Angostura Global Cocktail Competition 2014
Daniyel Jones, Ian Burrell, Julie Reiner, Philip Duff
From Part 1, the interview continues….
Rum in Focus
Nick: Nature vs. Nurture; Jamaica vs. London: Of Jamaican lineage, but born and bred in London, England. London, one of the most sophisticated cocktail scenes. Jamaica, like many Caribbean islands, very over-proof, simple mixed drinks. These are kind of contrasting styles, maybe geographical-based styles. Do you feel that your personal taste towards rum cocktails has changed over time? Do you (still) fancy more simple, mixed drinks, heavy in the pot still or are you very swayed towards a contemporary cocktail style.
Ian: I have changed definitely. I think it’s about what’s…called nurture. Yes, I did enjoy and drink a lot of the sweeter style punches, Caribbean stereotypical type of cocktails. And as I developed my palate throughout the industry, I then got a taste for other spirits, other styles of cocktails, much…dryer, more complex….As [I] try and experiment with more different and varied ingredients….so, it’s been nurtured over the course of time. But I still love my Jamaican style punches. I still got a sweet tooth for certain types of drinks. It depends on certain types of moods, And, they also do bring a smile to your face. When it comes to drinks, cocktails, bars and that type of thing, fun is the most important ingredient for any recipe.
Nick: Rum is arguably the most free spirit with almost no regulations, giving way to a diverse category with a wide range of different styles, types of expressions that over the last decade have really blossomed. Where do you see rum going in the next 10 years?
Ian: I see rum going in the next 10 years pretty much the way it’s been going, quite rapidly evolving, incredibly quick. Just a pull back, there are regulations in rums. It all depends upon where it’s made and where you’re selling it as well. So there are certain regulations, it’s just that there isn’t a international regulation for rum….Jamaican rums have an identity of standard. The A.O.C. Rhums in Martinique have an identity of standard of how they make their rum. Rums sold into Europe have to be a certain way, they have rules and regulations. Rums sold into America have rules and regulations. Its just that, certain people don’t agree on those regulations as such. But the way rums are going is the growth has been rapid. One of the reasons why, and people keep saying, “Rum is the next big thing, rum is the next big thing,” is because of the internet. That’s the main reason. Internet has been around, for 15-20 years…That brings a lot of people together, techniques together, ideas together, styles, bottles, information. Web pages like Ministry of Rum. That brought a lot of us together sharing ideas about rum. That’s helped the category of rum explode. It has exploded a little bit too quickly for certain brands, for some companies. So, a lot of companies now are focusing on their premium sector because they feel like they have to be seen like a whisky or like a cognac. But whiskys and cognacs were massive before the internet exploded. Yeah..rums are just taking a marching to that. So, rums have to take their time and will take their time to be established, but the companies themselves will expect rums to grow at a rapid rate because of the fact the information is all there and everyone is sharing ideas. I mean…who was blogging about whisky and cognac in 1990? Probably not many people. But whiskys and cognacs were seen as amazing revered spirits back in the 1990s by Asia, by the Americas, depending on what they are. Rum has never been seen that particular way except for certain collectors and those collectors couldn’t share that information around each other because we had no internet, no rum festivals to share things like that, no rum magazines or spirit events. Now, over the last 15 years, we got those things and people see these rums. Rums are growing, but they have to be reigned in and make sure, as well as they grow, they grow in quality and stature and be seen in a better light as opposed to something that’s just cheap. Because the biggest brands are cheap. [A category of brands]…that has no rules and regulations because there are so many different styles…have to consolidate themselves and let the consumers basically catch up to what they really want to do.
