Plantation Rum’s Plantation Extrême Collection is Back with Three New Rums

The highly-anticipated Plantation Extrême Collection is back and proud to highlight the craftsmanship of the legendary West Indies Rum Distillery. For the fifth edition of this series, the destination is Barbados, with three exceptional and rare limited edition vintages. Journey back in time with these carefully selected expressions: Barbados 2007, Barbados 2000 and the pièce de résistance, Barbados 1986 – an important year for Plantation Rum as the first bottling of the brand was also a Barbados 1986! Most appropriate, since this Caribbean island, known as the cradle of rum, has been producing the cane spirit since 1650.

plantation rum  Plantation Extrême Collection
Plantation Extrême Collection n˚5 epitomizes the iconic terroir of Barbados, the expertise of the West Indies Rum Distillery and the magical effects of Plantation’s signature double-ageing process. Available in select markets beginning August 2022, Extrême Collection n˚5 has a suggested retail price of: Barbados 2007 – $200.00 (58% ABV), Barbados 2000 – $300.00 (47.8% ABV) and Barbados 1986 – $1,500.00 (55.1% ABV) for a 750ml bottle.

This trilogy, with its inimitable elegance, demonstrates the incredible savoir-faire of the West Indies Rum Distillery and are representative of the diversity of WIRD’s rums and production methods. In 1893, George Stade founded the distillery and had great ambitions for Barbados rum. His dream? To create a distillery capable of producing the best rum in the world. Today, the distillery’s team of experts pursues this dream more avidly than ever, drawing on more than a 125-year heritage and an unparalleled collection of old stills. As the leading producer of Barbados rums, WIRD produces spirits in historic pot and column stills. It takes truly expert distillers to make these complex instruments sing. Distiller Henderson “Digger” Skinner has been with the distillery for over 40 years; Master Distiller Don Benn is dedicated to Barbados’ rum heritage, as well as reducing WIRD’s carbon footprint, and Andrew Hassell, Managing Director and rum historian, safeguards the historical archives carefully.

With an insatiable passion for research and experimentation, Alexandre Gabriel, owner and Master Blender of Plantation Rum and West Indies Rum Distillery, draws endless inspiration from the historical archives of WIRD that stretch back over 125 years, in addition to archives from around the world. One such finding was the ancestral technique of double ageing, dating back to the 18th century, and today, it is the trademark of Plantation Rum. First, the rums mature in bourbon barrels in the tropics; they then cross the ocean by boat – in a process called dynamic ageing – to optimize the interaction between the cane spirit and the oak wood. The final ageing takes place in cognac barrels in the continental climate of Southwest France.

The historical practice of transporting rum in its original barrels plays a key role in ageing Plantation Rums, as the rum is further aged in its casks with the movement of the ocean. During the 30 to 40 days spent at sea, the barrels are exposed to extreme conditions. The temperature and humidity in the container can rise sharply and the motion of the waves vigorously agitates the liquid, increasing interaction between the rum and the wood by at least tenfold. The rum loses its edge and becomes rounder while the levels of esters and aromatic compounds rocket, allowing fruity and spicy notes to shine through. The dynamic ageing process results in a more intense rum and increased concentration.

ALEX MARS, ART MADE IN BARBADOS

For even more of a Bajan touch, this collection wears its colors proudly thanks to Alex Mars, a local artist whose mother worked at the distillery. Well known to Barbadians, Mars portrays multiple facets of their little paradise in his vivid paintings. Self-taught and with a distinctively powerful style in both portraits and landscapes, Mars created the three exclusive works* decorating the bottles of the Extreme n˚5 expressions. These illustrations celebrate the strong bonds that have united Plantation Rums and Barbados for over 20 years and offer rum lovers the opportunity to discover an artist who deserves to be known beyond his island home. The paintings are proudly displayed at the WIRD Visitor Center.

