Episode 300 - American Cane with Maggie Campbell

In part two of my conversation with rum trailblazer Maggie Campbell, CEO of American Cane, some of the topics we discuss include:

• The project of American Cane, and why Maggie is excited to kick off the brand with an affordable rum offering that’s focused on conviviality, celebration, and togetherness.

• How the American rum category differs in its identity from the many Caribbean traditions we are familiar with, and what factors like fermentation substrate, diurnal temperature shift, and cooperage sourcing have to do with it.

• Why America isn’t as primed or well suited for a strict geographic indication as other places in the world

• And what it’s been like for Maggie to move gradually away from the production side of rum and more into the strategy and business development side of the work in her role as CEO.

• Along the way, we provide a functional definition of the Trinidadian verb “liming,” explore what spirits brands can learn from Formula One motorsports strategy, learn why it’s important to never distill while you’re angry,

• And much, much more