Vodkas come in all types, distilled with everything from grains and potatoes to grapes and olives.

From there, some are flavored. At the more conventional end of the spectrum, we’ve got citrus and berries, and at the wackier end of the spectrum, we’ve got things like whipped cream and bacon.

Well, that spectrum has shifted a bit. Because now there’s a vodka infused with a meteorite.

Shooting Star Vodka is an “ultra-premium vodka enriched with minerals” from a meteorite. That’s a lot to unpack. But the basics are that it comes from Pegasus Distillerie, a spirits brand founded in France’s Burgundy region. Pegasus makes a variety of spirits, including non-meteorite vodka, gin and a citrus liqueur, and each product finds inspiration from nature and the cosmos. But Shooting Star enlists an actual meteorite to make every bottle.

The celestial object in question was discovered in Nebraska in 1977 but may have landed on earth well before that. Once Pegasus acquired the space rock, they put it to work in their vodka.

The spirit is distilled from French wheat and blended with limestone-rich spring water sourced from 150 meters below the distillery. It then goes into an amphora, a porous clay vessel, to age for a minimum of one year. Suspended at the center of the amphora is the meteorite, which the brand says imparts taste and structure to the vodka resulting from chondrite, a mineral unique to meteorites.

Unless you’ve licked a meteorite, it may be difficult to know exactly how it impacts the 84-proof vodka, but Shooting Star has an inherent sweetness to it. You can use this like any other vodka, by mixing it into cocktails or throwing it over ice. Though the $200 price tag may warrant sipping it straight, so you can taste every ounce of that rock.

And then impress your friends by saying things like, “mm, yes, I’m getting hints of chondrite.”

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Co-owner of Sweet Grass Vodka Jarrod Swanger, with his wife Alicia, reviews plans in December 2021 for the company’s lounge and bottling operations in Charleston. Swanger has since hired a bankruptcy lawyer as investors question where the company’s millions of dollars have gone.

Sweet Grass Vodka owner Jarrod Swanger toasts with his celebrity brand rep, actor Jeremy Renner, in September 2023.

Sweet Grass Vodka is a sponsor of the Charleston RiverDogs.

Sweet Grass Vodka Lounge, pictured Nov. 16, 2022, in The Refinery complex on Meeting Street Road in Charleston.

The Sweet Grass Vodka lounge, pictured Nov. 16, 2022, in The Refinery complex on Meeting Street Road in Charleston.

The Sweet Grass Vodka Lounge in The Refinery complex on Meeting Street Road in Charleston on Nov. 16, 2022.

Alicia Swanger, one of the owners of Sweet Grass Vodka, holds one of the company’s bottles inside the future location at The Refinery on Meeting Street Road on Dec. 9, 2021, in Charleston.

Alicia and Jarrod Swanger, two of the owners of Sweet Grass Vodka, pose for a portrait in their future location inside of The Refinery on Meeting Street Road on Dec. 9, 2021, in Charleston. 

Jarrod Swanger used to be an errand boy. He pulled down about $35,000 a year getting oil changes, groceries, dry cleaning — even Honey Baked Ham gift certificates — for busy hospital workers in Greensboro, N.C.

Ten years later, he found himself kicking back on a private jet with two-time Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner. Together, they soared off to the luxurious Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas to promote Swanger’s company, Sweet Grass Vodka. The “Avengers” actor came aboard to lend some celebrity sizzle to the product in return for a seven-figure payday. 

Life was good for Swanger. He had a million-dollar home in affluent Mount Pleasant. A swank tasting room in one of Charleston’s hip new nightspots. A pair of $150,000 BMW Alpina luxury cars for him and his wife. And a passel of A- and B-listers to add some star wattage to his social media feeds and business endeavors. 

Hobnobbing with celebrities had been a theme for Swanger since he transitioned from running errands to hawking retractable dog leashes and dipping into the South Carolina spirits industry. Years of social media posts show him mingling with pop star Paula Abdul, “Shark Tank” entrepreneur Kevin Harrington, Nickelodeon alum Daniella Monet and NFL Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw.

Now, that shine is fading as his business fortunes appear headed for a crash. 

Jeremy Renner poses for photographers upon arrival at the UK Fan Screening of the TV series “Hawkeye” in London, on Nov. 11, 2021.

