Bring on the Funk

I learned a long time ago that what I like doesn’t matter.  When I was the Tasting Room Operator I learned about the vast range of “tastes,” many of which were not mine.

Some people like sweet.  Some dry.  Some folks like sour.  Others like it “hoppier.“ I think that diversity in tastes probably applies to everything in life—not just flavors on the palate.

Some people like short.  Others tall.  Some people like abstract.  Others want realistic.  Some folks think “modern” looks dumb.

If this idea applies to everything in life—rum is no exception.

Fair Game has been in the rum business for just over a decade.  We once made an Agricole—a French style rum from sugar cane juice grown on the NC/SC state line. 

We released our English style rum in 2016.  When nobody bought it, it had a chance to get really old, really complex, really dark—we accidentally ended up with a wonderful rum. 

Having one of the oldest rums in the Carolina’s, we bought a barrel from Robbie and Caroline at Muddy River—they are the big craft rum producer in these parts.  With that we dropped our Spanish style Province of Carolina blend.

Enter Jason from Kingston 99, the Jamaican restaurant next door. 

We were working on a rum blend for a distillery on the North Carolina coast—our first ever “private label” deal—when Jason announced he wanted us to import a barrel of Jamaican rum and create a product under the Kingston 99 label.

Bizarre.  The hyper local Fair Game Beverage Company isn’t exactly skilled at importing far away rum.  But Jason is gregarious, and compelling, and I do remember him telling the Mayor at the ribbon cutting of his eatery that our part of Pittsboro was “now officially part of Jamaica.” That makes Jamaican rum local.

When the Jamaican rum arrived, Rob queued up some blends, we tasted with Jason, and agreed to try again.  

Jason is a chef. Not exactly high strung or tempermental--he is Jamaican after all. But he knows what he wants in a taste profile.

Here is the thing about Jamaican rum:  it’s funky.  After rounds of tastings Rob landed on a blend that Jason approved of—a mix of amber rum, Jamaican rum, and Fair Game’s Province of Carolina.

I’ve toured a bunch of rum distilleries in the islands and Central America. Along the way I have tasted mountains of rum.  Just when I was on the fence about “funk,” Samantha sends me an article. The Guardian takes a swing at rum and says, “Rum is Booming—but if you want the real funk, it has be Jamaican.”

Got it.  What I prefer doesn’t matter.  Again.

We are set to release Kingston 99 Jamaican Rum on February 6^th—Bob Marley’s birthday. Jason is a man with a plan.  It’s happening.

I could write a dozen “sidebars” about my relationship with Jamaican rum. 

Once a customer complemented me on the cocktail they had at a popular Carrboro establishment—made with Fair Game Amber Rum according to the menu.  I went up to get one, but it didn’t taste like our rum. Even in the cocktail!  The bartender was kind enough to hand me the bottle they had poured from.  It was Appleton Estate Jamaican Rum.

Drat.  That cocktail would not be Fair Game’s path to riches.  But at least it was a top shelf Jamaican brand.  Shrug. Local food is full of myths.

Once when I was birding in Puerto Rico, I found myself touring distilleries and tasting rum.  They like to look down their noses on Jamaican rum with all its funk.

Once when I was vacationing in Jamaica, I toured Appleton Estates and I became suspicious of the Puerto Rican narrative.

Who knows?  I suspect Jason does.  We are going to release our first ever “Private Label Rum” for Kingston 99, and my guess is that its customers will be reminded of home...