Rosewood Bermuda raises glass to exclusive rum
An exclusive Rosewood Bermuda Rum is now being poured after it was unveiled last night.
The rum is handmade under the direction of Jose Gomez, Bacardi Rums’ global master blender, and is such a limited edition that the supply will total only 326 bottles.
The first 70 bottles are now being served at the hotel, near Tucker’s Town.
The hotel and resort decided it wanted a rum, unique and specially made, and branded for it to serve to guests.
Serge Bottelli, Rosewood’s director of food and beverages, visited the Bacardi facility in Puerto Rico and met Mr Gomez to set in motion the production of the special rum.
Two months later, the first of the bottles were flown to Bermuda for the launch yesterday that coincided with a gathering of Bacardi executives at Rosewood.
“It is an amazing product,” said Mr Bottelli.
He and John Lake, the hotel’s bar manager, went to Puerto Rico to learn about the rum-making process from Mr Gomez.
“We blended some rums by adding and taking out. Everyone agreed on what we had. We chose the bottle and label,” said Mr Bottelli.
So how special is this rum?
Mr Gomez said: “We had some casks put aside for this project. It had always been our dream to have [such] a barrel project.”
He said it was a completely artisan, or handmade, operation. There was no bottling line.
“In this blend, the youngest Bacardi rum is eight years old, and the oldest is 12 years, and this is undisturbed ageing,” he said, explaining that undisturbed ageing referred to a cask of rum that has matured over time with no disturbance.
Mr Gomez said the filtration system used was also unique, as was the cask system — which could not be reproduced, hence the supply of the Rosewood Bermuda Rum being limited to 326 bottles.
“This specific barrel project is something new for us. We have had special blends for specific consumers, but not in this way and with this degree of uniqueness,” he added.
The rum has been blended to appeal to the palette of North Americans, who make up a large percentage of Rosewood Bermuda’s guests, and local residents who frequent the hotel and its bars.
Mr Bottelli said it gives guests something special: “It is unique, you give more. We researched with master blender from Bacardi to have that perfect rum for the location.”
The hotel has created some other exclusive food and drink choices, such as its own barrel of Tequila Patrón.
“That came to 256 bottles. We have about 100 bottles left. So, we have our own Patrón, people like it and choose it. It is a bit different,” said Mr Bottelli.
“Also, we have a beekeeper here, and I just bought five gallons of his honey.”
The Rosewood Bermuda Rum is on sale at Tucker’s Bar, the Conservatory Bar, and the beach club and golf club bars.
But what happens once all the special rum has been consumed?
Mr Gomez said he hopes Rosewood Bermuda will request that he blends another unique rum for the hotel and resort’s exclusive use.