Swanger, 38, faces at least four lawsuits in South Carolina from investors and others. He’s accused of defaulting on more than $750,000 in loans. He reportedly owes tens of thousands of dollars to local vendors and distributors. And the S.C. Department of Labor is investigating Swanger for allegedly stiffing his employees on wages.

On May 31, Swanger hired a bankruptcy lawyer.

Padlocks now seal the doors of a darkened Sweetgrass Lounge, a choice spot in The Refinery complex on Meeting Street Road where Swanger once hosted parties, happy hours and live music. It was also where Sweet Grass Vodka, billed as locally sourced and upscale, was bottled in a backroom from watered-down liquor that was distilled elsewhere, a dozen former employees and business associates told The Post and Courier. Most spoke on the condition of anonymity, saying they fear retaliation from Swanger. 

Despite confirmation from the landlord that Sweet Grass’s lease had been terminated in April, Swanger told the newspaper in a May 22 email that the company is “not closing.” 

“We are just thinking about leasing the lounge because it wasn’t making money and we are not a restaurant revenue concept,” he stated.

In another email a week later, Swanger told a reporter to contact his lawyer with all questions. Kevin Campbell of Campbell Law Firm in Mount Pleasant said he had no comment.

But nearly 20 other people have something to say.

The concept for Sweet Grass Vodka is said to have been launched in 2019 from a bar stool inside The Dinghy, a tiny bar and grill on Isle of Palms. The conversation included Swanger and his wife, as well as Victor Webster, a Florence businessman with ties to the beachside community.

The brand was introduced to the market in 2020 and landed shelf space in Total Wine stores across the Southeast and in restaurants and other liquor stores in six states, including South Carolina.

“Super excited that mine and Victor Webster’s vodka will be on 200+ shelves here shortly,” Swanger posted to Facebook in February 2020. “This has been a fun project amongst two drinkers.”

A year later, InterContinental Beverage Capital and Sweet Grass announced a partnership, including a minority ownership position by the New York-based investment company. The announcement referenced a “rapid scale-up and expansion,” with Swanger and his co-founder Brian Friedopfer, a Chicago entrepreneur labeled at one time on the Sweet Grass site as a chief operating officer. The company, according to the release, planned a “state-of-the-art craft distilling and bottling plant in Charleston’s Brewery District.”

Noticeably missing was Webster, who reportedly had no idea he was being edged out. 

In September 2022, Gov. Henry McMaster and other state officials lauded Swanger and Sweet Grass Vodka, which they called a “family-owned spirits and distilling company” with a product made from “South Carolina-grown potatoes.” Plans were announced for a $1.7 million bottling operations and tasting room at 1640 Meeting Street Road in a largely industrial stretch of Charleston’s upper peninsula. 

The project would be the first for Sweet Grass in Charleston County and was expected to create nearly 50 jobs, according to a press release.

Sweet Grass Vodka, which started in the Upstate, added a location at The Refinery in Charleston.

“We are enthusiastic about launching our second location in South Carolina in the beautiful upper peninsula of Charleston,” Swanger said at the time. “We are proud of our quality, locally sourced vodka — and this new facility will showcase Sweet Grass Vodka on a larger scale.”

McMaster poured on an equal measure of praise.

“Again and again, South Carolina has shown it is one of the best places in the world to do business,” the Republican governor said. “This announcement by Sweet Grass Vodka is further proof of our pro-business environment, and we’re excited to see what this locally grown company has in store for the future.”

Roughly 18 months later, signs of financial trouble emerged and failed credit payments began to mount, according to lawsuits.

While money challenges played out behind the scenes, an A-list actor was about to take center stage.

And get sucked into Swanger’s world.

After months of negotiations, Swanger made an announcement on Instagram in July 2023 that immediately garnered national headlines: Sweet Grass Vodka had joined forces with Jeremy Renner, star of Marvel Comics’ “Avengers” and the Paramount+ show “Mayor of Kingstown.” He would be a “full-on brand owner,” Swanger said at the time.

“I’m so grateful for the progress I’ve made since the start of this year which allowed me to move forward with my interest in Sweet Grass Vodka,” Renner posted to Instagram later that month in reference to the new business partnership and his continued recovery from a devastating New Year’s Day snowplow accident. “Their mission is rooted in community and shared experience, which is why the second I tried it, I knew I wanted to become a part of it. I’m excited for new ventures ahead.”

