A handcrafted, infusion-driven method

Do you know Reverend Stiggins? In Charles Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers, the Reverend rails against drink yet grabs every chance to sneak a sip of pineapple rum. Inspired by that colorful character, Master Blender Alexandre Gabriel teamed up with spirits historian David Wondrich to craft Planteray Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple Rum.

Working from an 1824 pineapple-rum recipe, our team spent 90 days at Château de Bonbonnet testing which pineapple variety best fit Stiggins' Fancy Pineapple. After countless trials, they chose the Victoria pineapple, named for the English queen who favored it.

The Victoria’s sweetness, high sugar and rich aroma come through because we’ve stuck to the same traditional process since day one. Every step, from selecting and cutting the fruit to infusion, distillation and blending, stays true to our original practices. Some of the fruit flesh steeps in Planteray Original Dark for weeks, while the peel bark is distilled into a bright pineapple spirit. We reunite the two liquids and let them rest in barrels. The result? On the nose, Victoria pineapple and peach mingle with hints of vanilla and geranium, hallmark notes of Planteray Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple. On the palate, baked apple and clove meet whispers of smoke, honey and spice. It finishes in a long, pastry-like wave - caramel, nutmeg, almond, pineapple, peach and citrus - proof that in the Carib language the word for pineapple means “the perfume of perfumes.”

Stiggins Ball: a one-of-a-kind celebration of Stiggins' Fancy Pineapple

Planteray Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple has racked up top honors: Best New Product at Tales of the Cocktail and gold medals from the Bartenders Brand Awards, The Spirits Business Rum & Cachaça Masters, and the Beverage Testing Institute. Stiggins' has also become a bartender favorite worldwide, poured as a welcome shot or in a Daiquiri, the classic “Bartender’s Handshake” that keeps the pineapple’s age-old link to hospitality alive.

To thank the community for its unwavering support, Maison Ferrand ran a contest open to every participating Tropical Week bar in Europe and Asia, awarding three winners a trip to Barbados. Another three will score invitations to next year’s Stiggins-dedicated festival, the Stiggins Ball.

Games and challenges keep things lively, but the real highlight is watching bartenders hand-cut pineapples side-by-side with the Maison Ferrand team to help make Stiggins' Fancy Pineapple. Over the years, the gathering has become a cherished ritual, every bit as meaningful to us as harvesting grapes for our cognac. Better yet, Stiggins Ball guests can craft their own small batch of Stiggins', a hands-on nod to the artisanal spirit behind the rum.

Need proof? Mix up a Stiggins' Fancy Pineapple Daiquiri. Here’s our go-to recipe:

Stiggins' Fancy Pineapple Daiquiri

Ingredients

  • 50 ml Planteray Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple
  • 15 ml freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 10 ml simple syrup
  • Lime zest and pineapple wedge

Glass: Coupette

Method

  1. Pour all ingredients into a shaker
  2. Fill the shaker with plenty of ice
  3. Shake vigorously
  4. Double strain into a chilled glass
  5. Garnish with a lime zest twist and a pineapple wedge

That’s it, your cocktail’s ready. Cheers to Reverend Stiggins!