Notes on Ferdi’s History
Trinbagonian rum drinkers may be aware of Fernandes rums, through the current Angostura produced brands: Black Label and “Vat 19”. And Eagle-eyed foreigners may have noticed the occasional use of the Fernandes name on Independent Bottlings of Trinidad rum, but few people have sampled the long-extinct Ferdi’s rum, whether it’s the Angostura made version or the original Fernandes editions of Ferdi’s that were produced, starting in the 30s – an important decade for Trinidad rum, when the Fernandes family, emboldened by the success of their 1919 rum, began transitioning from merchant blenders to distillers with their acquisition of the Forres Park Estate. To recap, Ferdi’s bottlings in the Fernandes era were a blend of rums guaranteed ten years old. The earliest versions of the rum were likely sourced from various estates throughout Trinidad as Joseph Bento Fernandes experimented with the wooden pot still purportedly left behind on the derelict Henderson Estate at Forres Park. Subsequent versions of Fernandes Ferdi’s would have had rum distilled on their French Savalle stills (a favourite of the Portuguese rum-producing diaspora in the Caribbean) at the Fernandes distillery located at the Movant junction. Ferdi’s continued to be bottled after the Fernandes distillery was sold to Angostura in the early 70s before production ceased altogether.
Fernandes Rums under Angostura’s Ownership
Trinbagonians could be forgiven for thinking that Fernandes was still a stand-alone distillery decades after it was sold to Angostura and its stills decommissioned. Even though production of Fernandes brands was eventually switched over to Angostura’s multi-column stills, Fernandes products were dutifully bottled with their distinctive Fernandes branding well into the 90s. Major changes in Angostura’s rum portfolio around the beginning of the 00s resulted in many long-standing Angostura and Fernandes rum brands: Old Oak, White Star, and Canteen being discontinued in favour of a new line of Angostura branded rums geared towards the premium market. Even after this shake-up, a few Fernandes names would remain. The resilient Forres Park puncheon aside, the other two surviving Fernandes labels: “Vat 19” and Black Label rums currently sit at the tail end of Angostura’s portfolio. Both rums are composed with blends of seemingly younger rums, increasingly untethered to their original recipes. Black Label, a revered cocktail rum in its day may get some extra marketing during the Carnival and Christmas seasons but “Vat 19” – once Trinidad & Tobago’s most popular rum gets no such attention. The current version is filled in Angostura crested bottles with vapid labeling; it is a rum withering away without purpose, beyond a perfunctory obligation to its legacy. 1919, the one previous Fernandes label – revived and allowed through Angostura’s rum portfolio front door has been co-opted into something that shares no tangible attributes with the original Fernandes version besides its four numbers. Fast-forward to the latest version of Ferdi’s, released by Angostura in 2022 to commemorate Trinidad & Tobago’s 60th year of independence.
The Packaging:
Excellent. A deceptively minimalist yet well-thought-out design on a stark white box, featuring the Fernandes Distillers crest with a drawing of a factory directly below. Was it an actual sketch of the previous Fernandes’s past compounds at Forres Park or Movant? Or simply inspired by them? The words “Premium Rum” are nestled in between two stalks of cane right below the word “FERDI’S”. There is “60 Years of independence” written in red, along with the flag of Trinidad & Tobago. Golden signatures of “Fernandes Distillers (1973) Ltd” on the very bottom and either side of the box oozes class. The back of the box has a blurb on the rum’s history and a few tasting notes.
The Bottle:
Clear, medium-heavy glass with a generous circumference, a rounded top with a skinny neck, similar in style made popular by Velier’s famous Caroni and Demerara bottlings. There is a synthetic stopper with a wooden-like cap. The bottle’s label is similar in design and color to what is on the box with “Product of Trinidad” in golden letters.
The Rum:
Nose: The box says: “pleasant creamy toffee notes with hints of raisins and fresh oak”. I got whiffs of baking spices and the slight musty leather I usually associate with Angostura’s rums.
Taste: The box says: “rounded opening of fresh oak and raisin notes, sharp citrus middle, ending with a light oak and tannin medium finish”. I thought it was bright and vibrant, with hints of fruit (pineapple, orange peel?) unencumbered by the barrel. I did not pick up any obvious additives. If there were any, they were kept to a minimum. Of course, any honest comparison should be based on expectations/perspective from the knowledge and experience of tasting the previous versions of this Trinidadian classic, something I have not had the pleasure of doing but I would have to assume the current version was based somewhat on blending marks of previous versions of Ferdi’s..
Strength & Age: There is nothing wrong with a rum bottled at 40% alcohol by volume; it is still the industry standard after all. And there is a joy to be had in drinking certain rums at this strength; something I will write about soon. But at a tad higher strength, 43-48% would have brought out the best of this rum’s attributes. Ferdi’s essence, if not its “reason for being” during the Fernandes & Co/ Fernandes Distillers era, was its ten-year age guarantee. I suspect a significant percentage of the rums used in the blend is on the younger side of ten years, and it is a testament to Angostura’s decades-long proficiency as blenders that they can produce a well-integrated rum regardless. While I am sympathetic to TDL’s (Angostura rum division) vast commercial obligations as a rum producer – constantly being under pressure to sustainably manage its aged rum stock, the lack of an age statement on this product is a little less forgiving for us rum geeks.
Conclusion:
Ferdi’s 60th Anniversary Edition rum is a promising start by Angostura in paying long-overdue homage to its Fernandes legacy. Fernandes as a contemporary name for premium rums may have faded over the years but its legacy still has the potential to be revived and elevated both home and abroad, as the Seale family has done with the Doorly’s line at the Foursquare Distillery in Barbados. European and American-based independent bottlers increasingly see the value of the Fernandes brand, as witnessed by the name’s more frequent appearances on their TDL distilled bottlings. Apart from the missed commercial opportunities by Angostura in underutilizing the Fernandes name over the years, one can argue – as the last surviving distillery on the island and the official custodian of the Fernandes brand and its blending marks, they have a moral obligation to continue, control, and share the Fernandes narrative in Trinidad & Tobago and abroad.
Cost: Around $260TT ($38US)
Available: Retail outlets in Trinidad. Select Massy stores, Solera, and duty-free shops at the Piarco airport.