A couple of weeks later, Renner posted more support for the company on his social media.

“Find some quality time this weekend with quality people @sweetgrassvodka #happyfriday #sharedexperiences,” he wrote on Instagram Aug. 11, 2023.

Renner arrived in Charleston two months later for his big introduction with Sweet Grass Vodka.

Swanger set up a meet-and-greet at The Refinery, selling tickets for the event. For one set price, attendees could get a bottle of vodka signed by Renner. For those willing to shell out VIP money, they could get primo parking, access to an open bar and meet the actor.

A lavish three-room party soon overtook the Nest Rooftop Bar at Wild Dunes Resort on the Isle of Palms, where Swanger put up Renner during his visit.

The California-born star stressed the importance of learning about Charleston and its people. Partygoers noted Renner was often found talking to staff and ticketholders.

“I got to come on to this when the brand was developed enough, so I needed to learn more about South Carolina,” he told ABC Channel 4. “I had to learn more about this community. This is my first time in Charleston. It’s awesome.”

From there, Swanger and Renner flew to Houston for another signing. They then spent time in Las Vegas.

In several photos, Renner sported a Sweet Grass Vodka-labeled baseball cap and vest. Other shots show him and Swanger toasting their vodka and laughing like old buddies on a couch. In another, Swanger visited the Disney+ “Hawkeye” star’s Reno, Nev., home. There, the two palled around amid the pines, lounging on patio chairs; Swanger tossing up a peace sign in a selfie.

Charleston resident and businessman Bill Mahar introduced the two in 2022 amid Swanger’s search to find a celebrity brand ambassador — an asset he found endeared him to investors. Mahar had known Renner through his work as a brand designer for national companies like Ralph Lauren and Under Armour.

During negotiations, Renner broke more than 30 bones in the snowplow accident and was hospitalized. Sweet Grass investors were willing to wait for him to recover to launch their partnership, Mahar said.

“We really loved him as a person and felt he was right for the brand,” Mahar said.

Renner, who was nominated for Academy Awards for his roles in “The Hurt Locker” and “The Town,” was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars and promised equity in the company to serve as a celebrity face and market the company, Mahar said. Still, he was invested personally in the company’s success — even if he didn’t put any of his own money behind it.

“He came into this in good faith,” Mahar said.

The Sweet Grass Vodka logo also changed from the original man holding a rifle to a fly-fishing rod after Renner came on board. The tweak was at his request, Mahar said.

Renner was scheduled to be paid in early 2024. The money arrived late, sending up red flags, Mahar said.

Mahar said his concerns grew when he heard Swanger was not regularly paying employees.

Toward the end of 2023 and into 2024, Swanger often paid staff through PayPal and Apple Cash, an iPhone application, instead of an accounting system, according to transactions reviewed by The Post and Courier. Some employees were owed up to five weeks in back pay, while checks for others bounced, three workers confirmed.

Investors mentioned they were growing increasingly restless due to not seeing any returns on their investments over the past two years.

Swanger then canceled a photo shoot with Renner earlier this year, Mahar stated, citing budget constraints and production issues.

As of March 2022, Swanger had been promoting Sweet Grass Vodka as a company purportedly worth $26 million, with projected revenue of $40 million by 2023, according to a slide deck he shared with investors.

If the company was worth tens of millions of dollars, there shouldn’t have been money problems, Mahar thought. He observed closely as April approached to see if Renner would receive his next scheduled payment.

Swanger again failed to come through, Mahar said.

Renner was informed of the issues and began working to sever all ties with the company, including canceling his contract, Mahar said.

The Post and Courier tried multiple times to reach Renner, who is currently filming “Knives Out 3” in London, but his publicist did not return requests for comment. Renner has scrubbed all references to Swanger and Sweet Grass Vodka from his website. 

Similar stories are popping up from other investors who told The Post and Courier they trusted Swanger but now believe they’ve been duped.

This includes people Swanger reportedly met on Facebook, people with families who invested their children’s futures on what seemed like a solid investment. Investors include a man with cancer and another who used his company as collateral for a loan used to invest in Sweet Grass Vodka.

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“What Jarrod did to people, to their livelihoods, to their businesses, it’s not just the financial aspect,” said Beth Eggleston, whose Florida company ARE Concepts was hired by Swanger to oversee sales, marketing and national compliance for his distribution. “It’s emotional, and it’s mental.”

