Matt Pietrek

Charles Tobias, Pusser's Rum Founder, Passes Remembering Charles Tobias: naval aviator, adventurer, and the man who brought Pusser's rum and the Painkiller to the world.

Fair winds and following seas, Mr. Tobias!

His surprising background and his connection to Michael Fogg of Mr. Fogg fame.

www.rumwonk.com/p/charles-to...

Hurricane Melissa’s Impact on Jamaica’s Rum Makers After Hurricane Melissa tore across Jamaica, the island’s rum makers face an uncertain road ahead. Here’s what we know so far—and what could come next.

Jamaica's rum makers face an uncertain road ahead. Here's what we know so far, along with the additional challenges each distillery may face in resuming operations. My latest on my (always free) Rum Wonk Substack

www.rumwonk.com/p/hurricane-...

What’s the Story with Ron del Barrilito? Unmasking Puerto Rico’s most debated rum. Is Ron del Barrilito flavored, legit, or even the island’s oldest? The truth might surprise you.

Within the rum world, Puerto Rico’s Ron del Barrilito is among today’s most misunderstood rums. While the brand has many fans, including me, questions inevitably pop up when it’s discussed in enthusiast circles. My latest Rum Wonk story tackles them head on.

www.rumwonk.com/p/ron-del-ba...

The joy of this is that some seemingly simple questions are rewarded by 50x the amount of expected learning.

Pull a thread, land a whale.

I really wish that (for a reasonable, non-corporate pricing subscription fee) you could upload your docs to a spot on Google (or similar) and then access them like Google Books.

I hear that. For now I have my own private repository, but thinking about some way to “open source” it at some point. I’d imagine that some entity like Archive.org has could do something like this.

Concur. And not just scan, but OCR and place into a full-text indexed repository.

Jamaica Rum's 2024 GI Revisions Paused Per Court Order A Jamaican court has put enforcement of Jamaica's 2024 rum GI revisions on hold, pending further hearings.

The latest news from Jamaica's long and winding GI process.

www.rumwonk.com/p/jamaica-ru...

Thanks!!!

Tasting Sail No. 2, the second limited-edition of Planteray’s Navy-style rum.

To my palate, No. 2 dials back the fruitcake spices of No. 1, replacing them with more Demerara and heavy Trinidad notes. All in all, I find the No. 2 closer to the flavors I associate with the RN flavor profile.

Tasting Video #49 | my tiny bottles Tammy is joined by Matt Pietrek, AKA Rum Wonk, to taste a tiny bottle of Captain Morgan Gold Label from the 1970s.

Super fun tasting episode with @rumwonk.bsky.social. We puzzle over my Grandma's tiny bottle of 1970s Captain Morgan, talk Jamaican rum history, and compare my bottle to a modern Jamaican bottling. Watch the video or read the transcript at the link, or listen in on your favorite podcast app! 🍸

Equiano Rum - Dueling Ownership Bids Dueling bids for the brand's assets and a founder’s exit —Equiano Rum battle spills into the spotlight.

A follow-up to my earlier story. An Equiano co-founder and large shareholder appears to have purchased the brand's assets, beating out a rival bid from another co-founder.

www.rumwonk.com/p/equiano-ru...

Equiano Rum - What Happened? Ian Burrell announced he’s no longer representing Equiano Rum. UK government filings tell more of the story, including a possible Uncle Nearest connection.

There's more to the recent Equiano news than you may have heard, including an Uncle Nearest connection. The latest from my Rum Wonk newsletter.

www.rumwonk.com/p/equiano-ru...

Love that rum name!

As for the the “Royal Hawaiian”, fair point! Thanks to Jeff’s TT app, many folks know the “Mai Tai (Royal Hawaiian)” - which has pineapple and OJ. Thus, I used it as generic placeholder for the later, fruitier Mai Tai variations.

Mai Tai Rum(s): Myths and Mistakes The Great Mai Tai Rum Debate - Are we overthinking it? Some historical context provides guidance.

"...the 2nd Adjusted Formula was a necessary accommodation, rather than an improvement on his original rum iterations ... Why use an understudy when the star performer is available?"

Some deep thoughts for this year's Mai Tai Day.

www.rumwonk.com/p/mai-tai-ru...

