Rum And Reason Fortuna Script Rum “In the late 1800s, a legendary group of intellectuals developed a predictive card- counting algorithm called the Fortuna Script. Using their technological advantage, these freethinkers beat the house and brought down the casino barons at the time. Embodying the spirit and individuality of those who dared to think differently more than a century ago, Fortuna Script blended rum rewards those discerning individuals smart enough to do the same today.” Fortuna Script Rum is something of an intrigue, and the team behind it are just getting started. Rum and Reason is the first of three rums to launch over the coming months, and there are plans for more to follow. There is a little clue hidden in the logo that points towards a PRNG, or pseudorandom number generator. This is a more modern link to what the Fortuna Script did all those years ago, and a nod to all the free thinkers out there. It’s certainly an interesting concept. But what’s the story here? It’s all well and good to have strong branding, but my experience in the industry has told me that the real story, and the people behind the spirit, is what we all connect to. It’s a line I repeat often, but if I buy a bottle from a person, if I know what’s gone into making the spirit what it is, the chances are I’ll return for another. This is what I initially found tricky with researching Fortuna for this piece. The website doesn’t give much away. And that’s on purpose, as intrigue is the key element to this rum. There is mention of a mysterious Mr H and Mr J, and a mention of travel, but that’s about it. I was scratching my head, trying to work out what on earth I would write, and then I had the good fortune to speak to Mr H himself. “The story is all about free thinkers, and people thinking differently about rum.” says Mr H. He and Mr J originally met
in Newcastle, then Mr J headed back to London whilst Mr H found himself working on cruise ships, “then our paths crossed again in the 90s”. He said this quite casually, and I had to ask the question, “what, by chance?” to which he told me yes, they had met again by chance, across the world, a million miles from where they first met in Newcastle. During that chance meeting, the conversation moved to rum. Through his work on the cruise ships, Mr H had travelled around the Caribbean and realised just how good rum could be, and how there was room for development in the rums available in the UK. As it turned out, Mr J had family in Grenada and roots in rum production.
So, Mr H and Mr J made loose plans that one day they would make their own rum, once they had wrapped up all the life stuff that they were doing at the time. “So, that was the start of the idea that we put at the back of our minds, to manifest a quarter of a century later.” Mr H sums up, and I realise how keenly I am hanging on for the next part of the story. “I used to be a scuba instructor”, he continues, “the people we used to take us all out, had a guy from Lancashire who had settled out there, and he took us on the diving trips and provided sandwiches and rum cocktails after the dive. And, in return, I gave him a case of Boddingtons or John Smiths. The cocktails became more and more developed as the relationship grew. Everyone had such a good time, and it was all part of the experience.” So, despite forming that idea so long ago and putting it on the back burner, rum had been a continuing part of Mr H’s life. And now, 35 years on, Mr H and Mr J from their chance meetings are still friends and embarking on their own rum-based adventure together. “So, with the rum we have now, it is good to mix but you can drink it neat. We wanted to break the taste perception of rum.” It’s true, rum in the UK was relatively limited and rum available was often mixed rather than sipped on neat. And, I would say that the timing of this release has actually fallen very well, as the UK is now seeing a growth of its own craft rum scene, made up of everything from decent imports to UK placed blenders and distillers. “We wanted a higher level of quality with two main things, firstly we wanted to make it accessible. It’s also versatile, it can be drunk neat and mixed, some restaurants have started using it as a digestive and people are using it in baking.” So, the big question, what does it taste like? The notes state: “On the nose, stone fruits, deep demerara sweetness, light candied orange peel with soft spice notes like cinnamon and pink pepper. On the palate, a light heat gives way to ice cream sweetness with raisins, sultanas and vanilla. It’s slightly oily with a backbone of warm, mulled spice notes, cinnamon, clove and allspice. The finish is long and smooth, with rich cream and milk chocolate. There is a rounded caramel and a fruit flavour that seems to last forever.” Mr H can elaborate on this. “My daughter asked me, ‘if you’re going to make a rum, what flavour will you make?’ I asked her what she would do, and she said rum and raisin because she liked the ice cream.”
This was the basis of the flavour profile and also the name, Rum and Reason which is a lovely play on words with rum and raisin and rhyme and reason, another nod to the free thinkers. “We don’t highlight it as a spiced rum as such, but there are burnt oranges and caramel and dried fruit and raisin so the timing of this is great. All our rums have natural flavours, and this will work all year round, but it’s going to work very well with the season.” So, what is the main serving suggestion? According to the website, it’s neat. “The Founders, the illusively named Mr H and Mr J have used many years of travelling in the Caribbean, South America and Australia to develop their range of offerings. This is the first. They were asked to suggest a serving. They both agreed neat. Mr H went for a heavy glass with the Fortuna Script at room temperature. Mr J went for a thin glass with one large, round ice cube.” Whilst neat seems to be the main recommendation, it should be noted that this is a fun rum to mix. On the Fortuna Script website there are recipes for four fantastic cocktails, Keeping On Script, Pina Fortuna, Jester’s Tear and Zombie Fortuna. The Keeping On Script Cocktail is an embellished Old Fashioned, a wonderful cocktail, so good it has its own week in November (check out our article on Old Fashioneds for more info). A good spirit will be gorgeous in an Old Fashioned, so it sounds like this one is one to try. “We just wanted to make a nice rum.” Mr H, surmises. “We do want to expand the range. We have three different flavours, but we want to develop it more.” I ask what the other two are. “There is another Fortuna 43 spiced rum, it’s a similar flavour profile but at 43%, for those who like a kick. That’s coming out soon, perhaps it will be featured again here. It’s not overproof as such but it is strong. We are aiming for the bars, it’s good to mix. The third one is a white rum, grapefruit and coconut.” Fortuna Script Rum put’s itself forward as something of intrigue. And you know what? I am intrigued. Talking to Mr H to find out some of the backstory only left me hungry for more information. I want to know more about those previous meetings, and I want to know what it was like meeting up again to make their dream a reality. I want to be a fly on the wall in those moments. Alas, that is not to be. I am simply left to wonder, and so are you.