Eggleston is one of several former business associates and investors who are trying to recover some of the reported millions sunk into Sweet Grass Vodka.

Some details of Swanger’s life are splashed across social media. He proudly touts his luxury car purchases, flashy watch collections and what appear to be exotic getaways.

Individual investors said they have collectively handed over millions to Swanger, eager to get involved in Sweet Grass Vodka and Swanger’s ideas to buy up companies and take them all public.

The Post and Courier spoke with 19 people who invested money or time into Sweet Grass Vodka or Swanger’s other ventures. Only two said they have recouped some of their investments.

“Jarrod is an illusionist,” Eggleston said. “He knows how to make you want to be in his realm (while) at the same time, keeping you far enough away so that you don’t figure out what he’s really doing.”

In hindsight, Charleston investor Dr. Brian Mahon worries he could have done more to avoid getting wrapped up with Swanger and losing hundreds of thousands of dollars. But he is a physician, not a financial expert. And he was introduced by a mutual friend who trusted Swanger, so he did, too.

“Jarrod said all these great things and that he had done millions in sales and secured $10 million in investments,” Mahon recalled.

All that was required was an investment of at least $150,000.

At the urging of his financial advisor, Mahon in December began asking for financial records to assess the health of his investment.

“(Swanger) couldn’t provide me with very basic accounting paperwork,” Mahon said. “It was then that I knew things weren’t right.”

The Sweet Grass Vodka Charleston Pub at the RiverDogs’ stadium on May 24, 2024.

On June 4, Swanger reached out via email as The Post and Courier continued to interview investors, former employees, business associates and others about his entrepreneurial endeavors, both past and present.

“Today we got a call from no less than three of our investors about this matter which we have already put you on notice for that our legal council (sic) that represents all of us,” he wrote. “I think we’re gonna have to take next steps in this matter.”

Swanger and his wife, Alicia, graced the January cover of Charleston Home + Design Magazine. Inside was a 12-page spread boasting the success of their “authentic, high-quality beverage” experience along with their custom-built residence in Mount Pleasant’s Snee Farm neighborhood — complete with a swimming pool, an indoor-outdoor bar and a bevvy of sleek, modern furnishings. Other shots showed Swanger and Renner sipping the company’s spirits, along with a custom figurine of Swanger signed by the actor. 

Signs were still up promoting the Sweet Grass Vodka Pub at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park when the Charleston RiverDogs baseball team opened its season in April. But cracks in Swanger’s operation had already started to show.

In March, the state Department of Revenue sent a letter to Swanger stating that he hadn’t filed his South Carolina income taxes in 2020, 2021 and 2022 and did not have liquor liability coverage. The same month, the state denied renewal of his liquor manufacturer license along with permits to sell on-premises beer, wine and liquor by the drink.

Still, Swanger opened up his lounge on April 4 to the cast of Bravo’s “Southern Charm” to film an episode. He comped their entire bill, a staff member said. He held another party later in the month, and his wife purchased the liquor wholesale from a local store, according to staff at Six Mile Wine and Spirits in Mount Pleasant.

His wife was often involved in the company’s work. On Sweet Grass Vodka’s website, Swanger states that he “teamed up with local South Carolina potato farmers to distill the finest craft vodka on the market true to Polish traditions”—a detail he has attributed as a salute to his wife’s Polish heritage.

He proclaimed the vodka was locally sourced from potatoes grown at the former Three Sisters Farm in Bluffton, now called Daisy Branch Farm.

Farm owner Mary Connor said she hasn’t produced potatoes for two years after continued crop failures. She also confirmed she has never sold potatoes to Swanger.

In reality, Swanger and his team bottled liquor distilled by a third party, more than a dozen sources said. The grain neutral spirit—high-proof alcohols distilled from grains like corn, wheat, barley or rye—arrived in plastic vats to be proofed down with filtered water in a backroom of the Charleston lounge. Bottles were filled, labeled and shipped out from the Meeting Street Road establishment.

The process isn’t uncommon for craft “distillers” who don’t make their own liquor. It’s just not the story that Swanger tells.