#maitaiday

What Was London Dock Rum? What was London Dock rum—and why did it matter just as much as the Navy’s daily tot? A chapter excerpt from The Rum Never Sets explains.

What was London Dock rum—and why did it matter just as much as the Navy’s daily tot? A chapter excerpt from the new book, "The Rum Never Sets" explains.

www.rumwonk.com/p/london-doc...

The Tequila Ambassador V.O. Book Enter the vibrant world of Tequila with Tomas Estes—cofounder of Tequila Ocho and the original Tequila Ambassador. Tomas educated on agave spirits around the globe for decades. The book contains chapt...

Book 14 of 2025: The Tequila Ambassador V.O. by Tomas Estes. I tried to find the 2012 version around 8 years ago to no avail, and this is a beautifully expanded version put out by @rumwonk.bsky.social WonkPress. www.wonkpress.com/products/the...

El Dorado's new PM/DHE release blends Port Mourant and Diamond High Ester marks. While PM isn’t high ester, DHE goes up to 7,000 gr/hlAA of esters. It follows El Dorado’s previous LBI/DHE blend.

Bottled at 51.7% ABV, the PM asserts itself first, then the DHE mark roars to life with a long finish.

You’re welcome! I actually something cooked up that addresses many of the issues addressed here consistently and across all rums. Not ready to reveal it yet, but as a fellow data designer, I think you’ll like it.

“Jamaica rum” once said it all in drink recipes. But today, with every producer making a variety of different rums, it’s time to break down the common substyles seen in practice. See link to the Rum Wonk article with more details below - or use the QR code!

www.rumwonk.com/p/jamaica-ru...

The West Indies Rum Distillery: Old Distillery, New Tricks | Distiller Magazine This historic Barbados rum maker enters a new chapter under the leadership of Maison Ferrand.

The American Distilling Institute asked me to write about the West Indies Rum Distillery in Barbados for their Distiller Magazine. An overview of the distillery's history, with a particular emphasis on what's new in 2017.

distilling.com/distillermag...

The Rum Never Sets Book Uncover 300 years of Royal Navy & London Dock rum in this thrilling dive into maritime history, myths, and the spirit that fueled an empire.

Land Ho!

We’re excited to share the arrival of our new book, The Rum Never Sets: 300 Years of Royal Navy & London Dock Rum, by me and Alexandre Gabriel.

An epic quest to uncover the untold truths behind three centuries of Royal Navy and London Dock rum.

www.wonkpress.com/products/the...

APPLETON ESTATE JAMAICA RUM UNVEILS THE LONGEST TROPICALLY AGED RUM EVER RELEASED: THE SOURCE 51-YEAR-OLD /PRNewswire/ -- Appleton Estate, the oldest continuously operating rum distillery in Jamaica and among the oldest rum distilleries in the world, proudly...

"The Source will be available to select global markets starting July 2025 and priced at $70,000 USD."

Well, now we know. 😊 

www.prnewswire.com/news-release...

1.5 oz pineapple is the new 4 oz.
I'm still sticking to Jamaica rum though. 😎

Hey NOLA friends! Or folks in New Orleans later this month for whatever reason... 😊

Come see me at the Arnaud's French 75 Bar on July 21st between 7 and 9 PM. More details in the post graphic!

So... here's a very interesting US TTB label approval: a (minimum) 51-year aged Appleton.

100% pot still, 62% ABV and 700ml. The label says "One of 25 Decanters" but that may just be for the US market.

Appleton is teasing a July 15th launch, and pricing isn't known, but surely will be $1000+.

YouTube video by WIRSPA WIRSPA Rum Makers Series: Marc Paul of Angostura

As the Community Envoy for the West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers' Association, I get to interview the folks making the Caribbean's best rums. In our sixth episode of WIRSPA's Rum Makers series, we chat with Marc Paul, Angostura's distillery manager.

Link to watch: youtu.be/GsWOA0ZEj9M?...

We use an iPostal location. They’ll receive your email. You can use the website to see what was sent, and optionally have it scanned. You can also have them ship your received items internationally.

My latest Rum Wonk newsletter story takes readers behind the curtain of independent rum bottlers, with some surprising twists. This infographic, which John Hsu of Raising Glasses created, is just the tip of the iceberg.

See RumWonk for the full story:
www.rumwonk.com/p/why-does-t...

#truth