Rum Connoisseur

Interview Of The Week

RAPHAËL GRISONI

Managing Director at Mount Gay Distilleries

 

1. Who is Raphaël Grisoni?

I am the Managing Director of Mount Gay for 11 years now and a Frenchman who calls Barbados home.

2. What is your biggest achievement you personally feel you have accomplished for the rum industry?

I’ve spent 11 years reviving Mount Gay, keeping innovation as the beating heart of the company and spreading the rum gospel both here at home in Barbados and around the world. One of the key activities I’ve been heavily involved in is the adoption of a strong Barbados Rum GI and I’m proud to work alongside other distilleries on the island to ensure the future of Barbados rum is protected. I was also very involved in the creation of the Barbados Alcohol Industry Association fighting against alcohol abuse which is something we keep top of mind as a brand and continue to support on an ongoing basis.

 

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

As a Frenchman, we experience the flavor of rum from an early age, primarily in cooking: from crepes, Baba au Rhum, to banana flambée or other cakes. For me it was more a banana tart from my grandmother that she made with some Martinique rhum. I loved it and still have the recipe. It’s something I recall with an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia.

Rhum Agricole is really anchored in the taste buds and the culture of the French. Later on I had a first trip in Barbados in 2007 to go sailing there and it was my first contact with Mount Gay. I immediately fell in love with the brand, and the island. A year and half later I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to manage this beautiful brand.

 

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

The people first and foremost. Working in Barbados with the Mount Gay family, as we call it, is rewarding. Secondly it is all the projects we are working on like : transforming our plantation in an organic one with the help of brilliant agronomist Dr Emmanuel Bourguignon; fermentation and distillation exploration; and all the CSR projects of water conservation and CO² reduction. It’s also the opportunity to work directly with the markets to develop the knowledge of authentic rum and changing the perception of a category that was for neglected by the producers themselves. For too long the added value was made by the colonial powers, exporting fresh bulk rum to continents where aging and bottling was done. The time has come for rum and we have the ability to ensure the full process is done on our island which leverages our authentic terroir, engages with full tropical aging and ensures no additives are put in our rum. It’s an exciting time where we can reflect on and honor the true essence of our country and our land. It is what we do at Mount Gay.

 

5. What is your favorite varietal and cocktail recipe?

I love the classic rum sour made with Mount Gay Black Barrel. It’s simple, iconic and is my go to cocktail everywhere I go. I also love doing a Rum Punch. With the simple 1, 2, 3, 4 you can explore your creativity and it’s a great drink to share with friends. At home, I make a Black Barrel rum punch when friends visit. It gives me a chance to use the freshest ingredients we can find in Barbados and make my own riff on a classic punch.

 

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

The mission we have is to elevate rum to its rightful place. My vision is to see rum being the equal of Scotch Whisky and Cognac in terms of reputation. And my ultimate dream is to see bar tenders and consumers alike considering Barbados Rum as the best provenance for rum or at least calling for authentic rums. Barbados must be the Islay whiskies of rum.

 

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

I believe there needs to be harder work on education, communication and transparency on what we do. I believe in the power of education as an emancipation tool to make better choices. It is true for life and it is true for rum. The more consumers will see that hiding behind some rum labels there is no provenance, no craft and no attention to detail masked with the inconspicuous use of additives, the more consumers will make the right choices. It is a long journey but collectively we will get there. Hence the importance of rum fest/seminars and of course the power of the internet that is usually giving access to good information diving deeper into the production of rum.

 

8. Which rum would you recommend a person that:

• Is sipping a premium rum for the 1st time
• Likes Scotch Whisky
• Likes Bourbon
• Likes Gin or Vodka
• Likes Cognac

In all those occasions we are talking about complexity of taste so I would recommend the Mount Gay XO. It is aromatically complex and at the same time easy to drink neat or in an Old Fashioned, a Manhattan and of course as we do it Barbados in a Corn&Oil.

 

9. Can you share some (2-3) of your mentors and how they have helped you?

My parents are the ones who taught to me to be open minded, to listen and to find qualities in human interaction. I translated that in my life by traveling extensively, learning foreign languages to communicate and fulfilling my thirst to understand the perspectives of other cultures. I never had a big mentor but I found good advice from many people with who I worked.

 

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

My bucket is full. So many things to do and experience and so little time. Sailing is in it for sure. I also want to introduce snow and skiing to my young kids who only know the Caribbean sea.