Swanger further presented investors documentation stating that under one of his South Carolina limited liability companies, Might Be Hungover, he owned several other businesses through investors. That roster included Charleston-based and St. Maarten-made Topper’s Rhum along with Virgil Kane bourbon; Niagara Falls Distilling; and Allen Rose Wine, which is owned by country singer Kane Brown’s wife, Katelyn.

Colden King, vice president of Topper’s Rhum, said Swanger is not and never has been an owner of the company, its importer and sales office on Meeting Street.

Swanger further included in his investor pitch that Grammy-winning country musician Luke Combs was a “celebrity owner” of Sweet Grass Vodka. Eggleston confirmed he is not.

Still, Swanger could put on a show — even if reality was far different than the story he sold, Eggleston said.

In 2023, Sweet Grass Vodka barely sold 2,000 cases, said Eggleston, who has copies of the distribution paperwork for that year. 

Investor Nick Logan was one of the first to take action against Swanger, filing a claim in April under the Uniform Commercial Code as more issues came to light, records show. These claims, filed with the S.C. Secretary of State, say a lender is entitled to assets owned by the debtor as collateral for an investment.

Eggleston, appointed by Logan’s lawyer, went to The Sweetgrass Lounge in mid-April, keys in hand, in hopes of seizing $2.5 million in assets under Logan’s claim. That included accounts receivable, cash, inventory and anything related to future receivables, she said.

She grabbed everything she could, namely vodka and equipment. The haul fell well short of $2.5 million.

“We removed less than $60,000 because that’s all there was,” she said.

Through his site manager job with Errand Solutions in North Carolina more than a decade ago, Swanger developed a relationship with supervisor Michael Cook. Today, Cook is the owner of Odyssey Escape Game, a company with escape rooms in Georgia and Illinois. He is also author of the “Black Earth” saga book series and the FalconClaw detective series.

Like Webster, the original co-founder of Sweet Grass Vodka, Cook is well connected.

After Swanger’s errand job ended, he circled back with Cook around 2014, asking him to invest in a new venture: Lucky’s Leash, a dog collar with a retractable leash marketed for $19.95 apiece.

Cook came on board and introduced Swanger to investors like Atlanta businessman Piyush Bhula, who over time invested money and provided personal loans totaling more than $250,000 to help the business get off the ground.

Swanger marketed his business with an animated video, hitting up Las Vegas trade shows where he met Harrington of “Shark Tank” fame and, through him, Abdul. The choreographer-singer and former “American Idol” judge was often pictured with Swanger and her chihuahua Bessie Moo, wearing a Lucky’s Leash product.

Still, Bhula said, investors never saw a return.

In 2015, Bhula said, he personally loaned Swanger $20,000. The first payment he received back was $5,000 in 2017. After hounding Swanger for more later that year, Bhula said, he received another $5,000.

“Since then, I’ve called or texted. He used to answer or text back,” Bhula said. “Now nothing.”

Bhula added that Swanger never kept clear records and constantly pushed for “more and more” money to keep the company afloat, or investors risked losing everything.

Still, the investors trusted him. They had to if they wanted to recover any money, Bhula said.

“He’s a good talker. He is a handsome kid,” Bhula said.

Swanger later sold the company without telling investors, Bhula said, and the business collapsed.

After the leash venture, Swanger relocated back to his hometown of Knoxville, Tenn. By 2020, he picked up again and headed to the Lowcountry to start his new business.

Many investors in Sweet Grass Vodka aren’t the wealthiest of the wealthy. Many are Charleston locals with regular jobs, like Mahon’s physician career, and families who have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Pending lawsuits filed this year against Swanger and Sweet Grass Vodka include one that claims he defaulted on the final $37,000 to repay an $84,000 loan for his bottling equipment.

Another creditor is still trying to collect $113,466.45 as part of a defaulted loan.

And the South Carolina Federal Credit Union has filed a claim that Swanger owes it $25,154.39.

The biggest lawsuit filed so far stems from investor Stephen McCord, who claims he purchased 400,000 shares of capital stock of Swanger’s company Might Be Hungover last August and loaned him $600,000 two months later.

McCord still had not seen a dime as of May 1, according to his lawsuit filed in Charleston County.

“Jarrod made a lot of promises to a lot of people, and none of them came to fruition,” Mahar said. “That was the biggest disappointment.”

A possible positive outcome to the overall situation is that many of the investors, who never knew of each other prior, are banding together in light of their losses and hope to create something new together, Eggleston said.

