"Difficult times don't define you, they refine you"
- Carlos A. Rodriguez
Have you ever heard of the English proverb 'come hell or high water'?
It means that no matter what happens, you keep going and keep fighting.
And that is exactly what the makers of Hell or High Water Rum have done.
Their story begins in 2010.
Jouko Laune and Olli Hietalahti took a deep breath and jumped into the unknown. With almost no experience, they founded a rum brand. It was all based on a little joke: if Ron is the Spanish word for rum, then who is the most famous Ron in the world? Ron Jeremy! If you don't know who Ron Jeremy is, let’s keep it that way.
When they started, they had two formulas: the brand can be hilarious, but the rum has to be serious. And it was.
But while the beginnings were good, the years that followed were very challenging.
A fierce fire destroyed their production facility.
There was an earthquake. Backstabbing. Betrayal. Mistakes. Almost death. But they had fun anyway and made lifelong friends. With an (almost un)healthy dose of optimism, they stayed on the roller coaster and kept banging their heads against the wall. Somehow, they always survived. The brand continued to grow and was voted Top Ten Trending Rum in 2018.
Then, on June 23rd 2020, Ron Jeremy was charged with very serious crimes and got arrested. The boogie nights were over. The brand based on humour was over. It really wasn't fun anymore.
After the initial shock and fear of going bankrupt again, they decided to fight. They realised that after ten years of hard work, they had built something of value: a beautiful product and a great network of business friends and colleagues.
They simply refused to quit. They are entrepreneurs in heart and soul. So they created a new brand to tell their story: two idiots stumbling from one hardship to another.
You fall 7 times, but get up 8 times.
“Come hell or high water”
Hell or High Water is a rum for those who laugh in the face of adversity. Those hopelessly happy people. As the makers themselves put it best:
"It's a rum mixed with perseverance and determination. Made smooth by the rough journey."
This after dinner cocktail is perfect with the Spiced Rum from Hell or High Water.
Make a large cup of coffee.
Add 1 tablespoon of cane sugar,
Add 45ml of @hellorhighwaterrum,
Stir for a moment,
Top it with a thick layer of cream,
And finish it off with spices you like!
I went for cinnamon and a typical Dutch blend called 'speculaas-kruiden'.
Cheers!
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