Rum Connoisseur
Interview of The Week

JERALD O´KENNARD

Director at Tastings.com

1. Who is Jerald O’Kennard?

 

Jerald is a graduate of the University of Chicago and has enjoyed over a decade of food and beverage management and event management experience. He first worked with BTI as a senior panelist, later joining the team in 2000 to launch e-commerce development and database management. He brings his experience in both the arts and business to a robust model of organization and creative direction at Tastings. He is a contributor for several news publications and has consulted for and been interviewed by the New York Times, Business 2.0, Wall Street Journal, Men’s Journal and Reuters. He loves to travel and learn from wine, spirits and beer producers around the world. In what little spare time he has, he is developing a video series, composing music and recording albums for movie soundtracks. His passion for life revolves around the “Three C’s” of culture, cuisine and celebrations.

 

 

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

 

Providing a platform for the fair and unbiased, professional evaluation of rums, one that accepts and promotes rum as one of the world’s great spirits.

 

 

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

 

My trips as a child and an adult to Jamaica and the Caribbean. My mother would bring back rums for baking and punches and I remember how easy rum was to enjoy and how it made cakes and treats taste so good. I saw the joy and conviviality that rum created and later experienced it myself through the gratifying gateway that is the piña colada.

 

 

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

 

To help make well-aged, well-made rums become as accepted here as a choice for sipping as they are in the Caribbean.

 

 

5. Favorite Drink + Recipe

 

My favorite rum cocktail is the Macanao that I first had in Venezuela whilst visiting Santa Teresa. The key is their rum-based orange liqueur— a little more work to find, but so worth the effort.

Macanao Cocktail

3/4 parts of Santa Teresa 1796

1 part of Rhum Orange Liqueur

1/2 part of fresh lime juice

1 dash of bitters

Ice

Shake vigorously, strain and serve in a chilled martini glass.

 

 

 

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

 

As white spirits drinkers shift to whisky, I see rum right there as a pivot point. Longer aged rums, being crafted without trickery and hype, being appreciated by more discerning drinkers of all types.

 

 

 

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

 

Better quality cocktails with better, fresher ingredients and more menus, programs, and concepts encouraging sipping rums right alongside whiskies and Cognacs. The former is happening, the latter needs to.

 

 

8. Which rum would you recommend a person that?

 

• Sipping a premium rum for the 1st time

Let’s blow them away with pure deliciousness, shall we? El Dorado 15 Year Old Special Reserve Rum. http://www.tastings.com/Spirits-Review/El-Dorado-15-Year-Old-Special-Reserve-Rum-Guyana-12-01-2018.aspx

• Likes Scotch Whisky

Appleton Rare Blend 12 Year Old – Dry and mature with transatlantically translatable pot still character. http://www.tastings.com/Spirits-Review/APPLETON-ESTATE-Rare-Blend-12-Year-Old-Rum-Jamaica-86-Proof-04-01-2017.aspx

• Likes Bourbon

Denizen Merchant’s Reserve 8 Year Old Rum – Rich multi-national rum with an American swagger. http://www.tastings.com/Spirits-Review/Denizen-Merchants-Reserve-8-Year-Old-Rum-Jamaica-and-Martinique-86-Proof-07-01-2018.aspx

• Likes Gin or Vodka

I call a Banks shot in the mouth pocket. Seriously, switch this out for gin in any gin cocktail you like and enjoy the flavor ride. Banks 5 Island Rum. http://www.tastings.com/Spirits-Review/Banks-5-Island-Rum-West-Indies-86-Proof-04-01-2017.aspx

• Likes Cognac

Go Agricole or go home. Clément 6 Year Old Très Vieux Rhum Agricole: http://www.tastings.com/Spirits-Review/Clement-6-Year-Old-Tres-Vieux-Rhum-Agricole-Martinique-84-Proof-05-01-2016.aspx

 

 

 

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

 

In the spirits world, more on the letters front, the late Michael Jackson, showed me how to be open-minded and look for the good in, and understand the history and place for, all drinks. Terry Sullivan showed me how to stop being a bad drinks writer—still learning. And Ed Hamilton has told me where many of the bodies are buried in this industry and how to recognize b@llsh!t in its various natural and unnatural states.

 

 

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

 

I’d like to do some distilling, preferably on an island. I’m going to be traveling more to visit with clients around the world, talking to them about our new consulting and quality control services. Recording and putting out an album. That’s a big enough bucket for one year.

 

 

11. Any last words?

 

Looking forward to the upcoming Chicago Rum Fest and getting out there with the people. I love talking with them as they discover great rums.

 

 

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

 

Go to www.tastings.com  and spend some time there exploring. There’s lots to soak up.