Tag: plantation

Meet Don Benn – West Indies Distillery

On By traderjaysIn florida rum societyLeave a comment

Don Benn is the Operations Manager and Master Distiller at the West Indies Rum Distillery.  He has been part of the team for over 22 years. When not making wonderful rums he enjoys watching squash and cricket (and most other spots) as well as relaxing in the company of close family and friends.

FRS: Tell us about your personal rum journey.

Don: Started in 1998 right out of university. My first role at the distillery was supervising fermentation at the plant and then within a year being also responsible for the distilling from our main column still.  In the first 3 years I was able to learn and operate all of our stills with the guidance of the previous Master Distiller and also from experienced workers like Digger and James Franklin. 

This role expanded after the first 10 years and has now evolved to overseeing the aging, blending and bottling activities at the distillery.

FRS: What brought you to join the West Indies Distillery team?

Don: It came down to a choice of working with the water or rum.  Water seemed less interesting at the time.

FRS: West Indies has a wide range of rums that it is providing to the rum loving world… Do you have a clear favorite when it is time to sit down and sip at the end of the day?

Don: Yes I do.

  • Secret Blend done for celebration of 100 years of service of 3 valued members of our team – this is a rare treat as it is a blend only done for this special occasion, and is in very limited supply.
  • Other than that, I would say Plantation 5 year.

FRS: Is there anything upcoming that you are truly excited about (even if you can only give us hints)?

Don: I can’t reveal too much obvious but let’s just say – further exploration of the marriage of rum and Caribbean fruits/spices.

FRS: The members of the Florida Rum Society have been dreaming of visiting Barbados since our very early Virtual Happy Hours in spring 2020… once the time comes what are some things that members should be sure NOT TO MISS when visiting Barbados?

Don’s List:

  • Harrison’s Cave
  • Friday Night in Oistins (great local food, music, people  – however might not be an option with Covid-19)
  • West Indies Rum Distillery tour
  • Historic Bridgetown tour (this is our capital city)
  • Island Safari Tour + Catamaran boat cruise of the west coast of the island (no wild animals involved but you can swim with the turtles and other ocean life)
  • Of course, the many beaches with white sand and turquoise, clear waters.

FRS: Before the “COVID times”, you did some traveling, sharing the good word of rum… 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?

Don: That is a tough question to answer. Anywhere that we can share the good word on rum is a good place to be.

Top 3 choices – (at the moment)

  • San Francisco (never been there before but heard great things about the city),
  • Cognac (meeting up with the Maison Ferrand and Plantation teams is always a great time),
  • China (always eager to see rum in new markets)

FRS: When not sipping rum what do you enjoy doing in Barbados?

Don: Playing sports and spending time with my family.  Sometimes these two activities go together.

FRS: You must have a cocktail recipe to share with the FRS that shines with West Indies Distillery products… care to share a favorite or two?

Don: Cocktails are not my usual go-to drink, as I prefer to drink rum straight. – However, the mix of Plantation 5 year and Coconut water is a fabulous combination.  It’s an obvious choice in Barbados, fresh coconut water is available everyday, and no need to reach out too far for a bottle of Plantation 5. 

FRS: I know you, along with Alexandre, have been combing through historical records and artifacts locked away at the distillery… what, would you say, is one of the most interesting things you’ve been able to uncover?

Don: There’s a lot of interesting stuff in the vault.  The old minutes of the distillery which chart the history of the distillery. The recipes and techniques used for blending and aging. But as a technical person by nature, seeing the archived drawings of some of the past stills and even stills that were planned and were never built/installed.  We have a chance now to bring some of those drawings to life. The real hero of this search however is Andrew Hassell our General Manager.  He has a more intimate knowledge of all things in the vault and even of Barbados rum history in general, more than anyone I know.

Virtual Happy Hour – Sunday, May 16th – 4pm ET

Non-Virtual Happy Hour & Tasting – Orlando, FL – The Broken Cage
Monday, May 24th – 6pm ET

Non-Virtual Happy Hour & Tasting – Sarasota, FL – Dive Wine & Spirits
Thursday, May 27th – 6pm ET

The Pagan Went Down to Georgia

On By traderjaysIn Rum Running, Visiting Tiki2 Comments

I don’t travel a lot for my “day job” however when I do I, obviously, like to try to find a nearby Tiki Bar to experience while I’m in town. This week’s work trip took me to Atlanta. I had the opportunity to briefly visit S.O.S. Tiki in Decatur a month earlier, but this latest visit was a full Tiki Extravaganza.

I’m not sure how long it has been going on, however, lately, there have been a number of “tiki takeovers”. This is when bartenders from one tiki bar travel to and mix at another tiki bar (and then, usually, they do the reverse swap – kind of like a home and home in sports). For this takeover, two bartenders from Pagan Idol in San Francisco came down to S.O.S. Tiki in the Atlanta area.

