australia rum Archives - Florida Rum Society

There is little doubt, in my mind and opinion, that 2021 was one of the best rum years for the state of Florida in recent memory. There were a ton of new rums brought into the state as well as a great slate of limited run rums… not to mention the insane lineup of Single Barrel releases that the Florida Rum Society brought us all. After much deliberation, here are my Favorite Five of 2021 (with some honorable mentions thrown in there for good measure).

#5 – Worthy Park 109: This new standard offering from my favorite distillery had been anticipated for over year. Whispers of it started at Miami Rum Congress in February of 2020 and it finally touched down Fall of 2021. This, for me, has become a cocktail staple in my bar and has replaced a number of different rums, some not even Jamaican. It is versatile and is now my standard Mai Tai rum. To quote myself, “It is like Worthy Park Single Estate Reserve and a Demerara 151 had a rum baby and it was crowned king of the Rum Gods!”

#4 – Appleton Estate Hearts Collection 1994: The wild ride of Appleton Hearts in the U.S. was a little crazy and I still don’t fully understand what happened. These 3 initial bottlings were released in Europe about a year ago with the anticipated launch in the U.S. in March however March came and went without a whisper. The last I had heard from a Campari rep was that they weren’t planning on even releasing them here. Then, kind of out of the blue, they started to drop in November. Finding the set is like hunting a unicorn but they have shown up in some unexpected places. I was lucky enough to secure a set and I actually love all three of them for how different they all are, but the 1994 is the stand out in my mind.

#3 – Ko Hana Koa Barrel: The Hawaiian Agricole Style rum coming out of Ko Hana is a wonderful breath of fresh air. I love everything they are doing with single cane varietals however this Koa Barrel Aged rum is, far and away, the most unique rum I had the pleasure of experiencing this year. The endemic Koa wood gives this rum its deep red color along with some fantastic tasting notes of buttered toffee and cocoa. They only release 1-2 barrels a year and you can only buy it directly from the distillery so be on the look out and grab one when available.

#2 – Holmes Cay Australia 2012 (FRS Single Barrel): The first and only Australia release from Holmes Cay, this Beenleigh rum packs a punch! Originally planned to be proofed down slightly, a happy accident had this rum bottled at full 67.5% and I, for one, am thankful that it is. It is bright with spicy chocolate, rose and eucalyptus and opens up with just a drop or two of water. This first FRS/HC collaboration really knocked it out of the park and I look forward to more in 2022! (There are a few bottles of this pick available exclusively at Five Star Liquors in Longwood, FL.

#1 – Worthy Park Special Barrel – FRS Gemini Barrels: Anyone that knows me is probably not surprised by this selection as my #1 rum of 2021! This 13 year 100% Worthy Park Medium marque is one of the most special rums I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. The wait was well worth it and I will continue to give non-stop accolades to Zan Kong from Worthy Park, Michele Willard from Backbar Project, and Broc Smith for all their hands in making this a reality for the rum lovers of Florida. This rum gives a full mouth feel and a bouquet of flavors that go along with the WPM marque including burnt pineapple, black cherry and olive oil. It has an amazing finish that lingers for hours if you let it. There are an EXTREMELY limited number of these bottles available exclusively in the FRS Online Rum Shop. I have been known to say that I want this to be the last rum I experience before my time on this earth is over!

Here are few honorable mentions that just missed the cut: Hamilton Single Barrel (FRS): Enmore Wooden Coffee Still, Hampden Great House 2020, Grander FRS #2 – Toasted Oak Finish

And there we have it… my favorite rums of 2021. Do you have a list of Top 5? Would love to see it either in the comments or in the FRS Facebook group! Here’s to seeing what comes next in 2022!!! Cheers!

Johann Jobello is a Product Manager for sugarcane spirits at La Maison & Velier.

As part of our month long celebration of Transcontinental Rum Line and their new 2021 release, we wanted the Florida Rum Society to meet Johann and have a change to learn more about him…

Johann was raised back and forth between France and Martinique, he’s been a promoter of the Caribbean culture, most recently working at the iconic LMDW shops and currently on the LM&V global team. With his Caribbean heritage and passion for high quality spirits, rum naturally became the perfect field for him to share his passions and expertise.

