Rum Connoisseur Interview Of the Week CLEO FARMAN Founder of Diablesse Rum

Rum Connoisseur

Interview Of the Week

CLEO FARMAN

Founder of Diablesse Rum

 

1. Who is Cleo Farman?

In the 1990’s I was the Marketing Manager for Richard Branson’s Necker Island, I discovered my love of all things rum whilst taking press trips to the Caribbean at the time and it was amazing!   After doing this I moved to Manchester and spent 13 years opening a group of successful bars:  Odd, Oddest, Odder and the Blue Pig, during this time I got to know a thing or two about rum and really got to love it, that’s when I started wondering if I could possibly do my own brand….

After visiting the Caribbean and talking to many rum experts in the UK learning what to do and what not to do, I spent twelve months trying, tasting and blending many different rums to create my first two expressions, a Caribbean Rum blend:   an aged golden rum blending rums from different islands and distilleries, and a Clementine Spiced Caribbean Rum.   I then launched my very own brand, Diablesse Caribbean Rum, in February this year (2019):  my ethos has always been to source quality, authentic rums of good provenance and then to blend them together to give delicious, and most importantly unique, flavour profiles.   My personal mission is to tempt rum virgins, convert gin drinkers, enchant the connoisseur and get everyone to start drinking rum!

 

2. Biggest Achievement you personally feel you have accomplished for the rum industry:

I feel a bit strange answering this as I’m so new and there are so many other brands and producers who have accomplished so much for the rum industry.  Having said that, I am proud that I’ve launched a new, quality brand that has fulfilled its ethos of sourcing authentic rums of fantastic provenance (Worthy Park Distillery Jamaica 4 years; Four Square Distillery Barbados 8 years; Diamond Distillery Guyana 2 years), blending them with care, using tropically aged rums with no additives to create a distinctive, unique, quality blended rum.  I am also proud that my Clementine Spiced Rum uses the finest, single origin Demerara rum from the Diamond Distillery in Guyana and is flavoured 100% naturally.    I hope that this small, quality contribution will help to grow the premium rum market to the place it deserves to be.

 

3. What is the thing that makes you want to continue in the rum industry?

There’s so much more I want to do!  There are so many amazing rums I’d love to get my hands on and I’ve got so much more to learn. Rum is having a revolution and I’m proud to be involved.

 

4. Favourite Drink & Recipe?

This is something we’ve come up with ourselves – it’s simple but very good:

Diablesse Negroni

 

30ml   Diablesse Caribbean Rum

25ml   Campari

20ml   Antica or Vermouth

20ml   Sherry – Pedro Ximinez

The sherry complements the spice finish on the rum & butterscotch notes really well.

 

5. Where do you see the rum industry today and in the next 5 years?

I think rum is having a bit of a revolution at the moment, people are beginning to pay it more attention and are getting more curious about it,  there’s a realisation that it’s a hugely versatile spirit that can be used in many different ways.  There are more independent rum brands emerging and people are experimenting more, creating a variety of craft rums. I don’t think the category will grow at the phenomenal rate that gin has just yet but I do think the category will continue to grow significantly, particularly with people discovering golden rum and spiced or flavoured rums.

 

6. What do you think needs to happen to grow the premium category of rum?

I think as the category becomes more transparent and more is learnt about rum by those that have not necessarily discovered it before, how it’s made, its provenance, what to look out for … that the premium category of rum will grow organically.  There are more and more smaller batch, craft rums around and people are becoming more educated as to the production process and its heritage, as this happens, the premium category will grow.

 

7. Which rum would you recommend a person that?

Sipping a premium rum for the first time:  El Dorado 15

Likes Scotch whisky:   Diablesse Caribbean Rum

Likes Bourbon:   Ron Zacapa Centenario XO; Plantation OFTD

Likes Gin or Vodka:  I am converting people with Diablesse Clementine Spiced Caribbean Rum!

Likes Cognac:  Plantation XO 20^th Anniversary Golden Rum

 

8. Share some of your mentors and how they have helped you:

Steven James (Rum Diaries) who took the time to sit with me and tell me what not to do!   For teaching me how to sample many lovely types of rum and for pointing me generally in the right direction; Gethin Jones my Brand Ambassador, who has steered me along the way with all things flavour related and who has come up with some of the best rum cocktails I’ve ever tasted!   Jody Monteith, who assisted in the research, blending and sampling phase – excellent knowledge and advice throughout.

 

9. What 3 – 5 things do you have in your bucket list for next 12 months

1. Get back to the Caribbean again as soon as possible! Visit the distilleries I haven’t seen yet
2. Visit Maison Ferrand in Cognac
3. Travelling the UK and beyond to spread the Diablesse word!

 

10. Any last words?

There’s a rum for everyone you’ve just got to discover it

 

11. Website?   Social media handles?

www.diablesserum.co.uk

Instagram:   @diablesserum

Facebook:    Diablesserum

Twitter:       @diablesserums