Tag: Florida

Alligator Bay Distillers in Punta Gorda

Thursday, October 25, 2018 / Robert Burr / 1 Comment

With a nod to the backwater regions of Southwest Florida, Alligator Bay Distillers is a family-run operation producing a line of boutique rum products from their production facility in Punta Gorda, Florida.

Alex Voss with Robin and Robert Burr at Alligator Bay Distillers

Alex Voss grew up in Naples, a small town south of Fort Myers. In 2012, he moved to Maui, Hawaii where he learned to make rum. He started as an apprentice and worked his way up to distiller at Haleakalā Distillers.

Returning to Naples, Alex brought home his knowledge of cane spirit production, collaborating with family members to launch their own facility in 2015.

While Alex concentrates on rum production, brother Ben Voss leads the marketing efforts and serves as chief mechanic at Alligator Bay Distillers.

We arrived on a Saturday afternoon for a look around and a tour of the facility. Alex welcomed us and spoke of his process and philosophy of making rum at Alligator Bay Distillers.

Starting with molasses from Clewiston — the legendary sugar town near Lake Okeechobee — Alex has perfected his fermentation process with an ideal active dry yeast strain that thrives in the warm humid climate of Southwest Florida. The fermentation process takes seven days and produces a rum mash with an alcohol content of 8%.

The distillation process involves double distillation in a traditional copper pot still to 70% abv, retaining much of the molasses and cane flavors in his distillate.

The aging room is completely filled with resting oak barrels. The aroma of rum and wood is enticing — and certainly whets the appetite for the next stop on the tour — the tasting room.

Alligator Bay rums

Indeed, the clear rum retains a true flavor of cane and serves as the base for the spiced rum. The Sun Gold rum is lightly aged and the addition of Black Mangrove honey offers a nice finish. The Saba Treasure offers a subtle hint of fennel.

The rum that brings home the most awards is the chocolate-infused Dark Rum. This boutique specialty took home a gold award in the 2017 RumXP international tasting competition at Rum Renaissance Festival.

With a motto of “cane to bottle,” the small batch rums made by Alex Voss at Alligator Bay Distillers are distinguished by his artisan hands-on approach to production.

The distillery is open for tours Monday through Saturday from 11am to 3pm, starting on top of the hour, at 25522 E Marion Ave. Punta Gorda FL, 33950.

Call 941-347-8419 or email: info@alligatorbaydistillers.com. Visit the web site at: http://alligatorbaydistillers.com/

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Big 5 Gold Rum evokes wistful era

Tuesday, July 11, 2017 / Robert Burr / 0 Comments

A trio of rums from Florida — including Big 5 Gold Rum — seek to echo the spirit of rum’s classic era in Cuba’s high society of the 1940s and 1950s.

Modeled in the light bodied Cuban style of aged rums, Big 5 Gold Rum is a fine example of a modern spirit finished by craft distillers in artisan copper pot stills. Continue reading

Oak And Cane rum launches in Florida

Monday, October 17, 2016 / Robert Burr / 0 Comments

Produced in small batches in Riviera Beach, Florida, the new Oak And Cane boutique rum launched in Ft. Lauderdale recently, seeking to deliver a very smooth and delightful expression to the local market.

The Oak And Cane Project

Oak And Cane rum from Fort Lauderdale, Florida rests in orange peels

Oak And Cane rum is a distilled specialty spirit from Fort Lauderdale, Florida rested in orange peels.

Fred Greene leads the project. His new rum, bottled at a gentle 35% (70 proof) is classified as a Distilled Specialty Spirit, rested in Florida orange peels and finished in charred American oak.

The brand’s stated goal is to create an American lifestyle product that is smooth on the rocks or can be mixed into timeless classic cocktails like an Old Fashioned, Mojito or even a Mimosa or Sangria.

Tasting Notes

Delicate aromas of light vanilla and faint citrus are revealed over a hint of aromatic wood. On the palate, this pale spirit initially reveals creamy vanilla and bright orange, leading to a light viscosity and mild texture in the mid-palate. The dry finish is faint and smooth with lingering notes of creamsicle.

Oak & Cane can be purchased for about $47 plus shipping from the Passion Spirits online web site.