“Our goal is to recoup what these investors lost,” Eggleston said, and to help the roughly eight employees — not the nearly 50 as touted in the September 2022 press release — who lost everything in the downfall.

Some investors are even talking about reviving the company, though they’re unsure if the name Sweet Grass Vodka can rise from the ashes.

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Jarrod Swanger, Mount Pleasant resident and owner of Sweetgrass Vodka, is involved in four financial lawsuits under the state of South Carolina as of May 29.

On April 26, SC Federal Credit Union opened litigation against him for defaulting on a $30,000 line of credit. He owes $25,154.39, plus interest at a rate of 10.5 percent.

Blue Ridge Financial filed a lawsuit January 18 for failing to pay more than $37,000 on an original $84,000 loan.

“Demand for payment has been given to the Defendants, but the Defendants have refused to pay,” the lawsuit states.

A September lawsuit with Swift Financial ended up in arbitration. By February, the plaintiff was still trying to collect $113,466.45.

The biggest suit stems from investor Steven McCord who purchased 400,000 shares of capital stock of Might Be Hungover in August 2023. Two months later, McCord loaned MBH another $600,000.

Per loan agreement, McCord was to receive 120,000 additional shares plus 16% ($96,000) interest paid before Nov 10, 2023.

He too has seen no return, per the filing.

The vodka brand that recruited Marvel actor Jeremy Renner as a celebrity rep has closed amid owner Jarrod Swanger’s financial issues.  Read moreCharleston’s Sweet Grass Vodka abruptly closed. Brand rep Jeremy Renner and investors lost big.

The maritime agency said it expects to handle 1.416 million containers of all sizes in fiscal 2025, which starts July 1. That is a 3 percent increase over the current year. Read more

A publicly traded health care company from Tennessee with numerous properties around the Palmetto State is buying family-owned White Oak Senior Living of Spartanburg. Read more

The Post and Courier contributed to this report. Read more

Fred de Sam Lazaro

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The UK became the first country to set a deadline to become a carbon-neutral economy with zero emissions of greenhouse gases. Britain’s target is 2050. Scotland’s is even earlier, by 2045. Fred de Sam Lazaro looks at the effort of the industry responsible for Scotland’s best-known export.

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Fred de Sam Lazaro

Fred de Sam Lazaro

Fred de Sam Lazaro is director of the Under-Told Stories Project at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, a program that combines international journalism and teaching. He has served with the PBS NewsHour since 1985 and is a regular contributor and substitute anchor for PBS’ Religion and Ethics Newsweekly.

Simeon Lancaster

Simeon Lancaster

With its whitewashed walls against a backdrop of blue sky, you might mistake this for Cuba, not… Islay, Scotland

Back in May I visited Islay for a press event and was surprised to discover a distillery that I’d never heard of. The small batch distillery in an old lemonade factory was dwarfed by its neighbors; the four-story Port Ellen Maltings and the reborn Port Ellen distillery. Given that I was in Islay, renowned as the heartland of peated single malt scotch whisky, I was even more intrigued to find out that this distillery produced rum.

After a tour of the Port Ellen Maltings myself and the small press group I was with found ourselves trapped by the traditional British spring weather—pouring rain. Next door was a small art deco building that shared the distinctive white facade and black naming of other Islay distilleries. Later I found out it used to be a lemonade factory. At the time I was more surprised by the realization that the traditional giant black lettering on the side of the building proudly proclaimed “Islay Rum.”

Maybe there was a bit of an ulterior motive displayed by our savior when he ushered a pack of press visitors out of the rain and into his small but perfectly formed rum distillery. It quickly became clear however that Ben Inglis, Distillery Manager of Islay’s first—and currently only—rum distillery, is truly passionate about his venture. His enthusiasm was infectious, and the brief introduction piqued my interest. So I reached out to find out more about the curious venture of creating rum in a place internally renowned for its scotch.

The Islay Rum company produces white, dark, and barrel-aged rums with a distinctive Islay twist.

Since the 1920s, Islay has been renowned for its smoky whisky. The iconic character even allowed Islay distilleries to convince some prohibition officials that the whisky had to be medicinal. The implication being why would you drink it for pleasure—those officials were clearly not Islay fans. While the flavor may be divisive, the reality is that those iconic characteristics have made Islay whisky an international brand in its own right. So I started with the obvious questions: why on earth would you choose to make rum in Islay?

