Rum Connoisseur
Interview of The Week:

GRAHAM HAMLETT
Master Distiller at Three of Strong Spirits

 

1. Who is Graham Hamblett?

Born and raised in NH, I never thought about distilling and at the time even brewing or winemaking, as a possible career path until I landed my first job at a local vineyard/winery which then evolved into a distillery.  Being immersed in production there, I learned the art of fermentation and subsequently distillation, I knew I had found a passion.  Over the course of 20ish years, that passion lead to different opportunities to create virtually every style of spirit, until I eventually landed back in the North East to focus on Rum distillation at Three of Strong Spirits in Portland, ME.

 

2. What does rum mean for you? What made you fall in love with rum and when did it happen?

For me, rum has become a creative outlet in that there’s so many different stylistic avenues to take when designing a cane based spirit, which is also the reason I fell in love with it. Since having dived deeper into the world of rum, I recognized there’s virtually an unlimited amount of variations of flavors and aromas that really feeds the creativity needed to produce quality rum that is also unique enough to stand out from the crowd.  I think my first eye opening experience into this world was fairly early on in my legal drinking years when I found myself sitting a bar in a Cuban inspired restaurant with an extensive rum menu and a knowledgeable (and friendly) bartender that dunked me headfirst into the rum universe. He was able to showcase and explain the numerous styles from which I captured a new appreciation and intrigue for all things rum.

 

3. Three essential characteristics that define the rum according to your perspective.

1. Showcase the flavor of whatever form of sugar cane you’re distilling. For a general example, there should be grassy notes from a cane juice rum, caramelized sugar/dried fruit from molasses-based rum etc.
2. Oak is a great flavor characteristic that plays well with the qualities typically found in rum, but as an overall attribute, the oak should always compliment the rum, not rum complimenting the oak.
3. The impression of sweetness without being sweet

 

4. What is the most important contribution you have made in the rum industry?

To be honest, I’ve only recently been able to concentrate on rum production and all its expressions instead of approaching it as one of many spirits to fill a portfolio.  This has really given me the time to focus develop on our different interpretations and utilize numerous cane based materials and yeasts to ferment and distill. Prior to now my focus was spread across multiple spirit categories and it’s exciting to now have the ability to embrace a single spirit, so I’d say my contribution is yet to come…

 

5. Benefits that the rum industry has given you.

Inspiration and excitement.  All the folks involved in the rum category as a whole, from producers to mixologists to consumers, are the most passionate about this single spirit more so than almost any other spirit category. This passion continually inspires me to stay on top of my game and push the stylistic boundaries of flavors all while maintaining an eye on quality.

 

6. What’s another thing you’re passionate about? Why?

When I’m not thinking about rum, I love tinkering with and riding my motorcycle as well as doing wood working.  Both of these are great ways to exercise the mechanical parts of my brain instead of the chemistry centric parts used in distillation.  Having understanding of machines and tools is always a welcome addition in a distillery to get back on track when equipment breaks, which is inevitable!

 

7. What is your favorite place for drinking rum?

Wherever there is rum to drink is my favorite place to be.

 

8. Favorite drink & recipe?

Currently my go to cocktail is yet to be named as it’s been a recent creation using our Merrymeeting spiced rum.  It’s equal parts Merrymeeting, fresh apple cider, and black cherry soda water.  Our Merrymeeting rum is considerably drier than most spiced rums and has a pleasant peppery finish which balances nicely with the sweet cider and the carbonation in the soda water keeps it refreshing.

 

9. Why is it important to educate the rum consumer?

There seems to be disproportionately number of people that I talk to that have incorrect preconceived notion of what rum is, typically stemmed from having a “bad experience” previously in their life, and now have a hard time breaking into this category again.  More often than not, their experiences included a not-so-quality brand and now associate all rums with that memory.  We like to say here that we’re doing rum rehabilitation by helping people recognize that not all rum is the same and there’s rum for almost everyone’s palate.  This includes educating consumers that they aren’t always “too sweet” or taste “artificially flavored” and once you can get them to try a quality crafted rum, their eyes light up and want to learn more.

 

10. Any tips to train the Palate and taste good rum?

The first thing I suggest is to taste a variety of rums neat, or maybe with a bit of ice if needed, from different regions and pay attention to what the fermentable sugar source is (ie. Molasses, cane juice etc). This will not only highlight the different styles of rum and where they generally come from, but it will allow the taster to recognize what they enjoy most then personally decide what is “good”. Once that preferred style is found, it becomes a lot easier to expand into and appreciate styles outside of that flavor profile. Quality is in the eye of the rum holder.

 

11. Is the commitment to sustainable development the key to success for the permanence of the rum industry in the world? Why?

While it would be an overreach to say that “rum can save the world,” there are things that everyone along the rum chain can do that will collectively make a difference.  That starts with the way that sugar cane is grown.  In part because of the razor thin margins for cane farmers, growers have sometimes turned to environmentally damaging practices to cut cost and increase yield.  Part of the reason that we pay a premium for the organic sugar and molasses that we use for our flagship rums is to reward growers who are doing things that right way.  A large and growing number of consumers share those values and are voting with their pocketbooks by buying rum made from sustainably grown sugarcane.  If we don’t collectively start making these choices, the planet – let alone the rum industry – won’t survive.

 

12. Who would you like to meet in the rum industry? What would you say to him or her?

Michael Delevante and I’d say “Can I buy you a drink? ….and hopefully that would lead to a casual (and informative) conversation.

 

13. What are your next goals in the rum industry?

Continue exploring different production techniques in the process chain from fermentation through distillation and aging, not just to elevate our rums but to also increase sustainability and efficiency along the way.

 

14. Plans you have when you leave the rum industry?

Why would I want to leave the Rum industry?  I can eventually see myself in “retirement” still giving tours or participating in tasting panels in exchange for bottles of rum…. Will work for Rum!

 

15. Why is the role of the bartender important in the rum industry?

The bartender is a critical piece in the rum industry for a couple of reasons, but it’s not just a bartender that is important, it’s the talented and educated bartender to know which rum goes best with any given cocktail and showcasing a rum in its best light.  They have the ability to raise rum to a new level when mixed with complementary ingredients, yet on the contrary; they can also muddle the quality of excellent rum if mixed incorrectly. More importantly, they can become a sort encyclopedia for rum and have the opportunity to welcome and educate new consumers into the vast category of rum. A bar with a knowledgeable bartender is an ideal scenario to discover rum and its best use in cocktails because it’s an opportunity to have a “guided tour” of styles without emptying the wallet.  If a curious person walks into a bar, there’s a much greater chance of trying a new expression with a single pour vs buying a whole bottle, then to have a crafted cocktail using that rum is just icing on the cake.

 

16. What is your advice for new generations in the rum industry?

Be transparent in your production and process.  The regulations around rum are quite minimal which means it’s a category of spirit that doesn’t require very specific disclosures on the label of what’s actually in the bottle. As the consumer gains a greater understanding of all spirits, and with rum in particular, providing them more information (raw ingredients, type of still, addition of residual sugars) will help raise the industry by allowing people to make educated purchasing decisions instead of being turned off by blindly grabbing a bottle that is not what they expected.

 

17. How can people learn more about you? Website?

Website: www.threeofstrongspirits.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Threeofstrongspirits

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/threeofstrongspirits/