In Spirited’s first-ever edition of Unbottled, we take a look at Equiano Rum and Rockpool Rum – both new to the Singapore market and which have an eye on doing social good.

Over the past seven years as a drinks-focused publication, we at Spirited Singapore have always thrived on spotlighting some of the more exciting alcoholic beverages in the Singapore market. This new year we’ve decided to coalesce those into a new section. Presenting Unbottled, where we round up and put a spin on some of the newest alcoholic products in town.

For our first-ever edition of Unbottled, we look at a couple of modern rums. Equaino Rum and Rockpool Rum are unconventional blended rum brands, and don’t exactly conform to (even the admittedly loose) rules followed by more traditional rum producers. More interestingly, both Equaino and Rockpool run social initiatives that for us makes them worth a good look.

We got to start 2022 on a good note, after all!


Equiano Rum

Equiano Rum

If you’ve heard of Ian Burrell, Equiano Rum is the brainchild of that UK-based award-winning mixologist and global rum ambassador. It is named after Olaudah Equiano, a man who was kidnapped as a young teen in Africa, sold into slavery and then brought to the Caribbean. Equiano later landed in the United Kingdom where he finally purchased his own freedom trading in rum.

Equiano Rum is inspired by that story, and its rums – Equiano Original and Equiano Light – is a liquid reflection of Olaudah Equiano’s life. Both are a blend of aged molasses from Barbados in the Caribbean and fresh sugar cane juice from Mauritius in Africa. The Equiano Original makes for a perfect sipping rum – or in an Rum Old Fashioned – while the more delicate Equiano Light will work perfectly in a Mojito or Daiquiri.

And to further highlight its origins, Equiano Rum runs The Equiano Rum Co. Foundation, a non-profit that looks at fighting modern slavery, and giving a portion of its profits in support of freedom and equality projects. In fact it recently worked with 17 Singapore-based bars to raise funds in aid of The Equiano Rum Co. Foundation’s movement against slavery.

Equiano Original and Equiano Light are available from Equiano Rum’s official distributor Spun Spirits at S$134 and S$112 respectively.


Rockpool Rum

Rockpool Rum

Rockpool Rum was founded by four Singapore-based rum-loving friends who decided that the best way to scratch a rum itch was to get their hands dirty making one. And they did, dreaming up Rockpool Rum after a summer of exploring rock pools during a vacation.

Like Equiano, Rockpool is a blended rum. In this case, it combines three- to five-year old rums from the Caribbean islands of Barbados and the Dominican Republic. This unusual  combination of Spanish- and British-style rums result is a surprisingly light and easy-drinking rum; so easy, in fact, you’re likely to empty a bottle with a couple of friends in a single evening. On the nose we get sweet orange, vanilla and a hint of cream, while the palate offers notes of candy sugar, sweet baking spices and a gentle caress of oak. We prefer this rum neat, but can also see this rum working really well in a Jungle Bird or Mai Tai.

Rockpool Rum donates one percent of all its revenue to 1% for the Planet, which fights to tackle our planet’s most pressing environmental concerns. Drink rum, save the Earth. We can do that.

Rockpool Rum is available from the official Rockpool Rum online store at S$95 per 70cl bottle.


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1 COMMENT

  1. […] This year the highly-anticipated street festival will feature multiple event highlights to revel us in all things rum. Among the many rum brands? Some of our favourites, including Hampden Estate and Appleton Estate from Jamaica, Mount Gay from Barbados, Nicaragua’s Flor de Caña, 6 Saints from Grenada, Tanduay from the Philippines, and that decidedly-odd yet delicious Barbados-Mauritius blend that is Equaino. […]

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