Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/326040
june 2014 / the tasting panel / 7 Up Front with The Birth of Blackwell "I was supposed to be in the rum business," says Blackwell with a wry smile. More specifically, Blackwell was born to be in the Jamaican rum business: His family roots date back to 1625 on the island, and as a child, his grandfather owned the J. Wray and Nephew distillery, where Appleton Rum is distilled to this day. But when the family business was sold, Blackwell was left to develop his other passions and embarked on one of the music industry's most successful and influential careers. So it should come as no surprise that in 2009, when he was approached by mar- keting guru Richard Kirshenbaum, who suggested that he ought to get into the rum game, Blackwell was intrigued: "I had never been the product —I'm a behind- the-scenes guy, but I thought about it and realized that rum is in my history. It felt like it was about returning to my roots, so I thought, 'Ok, I'll give it a go.'" But Blackwell, ever the visionary, had two stipulations: "First, I said that it must be made in Jamaica," he explains. "Second, I'd like J. Wray and Nephew to make it." So Blackwell returned to his roots and asked the team at the historic distillery to craft a dark rum for him: "They told me dark rum doesn't sell," says Blackwell, "but I asked them to make me some samples anyway. They made five blends, and I didn't like any of them." "But there was a flavor I had in my head, so I went back to them and asked them to infuse it into the blend." THE TASTING PANEL, ever the inquisitive interviewer, eagerly asked about this mystery ingredient: "I can't tell you," says Blackwell with a smile. Following his instincts paid off, and after another round of samples, Blackwell landed on two blends he liked best. After much back-and-forth tasting, he picked his favorite. "I was at a hotel I own in Jamaica called the GoldenEye, when four female friends of mine joined me at the bar. Without telling them anything, I asked them to taste both samples and let me know which one they preferred," he recalls. "They all picked the one I hadn't picked, so I changed my mind on the spot," laughs Blackwell. "So I guess you can say this is really a female-designed rum!" Blackwell on the Rise So Blackwell launched the rum in Jamaica, without much ado: "We spent nothing on it," he recalls. "I didn't want to come out with a rum that, because of my history, could get a lot of attention, but not have the rum be good." So with a small first run, Blackwell soon had another hit on his hands in Jamaica: With deep, dark caramel-vanilla notes and a spiced molasses finish, this small batch–distilled and two-year-aged rum took the island by storm. "It just didn't go away! More and more people kept coming up to me saying, 'I love your rum!'" Ever the shrewd businessman, Blackwell knew it was time to bring his rum to the rest of the world and relied on his tried and true music industry experience to help spread the word: "In music, bands collect disciples, because if there's something you love, you love being able to turn people on to it. I want to grow the rum in the same way," he says earnestly. "I love seeing things grow; there's no hype, there's no nonsense—it's just a good product!" As the sun sets over Downtown Los Angeles's Ace Hotel rooftop Upstairs bar, we see Blackwell's "disciple" marketing in action: David and Rebecca Fernandez, owners of El Segundo, CA's Purple Orchid tiki bar, are thrilled to meet with the man in the flesh. "We love this rum," says David excitedly. "We've been selling it for years!" Blackwell smiles and nods, thanking the couple for their kind words. "I've always tried to bring the islands to America," he tells us. Well, Mr. Blackwell, even your musical legacy aside, we call this a mission accomplished. www.blackwellrum.com Blackwell and Banana "The Blackwell Rum is great with bananas, and I think banana is an underused flavor in general," says Tarita Noronha, Beverage Manager at Hakkasan Beverly Hills, where she was inspired to create an Improved PB&J as a riff off a dessert on the NYC location. "I love Blackwell and think it's really mixable and does well in cocktails that are spirit forward. You don't want to mask these flavors, so simple is definitely better," she says. Improved PB&J ◗ 2 oz. Blackwell Rum ◗ ½ oz. Frangelico ◗ 1 ½ oz. housemade banana purée ◗ ½ oz. lemon juice ◗ 1 raspberry ◗ Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake hard and double-strain over fresh ice. Garnish with a banana leaf and floating raspberry. TP0614_001-33.indd 7 5/23/14 8:29 PM