Rum Connoisseur
Interview of The Week

TIM RUSSELL

CEO and Head distiller at Maggie’s Farm Rum

 

1. Who is Tim Russell?

I founded Allegheny Distilling about five years ago, maintaining the role of CEO and head distiller for Maggie’s Farm rums, where all of our rums are made from scratch at our distillery in Pittsburgh’s Strip District. This followed about an 8-year career in the manufacturing industry working for a defense contractor after graduating. Feeling unfulfilled, immersed in a corporate world, I found a lot of joy in homebrewing. I decided to combine my work experience with my hobby, but instead went in the direction of distilling when my home state of Pennsylvania revamped some outdated laws that would now allow distilleries to operate similar to brewpubs. I knew I could open a smaller operation on a small budget and maintain my operating capability with our direct bottle and cocktail sales on-site. Right around the time of the law change I took the plunge. I left my job, withdrew nearly my entire retirement savings, and began my equipment purchases to open the distillery.

All of our rums are distilled from turbinado sugar that we source from Louisiana. We do high-ester fermentations, up to three weeks, and do a double pot distillation on all of our rums on 100% copper stills. Since opening, we’ve likely become one of, if not the most-awarded rum distillery in the US in that period, including 3X Best-of-Category for our spiced rum, 4X Best-of-Category/Class for our rum liqueurs, 2X Best-in-Class rum, and even a Best-in-Show spirit award, all from prestigious American craft and international spirits competitions.

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

It’s hard to pinpoint one thing. I would say my biggest achievement isn’t just opening a distillery independently (opening is actually the easy part), but sustaining that business and being able to continue constant growth through both production and national brand awareness competing head-to-head against large producers on the international competition circuit with rums aged a fraction of the time, possibly becoming the most awarded rum distillery in America since we’ve opened. And doing it with a team of dedicated employees who have become more of a family.

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

I opened as a distillery with the intention of making rum up front so we could properly age whiskey in the background as we grew. As I began seeking advice and knowledge from those in the industry and rum world in general, I really began to appreciate the versatility of rum versus many of the restrictions governing whiskey in the US. I started my own business for the freedom, and some of the freedoms that come with the versatility of rum production related to that.

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

I really want to bring more awareness and notoriety to the spirit and what it can be instead of the mass marketing to which most people are dictated. I’ve also committed myself to continuously improving our products. After nearly five years of production I’m still tweaking processes, whether it be with the fermentation, distillation, aging, and even proofing, all to make the best rum I possibly can.

5. Favourite Drink + Recipe

Rum, neat. I’m a purist. Other than that, nothing beats a solid daiquiri made with a full-bodied white rum. I prefer our Maggie’s Farm white rum that we’ve been aging in stainless up to six months for additional flavor development. 2oz Maggie’s Farm white rum, ¾ fresh-squeezed lime, and ½ oz simple syrup.

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

We keep hearing that rum is the next big thing to follow whiskey, but I’ve seen gins sales improve and now tequila and mezcal are gaining popularity. I still think the rum category will grow and gain speed. But, bad things can come with that: cutthroat business practices, merchant bottlers that lack transparency, and arbitrary price increases. We’re seeing that a lot in the whiskey world now. Regardless of where rum is or is going, I’ve not seen another spirit that has as much of a community with genuine enthusiasm as there is with rum.

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

There needs to be more knowledge shared with the public so they can get beyond the typical bad stereotypes of rum. They need to know a distillery’s story, their processes, and why their rums are different, not just imagery of pirates and beaches. People need to know there are rums out there just as fine as any whiskey or cognac.

8. Which rum would you recommend a person that:

a. Sipping a premium rum for the 1st time
I’d hand them a bottle of Plantation’s Jamaica 2001. That was an eye-opener for me. It’s incredibly smooth, aromatic, and flavorful. And it has just enough added sweetness to calm the heat for people who may not be used to drinking spirits neat.

b. Likes Scotch Whisky
Scotch is a tough one, but I think I’d go with an aged agricole that has some phenolics like a Clement XO or Neisson Reserve.

c. Likes Bourbon
A double barrel finished rum, one like Mount Gay Black Barrel that gets a finish in bourbon barrels that should please any bourbon drinker. Unsweeted single barrel rums typically get a nice supporting role from the oak that whiskey drinkers are used to. All of our Maggie’s Farm Single Barrel rums are aged in used rum barrels and unsweeted, still maintaining oaky backbone, but our reserve line of Queen’s Share rums are finished in a variety of barrels including fresh bourbon and rye.

d. Likes Gin or Vodka
A vodka drinker would be more akin to a light-bodied white rum from Cuba or Puerto Rico, like Havana Club or Don Q.

e. Likes Cognac
Knowing that many cognacs do have a little back-sweetening and caramel added, I think they’d relate to a heavier, sweetened rum like Zacapa XO.

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

– Maggie Campbell (no relation): She’s been a great person for the American rum community. She’s spent an extreme amount of time expanding her knowledge of wine and spirits, and has recently been making some of the best rums in the world. She’s a wealth of knowledge and is willing to share it with anyone truly seeking to make better products and promote the industry.

– My staff heads: I’ve brought each on to handle a particular part of production because they know more than me about what they were doing. I learn from them and they keep me honest by always shooting straight with me.

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

– Get either a scuba or sailing certification. I absolutely love being around water.
– Travel more, including visiting Jamaica and Cuba. I’d love to get back to the Virgin Islands again, too, and visit some friends, which I haven’t been to for a few years. The beaches in St. John on the US side the Jost Van Dyke and Virgin Gorda on the British side are the most amazing I’ve ever seen. I’m hoping that their rebuilding is coming along well, particularly the Soggy Dollar Bar and Ivan’s Stress-Free Campground following last hurricane season.
– Not get bogged down in work as much and take more time for myself and with my wife and our dogs.

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

Visit www.MaggiesFarmRum.com and learn more about our history, practices, products, awards, and our new animal rescue charity program.
FB: www.Facebook.com/MaggiesFarmRum
Twitter: @MaggiesFarmRum
Instagram: @MaggiesFarmRum