Unrefined sugar crystals from sugar cane juice
Nick: Recently, the impact of additives in rum has been a hot topic in the media. Based upon a Finish report, the concentration of sugar in rums has been very impacting on its recent viewers. Assuming these reports are correct, do you think that changes in regulation, e.g., more strict regulations increasing labeling requirements are coming? Please discuss…
Ian: It all depends on if someone decides too…If anyone disagrees with the adding of sugar to rums, which is not a new thing, it’s been going on for hundreds and hundreds of years…If anyone disagrees with that, then what they should do is, if they are rum producers or rum companies, they should put on their labels, “No Sugar Added.” Because, what that will do, is then ask the question. A consumer will see that and say, “Oh, No Sugar Added.” Then they will look at another rum and say, ”Well this doesn’t say No Sugar Added, maybe there is sugar added to that?“ Why did they put No Sugar Added when this one doesn’t have it. Someone needs to start the ball rolling. The reason why, is, because, if someone drinks a product; give ‘em a rum and it has sugar inside….and they like it. They don’t mind if there is sugar in there. They are saying…”This tastes good. I’m going to buy another bottle.” It’s gonna be about their taste. Now, if I say to that person,…”There’s sugar in that.” Unless they don’t put sugar in their coffee or put it in their cereal or put sugar in there whatever or have sugar in the diet. They are going to say, “Doesn’t matter to me, I’m enjoying that particular product. I enjoy this in my glass after I eat my meal or enjoy it in a particular cocktail.” There are sugar in other products. They’ll say, “There’s sugar in cognac,” if they know about it. They’ll say, “There’s sugar in champagne,” if they know about it. They’ll say, “There’s sugar in certain types of food,” if they know about it. So, for the rum category, if anyone disagrees with the sugar that is put into certain rums, then what they have to do is start the ball rolling. Make a stand and say, “No Sugar Added” in my product or on their label. Because as I said at the start, there are regulations with rums, but in different territories. Because, one country, let’s say a country in Central America, they may add sugar to their rum or add sugar to the sherry or port that they put inside the rum. And that’s their rules and regulations in their country. Let’s say in English-speaking Caribbean, you can’t add anything that adds sweetness to their rum, be it port, vermouth or sweet caramel. Those are their regulations. When those products are sold into America or sold to Europe. That’s going to be seen as a English Caribbean Rum or a Central American Rum and the Central American rum is gonna be pigeon holed into a sweeter style and the English style will be pigeon holed into a dryer style. And then it’s down to the consumer. So, maybe that is the way forward. But it would be about labeling. To get everyone to make the same product, not gonna happen! Too many different territories, too many definitions of what rum is called.
Nick: Hypothetically, if there was some sort of international consensus on rum, do you think increased regulations would be beneficial for rum? Yes or no?
Ian: For rum, no. Because the beauty of rum is its diversity and its versatility. So, I wouldn’t want rum to be seen like tequila or…which is pigeon holed and if you have a really good sipping tequila, most people just want to grab it and shoot it because of their perception of what tequila is. Whiskys, let’s say scotch, single malt, seen in a different type of light, they are stuffy and they’re traditional, and it’s looking at stereotypical type person, middle to old aged guy sipping a single malt with a bit a water or a ice cube.They [single malts] don’t really lend themselves to cocktails. So, they are missing out on volume or consumers using them in different ways. Because not everyone can drink neat spirit. I feel that if rum had that tight, tight regulation, then some brands, certain brands would be stifled. I believe cream rises to the top. If your rum is good, regardless of it has sugar in it or has no sugar in it, people will buy it.
Nick: Last year you launched Rum University. (Ian: Rum Experience University, I don’t want to upset Luis [Ayala] cause he did The Rum University first online) What’s in store for the Rum Experience University this year? What can people look forward to signing up in 2014?
