April 1, 2016—Grand Case—It started with a chance discovery and a quirk of Caribbean biological research. During the development of their free pop-up natural history museum, Amuseum Naturalis, members of Les Fruits de Mer found a cache of antique biological specimens in the attic of the building and a product was born: Rhum Biologique.
“Strong rum was the fluid of choice for early naturalists to preserve their plant and animal specimens before rubbing alcohol and formaldehyde were readily available in the Caribbean,” explained museum curator Mark Yokoyama. “We realized these specimens were over 100 years old—and so was the rum. No matter what’s floating in it, you don’t skip the chance to taste a rum that old.”
The Amuseum team found the century-old specimen-infused rum surprisingly palatable, and it quickly became the inspiration for Amusuem Naturalis Rhum Biologique. The team immediately started using high-proof white rums to preserve their own specimens on display at the museum, which have served a dual purpose as Rhum Biologique test flavors.
“Flavored rums are a Caribbean cultural tradition, and we’re excited to literally infuse that with a touch of natural history,” said Les Fruits de Mer President Jenn Yerkes. “It took some experimentation to come up with the best flavor and aroma profiles, but what we developed is both delicious and captures the spirit of St. Martin. You can really taste the natural heritage!”
Amuseum Naturalis Rhum Biologique is infused by an artisanal, small-batch process, and is currently available in three flavors: Arthropoda, Reptilia, and Poecilia. All three recipes are based on invasive animal species—harvesting for production is not only sustainable, but benefits native species. Reptilia is primarily flavored with Green Iguana, and Poecilia is Guppy-based. Arthropoda infuses a proprietary mix of eleven bugs and spiders.
The official launch party for Rhum Biologique is open to the public and will be held at Amuseum Naturalis on Tuesday, April 5th from 6-10pm. More information can be found at http://rhumbiologique.com
