RON DE JEREMY - Q&A
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Q: Why Ron Jeremy and Rum?
A: That's easy; the Spanish word for Rum is Ron. There have been all these rums in the
market. Ron this and Ron that. Now there finally is Rum with my name on it!
While there are many Rons, only one is larger than life - Ron Jeremy. Ron is the most
famous male adult entertainment star ever, an icon of popular culture and a Living
Legend. Ron de Jeremy is his new ultra premium rum, distilled to honor the manliest
man on the planet.
Q: How involved is Ron Jeremy in the process?
A: Ron Jeremy is very involved with the marketing and endorsing of Ron de Jeremy.
He has already promoted the rum extensively in the US, UK, Holland, Norway,
Sweden, Finland and Australia. As Ron says: “Ron de Jeremy is great - the taste is long
and full, and the finish is smooth, which suits me perfectly! And I love the idea. Ron
means Rum! I am very proud of my Ron and I hope my many friends all over the world
will have a chance to try it.“
Q: What is the portfolio?
A: We have two Ron de Jeremy products: Ron de Jeremy Reserva and Ron de Jeremy
Spiced.
Q: Who makes the rum?
A: Ron de Jeremy Reserva is distilled and blended in Panama at Alcoholes y Rones de
Panama / Alcoholes del Istmo, S.A. by Francisco “Don Pancho” Fernandez. The
distillery is in South Central Panama
Ron de Jeremy Reserva
Q: Is is pot or column distilled?
The rum used in Ron de Jeremy Reserva is column stilled.
Q: What is the ABV of the spirit off the still?
They are able to produce alcohol at different strengths and with different levels of
congeners. They can distill pot still-like aguardiente at 60-65% ABV all the way up to
very neutral alcohol at 95-96% ABV.
Q: What is the oak source of the barrels?
Ron de Jeremy Reserva is made with rum aged in ex-bourbon American Oak (Quercus
alba) barrels.
Q: Is caramel added to the rum?
Yes, but only to stabilize the color between batches.
Q: Do they use a solera system or do they merely blend for consistency?
The distillery has soleras, but Ron de Jeremy Reserva is not made using a Solera.
Q: How and where do they bottle the spirit (and thus also the water source)?
The distillery has a bottling facility in Panama City where they have several bottling
lines that can handle a variety of bottle shapes and labeling needs. Some rums are
bottled fully automatically, others manually, others using a combination of the two,
depending on the bottle type. The water source is municipal.
Q: What is the yeast source - wild or introduced? Open vat or closed?
Introduced. Most fermentation is currently taking place in open vats, but they are
experimenting with closed vats to capture the CO2.
Q: Is it made from molasses, or is it a rhum agricole?
A: It is made from molasses. The molasses comes from the distillery's own sugarcane
fields, so they have total control over the quality of the molasses (other distilleries have
to buy whatever is available).
Q: Where does the molasses come from?
The distillery in Panama is using exclusively Panamanian sugarcane juice and
molasses. They are using all that they can produce plus everything the larger producers
have available.
Q: Is it "black strap" molasses? What is the sugar concentration of the molasses?
As mentioned above, they own their own sugarcane fields and also buy from other
producers. Whether they use straight sugarcane juice or molasses depends on time of
the year (can’t use fresh juice outside of sugarcane harvest season), international price
of sugar and availability. So the sugar concentration changes depending on what they
decide to use and what type of alcohol they are trying to produce.
Q: Is this some of Mr. Fernandez's personal stash of rum or is it by Abuelo or another
Distiller?
A: Yes, it is part of Don Pancho’s personal stash. Don Pancho inspected his best barrels
to hand pick the ones worthy of becoming Ron de Jeremy. It is this attention to detail
that will reward the senses of those fortunate enough to try this perfectly distilled and
aged rum.
Q: What does Ron de Jeremy taste like?
A: Smooth is a word we hear most often. Here are our tasting notes:
Ron de Jeremy has an inviting light amber color with very attractive copper hues. The
aroma is that of carefully aged rum, with a harmoniously balanced orchestra of oak,
fruit and spices. In the palate it opens up smoothly, showcasing a high level of
craftsmanship. The oak comes through robustly and satisfyingly, yet gently enough to
allow hints of vanilla and raw sugarcane to reveal themselves. The finish is elegant and
long, true to the aromas and flavors previously experienced. Ron de Jeremy sips
perfectly, naked or savored over the rocks, and mixes beautifully to make Ron’s many
signature drinkxxx. It is the adult rum.
Ron de Jeremy Spiced
Q: Are there going to be other Ron de Jeremy rums such as Spiced?
A: Yes, Ron de Jeremy Spiced was launched in Florida Sept 2011. Ron de Jeremy
Spiced gives us the chance to enter the large 8,000,000 case spiced rum segment and
introduce a lower price point to attract a wider consumer audience as well as drinkers of
current spiced Rum brands such as Captain Morgan and Sailor Jerry.
Q: What does Ron de Jeremy Spiced taste like?
This Spiced Rum is what you would expect from Ron Jeremy, a bold flavorful expression
that kicks it up to 94 proof while delivering on its signature long, smooth finish. This
amazingly smooth rum is darker and more flavorful than most spiced rums. With its use of
premium aged rum and a rich blend of vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg, Ron de Jeremy Spiced
Rum creates a perfect flavor blend that stands up above the rest in creating the ultimate cola
cocktail. Crafted for richness, this dark spirit is the perfect selection for both classics and
signature drinks as it deliver an intriguingly grown up message for serious rum drinkers and
novices alike.
Q: What is the abv for the Spiced?
A: In the US 47% and in Europe and Australia 35%. We will most likely bring small
batches of US strength to Europe as well.
