After prolonged contemplation and feedback from consumers, the name of Maison Ferrand’s Plantation Rum is finally getting a makeover. First hinted at in June 2020, the brand is switching to Planteray Rum. Owner of Maison Ferrand, Alexandre Gabriel, declared the change at the West Indies Rum Distillery in Barbados. The first merchandise to sport the new moniker will be Cut & Dry Coconut Rum, and others will follow as current bottle stocks diminish.

At the press briefing, Gabriel stated that the new name “pays tribute to sugarcane, the PLANT which is the origin of rum, and the RAYs of the sun vital for the growth and maturity of sugarcane.”

Whether these claims are convincing is disputable but the new name feels somewhat clumsy and is likely going to be confused with “planetary” among other things. It is however clear the objective was to find a name not too dissimilar to “Plantation,” eliminating the negative and racially charged implications tied to it. The name Plantation Rum had been the subject of criticism for years and gained wider exposure during the Black Lives Matter demonstrations in summer 2020. Until then, brand reps defended the name by saying “plantation” meant “farm” in French. But the tone shifted in late June 2020, with the company releasing a statement acknowledging the historical relation between the term plantation and the slave trade: “As the dialogue on racial equality continues globally, we understand the hurtful connotation the word plantation can evoke to some people, particularly in its association with much graver images and dark truths of the past.”

This marked the beginning of Maison Ferrand (which also owns Citadelle Gin and Ferrand Cognac) searching for a new brand name, a process stretched over years and led to further backlash from campaigners criticizing the company’s slow-paced approach towards the change. Gabriel countered this by attributing the delays to challenges posed by international business and trademark laws. In a 2022 interview, he referred to it as a “daunting and lengthy process”, mentioning the final name needs to be one that is usable in over 100 countries where the company markets its products.

Planteray Rum might initially strike as an unusual name. Nevertheless, this new name might not immediately appear on the familiar U.S. Plantation Rum brand as the company has a significant stock of custom glass imprinted with the name “Plantation.” Over time, the name ‘Planteray’ will be prominently displayed on all the company’s products, without any changes to the remaining label. We can only hope that ‘Planteray’ doesn’t inadvertently result in being inappropriate in any other way.

Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and a domestic liquor enthusiast. You can follow him on Twitter for more beverage writing.

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Kástra Elión vodka is made from a blend of olives and wheat.

Vodka has a reputation for being flavorless and neutral, and yet its popularity persists. Much of the marketing that drives the category is focused on lifestyle cachet, rather than aroma and taste. But this reputation is mostly outdated. Because while some brands, even a few of the best regarded, are distilled to the point of flavorlessness and lean into their neutrality, others are packing flavor and texture into each bottle. Some are even experimenting with base ingredients that go beyond the usual grains and potatoes.

Kástra Elión falls into this new crop of vodkas. It hails from Greece, where it’s made from a blend of Greek olives and wheat. It’s named for the ancient castle that stands guard over the hills and olive groves of Nafpaktos, the ancestral home to the vodka and the family that created it.

The brand was founded by master blender and certified flavor chemist Frank Mihalopoulos, who’s spent nearly four decades in product development for companies like Baskin Robbins, Dunkin Donuts and Kahlua, and has also consulted for spirits brands including Absolut and Stoli. He’s joined by co-founder and son-in-law, Mike Camello, who serves as the company’s president.

“We were vodka drinkers and interested in some of the European vodkas made using malted barley and rye, and those who were getting good texture in their vodkas,” says Camello. They thought: Why not try making a vodka from olives?

It took about a year for Mihalopoulos to make it work. He set up a lab and acquired distillation equipment, and began testing olive varieties from all over the world. “I didn’t want to be sentimentally attached to the story, but we settled on a three-variety blend that happens to come from the same region in Greece that I’m from.”

Kástra Martini |

It’s a craft process, and the yield loss is much higher than what most vodka distillers see, but Mihalopoulos explains that tight distillation cuts are necessary to eliminate all the heads and volatile compounds introduced by the olives.

Olives contain little sugar, hence the ethanol is sourced from the grains. Mihalopoulos explains that the olives enhance the inherent qualities of the grain rather than contributing to the flavor. The role of the olives is to give the vodka its distinctive smooth texture and mouthfeel. Prior to bottling, the distilled spirit is combined with spring water from Mount Taygetus in Greece, renowned for its mineral-rich quality.

The aroma of Kástra Elión vodka is exceptionally pure, devoid of any off-putting synthetic smells or excessive alcohol sting. The scents are a delightful blend of sweet and savory, with predominant notes of vanilla and butterscotch. The palate is subtly fruity, with traces of citrus and a hint of pepper. It rests on the tongue, its impact lingering, stimulating the salivary glands as the flavors evolve into a more dominant butterscotch and vanilla taste along with a hint of toasted bread.

Camello prefers his Kástra Elión on the rocks with olives, but he realizes that not everyone enjoys sipping vodka. Luckily, this vodka is ideal for Martinis. In introducing this vodka to bartenders, the brand encourages them to allow the spirit to be the star of the drink and not to overdo the sugar. “We want the character and mouthfeel of the vodka to stand out,” Camello comments.

Recently, Kástra Elión introduced its own olive brine and cocktail olives, available separately or in a kit that includes a bottle of vodka, intended to craft the ultimate Dirty Martini. Both the brine and the olives are sourced from the same Nafpaktos region in Greece where the vodka is distilled, offering one the opportunity to summon the complete trio for a distinctively Greek, olive-centric rendition of the classic cocktail.

