WLR&S presents “Artemisia” Private Barrel, a limited edition created in collaboration with Maison Ferrand.

At a time when rum has evolved from just a category to a territory of cultural and technical exploration, Women Leading Rum & Spirits introduced “Artemisia: Private Barrel,” a limited edition that seeks to capture more than an aromatic profile: a shared vision for the industry’s future. 

Revealed on April 17th aboard the Barge 166, the project was born from a collaboration with Maison Ferrand and brings together the technical direction of Fannie Thibaud, Deputy Master Blender, and the institutional vision of Larissa Arjona, President and Co‑Founder of WLR&S. More than a launch, Artemisia positions itself as a statement: a rum that articulates origin, knowledge, and collective purpose. 

Artemisia refers to both the Artemisia plant, known for its aromatic richness and resilience in harsh conditions, and Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt and wilderness, whose fierce independence made her one of the most untamed figures in the Olympian pantheon. “That dual meaning works as a balance between roots and projection, between tradition and pursuit. The blend is built from a clear narrative: honoring the craft without renouncing evolution,” says Arjona. 

Balance as a technical principle

Ensuring that each origin maintains its identity without overpowering the others is one of the greatest challenges in blending. For Fannie Thibaud, the process rests on three pillars: proportion, patience, and constant tasting. Her method is iterative—adjusting, listening again, tasting again. 

“I work iteratively, constantly adjusting proportions and returning to each component. If a rum is particularly intense, it isn’t excluded; it’s given its place, the exact point where it contributes without dominating. Every rum deserves to be heard.” 

This approach allows for a harmonious profile where diversity is not diluted but integrated with precision. The spirits used for Artemisia include Planteray Rum XO 20th Anniversary, Ron Abuelo Añejo 12 años, Ron Tepuy Destino, Ron Botran 18 años, Arehucas 12 años, Ron Barceló Imperial, Bacardí Gran Reserva Diez and Ron Millonario XO. 

Aging in Motion

The 30‑liter Ferrand Cognac casks are the technical starting point of the project. Their reduced size significantly increases the surface contact between wood and spirit, accelerating the extraction of key compounds such as vanilla, spices, toasted notes, and color. “The small volume isn’t an aesthetic gesture; it’s a functional decision,” explains Thibaud. “For a rum that will continue its maturation in our floating cellar, that intensity of interaction is essential to achieving real evolution.” 

The Barge 166 provides the second critical element: a dynamic microenvironment impossible to replicate in a traditional warehouse. Moored on the Seine, it experiences much wider temperature variations—34.8°C compared to 19.6°C in a conventional cellar—which activate the “breathing” phenomenon: the rum expands with heat and penetrates the wood, then contracts with the cold, pulling aromatic compounds back into the liquid. Added to this is the constant movement of the water, which keeps the spirit in even contact with the barrel. 

“Our studies confirm greater ester development and deeper color extraction than in static ageing,” notes Thibaud. “It’s an environment that transforms the liquid in measurable and exciting ways.” 

The Aromatic Blueprint

After its time on the Barge 166, the blend will develop an elegant and balanced aromatic profile, aligned with what Thibaud anticipates: “I expect an elegant and well‑rounded aromatic profile” for a blend of Latin American and Caribbean origin. These are rums known for their character rather than intensity, with “fruity and floral notes, hints of vanilla and oak, and a natural sweetness characteristic of the region’s distillation styles.” 

The cognac casks will bring additional warmth and structure, “deepening those vanilla notes and introducing gentle spice and a hint of toast.” The dynamic ageing—broad temperature swings and constant movement—will accelerate wood extraction and promote deeper integration among the components. 

As Thibaud summarizes, this environment will allow for “a beautiful natural color and a roundness that would take much longer to achieve through traditional static ageing.” 

A symbol of unity

For Fannie Thibaud, the values of Women Leading Rum & Spirits are not an abstract concept: they are the very architecture of the blend. Unity is expressed in the harmony of the final liquid, where rums from different origins and hands “speak as one.” Diversity appears in the breadth of the blend, because “each distillery brings its character, its story, and its terroir.” And collaboration is present in the process itself: this is not a rum created in isolation, but the result of a shared vision and a technical generosity that shapes every stage. 

From the institutional perspective, Larissa Arjona expands on that meaning: “Artemisia is proof that when women build together, the result is not just a product: it is a way of advancing the industry, creating space, and leaving a mark that can be felt in the liquid and in the community.” For her, this project embodies origin, craft, and collective purpose, and its release in April 2027 will mark a milestone for WLR&S. 

Artemisia represents not only what is made, but how it is made: with unity, diversity, and collaboration transformed into sensory identity.