MARTYNA HALAS & RENÉ VAN HOVEN: Authors of “Rum Rebels”
Martyna Halas and Rene van Hoven are authors of “Rum Rebels”. Rum Rebels is a story of female empowerment in a traditionally male-dominated industry. Looking at more than a dozen rum distilleries, each chapter of Rum Rebels profiles women in leadership, their rum, and the perfect cocktail pairing. Learn more about Martyna Halas and Rene van Hoven, in the next interview:
TRL: Who is Martyna Halas & Rene van Hoven?
Martyna: Born and raised in Bydgoszcz, Poland, Martyna has lived in Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands. She has contributed to various international blogs and magazines like HealthyPlace.com or Are We Europe and currently works as a freelance journalist and content creator. She is also a singer collaborating with multiple artists in the rock and metal scene and the front lady of Ascend the Hollow and Rage of Light. She’s a passionate advocate for mental health, women’s reproductive rights, and gender diversity in music and beyond. Privately, she enjoys craft beer and can’t skip a city without checking some locally made specialties. Her interest in rum grew when she met René van Hoven, with whom she launched a website, TripsAndTaste.com, and traveled to several spirits events such as the German Rum Festival in Berlin or Michelangelo International Wine and Spirits Awards in South Africa. Her goal is to break the stereotypes about women and rum and bring well-deserved attention to female-led distilleries.
Rene: Born and raised just north of Amsterdam, René is an F&B (food and beverage) teacher, international wine and spirits judge, and vintage rum collector (known online as René’s Rarities). As a chef and wine and spirits specialist, he has always worked with flavors and loves to write about them. He has contributed articles to newspapers and international magazines such as More Than Drinks, Whisky Passion, Rum Porter, and many more. He is a recurring guest at various European spirits festivals like the German Rum Festival Berlin, Brau Beviale in Nuernberg, Salon du Rhum Belgique in Spa, and Rhum Fest Paris. He often gives masterclasses at various events to share his knowledge about rum and its history. When traveling to festivals, he brings a selection of his private vintage bottles to share with other rum enthusiasts.
TRL: What does the rum mean for you? What made you fall in love with rum and when did it happen?
Martyna: I fell in love with rum thanks to Rene. Before that, I already enjoyed craft beer, so rum seemed like a logical next step for my palate. To me, rum is all about relaxing and enjoying life. I appreciate how diverse the product can be and how it evokes sensations of nature, especially rhum agricole.
Rene: Rum is the first drink I really liked at the age of 17. I didn’t drink beer back then, and a friend suggested a rum and coke. Now the drink is simply a part of my life. I studied it, traveled for it, judge it in competitions. It is a very diverse drink that is tropical, festive, and can be a nice sipping drink with chocolate or cheese. I love the smoothness of the drink, especially when it is highly aged or from an old bottling.
TRL: Three essential characteristics that define the rum according to your perspective.
Martyna: It really depends on what kind of rum we’re talking about. The characteristics I enjoy most are: complex, long-lasting, smooth.
Rene: Emotions and mood are important indeed. People who only like one brand or one type of rum really miss out a lot and don’t understand taste. For me, it is important that rum has character, complexity and is smooth indeed.
TRL: What is the most important contribution you have made in the rum industry?
Rene: I am not the type of guy to say something is the most important thing I have ever done. I have a list of things I am proud of for myself. This is my second book and I did a lot of judging around the world. Then, of course, I wrote many articles in magazines.
Martyna: I am very new to the rum world, so I can’t talk about contributions. However, I hope that “Rum Rebels” will contribute to more diversity in the spirits industry.
TRL: Benefits that the rum industry has given you.
Rene: To see 45 countries on 5 continents, meet nice people, get great friends for life and taste the best rum that the world has to offer.
Martyna: I got the opportunity to join Rene on this project, writing about some of the most inspiring women I have ever met. I also got to join him on some fantastic trips and festivals.
TRL: What´s another thing you are passionate about, in addition to rum? Why?
Rene: Other spirits to begin with, like whisky and cognac. But food is also important to me. I am a trained chef and have worked in restaurants and hotels. On my trips, I love to encounter cultures and their food. When possible, I combine that with my third passion: wine.
Martyna: For something completely different… I am passionate about music. I’m a recording and touring musician, and I currently sing in two metal bands: Rage Of Light and Ascend The Hollow. I also contribute to other projects in the rock/alternative scene.
TRL: What is your favorite place for drinking rum?
Martyna: The Caribbean islands, of course. There is nothing better than “liming” with some lovely sipping rum or fresh pina colada. I also love to cozy up with rum at home, with a good movie, to relax at the end of a long day.
Rene: Nothing beats the place where it is made, but with good company, everything gets even better. I am happy Martyna likes to join me on my trips, that way I don’t have the feeling of being away from home. The best place ever is still probably Miami. I have been there several times and the atmosphere is always great there.