Of course, the world would be a boring place if we all liked the same thing. So it’s unsurprising to hear Islay local Ben explain that while he was intrigued by the idea of whisky, it was rum that won his pallet.

“I started out my drinking career with rum, drawn like many others at an adolescent age to the sweet mixers. But I grew up in Port Charlotte and Bruichladdich and when I was young we would scramble over the old whisky casks and peek in windows to see what was going on,” Ben explained to me over email. “Distilleries are noisy, smelly and generally intriguing places so I think my interest in the industry started from a young age. Even if I didn’t want to drink the whisky itself, the way it was made was fascinating to me.

“Fast forward to my early 20s and I was getting more into different aged and unaged pure rums, I couldn’t get enough of how vast the category was and how much location, still type, raw materials and personal preference played a part in the end spirit. This paired with a natural curiosity of how distilleries worked led me to wonder what a rum from Islay would be like. It was then I decided to really put effort into opening Islay’s first rum distillery.”

Fast forward to today and Inglis has created something that is uniquely Islay and rum. Their small batch white and dark rum as well as the recent addition of aged rum have all been well awarded at various international awards. Their edition that stood out to me the most was the Peat Spiced Rum; a smoky dark rum aged in cask previously used for peated whisky, which is designed to be a “true reflection of its Islay roots.”

The essential trio of copper stills: the wash still, low wines charge, and high wines charge

As well as the size difference between the Islay Rum distillery and the other whisky distilleries on the small Scottish island, there are some fundamental differences between whisky and rum.

The base process is the same; you ferment something then distill the result to produce a higher proof spirit. With whisky it’s usually a type of malted grain that is fermented; barley, rye, etc. that is dependent on the type of whisky being produced. For rum the source has to be sugar cane and Inglis explains their choice of sugar is dictated by their location: “by legislation it has to be either fresh cane juice, cane syrup or molasses. As we can’t grow our own cane in Scotland (yet!) we opt to use molasses as it travels the best coming from its respective countries.”

Inglis’s team creates variation in the eventual product through changes in wash, fermentation period and yeast. They are also experimenting with cask aged rums.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing the evolution of our aged rums,” Inglis explains when I ask which of his projects he is most excited about. “We have just released our first aged rum, which is only one year old and it’s been received very well, so I’m excited to see how our other, even older rums will turn out.”

Like any passionate innovator there is always something else. “I also love playing around with yeast and long ferments too, so I’m keen to get our second batch of our Uine Mhor out.” Sadly the ultra small batch Uine Mhor is out of stock at the moment, but is created using longer fermentation and different yeast and bacteria for an especially complex result.

For drinkers, it can be daunting to experiment with new drinks, especially with the cost of going out already. So I asked Inglis whether he had any tips for new rum drinkers, but actually, he explained that a bar with knowledgeable staff can be the key, “being able to sit and try different rums without having to commit to buying a whole bottle is a fantastic way to figure out what style you like.”

Full-strength straight spirit can be intimidating for drinkers too, and sometimes you just want something a bit different. My personal favorite is an Old Fashioned, which can be made with rum too, but I asked Inglis what he would recommend. “One of the first cocktails I make with a new rum is the daiquiri. It’s simple, short, and strong. I feel it’s one of the best cocktails to really showcase the rum going into it.”

For a few years now, rum has been whispered as the next big thing. As a market analyst, amongst other things, I couldn’t help but ask Inglis about his opinion on the rum market as a whole.

“I think the rise of rum has been years in the making. It’s not been the overnight boom the same way gin seemed to take off, and that is absolutely fine by me,” Inglis said, his response feeling quietly confident in the industry, and in turn his product. “To quote Lao Tzu ‘the flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long.’”

Then we get to the secondary market, which is always a double-edged sword for small producers and drinkers alike. “As for the secondary market—I have mixed feelings about that myself.”

His response is by no means a surprise. The secondary rum market is not the behemoth that single malt whisky has become, but there are still enthusiastic collectors and multiple specialist auctions. “On one hand it can help people to get interested in a spirit and become excited about rum as a category. At the same time, in my mind, rum is for drinking and enjoying, not sitting in a drawer never to be opened. It can also really inflate the prices of bottles.”

