Rum Connoisseur
Interview of The Week

DONNIE WHEELER

aka HavannaClubDon

 

 

1. Who​ ​is​ ​Donnie Wheeler ?

I’ve been behind the wood for over 2 decades, working in everything from dive joints to award winning cocktail bars.

I’ve had been preaching the gospel of good rum as an independent for a few years with a focus on Tiki, when in 2014 I was approached by the representatives for Havana Club in Canada saying they had a new position that they’d like me to apply for.

Well the rest is history and now I go coast to coast educating bar folk, the public and anyone else who’ll let me buy them a Daiquiri or two.

2. Biggest​ ​achievement​ ​you​ ​personally​ ​feel​ ​you​ ​have​ ​accomplish​ ​for​ ​the​ ​rum​ ​industry.

Well I’ve been lucky enough to take close to a large amount of bar folk from across the country to Cuba the last few years.

 

3. What​ ​made​ ​you​ ​fall​ ​in​ ​love​ ​with​ ​rum​ ​and​ ​when​ ​did​ ​it​ ​happen?

As for an exact date? Couldn’t tell you. I’d say somewhere in the last 10 years. I had an appreciation for the category, but it would’ve been the intense history that made me fall in love.

 

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

As an educator it’s the misconceptions in the category that keep me fired up. Rum is in a resurgence and on the verge of a revolution.

 

5. Favourite​ ​Drink​ ​+​ ​Recipe

Tough Call, but my nickname Donnie Daiquiri has been well earned.
Classic Hemingway Daiquiri
60 ml   (2 oz.) Havana Club 3 year
22.5     (3/4 oz.) fresh grapefruit juice.
15 ml   (1/2 oz.) fresh lime juice.
7.5 ml (1/4 oz.) Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur.
7.5 ml (1/4 oz.) simple syrup 1:1.

I like mine tart so I often omit the simple.

Shake or throw over ice. Strain into Coupe
Repeat as necessary.

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

It is a great time for rum. Education opportunities are greater than ever before and the luxury boom for rum is here and getting more and more intense.

 

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

Transparency and focus on quality will hopefully be the next trend in rum.

8. Which​ ​rum​ ​would​ ​you​ ​recommend​ ​a​ ​person​ ​that:

a. Sipping​ ​a​ ​premium​ ​rum​ ​for​ ​the​ ​1st​ ​time : In the rest of the World Havana Club 7, in the US I quite like Plantation Original Dark.

b. Likes​ ​Scotch​ ​Whisky Smith and Cross
c. Likes​ ​Bourbon  Pusser’s
d. Likes​ ​Gin​ ​or​ ​Vodka Havana Club Blanco/ 3 year
e. Likes​ ​Cognac  Havana Club 15

9. Share​ ​some​ ​(2-3)​ ​of​ ​your​ ​mentors​ ​and​ ​how​ ​they​ ​have​ ​help​ ​you.

Well I’ve been following or have heard speak Jeff Beach Bum Berry, Martin Cate and Ian Burrell the last few years and love their passion and dedication. Otherwise its Rockey Yeh out of Seattle that I see as a role model. Although I think I keep my shirt on a lot more than he does.

 

10.What​ ​3-5​ ​things​ ​do​ ​you​ ​have​ ​in​ ​your​ ​bucket​ ​list​ ​for​ ​the​ ​next​ ​12​ ​month?

 

11.Any​ ​last​ ​words?

Treat the rum category better, hold it and brands to the same level of respect and scrutiny we do for other premium spirt categories.

 

12.How​ ​can​ ​people​ ​learn​ ​more​ ​about​ ​you?​ ​Website?​ ​Social​ ​Media​ ​Page?

@havanaclubdon on most social media platforms. IG and Facebook mostly.