FRS: Tell us about your personal rum journey and background.

Johann: Rum has always been more or less present in my life. In the West Indies it is an integral part of our heritage. I wasn’t necessarily aware of it when I was younger– my journey has been far from linear. When I returned to live in Martinique in 2016, the idea of working in this sector gradually emerged. I had no experience in spirits and finally in early 2018, I started at La Maison du Whisky as a spirits vendor in one of the two Parisian boutiques. I joined the LM&V global team in 2019 and had the opportunity to become deeper involved in production management at the beginning of this year.

FRS: What brought you to join the LM&V team?

Johann: My experience in the store was decisive: in contact with the thousands of references that we had, I deepened my knowledge day after day. Having already a passion for rum, I became intimately engaged with the sugarcane spirit projects from Velier—my passion was multiplied tenfold! When the opportunity to join the LM&V team presented itself, I made my interest known to work more closely with these amazing companies, producers and bottles.

FRS: How would you explain the TCRL concept to people unfamiliar with it?

Johann: The rum category is very broad and diverse. Everyone works differently. For me, the most important thing is that the consumer knows what he is drinking in full transparency. TCRL is the independent bottler range by La Maison du Whisky to offer the experience of tasting across many island and producer styles, with full transparency on where it was aged and for how long, and retaining the integrity of the spirit with no additives or flavoring.

FRS: Specifically, what is it about the TCRL line that you find most interesting?

Johann: Beyond the concept of the range and the values we want to transmit, I like the diversity we have shown in our bottlings. This is for me the most exciting challenge!

FRS: Do you have a personal favorite from this year’s line up?

Johann: Not surprising but the Trinidad 2001 is exceptional. One of best TCRL I ever tried! I think that the Australia 2013 can also a be great discovery for people who never heard about Australian rums.

FRS: Give us your favorite rum cocktail recipe.

Johann: I love Jamaican Negroni! We are less used to drinking rum with bitters but it works very well! My specs are 1,5 oz of Jamaican rum for some extra funk. TCRL Jamaica WP 2015 is perfectly suited. With 1 oz red bitter and 1 oz red vermouth, and big ice cubes.

FRS: When travel starts to be welcomed back to the world, is there anywhere that you just cannot wait to pack your bags and head off to?

Johann: Martinique! My whole family lives there. And I have to go around to visit the distilleries (again)!

FRS: Our members are itching to start traveling again and some have expressed interest in going to Martinique. Do you have any “Can’t Miss” things on the island you can share with us?

Johann: It all depends on what you want to do. Martinique: we obviously think about the beach, but I love to go to the mountainous part in the north or to the countryside far from the hustle and bustle of the city. Gorges de la Falaise in Ajoupa-Bouillon is an outstanding site.

FRS: Have you had the opportunity to visit Florida? If so, where did you go, and do you have any specific memory that stands out?

Johann: Unfortunately not. I wish that I’ll be able to visit Florida in the future. Florida is a great mix of cultures; I would love to this that.

FRS: Sometimes FRS members will get jealous seeing all the special releases that Europe receives and which never make their way over to The US. Are there any releases that we have gotten here that have made you, living in Paris, jealous?

Johann: I think that from now on this will be less the case with the authorization of the 70cl format. Even if it was our own decision, I’m a bit jealous that you guys have this Trinidad 2001. We didn’t keep anything for us in Europe.

FRS: Do you have any hobbies or passions outside of rum?

Johann: I’m a huge fan of sports in general. I used to work in that field before, for several sports media. I would love to attend to a Miami Heat game. In another life, I would have liked to be an economist.

FRS: What are you most looking forward to over the next year or two?

Johann: Let the world regain a semblance of stability above all. My case comes second, I’m really not to be pitied!

Join the Florida Rum Society and Johann on our upcoming Virtual Happy Hour (Register)