Cut & Dry: the essence of Barbados in a bottle
This Tuesday in Bridgetown, Barbados, Maison Ferrand and West Indies Rum Distillery (WIRD) proudly unveiled their latest creation: Planteray Cut & Dry Coconut Rum.
This product, the brand's first under the new name Planteray Rum, formerly Plantation Rum, is the result of four years of rigorous experimentation, resulting in a product that combines the authenticity of our Barbadian rum with the freshness of local coconuts.
Our collaboration with local coconut farmers (through the Caribbean Agriculture Research and Development Institute (CARDI) and the International Trade Centre's Alliances for Actions) is part of an approach that promotes Barbadian heritage.
Andrew Hassell, Managing Director of the West Indies Rum Distillery, highlighted the importance of the association in promoting quality craftsmanship and celebrating the island's heritage through a 100% Barbadian product.
Don Benn, our Master Distiller at WIRD, spoke of his efforts to capture the essence of the coconut:
We tried coconut in all its shapes and sizes - juice, jelly, fresh fruit, dried shells - you name it, we tasted it! It took four years of experimentation to find the winning combination of ingredients sourced from our neighbors using only natural white coconut flesh infused in our classic rum and an extra two years to secure enough coconut for our export markets
The end result? A harmonious blend of natural white coconut pulp and our classic Barbados Rum.
Planteray Rum: a new era for Plantation
The change of name from Plantation Rum to Planteray Rum, announced on Tuesday by Alexandre Gabriel, owner and master blender of Maison Ferrand, is a decisive step.
'Planteray' symbolises our deep respect for the sugar cane (i.e. the plant), which is essential for the production of rum, and for the suns' rays, which are essential for its growth. This evolution also responds to the acknowledgment of the potentially negative connotations associated with the term 'plantation', which led us to announce this change in July 2020.
The global transition to the name Planteray Rum will begin this January 2024. Our iconic rum, known for its raffia-wrapped bottles and double ageing, will remain true to its original quality.
Our expressions such as Stiggins' Fancy Pineapple and Barbados XO 20th Anniversary remain unchanged and will continue to seduce rum lovers!
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