S.O.S. is located in small downtown Decatur and the entrance is down a side ally. Upon entering there is a small flight of stairs that leads you down into the main bar. The bar is small, slightly bigger than Suffering Bastard in Orlando. As it should be, it is dark and offers some “mystery”. The wall behind the bar features a nice assortment of rums as well as a fun collection of tiki mugs (including some of the Star Wars Geeki Tiki mugs… which I know are controversial but I love them so that earns points in my book).

On my previous visit Ieuan, the manager, was my fantastic bartender.  He was behind the bar to welcome me again however Nick, from Pagan Idol, would be my amazing host for the evening. Nick was fantastic from the start, walking me through the three special drinks they were featuring for the takeover. He explained that Plantation Rum was sponsoring the event and each drink featured a Maison Ferrand product (owner of Plantation Rums).

I decided to start with the Escape from Cognac (showcasing Ferrand Cognac). It was crisp and nice, a great element of orange and it was creamy but not (hard to explain).  It was different from the direction that I usually go with Tiki but very enjoyable. That’s a great thing about tiki and, specifically, these types of gatherings… you have the opportunity to try different things you might not normally choose.

While enjoying my beverage, and before things got to busy, I was able to chat with Ieuan and Nick some. Ieuan opened S.O.S. Tiki 4 years but then stepped away for a bit.  The call of tiki wouldn’t let up and he’s been back behind the bar and managing it for around 2 years.

Nick, as my bartender for the evening, received my favorite question… what’s the one rum you’d be stuck on an island with for the rest of your life. He went with a Agricole overproof because he figured he could sip it, make a Ti Punch, mix it, a little of everything.

I moved on to try the Toucan Dance, which featured Plantation 3 Star rum. This one is straight from the Pagan Idol menu. It was a little heavier, think Pearl Diver, but had an amazing balance of coconut (not overly powerful), orange and house-made Fassionola. The Pagan Idol team did a wonderful job with their exclusive, while supplies lasted, menu.

Michael from Plantation Rums brought some of the newest Plantation Single Cask offering.  I had the opportunity to sample a few as well as chat with Michael about my love for different rums and how much I enjoy the Plantation rum products. He was very generous with his time and sharing his insight about rum and the endless options it offers. His passion for rum and Plantation was clear… I think that’s one of my favorite things about tiki/rum is talking with people who are passionate about what they do and Michael was no exception.

From a tasting perspective, I was able to enjoy the Barbados XO and the Trinidad 1997. I have to say that the Trinidad is unlike any rum I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing. It is smoky and nutty, you can taste the Peat Whiskey from the cask then there is a bit of tobacco and vanilla on the end that lingers. Hopefully I will be able to find a bottle of my own, though, I know that sometimes can pose a challenge… especially in Central Florida where pickings can be slim. (Michael, if you end of reading this, tell me where to look!)

(Can I take a quick minute to say that I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with a number of members of the Plantation Rum team over the past few months and all of them have been wonder individuals. They are always willing to discuss their craft as well as their products, and they are genuinely interested in hearing about other people’s love for rum.)

After some tastings I then asked Nick if he could put together a Pagan Idol Mai Tai for me… he was extremely generous with his craft and I hope he realized how appreciative I was. While he was upfront that S.O.S. didn’t have all the rums that Pagan uses for their Mai Tai Rum Blend, it was a very enjoyable combination. He used some Smith & Cross and Rum-Bar Dark as well as some of the Plantation Single Cask Peru 2010 that was available. He, of course, added Pagan’s homemade Orgeat as well. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward, hopefully, to having a true Pagan Idol Mai Tai in San Fran in the future.

Finally, throughout the evening I had a chance to chat with some S.O.S. regulars who were on hand. Bruce was a great guy and we chatted about our own Mai Tai blends. I also had the chance to talk with Jeff about rums as he is a rum rep for several brands including Clement, Rhum J.M, Chairman’s Reserve and Admiral Rodney. He enjoyed hearing the story of “Trader Jay’s” and he, along with his lovely new wife, agreed to be my next two subscribers.

It was another enjoying Tiki Evening! The takeover was an amazing surprise and everyone I encountered from the S.O.S crew to the visiting Pagan bartenders to the Plantation gang to the friendly regulars were wonderful to talk with. It was a great, inclusive atmosphere where everyone was welcome. I very much look forward to another visit to S.O.S. in the future as well as, hopefully, crossing paths with all the individuals I had the pleasure of interreacting with. Cheers & Mahalo!

