Cobblestone Brands is thrilled to announce the launch of their second spirit brand – Star & Key Rum, a single estate rum from Mauritius. Made with fresh cane juice to capture the unique terroir of this isolated island on the far side of the world, this rum is distinctly different.
Star & Key Single Estate Rum is made by Nick Wiehe, one of the Cobblestone owners, on the 8th generation Wiehe family estate, Labourdonnais. One of the oldest estates in Mauritius, Nick’s family pioneered the cultivation of high quality cane on the island. Labourdonnais’ distillery is nestled amongst 1500 acres of sugar cane and fruit orchards where everything is grown, harvested, distilled and aged.
To create a rum that captures the island’s, and indeed the estate’s unique terroir, we use only fresh cane juice. The mix of rich volcanic soil, and a subtropical, maritime climate on Mauritius have proven perfect for sugar cane to flourish over the last 400 years. The year-round, steady warmth and Indian Ocean air also plays a pivotal role in the aging process. Star & Key Rum is tropically aged, on the Estate of course, significantly accelerating the maturation process and intensifying the flavor the rum draws from the oak casks.
“Star & Key Rums capture a sense of place with unparalleled authenticity and character,” says Gary McLoughlin, Marketing Director of Star & Key. “Mauritius was one of the first places in the world to cultivate sugar cane and hundreds of years later, it is still the island’s main crop. Fresh cane juice retains everything it draws from the soil and climate throughout the growing season. Star & Key Rums utilize both red and yellow cane varietals grown on this one of a kind estate to produce distinctively different rums.”
Star & Key recently won Double Masters Medals at the Global Rum Masters (Gold Rum super premium, and Gold Rum aged under 7 years).
It launches with two expressions, Star & Key Passion Fruit Rum and Star & Key VSOP.
Star & Key Passion Fruit Rum is made using 2 year old Cognac and Bourbon cask aged rum infused with fresh passion fruit also grown on the Estate. The passion fruit is peeled and pulped by hand, then carefully added to a small amount of cask strength rum, in equal parts passion fruit and rum. This 50:50 mix remains in the cask for a number of weeks so that we get just the right amount of fruit flavor into the spirit. The seeds and pulp are filtered out and then married with the rest of the rum casks over two more weeks.
The nose is fresh & light with vanilla & ripe orchard fruits, green apples and pears. The taste is juicy and citrusy with passion fruit, mango and melon. Crème brûlée, brown sugar with slightly grassy, earthy and herbaceous notes. The finish is crisp, lingering with sweetness and wood spices. This passion fruit rum is perfect for adding a tropical twist to your favorite classic cocktails.
Star & Key VSOP Rum is a Single Cask Release, it is a smooth yet complex 4 year old sipping rum aged exclusively in Cognac casks. The French oak Cognac casks make this a rich, deep and warming rum to take your time with. The nose is sweet with toffee, butterscotch, nutmeg, vanilla, plums and figs. The taste is rich and smooth with dark toffee, honeycomb, hazelnut, orange and apricot with subtle vegetal undertones. The finish is cinnamon, toasted oak spices and chocolate orange.
The brand name is inspired by an old nick name of the island that is still shown on the country’s crest. Mauritius was known as “The Star & Key of the Indian Ocean”. The star, because of its stunning natural beauty. The key, because of its strategic location along the historic trade routes between Europe and Asia.
The label and the top of the cork feature the exotic, and now extinct dodo – one of the most famous past residents of Mauritius. The watery glass bottle design represents the thousands of miles of ocean surrounding this intriguing island. On the foot of the bottle reads the Latin inscription “Stella Clavisque Maris Indici” which appears on the island’s coat of arms and translates to “Star & Key of the Indian Ocean.”
Star & Key Passion Fruit Rum MSRP is $34.99 and Star & Key VSOP Rum MSRP is $44.99.
About Cobblestone Brands
With a proven track record and deep passion for the alcohol beverage industry, the Cobblestone Brands team is committed to bringing drinks with a sense of place to the market. At Cobblestone Brands we firmly believe that a beverage is only as good as the story you’ll tell about it over a glass with friends. “We make spirits and brands that are designed to take you somewhere special with each sip” says Brian Fagan, Director of Cobblestone, “With an authenticity and appeal that differentiates them from what is already in the market, offering the consumer something more”. Cobblestone launched the first of their spirits portfolio Four Corners American Gin in July 2023.
For More Information:
https://www.starandkeyrum.com/