TRL: Favorite drink + Recipe
Rene: Ian Burrel had a bar in London called Cotton’s. One of his bartenders made me a cocktail to my preferences. I said I wanted it to be dry, medium herbal, not too fruity or bitter, aged rum in it; overall I wanted a complex drink. He made a drink he called “Rene’s Sense”, and it was great. Alas, he doesn’t work there anymore, and the recipe is in his private notebook.
Martyna: I adore this cocktail that we’ve featured in “Rum Rebels,” which is also Stephanie Dufour’s favorite (cellar master of Dillon & Depaz:) 1 oz. Depaz White, 1 teaspoon/bar spoon Dormoy white hibiscus syrup, a splash of champagne. Delicious!
TRL: Why is it important to educate the rum consumer?
Martyna: Like all consumers, rum drinkers become more aware of the production processes and environmental impact and, therefore, demand to know where their rum is coming from, how it’s made, and what’s in it. As Joy Spence told us, master blenders can’t hide in their blending rooms anymore; they need to act as ambassadors for their brands, be transparent about their products, and educate consumers. People appreciate that, and new distilleries like Renegade from Grenada go even further. With their terroir focus and use of modern technology, you’ll be able to track details like the type of sugarcane or even the farmer who grew it.
Rene: Education is key to understanding what you are dealing with. Too many people say things on the internet about rum, without knowing the rules of the product. I don’t know it all either, but at least I did some studying. It is also important to talk to a variety of people. That way you get a broader view of the product from several angles.
TRL: Any tips to train the palate and taste a good premium rum?
Rene: To try is to know. Don’t listen too much to what others say, listen to yourself. If you say you like a drink, then that is your taste. Once you know what you like, it is great to compare it with other brands in that same style. Drink them next to each other and find the small or bigger differences between the products. Do this with friends, talk about it, and you have a great evening.
Martyna: As a newcomer to this world, I’ll say practice and an open mind help a lot. The more you expose your palate to different tastes, the better you will recognize and appreciate them.
TRL: How can the rum contribute to improve the crisis in some countries?
Martyna: Most female rum producers we spoke to are highly committed to their communities. For instance, Miriam Paola Pacheco of Casa Tarasco in Mexico creates job opportunities in her area to stop young people from joining the local avocado gangs. Lorena Vasquez of Zacapa in Guatemala was the leading force behind the bottle’s signature petate weave, bringing income opportunities to women displaced by conflict. Others like Karen Hoskin of Montanya Distillers (USA) work hard to preserve the environment, drive sustainability in the industry, and promote diversity in the workplace. Their stories show that rum can be a positive force even in the most conflicted areas.
Rene: A company like Renegade comes to Grenada and brings jobs, education, and profits that were not there before. They work with the local community so that everyone can benefit from the distillery. They also create playing fields for the youth, so that they have a place to play soccer, etc. That keeps them away from crime. Rum does a lot of those kinds of things.
TRL: Is the commitment to sustainable development the key of success for the permanence of the rum industry in the world? Why?
Rene: Maybe not the key, but for sure it is a part of it. In the long run, those who never looked at sustainability for their company will be dropped by the consumers who want a better world. So, it is better to work on it now than do it later. Then again, a company like River Antoine in Grenada may not be very sustainable, but tourists love to witness their traditional ways of working.
TRL: Who would like to meet in the rum industry? What would you say to him/her?
Martyna: I would love to meet all the ladies we’ve interviewed for “Rum Rebels” and personally thank them for their contributions. We’ve already had the pleasure of meeting Miriam Paola Pacheco and Magda López in Amsterdam. Hopefully, as the world continues to ease up pandemic-related restrictions, we’ll be able to travel more and visit them.
Rene: Indeed the women in our book. I would love to go on a tour to meet them all one by one at their location. We start with Karen Hoskin in Colorado and end with Maria Izabel in Brazil. I have met several of the ladies already before, but if we do this tour, I want to visit them all. If only we could combine this with Martyna’s music tour, that would be fantastic.
TRL: What are your next goals in the rum industry?
Martyna: I do hope we can continue our adventure with “Rum Rebels” as we discover new female master blenders and distillers almost every day. Perhaps another book?
Rene: We have enough master blenders already for another book, so why not? I would also like to write more about the environment and rum. A lot of great things are done already, and it is nice to put that all together.
TRL: Plans you have when you leave the rum industry.
Rene: Who says we are leaving the industry? I think nobody who has been in it seriously will ever leave. It is a lifetime job.
TRL: Why is the role of the bartender important in the rum industry?
Rene: The bartender plays with flavours and transforms your favourite rum into a different drink again and again. They show you there is more to this drink than meets the eye. I wish they had 15 minutes of talking time with each drink as well because then the bar would be the ultimate place to be for education.
TRL: What is your advice for new generations in the rum industry?
Rene: Follow your own taste, not that of others. You can be open to suggestions, but don’t follow them on their word. Only you know what you like and the best you can become is yourself. Do your own thing, as long as you don’t hurt others along the way.
TRL: How can people learn more about you? Website? Social media page?
Martyna:
Rene:
I have been collecting rum bottles since I was a teenager, so by now, I have quite a list of nice diverse bottlings!
