Still and others to be found. Actually there is only one way I know of to determine if you like them. A few years ago an importer friend had cases of these special bottlings that were quite expensive, unfortunately most didn't live up to their price tag. I would start by asking the buyer if he had tasted them and if so what did he think. Since you are talking about a Liquor Control Board they usually don't just buy things to fill the shelves or to have the best selection. I'd certainly ask before I spent that kind of money but then I don't have an unlimited budget for boutique rums. A good example is the Cadenhead rums. Distilled in Jamaica and Guyana, these can be great rums. But the one that really got my attention was the cask-strength 30 year old. At 146 US proof, it was divine. At over a $100 a bottle it was one of the most expensive bottles of rum that I'd buy tomorrow if I could put my hands on a bottle. Since then I've had a 15 year old that costs over $50 that I wouldn't drink.
  3. I was introduced to Trader Joe's in Las Vegas and was impressed with their mustard and wine. Back in Chicago, a friend brings me their gingerbeer which is a great mixer with rum. It's not too sweet and the bottle is easy to hang on to, ergonometric, I think that's the word. Like any of the discounters you have to know what to pay but it is certainly worth checking out, unless you live in the hub of the universe.
  4. When my wife and I moved aboard our boat my ex-mother-in-law gave us a set of cute plastic plates, cups, saucers, bla, bla, bla and I felt like I was at a picnic instead of at home. Then I acquired, through garage sales, a set of matched hand painted plates and saucers. They broke one by one over the next ten years. No problem. Ceramic is easier to clean than plastic and is nicer, even if my plate doesn't match yours. When my ex left, I gave the plastic to another boat family that liked the plastic plates, which they still have ten years later. In the meantime I lost that boat and inherited, on the next boat, a set of 14 more plastic plates with fancy rubber rings on the bottom to keep them from slipping around on the table. They look great at boat shows, and don't break. But they do stain although you can bleach them. It should go without saying that I don't have what you would call a dishwasher. On a boat it's called my turn or your turn, which I don't mind since I get to put away the left overs and mix the after dinner drinks while I'm in the galley. Drinks are served in special glasses some of which are rum bottles cut to 3 1/2" high and polished. Great balance and they don't spill easily. We also use logo embossed glasses from the Ministry of Rum store but they tend to get broken since they are clear and can't be seen easily in the dark. Lighting is important, I use a low wattage bulb in a nice shade made of bamboo woven by an artist friend who used to sail with me. Silverware is actually stainless, but heavy stainless without any pattern so that it's easy to maintain since we use a lot of saltwater to prewash after most meals. I only carry place settings for four, which isn't a problem at all. If we have friends over, which is often, since I have plenty of room in the cockpit or foredeck, the guests bring their own plates. We have silverware and glasses for a small navy. Most meals are served on deck and to hold the plates we have an assortment of nice hardwood lap trays. Anyone who lives on a boat quickly adapts to holding their plate in their lap. There is a folding cockpit table but it is usually full of food since to have a dining table would take a lot of space and crowd everyone into a smaller space, which can be uncomfortable in the tropics. There is usually music in the background since we've graduated to CD's. Unless there is a weather report on the Side Band Radio when everyone better be quiet, but everyone always listens when there is weather in the area. Candles are all but forbidden since fire is the third biggest danger on a small boat. Running out of food and drink are first and second but not necessarily in that order.
  5. Sounds like they have some old stock and are clearing the shelves. I've found Appleton 21 year old for $10 a bottle in St Thomas. To this day I think the overpaid KMart employees didn't realize that it was the 21 year old instead of the VX, the bottles look the same to a Cruzan drinker.
  6. Nice list. Let me preface my answer by saying that I would pick a rum according to availability to me. For example if I could find a bottle of Santa Teresa Antiguo 1796 I'd buy it, because I haven't seen it around recently and I don't have any right now. If it isn't available locally, or if it is cheaper, I'd pick up a bottle of St James Extra Old or their Hors d' Age, or both, if you want to have some good rhum agricole behind your bar. As for the Flor de Cana 21, I've had a number of emails about this one. Before you buy a 21 year old rum take the bottle out of the nice blue bag and read the label. Unless I was too drunk to read, the last time I looked at the bottle, it said 15 years old and not 21 years old. I believe the 21 refers to a 21st anniversary. What the anniversary is celebrating I don't know. If you're obsessed with the El Dorado 15 year old and covet that deep color and deeper, smoky oak flavor you might be disappointed with the 12 year old. I drink both. But they're two very different rums. In fact I'm going to take a break and pour a glass of that 12 year old right now. Another thing to consider is some Appleton rums other than the most expensive. For example I drink their VX regularly. It's good rum and a good value. I always like to have something I can mix around or to pour for friends that appreciate seeing a nice selection of rums more than the rum itself. Barcelo Imperial or Emperador is great but the others are good as well. Barbancourt 8 year old, aka 5 star, is always on my list of must-have rums. There's a lot of talk about Cruzan's Single Barrel, but I make sure I have some Estate Diamond around as well. Happy shopping.
