Rum Connoisseur Interview of the Week:

JOSHUA SINGH

Co-founder of Danish producer, importer,
and distributor of Rum 1423

 

1) Who is Joshua Singh?

Joshua was born in Odense, Denmark 33 years ago. I didn’t enter the rum business until 2008 but spent my years after school in the Danish newspaper business. Initially starting out as a whisky drinker, today I am the co-founder of Danish producer, importer, and distributor of rum 1423. I take care of our exports and enjoy the opportunity to travel around the world talking about rum.

2) What made you fall in love with rum and when did it happen?

Back in 2008, I visited a local whisky fair here in Denmark along with a few friends, we came there to have fun and perhaps taste and find some unknown gems. We started out at a local importer who immediately tried to convince us to try rum instead of whisky, he was quickly buffed off and we went on to sample a great range of different malts. After around 7 hours of heavy whisky tasting, we ended back up at the same place. Now rather intoxicated we were easily persuaded to taste the rum and he lined up 4-5 different ones. After this there was no coming back, both I and my friends were convinced and just a few months after we founded the company with the release of a single cask named 1423 1st edition.

3) The biggest achievement you personally feel you have accomplished for the rum industry.

That must be the creation of the Ron Esclavo brand, we released the first bottling in 2012, and today the brand consists of 4 different bottlings. This sweet profiled rum has been a great success that has turned much more people in the Scandinavian countries onto rum. Alone in Denmark, we now have one of the best markets for high-end rums in the world and we enjoy the privilege to attract the best and most interesting brands in the world.

Much more is to come in the future and currently I am working on new projects that hopefully will help to define the category even more.

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

Rum is not only my job, it is my hobby and life. I love the industry and the people and have some great friends in the business.

5) Favorite Drink + Recipe

Just one? There are so many great drinks out there that will make it difficult to choose one. Basically I guess it depends on the occasion, most days just serve me high proof Jamaican and you will quickly find a big smile on my face, otherwise a classic daiquiri with a powerful Jamaican.

Daiquiri
5 cl. Rum-Bar Rum
2.5 cl. Lime juice
1.5 cl. Simple syrup

The overproof Jamaican gives it that extra flavor that is simply amazing

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

The rum industry has been quite fortunate these past years with a rising interest in the rum category; this is largely to do with all the sweet “soleras” that have entered the market which can bring in people who earlier did not care for spirits. I believe this tendency will continue in the coming years and bring even more people to love rum.

On the other hand, this also creates some arguments in the industry as there are many conflicting ideas on what constitutes a pure rum. Different countries, different producers fueled by the rising communities of rum geeks in the world have lined up on each side either favoring sugar or no sugar. We need more honesty in this business, but now this is more of a trench war. A lot of these act as fanatics and I would hope that someday they might meet on neutral ground and find a middle way through all this. A united front for rum in the world would in my mind work for the benefit of all.

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

I don’t believe I can point out some individuals who have helped me in this industry, but my fellow partners in 1423 who are all rum geeks have taught me a lot, same goes for the many industry people I meet in my travels to various rum festivals around the world.

A special mention must be made of John Barret from Bristol Spirits, I have known him almost since my beginning in the industry.

8) What 3-5 things do you have on your bucket list for the next 12 month?

One of the things I am looking most forward to must be this summer’s trip to Jamaica and another visit to their amazing distillery’s.

2nd our annual Christmas calendar “24 days of rum” which will be released in several countries in the fall.

I have a lot more on my list for this coming year and I hope a lot of you will take notice on a few of them. But for now, they will remain here with me until they have materialized.

9) Any final thoughts?

First off, thank you for inviting me to share some of my thought here I hope some of you out there will find it interesting.

Second, I can wait to see some from this big rum family out on the road in the coming months.

10) How can people learn more about you? Website? Social Media Page?

www.1423.dk

www.facebook.com/1423.dk

www.facebook.com/24daysofrum

https://www.instagram.com/1423_aps/

Or you can look for me under my own name.