The Rumcast

Note: As a reminder, Rumcast Reserve bottles are officially available in stores and shipping from our online retailer! You can grab your bottles here.You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.In this episode, we sat down with the founder of the only independent rum bottler exclusively focused on sourcing rums from the United States, Seth Benhaim of Mainland Rum.Since launching a little over a year ago, Mainland Rum has released some of the longest aged American rums to hit the market in recent years, including a 10-year-old Louisiana and a 9-year-old California to go along with releases sourced from Georgia and Florida.With their first unaged release from a Minnesota distillery set to hit the market soon, we figured it was a good time to catch up and learn more about Mainland's vision. We discussed:Arriving at the idea to focus solely on American rumThe challenge of sourcing longer aged rums from craft distilleriesNegative perceptions associated with the categoryThe double-edged sword of releasing rums from closed distilleriesFirst impressions of Mainland's unaged "S. Pombe" release sourced from Black Frost DistillingThe future of the American rum categoryAnd moreHave a listen and let us know your thoughts or questions!Learn more about Mainland Rum on their website.

Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.You can now pre-order our first-ever Rumcast Reserve single cask releases online! Head to our online retailer to grab your bottles today.

Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.We've tallied the votes and are ready to reveal the champion of the 4th annual Rumcast fantasy rum draft (along with the debut of a new hit rum-themed song from John Gulla — be sure to listen to the very end).Guest participant Arminder Randhawa of The Rum Revival joined us to break down the voting results for each category, which included a number of extremely close finishes and surprises.Was it a repeat victory for Arminder? A return to glory for former champion Will? A first-time breakthrough for John? Tune in to find out!After you've watched, let us know — were there any surprises to you? Injustices? Was a deserving winner crowned? Share your thoughts via email (host@rumcast.com) or social media!

Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.Note: We need your help to make the most of this episode! Go to rumcast.com/vote after listening to help determine the winner of this year's Fantasy Rum Draft. Thank you!For the fourth year in a row, we're back with our annual Rumcast Fantasy Rum Draft. In this annual competition, we compete head-to-head to “draft” rums from the selection of an online liquor store (or, in this year's case, TWO online liquor stores) for 10 different rum categories. The goal? To create the superior desert island rum bar.Following his big win last year, we were excited to welcome 2024 champion Arminder Randhawa from The Rum Revival back to defend his crown!We drafted our picks from the rum inventories currently available (as of 9-7-2025) at Burlington Wine and Spirits and Baytowne Wine and Spirits. The categories were:UnagedLightly Aged (1-4 Years)Aged (5-13 Years)Long Aged (14+ Years)Cane Juice UnagedCane Juice Aged (Any Length)Multi-Country BlendNon-Caribbean100% Column100% PotAfter you listen, head to rumcast.com/vote to access the complete list of picks, along with a link to our Fantasy Rum Draft Command Center if you'd like to have a look.May the best team win!

Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.In this episode, we caught up with Dawn Davies, head buyer for The Whisky Exchange—one of the premier spirits stores in the UK.Dawn is a huge rum fan with an excellent palate (she's one of the very few Masters of Wine in the world), and her position at The Whisky Exchange gives her a fascinating perspective on the world of rum.You can watch the video version of the episode here.We discussed:What goes into managing a store selection that includes nearly 1,000 rum SKUsBalancing esoteric rum geek bottles with mass market selectionsWhich rums should be on more store shelves right nowStandouts from The Whisky Exchange's 5th annual Rum Show this past JulyWhat it takes to go through the grueling 5+ years long Master of Wine processHow Dawn approaches tasting rumsRevisiting The Whisky Exchange's rum classification system 6 years inAnnoying label terminologyAnd more!Relevant links mentioned in the episode:Follow Dawn on InstagramThe Whisky Exchange websiteThe Whisky Exchange rum classification systemThe Whisky Exchange rum flavor campsCheck out Boston Rum Week — coming up September 14-21

Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.In the latest chapter in our Rumcast Guides series, we turn our eyes to Guyana and the legendary style of Demerara rum. As one of the world's most distinct, essential rum categories, this episode has been a long time coming. Whether you're new to the rums of Demerara Distillers Ltd. or a seasoned enjoyer, there's something in here for everyone.In Part 1, we set the stage by going over the factors that make Guyana's rums so unique, along with a brief timeline of rum production and a deep dive into the country's lone remaining distillery and its collection of historic stills.Part 2 will follow next week (with a focus on DDL's influence on modern rum, the additives question, and the Demerara Rum GI), so stay tuned!We consulted a good amount of sources for this episode, which you can peruse below:The Lone Caner's "The Age of Velier's Demeraras" SeriesPart 1Part 2Part 3The RumX community's epic "Crowdsourcing Guyana Rum Marks" threadThe Demerara Rum GIDemerara Distillers Annual Shareholder ReportsEl Dorado Official WebsiteOur own interview with Shaun CalebDu Rhum interview with Luca GarganoBarrel Aged Thought's epic Demerara pieceVelier's catalog of DDL releasesA number of Cocktail Wonk pieces:Demerara Distillers Ltd. Pt. 1 and Pt. 2Q&A with Shaun CalebQ&A with Komal SamarooQ&A with Sharon Sue-Hang

Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.In this episode, we sat down with Mike Gilmore, founder of Roaming Road Spirits, to go behind the scenes at one of the newest independent rum bottlers in the U.S.Roaming Road first got on our radar last year when they came out of the gate hot with an impressive slate of initial rum releases that included a memorable <>H Hampden rum, among others. With Roaming Road's second wave of releases now out (which we tasted through on a recent bonus episode), we figured now was the right time to get their full story.We chatted with Mike about:His journey from liquor store owner to rum bottlerWhy he thinks store barrel picks have gotten worse in recent yearsWhy he travels thousands of miles to sample casks in person (rather than receiving samples by mail)His tasting processWhat he looks for in a great rumHow he ended up bottling a 17-year-old rum from Spain (and details on where it came from)The impact of cask finishesAnd much more!You can learn more about Roaming Road on their website.This episode was sponsored by the Key West Rum Fest. You can get more info on their website.

Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.In this episode, we sat down with Oliver Chilton, the head blender at Black Tot Rum, to nerd out on all things blending—from their recently reformulated flagship blend, to their new solera blend, to their annual master blender's reserve releases, and beyond.We also got into a lot of in-the-works rum projects that we didn't know were coming down the pike. All of which are interesting.Oliver was a great hang and we learned a lot. We think you will too. You'll hear about:The rum Oliver was desperate to add to their Finest Caribbean blend (and why)How Oliver went from working at The Whisky Exchange to becoming a rum and whisky blenderTheir distillery project (and whether we might see rum coming from it)The coolest rare rums Oliver has had the chance to work withMisconceptions about sherry cask and solera maturationHow solera casks different from typical ex-sherry casks used in aging rumPossible future releasesAnd much more!You can get all the details on Black Tot’s blends at their website.