Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/11486
You learn a few things in 250 years. Such is the case with Cruzan Rum. In 1760, a sugar mill began crushing cane at the current site of the Cruzan distillery on the island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Today, Cruzan Aged Light rum stands as the second-ranked rum on the market, and parent company Beam Global Spirits & Wine has big plans to expand the customer-base for its extensive line of rums. Amy Weisenbach, Director for Cruzan, says the product has several things going for it in the com- plex and competitive market of rum. For starters, it has family. The Nelthropp clan has been producing Cruzan (pronounced CRU-shun, named after the islanders, who are called Crucians) for generations, with current president Gary Nelthropp overseeing the distillery today. The Nelthropps have developed a five-column distillation process for oak barrel–aged rums that have a clean crispness to them. “Gary likes to say that Cruzan is the cleanest rum in the world,” Weisenbach says. “What that means is that the distillation process is not only continuous, as opposed to distilling it a number of different times, but it also takes an extra step to remove some of the by-products created in the distillation and fermentation stages that give some rums a bitterness.” The brand, purchased by Beam Global in 2008, sports a varied line of rums that includes Cruzan Aged Light, Aged Dark and its premium Single Barrel, which combines five- to 12-year-old rums in new oak cask for an additional year. Cruzan also pio- neered flavored rums in the industry and currently has ten different flavors. The portfolio also includes Cruzan Black Strap, Cruzan 151 and a Rum Cream. It’s this comprehensive line-up that provides bars, restaurants and retail customers great cocktail choices. Weisenbach says the strong menu of Cruzan rum, priced at a value compared to competing rums, is giving the brand momentum among clubs such as Bottom Lounge in Chicago, which offers Cruzan’s wide spectrum of flavors and expressions. The club’s favorite is Cruzan Black Cherry mixed with Coca-Cola. National on-premise accounts have grown by double digits with the help of recent deals with The Cheesecake Factory, Outback Steakhouse and Sushi Samba restaurants. It also continues to gain traction among bars and clubs, especially as the summer takes hold and rum drinks flow. “We’re really one of just a couple in the industry who have everything in our portfolio,” Weisenbach says. “So if we approach bar owners, we can stock all of their needs, from Rum & Cokes to sippers for high- end connoisseurs who want it on the rocks. We offer great value because it all comes from one company.” Bottom’s Up—And So Is Rum— at Chicago’s Bottom Lounge Although a rather non-descript building outside, Bottom Lounge features the 5,000-square-foot Volcano Room Rum Bar, a second floor tiki-themed loft space that includes an accompanying outdoor deck with a panoramic view of Chicago’s skyline. With live music and June’s warm weather, establishments such as Bottom Lounge are well- suited for the seasonal rush for rum drinks. june 2010 / the tasting panel /