  7. Martin has two stores, I've only been in the New Orleans store and don't know if the Metaire store is larger but I would assume the New Orleans store is better stocked with spirits since that is where the spirits buyer works. Unfortunately, their website doesn't list their rum selection, yet. Happy Shopping. Is there anything in particular that you are looking for?
  8. Martin's in New Orleans has a better than average selection, not to be overlooked. They are actively adding new rums to their list. I usually try to check several stores especially in ethnic neighborhoods but I know time is always at a premium when you are traveling on business.
  9. Appleton 21 is good but at $70 a bottle I'd be reluctant unless I was in love with it. I have always thought that their VX was one of the best values in Jamaican rum.
  10. A few years ago I was at the blending plant in Anguilla where Pyrat rums are blended and bottled and had the opportunity to taste the Pyrat Cask 23 blend. While the XO blend is a little heavy on an orange component, the Cask 23 was a much richer spirit. Deep amber color from the blend of aged rums. The aroma was well balanced and the taste was divine. Smooth, well mannered and definitely a premium rum. As a writer, I would have a hard time justifying that much money but, then it is special rum. Is it worth $300 a bottle? Well that depends on who I'm trying to impress.
  11. Penthouse Rum Fest Tickets (click) In case you missed the other link to purchase, tickets here is another which will take you to Caribbean Classics, the gift shop at the Ministry of Rum where you can reserve your ticket to this event. You will recieve an email confirmation and ticket from the Ministry of Rum which will admit you to this Oct 7 event. See you there.
  12. If you find AH Riise, there are a number of other liquor stores in the vicinity. Pusser's near AH Riise is also a must stop for a shot at the tasting table near the east door. But I also make a point to check out Pueblo just up the hill from the cruise ship dock. Actually I check there first for whatever I'm looking for. If you have the time and are looking for cases of Cruzan, KMart a couple more blocks to the north of Pueblo has good prices but not the best selection. I've found Barcelo Imperial at Pueblo in the past but there are others including Barbancourt five star, their eight year old. As for St John, bring what you are planning to drink as the selection isn't as good and you'll pay for not bringing enough rum. Hotel 1829 has a good rum bar if you are there in the afternoon. But the bar is usually closed until after noon.
  13. I'm on the road in Boston right now visiting a sailing buddy from the islands after a few days of drinking rum in Newport. The short answer is that I don't have knowledge of these rums, more later.
  14. I have to admit that I have never heard of Boyero Anejo. But I just spent three days at the Newport Boat Show giving away samples of Doorly's XO and it is good. In fact, there weren't 5 people who turned up their noses at it. We served several thousand samples, but I did say giving it away. It was also a big hit at the exhibitors party served with mixers or on the rocks where it was sometimes compared to Scotch. This rum is light in character, slightly but not too dry and is easy on the smoky oak which is overpowering in some premium rums. Distilled and aged in Barbados, Doorly's XO is a blend of six to twelve year old rums which are blended and then allowed to marry in Olorosso Sherry casks from Spain. The rum is smooth with hints of apple in the finish. I could compare this rum to Cruzan single barrel which is also matured twice but Doorly's XO isn't quite as dry.
  15. Boy am I bummed. I leave Oct 16 for the islands to continue the research.
  16. First question, Since desert islands don't have any ice and water would be hard to get, I'd have to start with a bottle of the 30 year old cask strength Cadenheads Rum. At 146 proof this one would last longer and even if I couldn't get any water I would still have a great rum. Second question, what do I normally drink? Here is a list of my Favorite Rums and in case you are wondering, I generally have most of these rums on my boat but my first drink of the day is a 'ti punch.
