John Gulla Podcasts

In this episode, we sat down with Calbert Francis, global export manager for Antigua Distillery Ltd. to talk all things English Harbour Rum. Antigua Distillery Ltd. is interesting, as it doesn't fit neatly into the English/Spanish/French categorizations (and is a great example of why they're flawed categories in the first place). While some might e…

Hey Rumcasters, we’re making one of this month’s bonus episodes (typically exclusive to patrons) free for all! This past week, Appleton formally announced the coming special release of the long-awaited Appleton 17-Year Legend rum, which they've billed as a "faithful recreation" of the legendary J. Wray & Nephew 17-Year rum used in Trader Vic's firs…

In this episode, we caught up with Ben Jones (director of North America for Spiribam) to catch up on all things related to Spiribam's portfolio of rum brands/distilleries, like Rhum J.M, Rhum Clément, St. Lucia Distillers, and their latest acquisition — Saint-Maurice Distillery in French Guiana, makers of La Belle Cabresse and other brands. We chat…

In this episode, we embark on a journey to discover which Foursquare rums that are $50(ish) or less are truly the best value. To do this, we went through a blind tasting of 10 widely available affordable rums distilled at Foursquare Distillery: Alleyne Arthur's Special Barbados Rum (43% ABV) Old Brigand Black Label (43% ABV) Real McCoy 5-Year (40% …

In this episode, we sat down with Ed Tiedge, master distiller at Copal Tree Distillery (the makers of Copalli Rum) in Belize. Copalli is yet another example of a large, relatively new operation devoted entirely to making cane juice rum all the way from field to glass. They have some interesting upcoming releases that caught our eye (we noticed them…

In this episode, we sat down with Shaun Caleb, master distiller at Demerara Distillers Ltd. (makers of El Dorado Rum) to discuss a wide range of topics related to DDL and his career in rum, including... His path from Guyana to Princeton University and back to Guyana to work for DDL Learning to distill on some of the oldest stills in the world How D…

Announcement: We’re now offering annual subscriptions that allow you to save 10% on the Rumcast Patreon community! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out. In this episode, we're picking back up with our Rumcast Guides series and turning our focus toward home with the United States. With hundreds upon hundreds of distilleries making rum (mos…

In this episode, we sat down with Shannon Mustipher (rum educator, cocktail consultant, and author of Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails) to dive deep into the art of making modern rum cocktails. Shannon has spent the better part of a decade designing and launching many rum-focused bar programs and is known for her modern approach to cocktail making. …

In this episode, we complete our interview with Renegade Rum's Mark Reynier and Jane Nurse (we released Part 1 last week, and you can check it out here). In Part 2, we get deeper into the production process of the rum and how each stage can impact terroir (for example, using cultured vs. wild yeast). They also took us through the long-term vision f…

In this episode, we sit down with Renegade Rum's Mark Reynier and Jane Nurse to learn all about the Grenada distillery's terroir-driven approach to cane juice rum. This is one of the newest distilleries of its size in the Caribbean, and the path to bringing it to life was not easy. In Part 1, Mark and Jane take us through the winding journey of not…

28 Distillery Visits. 11 Countries. 13 Months. In this episode, we sit down with Richard Nicholson, founder of the New Zealand Rum Society and your fellow Rumcast listener, to unpack what can only be described as a rum journey of epic proportions. Richard spent 13 months on the road taking 28 distillery visits, attending numerous rum festivals, and…

For the first episode of 2023, we're looking ahead and making 3 predictions each for the world of rum this year. Before we look ahead, however, we look back on the predictions we made for 2022, face the music on our misses, and debate our hits. We're curious — what predictions do you have for rum in 2023? Email us at host@rumcast.com and let us kno…

Hey Rumcasters, to celebrate the end of 2022 we decided to make December's bonus episode (typically exclusive to patrons) free for all! In this edition of Release Rumblings, we share our rum wishes for 2023 before previewing a handful of interesting upcoming rum releases. If you'd like to get more episodes like this every month, just head on over t…

It's time for our third annual Year in Review episode where we take a look back at our favorite rums of the year in the following categories: Unaged rum Aged rum (5 years or less) Aged rum (Over 5 years) “New to me” rum Best value rum Most surprising rum Overall rum Plus, we each make a pick for a new category irreverently dubbed, "Am I the a**hole…

In this episode, we dig deep into our rum cabinets to discuss each of our 3 favorite picks for daiquiri rums that are underrated, overlooked, or under discussed. While most rum fans are already familiar with the go-to top recommendations like Havana Club 3, Probitas, etc. we wanted to celebrate some of our favorites that don't get as much of the sp…

In this episode we sat down with Joshua Singh, co-founder of 1423 Spirits and S.B.S Rum, an independent bottler based in Denmark that's doing some very interesting things right now. Since it's the holiday season, we also talked about the making of 1423's annual rum advent calendar and what goes into selecting 24 different rums for it every year. To…

