Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/376390
THE MESSAGE EDITION 20 / the tasting panel / september 2014 Raj Bhakta, founder of WhistlePig. Bringing Out the Experts T ales is known for its seminars that draw in some of the leading indus- try experts. When it came to the "How to Start a Spirits Company" seminar, Raj Bhakta was a clear choice. The founder of WhistlePig Whiskey, a former contestant on The Apprentice and a political mover and shaker, Bhakta was on hand to offer insight to bartenders and enthusiasts look- ing to take that next step. "I wanted to help people understand that the most important thing for any brand to have, first and foremost, is soul," said Bhakta earnestly. "The true goal, in and of itself, should be to create something great." Bhakta practices what he preaches: "The objective of WhistlePig is to become the finest whiskey in the world. We have authenticity; we have a deep and strong ambition to become a multi- generational family company," says Bhakta. "We want to be the Macallan of America!" —Rachel Burkons PHOTO: RACHEL BURKONS Rhum . . . and More Rhum A rtisanal Rhum Clément shot up in popularity so quickly that within a few years of its 2005 rollout in the U.S., it had become a standard backbar item for upscale establishments. Quality will tell! When we met up with Ben Jones (of the Clément family, on his mother's side) during Tales of the Cocktail, we wanted to know: What's next? The answer lies within the family. For the past dozen years, the Martinique-based Cléments have worked with another rhum agricole–producing group, the Guadeloupe-based Damoiseau family, and they are now launching several of Damoiseau's products in the U.S.: barrel-aged Damoiseau VSOP Rhum Vieux and the white Damoiseau Virgin Cane Rum. The 110 proof Damoiseau XO Rhum Agricole will debut here in January. | —Becky Sue Epstein Bacardi on a Boat F or its Spirited Dinner at Tales of the cocktail, Bacardi decided to go family-style. "We believe that the family that dines together, stays together," said Enrique Comas, sixth-generation family member and Global Brand Manager at Bacardi Global. As bartenders from all over the world—France, Mexico, China, Russia and the U.K., to name a few—served up Bacardi cocktails, guests enjoyed a family-style meal on a paddle- boat cruising the Mississippi River. Dim, intimate lighting drew people closer to each other as Comas continued to express the importance of family—both the family we choose and the family we make: "The Bacardi legacy is more than just a family thing," he said. "It belongs to you as well; every time you make a Cuba Libre, it perpetuates the legacy of the bartenders who made that drink before you. We thank you, and want to cement that tonight. You are members of our family!" —R. B. , sixth-generation PHOTO: SCOTT MYERS PHOTO: RACHEL BURKONS Ben Jones with Rhum Clément's portfolio during Tales of the Cocktail. Steve Schneider of NYC's Employees Only, served cocktails at the Bacardi Spirited Dinner, which featured a video celebrating his story.