Don Pancho
Q: Please tell a little more about the distiller Francisco Don Pancho Fernandez.
Don Pancho is a 74 year old Cuban-born Master Blender. He has worked with several
great rums such as Havana Club, Abuelo, Zafra 21, Panamonte XXV Preciosa
This is a portion of an interview Luis Ayala did with him several years ago:
Q: How long have you been working for the rum industry? How did you get
started?
A: This is a great opportunity for me to review many years full of emotions,
long days and learning experiences.
It probably was due to having Don Antonio Fernandez Castro as father and
mentor in the wine and liquor industry. Since I was little I watched him in this
arena, formulating products and marketing them. Once I graduated with a degree
in Biochemistry with a specialty in microbiology I entered the beverage industry
in Cuba in the early 70's. I must acknowledge my good fortune in having, during
those early years, the tutelage of master of masters Don Ramon Fernandez
Corrales with whom I am only attached through gratitude and friendship and not
through blood despite the shared last name. "Ramoncito", as we use to call him,
taught me the ways of Carta Blanca, which is the foundation and starting point
in the development of aged rums which showcase the quality, flavor and
bouquet, which are characteristic of a true rum.
Q: How is Ron de Jeremy different from Don Pancho's other rums like Zafra, or Havana
Club's 7 Anos?
A: Each rum made by Don Pancho is a different masterpiece, much like each painting
by an artist is different. True, you can see underlying commonalities (quality, attention
to detail, etc), but the overall products are very different. In each rum, the master
blender expresses a part of his personality, and it is clear that in Ron de Jeremy Don
Pancho chose to highlight his skills by producing a very versatile rum that can be
enjoyed equally well mixed, straight or on the rocks.
Distribution
Q: Where can I buy it?
We are rapidly expanding the distribution. Currently Ron de Jeremy is available in the
US in Florida, Massachusetts, Indiana, Nevada, Georgia, Washington, Southern
California, Tennessee and New York.
In the rest of the world we are in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Sweden,
Finland, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Italy, Switzerland, Czech Republic,
Belgium, Slovakia, Spain, Romania, Hungary, Singapore, St Barth, Russia, Cayman
Islands. In 2013 there will be 25-30 countries enjoying Ron de Jeremy.
Ron Jeremy is a global icon of popular culture so naturally Ron de Jeremy Rum will be
available as widely as possible. During the pre-launch phase we had about 3000
individual consumer pre-orders from all over the world, 54 countries to be precise.
Almost anywhere in the world you can get Ron de Jeremy over the internet. For
example US: Drink Up Ny (www.drinkupny.com), Crown Wine & Spirits
(http://www.crownwineandspirits.com), Hi-Time Wines (www.hitimewine.net).
Europe: Master of Malt (www.masterofmalt.com), Urban Drinks (www.urbandrinks.de)
Marketing and PR
Q: Is there a website for the rum?
A: www.rondejeremy.com
Twitter: twitter.com/rondejeremyrum
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rondejeremyrum
Facebook: www.facebook/TheRealRonJeremy
Q: We’ve seen some positive buzz. Is that the same that you are hearing as well?
Yes, the reviews are very good and we have won some accolades already:
Ron de Jeremy Reserva
-SIP Awards 2012: Gold
- Madrid Rum Festival 2012: Gold Medal, 2013 Double Gold
-2013 50 best aged Rums: Silver
- UK Rumfest Golden Rum Barrel Award 2011: Nominated as the Best New Golden
Rum.
-The Spirits Business UK Rum Masters 2012: Silver
-Tasting Panel Magazine: 93 points
-Huffington Post: Best New Spirits 2011
-www.drinkupny: Best Selling Dark Rum 2011
Ron de Jeremy Spiced
-SIP Awards 2012: Platinum, Best of Class
Hundreds of blogs have written about Ron de Jeremy and the tasting reviews have been
very flattering. We haven’t had bad review yet. The recent review by spirits blog Proof
66 nicely sums it up quite nicely:
“…So who won? We can't say... for the first time in our tasting history, people were
pretty much uninterested in even trying the Bacardi 8. Not because it was bad (it's
actually quite good) but because everyone had more fun drinking and talking about Ron
de Jeremy. The final summation from the group was, "I want to get a bottle because it's
such a showpiece in a home bar!" The Ron de Jeremy was so good that it's vastly
superior marketing power carried the day... it was a win by mob acclimation.”
Other nice reviews can be found from the news section of www.rondejeremy.com
Q: Do you have any merchandise?
A: Yes, you can get Ron de Jeremy t-shirts and other cool stuff from our website:
www.rondejeremy.com
Story behind
Q: Who is the parent company or owner?
A: One Eyed Spirits
Q: Does One Eyed Spirits promote other branded spirits?
A: Not at the moment. We have some ideas, though.
Q: Is there a story behind?
The founders have a long background in advertising. A few years ago they were sitting
in a bar in Amsterdam after a long day of photo shoots. There was a rum poster on the
wall. Ron de something, can’t remember what it was. They started laughing and
pointing at it. Ron de Jeremy!
The idea is simple, easy to understand and recognizable all over the world. It makes you
smile. The Spanish word for rum is Ron. While there are many Rons, only one is larger
than life – Ron Jeremy. He is the most famous male adult entertainment star ever. He is
an icon of popular culture, a Living Legend.
They called Mr. Jeremy. Talk about a cold call! He agreed to meet, saw the small
presentation and thought Ron de Jeremy was a great idea.
From there on the founders had to figure how to make great rum. Fortunately the
concept is so much fun that a lot of people wanted to help and they found another
legend: Francisco “Don Pancho” Fernandez.