Within the larger whisky industry, there are producers who benefit from the secondary market as it can help drive premiumisation within the primary market. That whole market shift and growth can create the space for new producers to set up and to improve margins. I can also see that for those same small producers, where margins are tight and they’ve worked hard to keep costs down for drinkers, it can be incredibly frustrating to see other people profiting from a product you worked so hard over.

Love it or hate it, the secondary market is unlikely to disappear. The best thing new producers can do is continue producing the best products they can and getting them in front of the right people.

The Islay Rum company produces white, dark and barrel aged rums with a distinctive Islay twist. If you’re a fan of Islay whisky definitely check out the barrel aged option. If you’re more of a mojito fan then make sure you explore the more traditional options for an Islay twist on your classic favorite.

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DuBlasé is a premium, award-winning whiskey brand founded by African American philanthropist Darrin Eakins.

Launched in the summer of 2021 in Jacksonville, Florida, DuBlasé is a premium, award-winning whiskey brand that speaks to the growing diverse spirits market, striving to expand to new markets across the United States while benefitting the African American communities.

As we celebrate Juneteenth across the country, DuBlasé Whiskey founder and CEO Darrin Eakins is quickly becoming a rising star in the spirits industry, embodying entrepreneurship, leadership, and philanthropy.

Throughout his career, Eakins has earned several awards, including Top 40 Under 40 by Florida A&M University (2023) and Top 20 Under 40 by the Florida Black Expo (2021). He serves as a board director in several organizations and has been recognized by the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship, Hightower Emerging Leader Fellowship, and Leadership Jacksonville Inc.

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Eakins was initially introduced to whiskey by an uncle at a family tasting. In developing DuBlasé, he has launched a whiskey brand that caters to fans of the growing flavored whiskey category. DuBlasé offers two signature recipes made with all natural ingredients, offering hints of vanilla and spices which fit perfectly in a variety of cocktails.

“African Americans have always been part of the spirits industry, dating back even past the era of Nathan Green, commonly known as Uncle Nearest,” says Eakins. “It’s the idea of ownership that has catapulted the conversation into the mainstream. African Americans are 12% of global consumers, 7.8% of the labor force, but only 2% are at the executive level, according to Pronghorn.co.”

Young entrepreneur Darrin Eakins is the founder and CEO of DuBlasé Whiskey and a dedicated philanthropist.

Eakins suggest that the reason more African Americans are entering the spirits industry is the need for equality. “As the owner of DuBlasé Whiskey, representation matters to me. And it is a pleasure to have a seat at the table with other amazing brands out there doing great works in the industry,” he says.

“Our award-winning brand is sold in national retailers such as Total Wine, Sam’s Club, and ABC. Customers can also purchase DuBlasé online in 32 states. But that only scratches the surface of our legacy. There is much more to who we are and what we are,” says Eakins, a firm believer that the brand he created is not only a spirit that brings together loved ones in celebration over a toast, but also a product that will contribute to philanthropic causes.

A portion of annual sales of the whiskey is donated to the DuBlasé Foundation, a 501c3 foundation chaired by Eakins which focuses on empowering minority youth for a brighter future in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics by providing resources and academic enrichment to students in underserved communities.

“We are humbled by the growth and success that we have reached over the last three years. But the sky is the limit. We have already engaged in talks with potential distributors in states nationwide, looking to bring DuBlasé Whiskey into their market. We want to impact the number of executives in this socially and culturally popular industry which generates over 400 billion dollars annually. We want to focus on expansion and giving back.”

Thanks to its vanilla and spice flavor profile, DuBlasé Whiskey lends itself to a wide variety of cocktail recipes.

The brand has also partnered with national and local organizations such as National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida A&M University, Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, Museum of Contemporary Arts, Big Brother Big Sisters, K9s for Warriors, Children’s Home Society of Florida, Jacksonville Humane Society, The Cummer Museum and the United Negro College Fund to support various initiatives.

Eakins looks to continue DuBlasé Whiskey’s efforts, leading the charge in building a stronger community with a unified vision, one toast at a time.

“It is important that DuBlasé leaves a legacy of good in the world. It’s after giving back that I find myself most fulfilled,” he says. “DuBlasé is about celebrating life’s special moments, and I am happy to celebrate all the great philanthropic initiatives in which we participate.”

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