If you’ve heard Chris Stapleton‘s smooth rendition of “Tennessee Whiskey,” it might not be surprising that established whiskey brand Buffalo Trace has tapped the Grammy-winning crooner for a collab. Leave it to the genius of Buffalo Trace’s Master Distiller, Harlen Wheatley, to match Stapleton’s soulful tunes with an equally captivating whiskey. Traveller Whiskey, a newly launched premium blend that celebrates the alliance between the singer and the award-winning whiskey brand, is such a sipper.

“Some things just make total sense — and this is definitely one of those things,” Stapleton said of the dream project in a press release shared with Tasting Table. Traveller, also the name of Stapleton’s 2015 Grammy-winning solo debut, is a fitting name for the liquid product. After careful experimentation and multiple taste tests, the celebrity and whiskey label mash-up has culminated in an oaky, 90-proof whiskey blend that delivers subtle undertones of leather and sweet maple.

The blend has a nose of vanilla and a buttery, sweet taste that’s followed by a spicy, toasted finish that will leave drinkers reaching for the bottle. “When making art — and we really do think that both Chris’ music and the whiskey we make at Buffalo Trace is art — you experiment, test, adjust, and don’t give up until you’ve got it right,” Wheatley said, estimating that over 50 blends were tasted before deciding upon the final combination that would be used to make Traveller Whiskey.

Read more: The 25 Best Bourbon Brands, Ranked

Traveller Whiskey isn’t the first project that has brought the singer and the brand together, however. Chris Stapleton was born near the Kentucky distillery, and the brand has supported fundraising efforts for some of his charitable activities. From the start, the goal for this whiskey-making endeavor was to create a blend that could be enjoyed by a wider audience, from the novice whiskey drinker to the collector and connoisseur. “This is a whiskey for everyone, whether you’ve been enjoying all the variety in the category for years or are just now discovering it,” Harlen Wheatley explained in the press release.

Both master musician and distiller set out to create a whiskey that could not only be enjoyed when served neat at the end of a long day but could also be mixed into recipes, like an old fashioned cocktail, for beverages that are easy to put back. Bottles of Traveller Whiskey made their way into the hands of bartenders and retailers on January 1, 2024, so eager customers can expect to see the blend appear on shelves soon. With a suggested price of $39.99, this is a bottle that likely won’t break any New Year’s financial resolutions.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.

Kástra Elión vodka is made from a blend of olives and wheat

Vodka has a reputation for being flavorless and neutral, and yet its popularity persists. Much of the marketing that drives the category is focused on lifestyle cachet, rather than aroma and taste. But this reputation is mostly outdated. Because while some brands, even a few of the best regarded, are distilled to the point of flavorlessness and lean into their neutrality, others are packing flavor and texture into each bottle. Some are even experimenting with base ingredients that go beyond the usual grains and potatoes.

Kástra Elión falls into this new crop of vodkas. It hails from Greece, where it’s made from a blend of Greek olives and wheat. It’s named for the ancient castle that stands guard over the hills and olive groves of Nafpaktos, the ancestral home to the vodka and the family that created it.

The brand was founded by master blender and certified flavor chemist Frank Mihalopoulos, who’s spent nearly four decades in product development for companies like Baskin Robbins, Dunkin Donuts and Kahlua, and has also consulted for spirits brands including Absolut and Stoli. He’s joined by co-founder and son-in-law, Mike Camello, who serves as the company’s president.

“We were vodka drinkers and interested in some of the European vodkas made using malted barley and rye, and those who were getting good texture in their vodkas,” says Camello. They thought: Why not try making a vodka from olives?

It took about a year for Mihalopoulos to make it work. He set up a lab and acquired distillation equipment, and began testing olive varieties from all over the world. “I didn’t want to be sentimentally attached to the story, but we settled on a three-variety blend that happens to come from the same region in Greece that I’m from.”

Kástra Martini |

It’s a craft process, and the yield loss is much higher than what most vodka distillers see, but Mihalopoulos explains that tight distillation cuts are necessary to eliminate all the heads and volatile compounds introduced by the olives.

Olives don’t contain a lot of sugar, so the ethanol in vodka comes from the grains. Mihalopoulos explains that the olives enhance the pre-existing qualities in the grain. They do not contribute any flavor to the vodka, and the company had no intentions of creating olive-flavored vodka. Instead, olives add to the vodka’s characteristic mouthfeel and smoothness. Before it is bottled, the distilled spirit is mixed with spring water from the mineral-rich Mount Taygetus in Greece.

The Kástra Elión vodka has a very clean smell, free from any chemical odors or strong alcohol sting. Its aroma is sweet and savory, with predominant scents of vanilla and butterscotch. The taste includes mild fruit notes, citrus, and a slight hint of pepper. The flavors linger on your tongue and stimulate the salivary glands, developing into stronger tastes of butterscotch, vanilla, and toasted bread.

Camello enjoys drinking Kástra Elión straight with olives, though he understands that not everyone prefers to sip vodka. Thankfully, it can be served well in Martinis. When presenting the vodka to bartenders, the brand hopes that they keep the drinks focused on the spirit and don’t overload it with sugar. “We want the vodka to shine and preserve its mouthfeel,” Camello expresses.

Kástra Elión recently launched its own olive brine and cocktail olives. They are available as individual items or in a kit with a bottle of vodka, designed to create the ultimate Dirty Martini. Both the brine and olives come from the same Nafpaktos region where the vodka is produced, enabling one to enjoy a full Greek, olive-centric take on the traditional cocktail.

The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world

Arnel Hecimovic

Thu 28 Dec 2023 08.23 EST Last modified on Fri 29 Dec 2023 04.11 EST

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