Ian: The Rum Experience University this year will have some similar things we did last year; we’ll have new guests as well. The whole idea is to create rum ambassadors or spirit ambassadors as well, because, although its focused on rums, you could be a whisky ambassador or vodka ambassador or tequila ambassador and still come there and learn a lot. Essentially we want to have people there that have enthusiasm for learning about spirits and history and culture over 5-6 days. Learning from the best people in the world at their field – best distillers, best master blenders, best cocktail historians as well. Every day you’re getting a couple of new classes, as well as going to local locations seeing the distillery, up close and personal. Seeing coopers, making barrels; in the sugar cane fields, cutting cane. I feel it is very very important for anybody that works for a spirit company to immerse themselves into that spirit. You can’t just be an ambassador for a brand and not go back to source or not go where the brand is made or not understand the fundamentals of distillation. These are things that are important for a brand ambassador for a spirit. We try to add all that over the course of 1 week course in the University. Shaping things like presentation skills. A lot of bartenders that win competitions and become brand ambassadors, they don’t get any training on how to present to audience of 5 people, how to present to an audience of 100 people, how to work a stage, how to use language to hypnotize. We do all that inside the Rum Experience University. So, that’s what people can expect this year. Only 20 spots… in the world.
photo credit: Rum Experience University
Nick: What is the most exciting rum on the market this year?
Ian: Seeing as we have only been about 60 days into the year, not may rums out on the market. It’s 2014 now. I think I can only go from a UK perspective. No, no, in fact, I have a couple rums, because there is no one rum. The Facundo range. Exciting, because they are a big established brand, Bacardi. They have realized the premium rum sector is the future. They’ve had to reassess how they promote their rums. That’s exciting for me. In the same breath, another big massive company, who has spent most of their time doing a certain style of rum and have been happy and content with that. Bundaberg, The Master Distillers Rum Collection, not the Collective – cause I know you own The Rum Collective. They have also seen how the market is developing and felt we need to diversify how we make our rums using different types of finishes trying to go for much more discerning audience, not just the rum and coke crowd. Those are exciting, the one’s I have personally tasted and seen. Their will be more coming up, I’ve been tasting and sampling new rums pretty much ever week that people send samples to me or I’ve boughten. Those two for me in the first 2 months of the year.
Nick: Since we are in Trinidad, what’s your favorite Angostura Rum?
Ian: Ohhhh, normally it’s the one in my glass. But it is probably going to be my next one that I have, the next Angostura Rum I have. And you know why? Because it’s gonna be free, because their Marketing Manager is buying us a rum. That’s my favorite Angostura Rum! Ha ha!!
Nick: Let’s skirt back a little to cocktail competitions; Angostura Global Cocktail Competition 2014 you are a veteran of this. So, what’s your favorite part, keeps you involved and coming back?
Ian: I think it’s one of the most complete cocktail competitions out there. It encompasses a great Rum. It’s a great Bitters as well. One of the few competitions where you have to make two styles of drinks. It’s actually two competitions in one. Rum competition using the rum and freestyle competition using any ingredient but using Angostura Bitters. And then the overall champion is who has the most points from both drinks. Trinidad is an amazing amazing country and we are here at Carnival time. Carnival is, for me, the biggest and best street party in the world. For a bartender, to let their hair down and enter a competition, I think it has everything. Great brands. It challenges your skills in playing around with flavors and creating the perfect drink. There is normally a good international array of judges and local judges as well. And finally, they do what most competitions don’t do, which personally I think they should do is reward the bartender with some cash. 1st prize 10,000 US Dollars. Bartenders got to pay their rent as well. These companies are making lots of money on bartenders’ marketing their products around the world. So, why shouldn’t the bartenders get a share of that. That’s the other thing. So it’s an amazing event. I just love being a part of it and meeting new and old friends in the industry.
Nick: In you opinion, what is the most misunderstood part of Rum? As the Global Rum Ambassador, what would you like everyone to understand about rum?
Ian: Um…probably a lot of things that is misunderstood, but rum is more than a spirit, it’s actually a lifestyle. So, when you buy and drink a rum, you’re buying into the lifestyle of that particular product. Where it was made, how it was made, the people who made it, the history and heritage behind it. That’s the most misunderstood thing I think. People just think it is a cheap product, that sits on a bar and you’re only going to stick inside a rum and coke and then that’s it. Rum is more than a spirit it’s a lifestyle.
Thank you Mr. Global Rum Ambassador!!!
The post The Exclusive Angostura Global Cocktail Competition Interview with Ian Burrell: Part 2 appeared first on International Rum Council, LLC.
