Review: Papa’s Pilar Marquesas Blend Dark Rum
Papa’s Pilar Marquesas Blend Dark Rum is a Limited-Edition Release that will be available in October. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a bottle a little early. All of Papa’s Pilar’s rum expressions are inspired by Ernest Hemingway. Marquesas Blend Dark Rum is named after the Marquesas Keys, a group of islands just west of Key West. After a brutal storm hit during a fishing expedition, Ernest Hemingway was stranded for two weeks on these islands. Papa’s Pilar Marquesas is made from 7 hand selected rums aged up to 24 years. The rums are crafted by Master Blender Ron Call at Hemingway Rum Company’s distillery in Key West Florida located just yards from where Hemingway used to dock his boat. The rums are sourced from the Caribbean, US, and Central America. After blending, the rum is placed in #4 char Kentucky Straight Bourbon barrels to finish maturing before bottling at 88 proof. Read more 
Review: Coconut Cartel Special
Coconut Cartel Special was inspired by a Miami favorite. Fresh cold coconuts spiked with premium Guatemalan dark rum. It is made from premium Guatemalan anejo rum. Guatemalan rum is made from fermented virgin sugar cane syrup. The rum is distilled in copper column stills and is solera-style aged in new charred American white oak barrels for between four and twelve years. The rum is proofed down to 40% alcohol with fresh coconut water before bottling. The Coconut Cartel brand was created by Mike and Dani Zig who were born in Miami to Latin parents. They grew up living between Miami, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Their first venture included smuggling coconuts in their suitcases from islands off the coast of El Salvador and selling them directly to Miami Beach’s best hotels. These coconuts were stamped with the Coconut Cartel or specific resort logo, and served with added alcohol. These coconut cocktails were quit popular. Coconut Cartel Special is an extension of this brand. Read more
Review: Koloa Kauai Dark Rum
Koloa Kauai Dark Rum was introduced September 2009 and is one of five rums they craft on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai. It is made with crystallized brown sugar from tall cane Hawaiian grown sugar cane that is hand harvested and the sugar cane is crushed in the field. The juice is collected in a tank and brought straight to the distillery. It doesn’t get any fresher. The rum is twice distilled using a 1210 gallon copper pot still with a copper column and condenser. Pure mountain rainwater from Mt. Wai’ ale’ ale and the nearby mountain peaks and rainforests is captured and slowly filtered through volcanic strata before reaching vast underground aquifers, is blended in to reduce to 80 proof. Read more