In this episode we sat down with Herbert Barbancourt-Linge Jr. of Providence Rum / Distillerie de Port-au-Prince and The Spirit of Haiti. Herbert took us deep into the making of one of Haiti's newest distilleries, which has already put out interesting releases like Providence First Drops and Providence Dunder & Syrup. We also talked all things clai…

In this episode we sat down with the Cocktail Wonk himself, Matt Pietrek, to dive into his and Carrie Smith's new 850-page opus on Caribbean rum, Modern Caribbean Rum: A Contemporary Reference to the Region's Essential Spirit. Along the way, we also discussed his journey from software engineering to full-time rum work, the current state of rum, and…

We're back early with the follow-up to Part 1 of our Guide to Puerto Rican Rum. In Part 2, we dig into the wave of new distilleries popping up across Puerto Rico that are trying atypical things such as producing fresh cane juice rum, aging with new American oak, distilling with pot stills, and much more. Distilleries discussed include Destilería Co…

This is the first of two episodes exploring a category that has much more than meets the eye: Puerto Rican rum. In Part 1, we jump into a quick stylistic overview of the category before exploring its three most well-known distilleries and brands: Destilería Serrallés (Don Q and more), Bacardí, and Ron del Barrilito (Hacienda Santa Ana). Along the w…

This week, we sat down with Wes Burgin, the man behind the 800+ rum reviews at The Fat Rum Pirate. If you've ever searched for info about a particular rum online, odds are you've already come across many of Wes's reviews. It's one of the biggest resources out there for rum geeks and we had a blast diving into Wes's approach to reviewing, how the in…

Note: After you listen, go to rumcast.com/vote to help us determine the winner! We’ve got something quite different for you this week. In the spirit of the start of fantasy football season, we did the nerdiest thing we’ve ever done in Rumcast history—a fantasy rum draft! We competed head-to-head to “draft” rums from the selection of a single online…

In this episode, we checked in with a relatively new rum distillery in Scotland that's already received some impressive praise in its early history—Ninefold Distillery! Owner and distiller Kit Carruthers took us through the journey of starting a rum distillery from scratch at Dormont Estate, a 450-year-old estate in the south of Scotland. We discus…

In this episode, we're checking the final (for now!) Barbados rum distillery off our list with an interview with the owner of St. Nicholas Abbey, Larry Warren. Unlike the three much larger scale rum distilleries in Barbados (Mount Gay, Foursquare, and WIRD), St. Nicholas Abbey focuses entirely on small batch production that includes everything from…

In this episode, we're continuing what we started with The Rumcast Guide to Jamaican Rum by hopping over to a typically less familiar locale when it comes to sugarcane spirits: Mexico. Mexico has a relatively unique rum landscape that includes everything from small, family-run farm-to-bottle operations that have been producing fresh sugarcane juice…

In this episode, we sat down with a veteran of the independent rum bottler world, John Barrett, owner of Bristol Classic Rum. The UK outfit has been sourcing, aging, and releasing rums since the '90s, giving John a rare perspective on how the category has evolved over the past few decades and where it's going next. He's been to all your favorite di…

In this episode, we sat down with Steffen Mayer, who spent the last five years writing the ultimate book on Caroni (Caroni: 100% Trinidad Rum). Caroni, of course, is the legendary Trinidad distillery that closed around 2003, leaving behind a cache of aged rum that subsequently became some of the most sought-after rum in the world after bottlers lik…

In this episode, we're doing something new—a distillery-by-distillery guide to a single rum-producing country. And what better place to start than Jamaica? After a quick overview of the Jamaican rum category, we take a closer look at the rums of: Appleton Estate New Yarmouth Estate Worthy Park Estate Hampden Estate Clarendon Distillers Long Pond Di…

In this episode, we caught up Peter Holland, the man behind The Floating Rum Shack, Foursquare's UK brand ambassador, and general rum guy for That Boutique-y Rum Company. Peter has been writing and educating on rum since 2008, giving him a unique perspective on a ton of rum-related topics. We chatted about: Rum's evolution since 2008 Developing new…

In this episode, we caught up with Kate Perry and Johann Jobello of La Maison & Velier to learn about Arhumatic—a French brand that's quite different from anything else in the LM&V portfolio. Arhumatic specializes in rhum arrangé, a traditional preparation of rum in islands with French ties like Réunion, Martinique, and Guadeloupe. Rhum arrangé inv…

In this episode, we sat down with Don Q's new master blender Liza Cordero and maestra ronera Silvia Santiago to dive deep into an iconic distillery of Puerto Rican rum. Although Liza only recently became master blender, she's worked at the distillery for nearly two decades, and Silvia has been there for 48 years. There's an absolute wealth of knowl…

In this episode, we challenged each other to build our own personal budget home rum bars featuring 5 rums under $30. But wait! There were more stipulations! Each rum had to be from a different country, at least one rum had to be unaged, and at least one rum had to be made from cane juice. We laugh, we argue, we come to agreements to disagree. Liste…