Alex Mars’ work can be seen at www.instagram.com/amars.bds/

AUCTION PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT BARBADOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S FINE ARTS PROGRAM

*The n°1 bottles of Barbados 2007, 2000 and 1986 will be offered at auction online, as an ultra-exclusive lot through Rum Auctioneer’s July auction, held July 1-11, 2022. All proceeds from the sale will be donated to support Barbados Community College’s Fine Arts program. This initiative, in collaboration with Alex Mars, is intended to promote arts and culture in Barbados. Rum Auctioneer has gladly agreed to help with this initiative by waiving their commission.

Each of WIRD’s 75 employees are committed to supporting their larger community of 250,000 Barbadians. Partnerships with local farmers contribute to the economy of the world’s newest republic, and the distillery’s eco-responsible strategy is well on its way to the goal of carbon neutrality by 2026. A historic monument to rum-making, resolutely facing the future.

BARBADOS WIRD 35 YEARS OLD 1986

Raw Material: Molasses
Fermentation: 3-4 days
Distillation: Gregg pot still, direct flame still from the 19th century
Tropical Ageing: 13 years in 200L Bourbon barrels
Continental Ageing: 21 years in 200L Bourbon barrels + 1 year in a single 350L Ferrand Cask
Number of Bottles: 286

Tasting Notes

Nose: Intense, with remarkably opulent tropical fruit aromas of mango, orange peel, passion fruit and vanilla. Finely underlined by touches of anise and peach.
Palate: Fruity with papaya, it opens with black olive, ginger, custard and cardamom, before evolving towards licorice and roasted pineapple.
Finish: Lively and long with notes of rancio, apricot, papaya and tea, enhanced by the brightness of mint.

BARBADOS WIRD 21 YEARS OLD 2000

Raw Material: Molasses
Fermentation: 3-4 days
Distillation: Vulcan chamber still, Gregg pot still and column still
Tropical Ageing: 5 years in 200L Bourbon barrels
Continental Ageing: 14 years in 200L Bourbon barrels + 2 years in 350L Ferrand casks
Number of Bottles: 929

Tasting Notes

Nose: Fresh and complex with a combination of Oolong tea, red berries, vanilla and cooked pears, followed by notes of lemongrass, apricot and honey.
Palate: Extremely fruity and round with hints of strawberry, hazelnut, greengage and guava sorbet enriched with touches of grapefruit.
Finish: Long and elegant, on raspberry, clove, banana and guava. It evolves towards notes of lemon, berries and woodland undergrowth.

BARBADOS WIRD 14 YEARS OLD 2007

Raw Material: Molasses
Fermentation: 3-4 days
Distillation: Gregg pot still and column still
Tropical Ageing: 2 years in 200L Bourbon barrels
Continental Ageing: 10 years in 200L Bourbon barrels + 2 years in 350L Ferrand casks
Number of Bottles: 2,857

Tasting Notes

Nose: Rich, fresh and spicy. It delivers beautifully forthright aromas in perfect harmony, including butterscotch, nutmeg, honeysuckle, cinnamon, coffee and crème brûlée.
Palate: Round and elegant with, at first, notes of lemon zest, roasted coconut and almonds, accompanied by touches of white chocolate, tobacco, pepper and banana.
Finish: Long and dry with delicate spicy notes, punctuated by chocolate.

Name Evolution

We are working tirelessly on the evolution of our name. As you can imagine, it is a significant undertaking for a family operation like ours. Evolution is not instantaneous, and lasting change takes time. ‘Plantation Rum’ has existed for 26 years. Evolving our name, which is a critical aspect of our brand identity, is a very complex process. This has been the most difficult exercise that we have experienced thus far – to find a name that is available for patent worldwide. We are working around the clock as there are myriad complex legal and production details involved in evolving the name of a global brand. We ask forbearance and patience from our supporters and friends. We do not take this lightly and work hard to make sure this trust is deserved. We sincerely hope that if you love our rums, you will continue to enjoy it now, and support us as we transition together. Once a name has cleared all global availability and legal approvals, we will make our announcement.