At the moment she is juggling it’s Free Tours & Tasting Day here at our Distillery located in Cape Coral, Florida. It’s a busy day.   I was a New Yorker and then an Expat who worked Central & Eastern Europe for 18 years.  In 1990 I started a company – AmerSport S.P.z.o.o.  It grew into a large privately owned Distributor for American Sportswear and footwear, holding the Licensee rights for Converse, Merrell, Caterpillar, Skechers, Harley Davidson, and few more.  In 2008 I sold the business and moved to Florida.

My nephew Dan Termini and I were discussing Rums and started to mess around trying to make some on a small still we purchased.  We loved it even though we never had great rum on that small still.  We knew we really enjoyed it so we decided to invest in the proper equipment and building, invited some great Distillers down to Florida and got to work.  Dan was a natural.  He worked hard and starting producing some great tasting rum. We started to hear from people in the industry and they were encouraging which made us work harder. We started winning a few really nice awards, and Wicked Dolphin was born.

When I started this business we had a large obstacle here in Florida.  We were the first Distillery that wanted to do tours.  The state would allow us to have a tour but would not let us sell our Rums.  In 2012 with Phil McDaniel we approached a lobbying firm to help us change that law.  We spoke in front of the Florida House of Reps and got the law changed.  It took a lot of time and money especially for a new business, but because of that other Distillers in the state have been able to start and enjoy making rum and spirits in Florida.   In July 2013 Wicked Dolphin Distillery was the first Distillery to sell Spirits from a Distillery since Prohibition.

I would say on my Honeymoon and continued trips to the Caribbean.  My first stop was Barbados, we enjoyed some tropical juice blended drinks that really happen to hit the target when you are in a hot tropical place.  Soon after we  graduated to more of a Rum old Fashion, then on to the aged premium rums.

I continue in the industry because I feel we have more to offer.  Wicked Dolphin Distillery has been coming out with more flavors that have really been outshining a lot of brands, we love to experiment with different ideas and it is great having the people on the tour giving instant feedback.   This fall we will be bottling our 6 year old Barreled in Bond Rum.  I’m looking forward to the feedback – I think it is Awesome.

Wicked Dolphin Brewers Series either Cigar City ( which there are only a few bottles out there, none at the distillery, down to the last bottle) or the new Wicked Dolphin Brewers Series Due South ( Out in Sept.).   Served with a very large and solid Ice cube.

It’s a tough business, if you’re sane and looking at numbers you will probably stay away.  It is run by a few very large brands, with deep pockets  but that has not stopped the smaller brands that love what they are doing – making a good honest rum.  These small brands are starting to make headway; people are noticing and enjoying our rums.  I see this as a continuing trend over the next years.  It forces us to make great rum and try different things.

I believe that the smaller brands that are really putting out some great rums will force the larger companies ( they already have) to pay attention and put a better product in their bottle.  The consumer is more educated than ever, they know and take stock of what they are purchasing, they read and they learn.  I think this is why our premium Rum in the Craft Distilleries is growing.

At Wicked Dolphin we are continually learning, always growing.  It’s what really ignites our passion to do better. We love making Rum.  I’m so lucky in having a great team.  This fall will be an exciting time for us as we bottle our 6 year aged Bottle in Bond Rum.  Most brands when they start they hurry to put it on the shelf, we barreled and barreled waited and waited, finally the wait is almost over. Our team is excited to present this fall Wicked Dolphin – Aged 6 years Bottled in Bond Single barrel Rum.