Belonging to Maison Ferrand, one of the oldest spirit brands in the Cognac region, Plantation continues its longstanding tradition of rum distillation, dating back to 1651, and strives to capture the fascinating diversity of The Caribbean and Latin America.
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Founded in 1989 by Alexander Gabriel, Maison Ferrand is one of the oldest spirit brands in the Cognac region. The 1990s saw Alexandre Gabriel combing the Caribbean in search of the best rums of the region, heralding the birth of Plantation – an artisanal range of rums from the great terroirs of the tropics. Fifteen years of dedicated rum-making later, Alexandre is awarded Master Blender in the World’s Best rum awards and wins the prestigious GOLDEN BARREL AWARD in 2012.
The Plantation rum range honours the softness of Barbados, Guyana and Grenada; evoking the exotic and adventurous maritime commerce that ruled the day. Driven by each rum-producing country’s unique terroir, the brand’s passion and character is supported by its strong heritage with maturing techniques utilising bourbon casks and the tropical double-ageing method.
Maison Ferrand Regional Sales Manager, Asia Pacific, Dan Walker, took some time to share more about Plantation – the brand’s current best products in Indonesia, what it’s like working closely with the group’s leading persona, and a highly-coveted variety of Plantation available in the country.
Q: Dan, could you tell us a little bit about how you came to join Maison Ferrand?
A: I had previously worked with the Ferrand portfolio for around four years in Australia and New Zealand through my distribution business, Neat Spirits. The role for regional sales manager came up in early 2016. I love the Ferrand business and brands and wanted to help contribute more to their growth and success in the region.
Q: What is it like working with Alexandre Gabriel and how involved is he, as current President and Owner of Maison Ferrand?
A: Honestly, it’s an absolute pleasure and privilege to know and work for a person like Alexandre Gabriel. He is an absolute gentleman and everything is done at the highest standards. These are goals I personally aspire to. Alexandre is very involved in all things Maison Ferrand, especially on the product development side, which I believe has made the business what it is today.
Q: What plans are in place to increase the brand’s foothold even further in Indonesia?
A: Education, training and awesome brand activations – I won’t divulge too much more. You will just have to watch this space; maybe something about a Pineapple Party in Bali.
Q: What big things can we expect from Plantation Rum in 2017 and beyond?
A: What we always do best – new product development! We are always bringing out new and innovative creations that excite the discerning spirit drinker. My suggestion – keep an eye out for our new Maison Ferrand Extreme range!
Q: Among Plantation Rum’s portfolio, which three would be your top recommendations for our discerning readers?
A: My top three favourites would have to be Plantation 3 Star, the best white rum in the world for a traditional daiquiri but also a rum that can be enjoyed neat on the rocks; Plantation 5 Year Barbados, best rum pound for pound in the world, great in Mai Tais and shots! And Plantation 20th Anniversary. I call this my breakfast rum – so good you could put it on your cereal in the morning.
Q: We’ve heard news about a limited batch of Plantation Pineapple. Are we going to see some in Indonesia and what we can expect from this batch?
A: Yes, for sure. The demand was, and still is, very high for this delicious product. We do however now have larger stocks worldwide so you will start to see more coming into Indonesia and other parts of South East Asia in the next few months. My recommendation is a pineapple daiquiri served on the rocks. Amazing!
www.plantationrum.com