  17. Thank you Joy, For those who don't know, Joy's the person that continues to make me look so good on the internet at my site Ministry of Rum and keeps up with all the details that go into making the Minstry of Rum what it is while I'm sailing around drinking rum.
  18. The Complete Guide to Rum contains only one page on the subject, if you are only looking for information on Cuban rums, don't buy any of my books. As I've written before I have refrained from writing a lot about places I haven't researched thoroughly. I do hope to travel there in the future and include more information in my next book, but I don't even know when that will be published, yet.
  19. I'm not sure that other alcoholic beverages such as Scotch or Bourbon are really that much more regulated than the rum industry. Certainly the producers themselves are more self regulating to protect their own interests. Consider that Scotch is produced in a relatively small geographic area, the Bourbon arena isn't a lot bigger. Rum on the other hand is produced, blended and bottled in more than forty countries. So instead of just dealing with the governments of a few, fairly well-developed countries we are dealing with a range of countries that don't even speak the same language. Are more regulations going to make the rum any better? In the end the consumer will find out and then the credibility of the blender will be in question. There are several blenders who'll have to make some pretty good stuff to erase my prejudice of their less-than-truthful marketing campaigns. But like I say 'It's what's in the bottle that counts.'
  20. Havana Club is one of those distilleries that hasn't gotten too worked up about consistency of color etc. from one batch to the next. As you can imagine rum ages differently from barrel to barrel and from year to year depending in part on the weather and the age of the barrels. Rum barrels are reused many times, and the majority of the barrels for the whole industry come from the US. But the State Department of the freest country in the world refuses to allow shipments of such necessities as rum aging barrels to their southern neighbor, forcing distillers like Havana Club to use what they have. Some of those barrels have been around for more than 40 years. Most distillers add at least some caramel coloring to their products for consistency so that all bottles on the shelf will be consistent. It sure is a lot easier for the sales people in the stores if they don't have to explain why the color has changed. Imagine if the color of say, CocaCola changed from month to month. The truth of the matter is that most rums change from time to time. As distilleries are upgraded the profile of the fresh rhum has to change. And blends change due to availability of the aged reserves. I know of several products that have changed blends in the recent past and lost market share because the consumers noticed the difference and didn't like it. The good news is that almost every distillery is increasing their aged reserves which is quite a task considering that they won't be selling that rum for as much as ten years, or even more. Can you imagine running a business where you made a product, then stored it (in containers that were expected to loose from 4 to 10% per year) for three to ten years before you could hope to sell it? And while you're storing your product you also have to insure it and the warehouse, pay your employees, continue to make more rum and adjust your forecast for demand, sales, and the economy five years from now. And if you start a distillery chances are that you won't be able to sell any of your new rum for at least a year or longer. No wonder the number of distilleries is decreasing. There has only been one new substantial distillery built in the Caribbean in the last twenty years. Fortunately that one is doing well, but the owner had a loooong history of blending and selling rum, and was selling the most popular white rum in Barbados for many years. He also was selling the most popular dark rum on the island at the time.
  21. There was a lot of discussion about DVD but to date that isn't going to happen. But I suspect it will, eventually. Like you, I don't even own a VCR but can watch DVDs on my computer. DVDs also take care of the compatibility problems around the world.
  22. First let me say that Luis and I are friends and that he is reporting what he was told. I saw Matusalem in Chicago about 10 days ago that was Product of the Dom. Rep. This wouldn't be the first time that we've been told something that wasn't entirely accurate. Obviously the owner of the brand didn't know that there are people who look beyond what he says. Luis and I had a drink a couple of weeks ago and he was surprised that Matusalem was coming from the Dom Rep. But the newsletter was already published by then. Oh well, good job Luis, now we know a little more about Matusalem.
  23. After many years of court battles the Matusalem brand of rum is now being distilled and I believe, bottled in the Dominican Republic. I've been a fan of DR rums for a long time and used to drink at least my share of Matusalem when it was distilled in the Bahamas. A couple of years ago it was made in Lake Alfred, Florida, then St Croix. The bottle hasn't changed and although I have heard reports that the Lake Alfred blend didn't measure up to that from the Bahamas, the label still claims this to be Cuban style rum. In fact, if you don't read the label carefully you could easily get the impression that this was a product of Cuba. Matusalem Gran Reserva used to be a very good rum, a little heavy on the vanilla but it was quite palatable. Has anyone tried the latest blend from the Dominican Republic. I was surprised at the price of $30 a bottle in Chicago, so much so that I didn't buy it. Hopefully I'll have the opportunity to do so next week.