Rum + Dinner = Perfection

On By traderjaysIn Rum Running, Visiting TikiLeave a comment

A few weeks ago Mrs. Trader (Nautical Nina) and I had the opportunity to experience the Sapphire Falls Rum Dinner. The Universal Orlando Loews Resort puts on this event 2-3 times a year. Each time they feature a different rum brand and pair their multiple offerings with a five course dinner. This past evenT starred Plantation Rums. From start to finish it was a Rum-Riffic evening! SPOILER ALERT: We LOVED this event and will be back for the next one and would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who is a Rum Lover or a Foodie (or BOTH, like us)!

Upon arrival at Sapphire Fall, we were directed downstairs to Amatista Cookhouse.  There we checked in and were welcomed to the patio for beer, wine or, of course, rum.  They had a punch pre-made with Plantation Three Stars rum. I will say that while good, the punch could have benefited from being served over crushed ice like a Painkiller.  There were some passed appetizers while everyone waited to be welcomed in the dining room.

We had the pleasure of talking with Phil, Assistant Director of Food and Beverage, before the doors opened to welcome us to our tables. Phil is an amazing host and definitely is one that will go above and beyond to make you feel welcome.

Prior to entering the dining room we were assigned a table. Nautical Nina and I joined Rum Master Eddie, his wife, son and brother all at Table #1. As we entered and found our table, we settled in for dinner. The rum punch from outside was also available at each table but the best was yet to come.

We started with Sticky Santiago Spareribs which were agave braised with a pineapple mango chutney. The ribs were paired with a Carnaval featuring Plantation Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple Rum. I already knew I was a big fan of Stiggins’ Fancy rum and this drink was wonderful.

It had a little charred pineapple in it, which was a nice touch. It was during this first course we were introduced both to Aaron, our mixologist for the evening from Sapphire Fall, and Rocky, Rum Ambassador for Plantation Rums. During the course of the evening Aaron would share how he built each rum drink and Rocky would give great information on each Plantation rum. (Rocky had amazing stories about the lengths that the Planation team goes to in order to ensure a premium, quality product. It was really wonderful to have the opportunity to hear those stories first hand.)

Next we moved to a Simple Seared Scallop paired with a Voodoo Lemonade made with Plantation Three Stars.  The lemonade was nice, light, made for pool side enjoyment. 

Then the soup course was a Bahamian Bouillabaisse (with snapper, shrimp, calamari and mussels) which was paired with a Plantation Original Dark Overproof “Red Tide”.  Since first coming out I have enjoyed the O.F.T.D. Overproof from Plantation and Red Tide was very nice… had an Old Fashioned feel to it, slightly sweeter.  It was a good contrast to the seafood soup.

The main course was an amazing Caribbean Rubbed Ribeye which was matched with, in my opinion, the highlight of the evening… The Smoke Show with Plantation Original Dark. Aaron served it “trapped” in smoke and then released the drinks and smoke to fill each table. The aroma of the smoke paired perfectly with the drink and steak. This was so enjoyable that Phil, and our wonderful waiter Henry, were kind enough to grab us another round.

We “ended” with a Autumn Spiced Cheesecake and Plantation Barbados 2002 Gran Terroir rum for sipping.  The cheesecake was fantastic with hints of cinnamon, clove, allspice and more.  The Barbados 2002 is a great sipping rum… it is how a Barbados Rum should be… a little “lighter” than a full Jamaican rum but able to stand on its own and represent Barbados with a slightly sweet finish.

The good news was that the evening was not even over yet… we ended back on the patio with hand-rolled cigars, coffee and one of Plantation’s newest offerings, their Xaymaca Extra Dry.  I have had the opportunity to become very familiar with this wonderful offering from Plantation… so much so that it actually is part of my “Mai Tai Rum Blend”.

I would be remise if I didn’t call out the fact that I had the opportunity to meet “Typhoon Tommy” (designer/builder of the beautiful Suffering Bastard tiki bar) and his fiancé, Kari (creator of Magical Tiki Meet Up). It was wonderful to chat with them about all things rum and tiki, and I hope that our paths will continue to cross in the future.

It is hard to put into words just how fantastic the Rum Dinner was. Phil’s team hosted an amazing evening and Aaron did a wonderful job building and pairing the drinks. (Shout out to Henry too… he was attentive and personable and has a true eye for guest service!) It was wonderful to hear the stories from Rocky and have the opportunity to chat with him thought out the evening (how do I get his job?!?!). Fernando, the incredible manager of Strong Water, also made an appearance and, like always, it was a pleasure catching up with him.

(Special THANK YOU to Rum Master Eddie who is always a wonderful host and makes sure we don’t miss the invites these events!)

While the next hasn’t been scheduled, Nautical Nina and I will definitely be joining!  Keep your eyes on my Instagram (@trader_jays) and I’ll be sure to post as soon as the next one is announced… I’d love the chance to taste some rum and eat some amazing food with everyone.