Left: A Jumbie's barman preparing a cocktail. Right: This Barbadian was not leaving a drop behind! - photos by RosemaryParkinson/Gleaner Writer

Rosemary Parkinson, Contributor

On Wednesday March 21, I opened the local newspaper to find a press release and advertisement announcing a training/tasting session at Jumbie's Bar in St. Lawrence Gap, Barbados, the following day, with party on Friday night. I attended and found Jamaicans Andrea Bowes and Judith Douglas (J. Wray & Nephew Ltd.) and Bajan rum connoisseur Keith Laurie expounding the virtues of Appleton Estate Rum.

Withtravels around the islands to find the best eating spots for cricket lovers, I had found the best batting so far! But it's not only Barbados that will feel the batting of Appleton Estate. Andrea Bowes continues to travel up and down the islands expounding the virtues of this Jamaican elixir. I immediately let her know in no uncertain terms we should have organised 'tings' so that we both could have done a little Appleton Estate tour of a different kind as I moved through Caribbean eateries! I wonder how we would have left each island - pie-eyed probably, if at all!

Rum training

Jumbie's in The Gap - a great lyming spot.

R.M.J. Agencies are the distributors of Appleton Estate Rums in Barbados an I had seen a few bottles in the supermarket, it was certainly with a big smile on my face that I was able to watch at least part of a rum training/tasting where the range of rums from Appleton Estate Special to the Masters Blend was exposed. There, set at the back of the room, were the special Jamaican rums - the Appleton Estate white, 5 year old, 12, 21 and the Masters Blend. In front of those participating were glasses half-filled with rum, and water for cleansing between tastes. Not an uncommon vision for me as I have attended similar sessions at various venues.

Once the training/tasting was completely over I asked a young Barbadian gentleman (who seemed quite content to continue sipping even though participants had left their chairs and were at the bar), what he thought of these Jamaican rums. For those who might not know, Barbados rums of all types, blends and labels are more than the preferred rums on the island - for Appleton to even take a wicket would be more than our team is doing at the moment. "I think they are very good. Like them a lot. This session taught me a lot about rums. I think I might very well change to Appleton." What? A Bajan saying that a rum from 'outside his paradise' is worthchanging to? I was delighted.

The next afternoon from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., the Jamaican party night with two-for-one Appleton drinks took off. All the guys behind the bar, decked out in their Appleton shirts, mixed cocktails and did their thing to a very happy crowd. After that it was all about partying with Appleton hostesses, live bartender training, give-aways and, of course, imbibing copious amounts of Appleton Rum.

In an interview with Mr. Keith Branch, the man who handles brands at R.M.J. Agencies Inc., I found out that Magnum is very popular already in some bars. The Cocomania rum is making everyone loco and Appleton Estate had already been making the rounds and doing pretty well. These sessions really now put the lid on the barrel, so to speak, with people beginning to understand the different blends, textures, aromas, tastes as well as the history of Appleton Estates and how the rums reach to their serving points.

Further investigations of well-known bars revealed that at The Reggae Lounge in St. Lawrence Gap (where a fair number of Jamaicans congregate), Appleton Estate, Magnum and Cocomania are heavily consumed. Nelson's Arms on Worthing Main Road where people come to play pool and enjoy the comforts of a newly refurbished bar, carried the 21-year-old for their discerning customers. Wow!

To burst into the Barbadian market is quite a feat. I believe that the high-end Appleton Estate rums however, should do very well among those who frequent the more expensive platinum coast - the West Coast of the island. So off I went to stick my nose into one or two. The one thing I found was that many of the bars had the rum in stock but placement was not prominent. So there is a little work to be done in this regard.

Great things will be happening come November at the BET St. Lucia Food & Rum Festival. This festival is due to grow yearly. Last year I was upset to see that J. Wray & Nephew had not participated but, as I understand it from Andrea Bowes, Appleton Estate rums will be there this year. I am looking forward to their contribution as rum, the Caribbean's own special elixir, is now having a great impact world-wide with discerning cognac drinkers turning to the aged dark rums.

Appleton Estate is in that category. With rum now considered the drink of champions and with Caribbean Single Market (CSM) finally beginning to unfold the goodies of other Caribbean islands, we are now able to see these liquids of the gods travelling across the region with impunity. Rum drinkers now have the opportunity to sample the various brands that previously hardly ever entered the shores of other islands. Now they will regularly leave for parts unknown.

Rosemary Parkinson has been enjoying a touch of Appleton, feeling more at home now.

The Appleton brands on show for all to see.