Although not as widely popular as her sister spirits, good quality rums are beginning to make an impact in the world of craft distilling.
Utilising flavour and unique distilling methods, craft rum and cane spirits are re-introducing a new generation of drinkers to the spirit and encouraging them to think (and particularly drink) differently
To discuss craft distilling, the future of rum and the fact that you shouldn’t be afraid of their new Spiced Cane Spirit, we talk to Alexander Bell from Milton Rum Distillery.
[00:00:47] – Apparently, you are not the first Milton Distillery?
[00:01:31] – Did the knowledge of the distillery come first and then you tried to find somewhere in Milton to put it or did you happen to have a site in Milton already?
[00:02:52] – Take us back to the beginning. Where did it all start?
[00:03:57] – When you started the distillery, why did you think to do rum rather than something was easier, like gin or vodka or…
[00:04:52] – Your first expression is a spiced cane spirit? Why did you choose to go in that direction?
[00:04:55] – When we met the other day, you said this is a rum, but not as you’ve ever tasted before. Describe what the flavours are.
[00:07:38] – Now, it’s a little unusual to use such a lot of citrus in a spiced spirit. Why did you choose to do that?
[00:09:37] – You said you haven’t gone very heavy on the spices, but what spices have you included
[00:11:10] – Now you obviously haven’t come from a distilling background. How difficult was it to learn what to do, and to actually get the whole thing up and running?
[00:11:10] – Although knowing technically how to do something and then physically doing it can often be a really different thing.
[00:12:31] – Now you talked about having engineering drawings of the still that you wanted. Have you basically designed and built it yourself?
[00:14:36] – Do you think that’s given you a little bit of an edge having built it yourself and having designed exactly how you want it to be?
[00:15:48] – Now you’ve mentioned that you have both a pot and a column still.
[00:17:35] – Pot-stills are, well shall we say, not known necessarily for producing an amazingly high level of purity in the liquid that comes out of them. Do you think that that sort of funk adds something good to the taste when it comes to a rum?
[00:19:13] – Now when somebody tastes the Spiced Cane Spirit for the first time what should they expect from it?
[00:20:24] – If somebody buys a bottle of the spirit, how do you suggest they first use it?
[00:21:21] – What has the reaction to the spirit been from bartenders that you’ve taken it to?
[00:23:18] – Rum is in an interesting … Perhaps the best way to describe it as no man’s land at the moment. Where everyone keeps saying it’s about to have its revival. It’s about to have its revival. Gin never seems to go away. The whiskeys have now risen in rum
[00:24:31] – Obviously, you would be available in certain areas of Queensland, but are you looking to take the spirit to the rest of Australia?
[00:26:49] – So, I suppose having said that, export plans are a little bit on the back burner are at the moment.
[00:28:55] – So, what will you next be producing? What comes after, I suppose, cane spirit?
[00:29:47] – Let’s take a moment to have a look at the label that you’ve got. That’s a stunning label. I assume it’s a phoenix rising?
For more information go to miltonrundistillery.com
