Context Is Key In The Rum World
Conversations with brand ambassadors, book reviews and sea shanties
Happy Tuesday,
Today’s newsletter is another rum-soaked edition that involves getting inside the head of the founder of The Manchester Rum Festival, a book recommendation for furthering your rum education and some music for the high seas.
What’s not to like?
Best,
Jamie
A conversation with Dave Marsland
The rum category is going from strength to strength and it’s thanks to the collective efforts of enthusiasts, ambassadors and consumers all over the world. In particular, there’s a lot of exciting developments happening with rum in the UK and its people like Dave Marsland who’re leading the conversation in the North West of England.
The brand ambassador for Chairman’s Reserve and the owner of The Manchester Rum Festival, Marsland has plenty to say about his favourite spirit and he gave me an epic rum education at the Liars Club in Manchester.
Here’s how the conversation went and the key themes were context and creating opportunities where you can find them.
Changing the perception of rum in the North West and beyond
From the moment I sat down at the bar with a Chairman’s Reserve infused Mai Tai, I picked up Marsland’s passion for his drink of choice. In the early days of his hospitality career, Marsland recalled drinking a lot of Lamb’s Navy rum and being drawn into the rum world quickly through the various jobs he’d worked from the age of 18.
This interest blossomed into a full-blown calling, leading Marsland to Chairman’s Reserve from the St Lucia Distillery.
At this point, social media wasn’t the vehicle that it is today for creating awareness about drink brands and getting people hooked through powerful storytelling and visuals. It was all about verbal storytelling and getting bottles into the hands of customers through word of mouth and Marsland took the opportunity to directly reach out to Chairman’s Reserve representatives.
From there, Marsland was successful in his desire to become brand ambassador and he was able to create even more hype about Chairman’s Reserve in the UK through tastings, masterclasses and constant education. (Chairman’s is one of my favourite rums, so all that hard graft has certainly been paying off!)
Marsland’s deep respect for the Caribbean came through as we continued to sip our cocktails and geek out about all things rum. He once owned a bar called Marigot Bar and Cafe, in honour of the beautiful Marigot Bay of Saint Lucia.
Both a love letter to Caribbean culture and the history of rum, the bar was a tropical haven that was unfortunately closed through events beyond Marsland’s control.
Creating The Manchester Rum Festival
Never one to stop creating opportunities, Marsland set up The Manchester Rum Festival in 2017 as a way to bring more awareness to rum in the North West and help launch new brands. This year’s festival is happening on the 18th June at the Mercure hotel in Piccadilly Gardens (tickets are available if you want in)
The lineup of exhibitors is expanding every year and there’s some awesome new additions in 2022. The lineup includes Tameside Rum, Witch Kings Rum, Rhum Clement, Montanya, Duppy Share Spiced, Arlu, Angostura, Black Tot, Hampden Estate, Doorly’s, Diplomatico and many more.
What makes The Manchester Rum Festival stand out is the interactiveness of the events. Marsland is focused on every exhibitor being able to share every detail of their products to inform, educate and entertain.
A portfolio of weird and wonderful beverages
The conversation shifted towards drinks outside of rum and Marsland is as knowledgeable about gin, whisky and other spirits. His Drinks Enthusiast brand specialises in the activation and promotion of different types of drinks and since 2011, the portfolio has grown.
My drinking partner for the evening admitted that he enjoys freaking people out sometimes with certain selections. A good example is absinthe, which has the stigma of being hallucinogenic and stuff that should be avoided unless you’re feeling particularly self-destructive.
Busting these kinds of myths is part of Marsland’s drinking mission and it all comes back to the idea of increasing knowledge and celebrating the drinks industry. It’s an attitude we both share and one of many reasons why I enjoyed raising a glass with Marsland and furthering my own education.
A Rum Tale: Spirit Of The New World review
The subject of rum is a massive topic that spans hundreds of years of tradition and craftsmanship. It’s easy for rum novices and aficionados to be overwhelmed by the amount of information that’s out there about one of the world’s most diverse spirits. But help has arrived in the form of Joseph Piercy’s A Rum Tale: Spirit Of The New World.
Part drinks guide, part love letter, A Rum Tale takes the reader on a voyage through the fascinating history of rum. From quirky facts like George Washington’s obsession with Barbados rum, to the story of notorious figures like Captain Henry Morgan, the book contains a wealth of boozy insight.
The heroes and villains of rum
“The story of rum is complex – as complex as the blending process involved in producing the best brands in the world’s greatest spirit. It involves a cast of thousands to tell it anywhere near accurately. It includes some of the greatest heroes and villains of history: colonialism, pirates, wars and the growth of global capitalism.”
Piercy sets the scene with those words and it’s no exaggeration to say that the story of rum is truly multifaceted. The author charts the creation of sugar, through to the rise of plantations and the slaves who laid the foundations for rum production.
Against a backdrop of violence and capitalism, Piercy frames the history of rum through the lives of people who’ve become synonymous with the industry. Henry Morgan is one example and there’s an excellent summary of his life, exploits and how his name was associated with one of the world’s leading rum brands.
From the Caribbean, Piercy shifts to America and the Prohibition Era, which saw the rise of the rum runner. Colourful characters from this period include Marie ‘Spanish Marie’ Waite, a one-woman army who led a successful Cuban rum smuggling operation. Her name lives on in a rum called Bad Bitch Spanish Marie from Key West Distillery.
Championing distilleries and rums of distinction
A Rum Tale also features the stories of many well-known distilleries like Mount Gay and Havana Club. The rivalry between Havana Club and Bacardi is particularly interesting and has themes of tragedy, ambition and overcoming adversity.
Piercy recommends several rums for the reader to try, such as the extravagant Australian Inner Circle Rum Red Dot and potent Pusser’s Gunpowder Strength. What’s great about Piercy’s tasting notes is that they don’t come off as pretentious or fluffy. He gets straight to the point about what makes each rum worth trying and you won’t need much convincing.
The writer’s passion for his subject matter is what ultimately makes A Rum Tale so enjoyable to read. There’s a great balance of fact, mythology and practical advice. It all combines into a captivating book that’ll make you want to indulge your inner Jack Sparrow and contemplate where all the rum has gone.
Songs Of The Sea: Can Of Grog
Context
Can of Grog tells the story of a sailor called Jack who gets through the day by drinking large quantities of rum. There’s a mournful tone to the shanty, as Jack is voyaging to harsh environments like Greenland and the weather conditions aren’t favourable.
On the journey, Jack is pining for a woman called Polly and hopes to be reunited with her again. But the closest he can get to her is by drinking grog and imagining what it would be like to have her in front of him. It’s possible that the feeling of the drink matches the warmth that Polly has brought Jack in his life.
Lyrics
When up the shrouds the sailor goes
And ventures on the yard
The landsman who no better know
Believe his lot is hard
Bold Jack with smiles each danger meets
Weighs anchor heaves the log
Trims all the sails belays his sheets
And drinks his can of grog
If to engage they give the word
To quarters he’ll repair
Now winding in the dismal flood
Now quivering in the air
When waves against rocks to rend and roar
You’ll n’er hear him repine
Though he’s on Greenland’s icy shore
Or burning beneath the line
When sailing orders to arrive
Bold Jack he takes his leave
My dear sweetest Pol he cries
I pray now do not grieve
Thy Jack will take his daily can
Of grog and drink to thee
In hopes that thou will n’er forget
Thy sailor who’s at sea
But should thou false or fickle prove
To Jack who loves thee dear
No more upon my native shore
Can I with joy appear
But restless as the briny main
Must heartless heave the log
Shall trim the sails and try to drown
My sorrow in cans of grog