Rum Connoisseur

Interview Of The Week

VICTOR OLSHANSKY

ZÍAMI Rum Founder & CEO

 

1. Who is Victor Olshansky?

Victor Olshansky is the Founder and CEO of Florida Rum Company, the parent company of ZÍAMI Rum in Hollywood, Florida.  A former U.S. Army officer and Iraq war veteran, Victor briefly tried his hand at mixology a couple decades ago.  But it wasn’t until he attended a course on rum distillation taught by Luis and Margaret Ayala at Louisville’s Moonshine University that Victor fully set his sights on creating the ZÍAMI Rum brand.

 

2. What does the rum mean for you? What made you fall in love with rum and when did it happen?

I started to develop an appreciation for rum in my late 20s.  In the U.S. Army community, bourbon and whisky were the go-to spirits for many of my contemporaries, but I was always more of a rum guy.  After I left the Army and moved to Florida in 2005, I was introduced to a wider variety of rums, to include Flor de Caña, Barbancourt, Wray & Nephew, Appleton Estate, and Zacapa, among others.  Eventually I found myself pondering the question of how rum was made and why there weren’t more distilleries in Florida working with Florida-grown sugarcane.

3. Three essential characteristics that define the rum according to your perspective.

– Sugarcane: The fundamental ingredient in all things Rum
– Tropicality: The native environment and terroir of the sugarcane & rum industry
– Oak Barrels: Originally used to transport rum more so than for aging/flavor, the history of the barrel and the history of rum are so closely intertwined, it’s almost impossible to separate the two.

 

4. What is the most important contribution you have made in the rum industry?

I can’t say that I’ve been in the industry long enough to make any truly important contributions, but I hope to be able to have a roll in further opening up the craft distilling community here in Florida so that more people can experience a wider range of local craft spirits.

5. Benefits that the rum industry has given you.

Having come from the finance industry, rum has given me the ability to be much more hands-on in my new profession.  It’s also given me ample opportunities to express my creative side – through flavor, through branding, and through exploration.

6. What´s another thing you are passionate about, in addition to rum? Why?

I’m passionate about my family and making sure that my kids are equipped to make their own way in the world.  This past year has been extremely challenging, but I’m happy that I’ve been able to spend more time with my family, eat more home-cooked meals, and develop a better work-life balance.

 

7. What is your favorite place for drinking rum?

Miami has some great cocktail bars, but the COVID-19 outbreak has put quite a damper on the cocktail bar experience.  The past few months, my favorite place for drinking rum has really been my backyard – either unwinding with my family or during a socially distant get-together with friends.  We’ve even a done a few Zoom-meeting cocktail classes with our friends – a simple daiquiri in the comfort of one’s living room is an excellent at-home cocktail experience (even better if it’s made with ZÍAMI Rum).

8. Favorite drink + Recipe

ZÍAMI Ruby Rush Crush:

– 1.5 oz ZÍAMI Ruby Rush Grapefruit Flavored Rum

– 0.5 oz Fresh lime juice

– Top w/ soda

– Serve over ice

9. Why is it important to educate the rum consumer?

I think it’s important for spirits enthusiasts to recognize that there’s more to rum than just the two category leaders, and there are so many more ways to enjoy rum than just mixing it with Coca-Cola.

 

10. Any tips to train the palate and taste a good premium rum?

This is a difficult question to answer because I feel like my own palate is constantly evolving.  I would say for me, 70% to 80% of the tasting experience comes from the aroma, rather than the “taste.”  I think it’s important to resist the temptation to put one’s nose directly into the glass when evaluating the aroma but rather to waft the vapors towards oneself so as not to be overwhelmed by the alcohol.  Newcomers to spirits tasting should also recognize that distilled spirits need to be imbibed, not just tasted on the tongue, to fully experience the flavor.

11. Is the commitment to sustainable development the key of success for the permanence of the rum industry in the world? Why?

I think “Sustainability” takes on different meanings to different people in different parts of the world.  Here in Florida, we try to pursue a “Drink Local” effort where we limit our carbon footprint by using locally sourced ingredients for locally targeted consumption.  Does that mean that we constantly source the most sustainably grown sugarcane in the world?  Not necessarily, but we do our best to source sugarcane and other raw materials that travel the shortest distance from field to distillery to consumer.

 

12. Who would like to meet in the rum industry? What would you say to him/her?

I’d love to meet Don Pancho Fernández, because he’s had such an impact on the rum industry over the past half-century, and ask his opinion on the future of the industry.  Nevertheless, living here in the Miami area, I’ve had the opportunity to meet many outstanding contributors to the industry, not just on the production side but on the service side as well, to include Julio Cabrera, Daniele Dalla Pola, as well as members of the Bacardi corporate family.

Some other key industry members who have been influential in the development of ZÍAMI have included:

– Luis Ayala:  Taught me most of what I know about distillation and blending.  He also helped inspire the original profile and distillation plan for ZÍAMI Platinum.

– Alex Alvarez, Chief Production Officer at Brown-Forman: Alex and I first met at business school, when Alex was still working with Herradura Tequila, and I hadn’t even contemplated going into the spirits industry.  Although Alex operates at a much higher scale, he has provided us with some great industry insights, and I am proud to call him a friend.

– Chris “RumBassador” Fierro:  Chris was our first ZÍAMI brand ambassador and helped us develop the concept for ZÍAMI Barrel Proof.  Chris has an amazing network and really helped us connect with Miami’s mixology scene.

 

13. What are your next goals in the rum industry?

I would really like to see Florida’s bars and restaurants take more of an interest in local craft spirits, much like they’ve done with local beer.  But there are some regulatory and structural challenges that the craft distilling industry must overcome before that can happen.  Craft distilleries have greater certainty over cost structure now that the U.S. government has made the federal excise tax reduction permanent, but we need further regulatory reforms at the state level to enable us to deliver product to retailers and consumers in the most cost-effective manner.

 

14. Plans you have when you leave the rum industry.

I have no plans to leave anytime soon.

 

15. Why is the role of the bartender important in the rum industry?

At ZÍAMI, we see rum as a social beverage, and we view the bartender as a key part of the social experience.  For many consumers, their main introduction to new spirits is through the cocktail menu at a certain bar or restaurant.  We’ve worked hard to develop relationships with a number of outstanding bartenders around Miami and the surrounding area, and they truly are the best advocates for our brand.

 

16. What is your advice for new generations in the rum industry?

There are so many great rums out there; I think it’s important for new generations to exercise creativity to develop new and innovative products and variations.  People have different tastes and preferences; any many times they don’t really know what they like until they try it.

17. How can people learn more about you? Website? Social media page?

Find us at www.ziamirum.com or @ZiamiRum on Facebook and Instagram.  Unfortunately, our tasting room will remain closed until the pandemic improves, but keep following us online for more information.