  24. Penthouse Rum Fest 2002 Celebrate and savor over 40 of the world's most spirited of spirits, RUM!! Relish delectable cuisine and sway to the live music of Forecast and LESider, the amazing harmonica player. Live it up and dance with Penthouse Pets who will lift your spirits like a tropical breeze. Proceeds to benefit the Uniformed Firefighters' Association. Raffles, Rum senimars, Dancing, Special Prizes and more! Noche Restaurant . 604 Broadway (between 48 and 49 st) Monday Oct 7, 2002 . 6:30 - 9:30pm $50 pp $60 at the door . . . . . . . Festive and Colorful Attire First 500 Attendees recieve a Goody Bag worth over $50 Bring your Business Card for Special Drawings Sponsored by Penthouse Ministry of Rum . com Happyhours.com GotRum.com Alcoholreviews.com KingCocktail.com Tickets can be purchased online at Penthouse Rum Fest Tickets - the Ministry of Rum gift shop. Your ticket will be sent via email. Or by phone 212-702-6000 ex 1498 (Rum Central)
  25. Writers are sometimes wooed by the people who sign their checks at the end of the week to say good things for the sake of the advertising department which is relying on the reviewers to prop up their end of the see-saw. Fortunately, the really well-respected reviewers, like Roger Ebert in the film reviewing industry, can and do frequently say that this movie isn't worth the time it takes to see it. As a professional rum drinker, I like to do more than whet my palate before I write a review or make printed comments. It's often difficult to find adequate words to describe some of the spirits I've been asked to sample. There's a fine line between writing that this or that spirit 'tastes like a three day old pickle and bologne sandwich that was left in the refrigerator,' and writing that it made 'an abrupt assault on the palate, followed by an slightly acidic spice flavor with a salty short aftertaste.' I'm not making this up. The spirit in question didn't win any awards but the panel of tasters are still taking about that one every time we get together. Rum, like almost everything else, is a matter of taste. And since rum is enjoyed around the world, there are going to be different tastes depending on where you are in the world. My experience is that people drink what they are used to, i.e. that liquor that is produced locally and is readily available. The first time I tasted Sunset Very Strong Rum from St Vincent I thought I was going to have to spit it out. There was no relief from the Hot, Burning Sensation that went from my the tip of my tongue all the way to my navel. When I was offered some Coke to wash it down, I drank the warm, caramel-flavored sugar water, which I never touch, and hoped that it would extricate that 160 proof alcohol from my bowels. It didn't, much to the chagrin of the local audience. Later I was told, "If drinking rum don't take your breath and burn all the way, it ain't no good." Now who am I to tell 80,000 people who have been drinking this rum almost every day of their lives that what they are drinking isn't any good. At the time, the government-owned distillery had contracts to buy molasses and produced as much rum as possible with with available raw material. Whatever was produced and not sold as fresh strong rum was aged in barrels, but since there was no market for what many of us would consider to be the good stuff, the barrels continued to silent sleep while the rum continued to improve. A few years later that rum was imported under a new label and is called St Vincent Extra Gold and was featured on my website. So how do you trust a reviewer? Look for tell tale signs that the reviewer did or didn't actually taste the spirit. Is the spirit described in terms that are different from what the distiller or blender professes on the company website or advertisements? Is the reviewer from an area of the world where the tastes are similiar to your own? Does the reviewer tell you anything else about the spirit other than his or her taste impressions? What's the context of this review? Is this in the company's sales pitch for a new product launch or is this an independent review by a known reviewer. I recently came across what appeared at first glance, to be a very credible rum review, but when I saw that the reviewer was a whisky writer it took at least some of the wind out of his professional comments. Things like details about the distillation process, aging time, raw materials, flavor enhancing additives, etc. speak volumes about a spirit beyond the usually verbose taste profile. If the reviewer is known to you through the media, have you agreed with his or her perceptions in the past. Finally, do you feel that the reviewer really has a passion for his work and, more importantly, for the spirit in his glass at the time he wrote those colorful words? If a reviewer really likes something they will most likely tell you. On the other hand, if they are less enthusiastic, try to read between the lines and take a broader look at the comments. I don't expect other writers to say 'bad' things about a spirit. I've tried to be as transparent as possible with my opinions and who pays me to do it. The details are on my site under FAQs.
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