In Conversation With… Cabal Rum

Cabal Rum was created, tested and validated by a group of whisky drinkers, spirit lovers, rum champions, liquid specialists, trade experts and real consumers. We chat to the team about their brand story, sustainability and Flexi-Hex packaging. WHAT'S THE STORY BEHIND CABAL RUM? Like any good conversation, Cabal was created over the table! In 2019, our two founders, Richard Dixon and Claire Kinloch, had a vision of collectively creating the most consumer-conscious rum brand – one that was exquisite when sipped and delicious when mixed. They also wanted to create a liquid that spoke volumes about the possibilities of rum, whilst keeping the process as simple as possible, from cane to cask, Cabal to consumer. WHAT’S SPECIAL ABOUT CABAL NO.1513 AND WHERE DOES THE NAME COME FROM? Cabal brings together experts, aficionados and sceptics from the UK and beyond. It’s this like-minded spirit that sets us apart. The people we bring together to create it and the people our customers bring together to enjoy it. Cabal No.1513 comprises aged rums from prominent distilleries from Guatemala, Guyana, Trinidad, Panama and the Caribbean using a combination of pot and column distillation techniques, all aged at origin. We have then finished our rum in Pedro Ximénez casks in Speyside, creating a distinctive, complex, yet smooth taste profile. We do not chill-filter, add colouring or sugar to our product, leaving a high-quality natural rum for our customers to enjoy and share. 1513 was one of the trial liquid reference numbers included in our first focus groups when we asked them to taste eight bespoke rums we had created, each with a unique finish. We decided to use this number as the expression reference for our first product name, that which was specifically created with the help of our group of experts, aficionados and sceptics intrigued by rum’s truth, taste and possibility. WHAT DOES SUSTAINABILITY MEAN TO YOU AND HOW DO YOU ACT ON THIS? Innovation and the natural environment is at the very heart of what we have endeavoured to harness in the creation of our first expression, Cabal No.1513. That’s why we never limit our sourcing options. Through our sense of belonging and connection, the Cabal has consciously united in a like-minded ethos of reducing our negative impact on the planet, both as a company and as committed individuals. When developing Cabal No.1513, we instigated the same philosophy throughout every aspect of the creation process. That’s why we actively sought raw ingredients, products, casks and packaging only from companies who have demonstrated that they too have taken significant and effective measures to deliver both social and environmental efficiencies. We are proud to be trading with members of SEDEX, a membership organisation that provides one of the world’s leading online platforms for companies to share innovations, manage and improve working conditions in global supply chains. Our bottling partners and suppliers comply with environmental laws, guidelines, standards and use as much recycled glass as possible within the bottling of Cabal No.1513. WHY WAS USING PLASTIC-FREE PACKAGING IMPORTANT TO YOU AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE FLEXI-HEX? We want to provide our consumers with exquisite and naturally finished aged rums that are bottled as nature created and, most importantly, dictated. Increasingly the spirits industry has become aware of the damages and harmful impact packaging is having on the planet. We wanted to actively choose to engage with organisations that are truly changing the landscape of, not just the spirits industry, but the whole world of packaging. With this in mind, we wanted to extend our philosophy of creating natural expressions and reduce our contribution to the single-use plastic waste stream and consequentially our environmental impact by partnering with Flexi-Hex. We chose Flexi-Hex due to its protective versatility, aesthetics and ability to take the form of our product without the need for high investment in a bespoke protective packaging design. Flexi-Hex’s ability to provide high volumetrics and expand upon demand, with its design being a simple sleeve, has enabled fast packaging by our fulfilment partners. WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE COCKTAIL TO MAKE WITH CABAL NO.1513? The “Cabalero” is the perfect balance of both sweet and sour! The fresh orange juice blends perfectly with the sweetness of our rum and ginger ale. This results in a serve that is not only very easy to make but also super refreshing, while still retaining the flavourful taste of our rum. In a highball glass, full of ice, add: - 50ml Cabal No.1513 - 10ml orange juice, freshly squeezed - Top-up with ginger ale & stir well - Garnish with an orange wedge. ANY EXCITING PLANS FOR THE REST OF 2021? Although we are still having to deal with the ongoing effects of Covid-19, and the very real realisation of having to continue to be dynamic in the way we work and create our expressions, we have a long term ambition to be the most consumer conscious rum brand. We are currently in the process of working with our Cabal of aficionados, experts and consumers in the development and creation of our next expressions comprising single cask aged rums, which will be released to market in late August. Stay tuned!

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