Cruzan Single Barrel Estate Rum has been produced on the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix, since 1760. Cruzan Rum is also the only distillery operating in St. Croix today.

Cruzan Single Barrel is decanted in a tall bottle that has a frosted glass effect and a wooden cork. Around the long neck there is a small label, where the number of the bottle and the number of the barrel has been written. Little details like this are important to me as it allows me to find rum from a different barrel for taste comparisons.

Despite the name, Cruzan Single Barrel is actually a blend of different aged rums up to 12 years old. After blending the blend is then put into a new charred oak barrel to continue aging for approximately 1 more year.

Appearance

By David Savona.

The Dominican Republic, the world's largest producer of premium cigars, is throwing a cigar festival, and consumers are welcome to attend.

The 2008 Procigar Festival takes place March 5 through 7 in Santiago, the heart of the Dominican Republic's cigar production. It's the first of what's hoped to be an annual cigar show that will include tours of cigar factories and tobacco fields, luncheons and dinners with some of the country's leading cigar producers, and seminars on the world of cigars, tobacco growing, and spirits and cigar pairings. There's also a collection of special-edition cigars made for the event, and many more smokes.

The trip costs $595, not including airfare or lodging. The participating cigar companies are La Aurora, maker of the popular Preferidos and Aurora 100 Años cigars; General Cigar Co., one of the world's largest premium cigar producers and the company behind Macanudo and La Gloria Cubana; Tabadom Holding, which is affiliated with Davidoff and Avo cigars; Matasa, producer of Fonseca and Cubita; and Tabacalera de Garcia Ltd., the producer of Romeo y Julieta and Montecristo, among many other premium brands.

Those who want to add a little more R&R to the trip can upgrade and spend the weekend in La Romana, home of Tabacalera de Garcia, and play golf in the Procigar Golf Tournament at Casa de Campo, a world-class golf resort that overlooks the Caribbean.

For more information and to order tickets, go to www.procigar.org

Source: Cigar Aficionado.

Mount Gay is widely recognized as the world’s oldest rum producer and they don't seem to be too coy about it either. On the front label, of the heavy bottle with a classic bubble neck, is printed a map of Barbados where it says Mount Gay has been producing rum since 1703, which would make the tradition of making rum over 300 years.

Appearance

Mount Gay Eclipse is gold with strong legs that after a swirl in the glass leave several small droplets behind once it has begun its slow descent deeper into the glass. The presence of the droplets and the strong legs give clues to the rums sweetness.

Nose

Indeed the nose has a strong presence of sweetness as well as alcohol that stings if you bury your nose too deep into the glass but not enough to make you turn back. Once you get past the alcohol a panorama of exotic fruits come to greet your nose, mostly dark fruits with the most notable fruit being dried plum. Brown sugar is detectable with a little vanilla on the side. I found the nose surprisingly complex for this rum.

Short & Sweet: A Tour Of The Pyrat Rum Factory

During my most recent trip to the Caribbean, I had the opportunity to do something I’ve wanted to do for quite a while: get an inside look at rum making in the islands.

The island of Anguilla lies just to the north of the French-Dutch island of St. Martin/St. Maarten, accessible by ferry from the French town of Marigot.  The island is British territory, roughly 16 miles (25 km) long and 3 miles (just under 5 km) wide at its widest point.  It boasts 33 white, sandy beaches and a peaceful island atmosphere for its 12,000 residents and many visitors.

The island is also home to the Anguilla Rums Ltd.

Located just to the east of Sandy Ground (on the northwestern side of the island) is a small, yellow building with brown shudders and a blue sign containing the image of a single bottle of Pyrat XO Reserve rum.  This is the home of Anguilla Rums Ltd., makers of Pyrat Rum.

Like many rum manufacturers, Anguilla Rums allows for tours of their facility – provided you have an appointment.  Visitors are allowed in to the tasting room any time, but if you have the desire to see a few details of how their operation works, you need to call ahead.  I setup our appointment about a week prior to our arrival with no trouble whatsoever.