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Wicked Dolphin announces Gold Reserve Rum

Thursday, November 12, 2015 / Robert Burr / 1 Comment

From Cape Coral, Florida, the Wicked Dolphin craft distillery today announced the release of a new rum expression: Wicked Dolphin Gold Reserve.

Wicked Dolphin Gold Reserve - From Cape Coral, Florida, the new Wicked Dolphin Gold Reserve aged rum rests for three years in Bourbon barrels.

Wicked Dolphin’s new Gold Reserve hand crafted aged rum is produced in Cape Coral, Florida.

This new aged rum was handcrafted from two distinct fermentation styles using both Florida sugarcane and Florida molasses. The rum is batch distilled in a copper pot still before resting in used Bourbon barrels for three years.

“We have worked on Wicked Dolphin Gold Reserve since we started making rum in 2012. Our rum is aged for a full three years in Bourbon Barrels which gives us unique deep whiskey notes for one of the best gold rums on the market”, stated Wicked Dolphin Rum Owner, JoAnn Elardo.

The heat and humidity in Florida play a large factor in Wicked Dolphin’s rum making process. The South Florida climate leads to a rapid aging process which allows for a robust flavor profile.

Wicked Dolphin barrels are then blended and finished to create a smooth and sweet buttery start, followed by a deep oaky finish. Wicked Dolphin does not add caramel or sugar to this authentic craft rum.

Wicked Dolphin Gold Reserve is available in 750ml bottles at 40% abv (80 Proof) at a retail price of $32.99.

Florida’s Wicked Dolphin debuts RumShine flavored spirits

Tuesday, September 16, 2014 / Robert Burr / 0 Comments

Florida craft distiller Cape Spirits today announced the addition of three new expressions to their portfolio of artisan spirits in the form of Wicked Dolphin RumShine — made with locally-sourced produce and award-winning rum.

An homage to the pioneers that built Florida's sugar industry from the wilds of the Everglades, Wicked Dolphin's new RumShine flavored expressions are infused with local apple, strawberry and blueberry flavors.

The new Wicked Dolphin RumShine flavors from Cape Spirits of Cape Coral presents a delightful infusion of fresh Florida delights — flavored with apple, strawberry and blueberry — in locally produced rum.

In addition to the new Apple Pie, Strawberry and Blueberry RumShine products, the company produces numerous cane spirits at their craft distillery in Cape Coral, Florida.

An homage to the pioneers that built Florida’s sugar industry from the wilds of the Everglades, Wicked Dolphin’s new RumShine flavored expressions are a reflection of a lost era of home-made spirits.

The tropical Everglades was worked by a rough bunch of hard-working laborers, known as Gladesmen. They worked tirelessly in the sweltering heat of the vast swamps infested with venomous snakes, battling savage alligators as big as boats.

Wicked Dolphin Rumshine Flavors

These flavored rums won’t be confused with the sweet syrupy style flavored rums offered by other brands. They’re full of natural fruit flavor — and they pack a bit of a punch.

“We take a lot of pride in using as many fresh, Florida ingredients as we can.” says company president Joann Elardo. “Today, we are introducing three flavors: Apple Pie, Strawberry and Blueberry. We’ve been testing these in the market and have seen great response. People are looking for something a little different, and our new RumShine fits that bill.”

Strawberry RumShine features fresh Florida strawberries infused in their award-winning clear rum made from the very best Florida sugar cane, creating a profile of creamy, sun ripened strawberries with cool, sweet, refreshingly complex flavor, finishing with a bit of a kick at 100 proof.

Blueberry RumShine offers fresh Florida blueberries with a similar clear rum base. A nice bright full-bodied berry taste with sweet notes in perfect balance creates a great 100 proof spirit to enjoy on its own or with a mixer.

Apple Pie RumShine, at 70 proof, is reminiscent of having a warm slice of apple pie –- with a fresh clean apple taste that is wonderfully accented by a hand-made bouquet of nutmeg, cinnamon and homemade spices.

Wicked Dolphin rums are distributed by Republic National Distributors and available in most retail and restaurant locations throughout Florida. Visit the distillery located at 131 SW 3rd Street in Cape Coral, Florida for free tours and delicious rum tastings.