Rum Connoisseur
Interview Of the Week

RICHARD DAVIES

Neptune Rum Founder

 

1. Who is Richard Davies?

I’ve been in the drinks business for over 25 years; owning and operating cocktail bars and restaurants in The U.K. I always had a passion for spirts and I am a classically trained liquid chef! (Cocktail barman). I love the term liquid chef as that’s what good bartenders are. My interest in rum came from travelling overseas to The Caribbean where I would paddle board in the day and drink amazing unknown rums in the evening. I am an avid campaigner against single use plastics and I am very anti oceanic plastics; I use my businesses as a springboard to help the anti-plastic fight. Anti-plastics is my ‘why’. The Neptune journey started out in 2016 when I sold my bars to concentrate on the rum sector. My family comes first but a Caribbean paddleboard ride comes a close second! I have three children, aged 8, 7 and 20 months. Yes life is crazy.

 

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

Neptune Rum achieved the status of The Worlds Most Awarded Rum of 2018. This accolade is still a ‘pinch yourself moment’ for me. We obtained over 45 international awards in 2018 including a prestigious GOLD in San Francisco. The brand also won Barbados Rum of The Year in three separate competitions which were huge honors.

Being accepted in the rum world, which is filled with amazing people, was also a wonderful personal accomplishment for me. Actually, just launching my brand single handed I suppose was my biggest achievement (and most scary combined!).

 

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

As I’ve previously mentioned my trips to The Caribbean in the mid 1990’s and beyond made me love rum and that’s where this whole part of my life started. When I go on vacations I don’t stay in resorts; we travel all over the islands…mainly with a paddle board strapped to the hire rental jeep! Exploring different cultures and experiencing locally produced rum seemed to go hand in hand. The unbranded local rums found in villages all over the Caribbean, some infused with local shrubs (spices) specific to the individual islands, are always the most exciting and inspirational. You have to be very careful though sampling these high proof homemade rums! My first distillery tour was a never look back moment. The personalities of the rum world are all very special and it’s an amazing category to be involved in. From distillers, brand owners, brand ambassadors, bloggers to drinkers the rum world is a very special place and I am very privileged to be involved with these wonderful people.

 

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

I’ve just got the bug! It’s that simple. The industry, people and the product itself is unbeatable.

 

5. Favorite Drink + Recipe

Neptune is so versatile and is amazing in cocktails but I like to keep it simple…just Neptune over ice!

 

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

The rum industry today is at a very exciting and important juncture in its evolution. Even today in the U.K press there were articles referencing a more structured form of classification to focus on flavor profiles and production methods? I am all for honesty and transparency. It’s a must in any industry but more so in the drinks industry and even more so in the rum sector. Historically the rum sector had been ‘taken advantage’ of with non-rum, generic alcohols being flavored and then sold as ‘rum’. Thankfully the more honest side of the rum industry has been amazing at self-policing and individuals such as Richard Seale have been outing many unscrupulous businesses and producers.

In The U.K I consider there to be a “revolution”. It’s a very exciting time to be involved in the rum sector here. Yes gin sales are still crazily on the rise but rum is also seeing a fantastic surge in sales. The versatility of rum ( in cocktails ) compared to other spirits is what will drive sales even further in the future. Consumers demand honesty and that’s where the rum sector is heading.

 

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

We have to be careful using such overused worlds like ‘premium’. Does premium mean expensive? Or do we mean exclusive? Once again honesty and transparency of product with a tiny bit of education thrown in will help this higher end category. I actually think the premium category (rums above $30 for the sake of this interview) is in a good place right now. Special premium editions from the transparent distillers, in Barbados for example, sell out in days. Those who are in the know probably want to keep the premium sector quiet and to themselves, and the price point does not need to be crazy either! Is more value found in ‘premium’ rum compared to Scottish Whisky? I believe so.

8. Which rum would you recommend a person that?

Sipping a premium rum for the 1st time NEPTUNE RUM

Likes Scotch whisky
Likes Bourbon
Likes Gin or Vodka  ANY RUM!
Likes Cognac

These are tricky questions for me; I honestly believe Neptune Rum is extremely versatile rum. That’s the beauty of Neptune. Yes obviously there are better rums out there but taste is so personal. How do we really know if the other person likes what we do? Taste is objective isn’t it? So I say try Neptune and then launch yourself into the diverse world of rum. Like what u like and enjoy what you enjoy. I love this quote from Ian Burrell. He was asked the question.. ‘How should I drink rum’? Ian simply replies….”with friends”

 

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

Ian Burrell the Rum Ambassador has been a huge help to me. His honesty and approach to the industry is simply amazing. He is a wonderful man willing to help in any way he can. Ian brings the rum world to the global consumers. His TV appearances here in the UK are certainly helping the rumolution! A true Global ambassador.

Richard Seale is someone who I admire a lot in the rum world and beyond. Richard is brutally honest, transparent and actually quite a funny guy. He is campaigning for Barbados G.I at the moment which can only be a good thing. A 4^th generation rum master distiller has to be admired. His rums are exceptional. If you ever visit Barbados you MUST visit Foursquare Distillery.

 

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

Bucket list? Well I’m not sure I have a bucket list as such. My wishes are to keep Neptune Rum growing in the positive way it is, but taking even more time to campaign and fight oceanic plastics. I want to organize more beach litter cleanups here in the U.K South Coast with my Brand Ambassadors and somehow help with Florida and its red tide toxic water issues. In between all of this I wish to spend more quality time with my amazing family.

 

11. Any last words?

I would just like to say that’s it’s a huge honor taking part in an interview such as this and I am truly thankful to everyone who has helped on my journey to date.

 

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

www.neptunerum.com

@richdavies21 twitter

@neptunerum twitter

richdavies21@mac.com