In this episode, we welcomed Carsten Vlierboom of E&A Scheer back to the show to discuss the single cask side of the business—The Main Rum Company. If you've ever enjoyed an exceptional independently bottled release, there's a good chance it was sourced from Main Rum. We dug into not only what they have in their aging warehouses, but what actually …

In this episode, we look back at the top 6 things we’ve learned about rum after recording 50 episodes of The Rumcast! Plus, we kick off the show with a special announcement—we’re launching a Rumcast Patreon so we can start doing more fun things with the Rumcast community and make the show even better! To join the community and support the show, go …

In this episode, we chat with Jacklyn Broomes (Agricultural Manager) and Maggie Campbell (Estate Rum Manager) about all things agriculture and sustainability at Mount Gay (along with a few hints at what to expect from the estate rum program in the future). Topics covered include: How Jackie and Maggie both ended up working at Mount Gay (and a close…

In this episode, we go head to head trying to construct the perfect rum flights in three different categories: Caribbean rums for beginners, Caribbean rums for intermediate rum drinkers, and non-Caribbean rums. Along the way, we discuss and debate what makes a good flight, the pains of our toughest cuts from each category, and more. Relevant Links:…

In this episode, we talked to Mitch Wilson of Black Tot Rum about the brand’s origins in British Navy rum, moving beyond the blends of the past, their unique approach to rum blending, and much more! Topics discussed include: How to define navy rum or navy style rum in the first place Misconceptions and myths about navy rum The making of Black Tot’s…

In this episode, we talked to Justin Boseley, founder of Dead Reckoning Rum, one of the first (if not the only) independent bottlers in Australia. Justin has also imported rum into Australia for over a decade through his company La Rumbla Imports. Between the two roles, he’s had a front row seat to the evolution of rum in Australia in recent years,…

After revisiting the past in episode 44, we look to what the future holds for rum in 2022! Each of us looked into our non-existent crystal balls and made three rum-related predictions we believe will come true this year. Tune in for highly scientific prognostications on release trends, transparency, and even rum names.…

Somehow it’s already time for our second annual year in review! As per tradition established one year ago, we take a look back at our favorite rums and podcast moments of the past year. Grab one of your favorite drams from 2021 and look back on the year with us as we discuss: Our personal favorite rums this year in the following categories… Unaged …

In this episode, Richard Seale takes us through the story behind the new high ester rum from Foursquare, and the larger vision for the Barbados distillery’s journey into cane juice rum production. We discuss: Where the idea to make a high ester rum at Foursquare came from The production process used to make the rum (and why he chose to make it a bl…

In this episode, Stephen Shellenberger takes us on a deep dive into Boston Apothecary, his rum and spirits-focused blog that has become one of the largest digital repositories of historic research on rum production. We discuss: The origin story of Boston Apothecary The historical significance of Rafael Arroyo, and why Stephen is so fascinated with …

In this episode, Johann Jobello takes us inside the world of Transcontinental Rum Line, La Maison & Velier’s growing collection of rum releases sourced from all over the world. As product manager and U.S. market coordinator, Johann has a hands-on role at every stage of the process, from sourcing the rum, to aging it, to planning releases, and more.…

In this episode, we begin a conversation on the myths, misconceptions, and “marketing-speak” that create confusion in the rum category. From the all-too-common “rum is sweet” to eyebrow-raising marketing claims, we bounce around a variety of the stuff we’ve heard a lot lately and discuss what fuels it.…

In this episode, Master Distiller Don Benn takes us behind the scenes at West Indies Rum Distillery in Barbados. Topics discussed include his 20+ year career in rum, how WIRD has changed over time, rebuilding the Rockley still, creating the Stade’s Rum brand, and more. Also, before the interview, we introduce a new segment (What Are You Buying?), a…

In this episode, a listener’s message about visiting St. Lucia Distillers inspires us to each pick three destinations for our rum travel bucket lists. Listen in on the discussion, then send us your own picks!By The Rumcast

In this episode, we talk to Kyle Reutner of Kō Hana Distillers about the Hawaii distillery’s approach to making fresh sugarcane juice rum from heirloom Hawaiian sugarcane varietals. We go deep into: How sugarcane’s journey to and role in Hawaii differs from other places around the world Why Kō Hana is focusing exclusively on single cane varietals i…

Ever thought you had your mind made up on a certain rum, distillery, or brand…only to have another experience change the way you look at it? Yeah, us too! In this episode, we each share three experiences that caused us to look at a particular producer a little bit differently.By The Rumcast

In this episode, we chat with Knud Strand about the rapid rise of Mhoba Rum, a single estate distillery making rum from fresh sugarcane juice in Malelane, South Africa. Over the last few years, Knud has worked closely with founder Robert Greaves to guide Mhoba’s development, bring the rum to new markets, and get it on the radar of rum enthusiasts a…

In this episode, we get caught up on everything new happening at Worthy Park with one of the Jamaica distillery’s newest team members—Craig Nicholson! As quality control manager and senior blender, Craig has a hand in just about everything the distillery puts out, from Rum Bar products to the distillery’s eponymous lineup of aged releases. Prior to…