Introducing our Flame Roasted Pineapple Spiced Rum
Something I didn’t think I would ever be saying, but we now have our own premium crafted small-batch British rum. We have been producing world inspired BBQ rubs and sauces since 2013 under The Smokey Carter and cooking up meats on the barbecue has always been paired with some kind of drink or another. Whether this be a beer, glass of wine or fancy cocktails. It just goes hand in hand, so our own rum brand, The Smokey Cartel was born.
The Backstory
Our love for rum started many years ago when we worked for a few seasons, travelling the Caribbean working for P&O in the early 2000’s. Hopping from island to island we tried various rums native to islands such as St Kitts, Tortola, Barbados, St Lucia, Jamaica & Grenada. Each with their own unique story and flavour profile. Working on cruise ships is where I met my wife Samantha the other half of The Smokey Carter. Our first date was kayaking in Antigua, I must have done something right as she’s still my partner in crime today.
Travelling the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and beyond is where much of our inspiration came from to start The Smokey Carter and produce our range of world inspired BBQ rubs and sauces. Knocking back rum punches and Mai Tai’s out of a plastic cup, on a white sandy beach, seems only but a distant memory. Working as a photographer meant you only really worked in the evenings and had the day to explore. One of my biggest regrets is that I didn’t take many photographs as you didn’t really want to be holding a camera when off work.
Fast forward 20 years and we’re never without a bottle or rum or three in the cupboard, such as Mount Gay from Barbados, Appleton Estate, Wray & Nephew Overproof rum both from Jamaica, or Pusser’s Rum from the British Virgin Islands. Perfect for adding into cocktails.
Producing our Flame Roasted Pineapple Spiced Rum was about bringing a truly exceptional product, that we’re passionate about, to the market. It was never about money and if that was the case, the project wouldn’t have seen the light of day from the beginning.
The Red Tape
Getting ‘alcohol ready’ from a business point of view was a steep learning curve with lots of applications and red tape with the council. First things first you need to sort the Personal License, pass the exam and pay for a criminal record check. Then you have the Premises License which is the same license you need for opening a bar or a pub. Even though we’re just selling online you still need to have these in place. Phone calls with the police, fire service and have the necessary risk assessments. Then the biggest con of all in my opinion and a slightly archaic rule for the Premises License, is to have a Public Notice advert displayed in a printed paper which is a minimum of around £450 for it to be printed in a ‘local’ paper that’s in a town 30 minutes away. So you’re about £750 in before you can even think about rum. Once you get to the rum you can then start thinking about the joys of alcohol duty (over £10 per bottle), VAT (another £7+ to the government) and age verification logistics. Once the formalities are out of the way, the real fun begins.
The Vision
British rum is currently in the middle of a “Gin-style” revolution. While the UK has historically been a hub for blending and bottling Caribbean spirits (thanks to the Royal Navy’s 300-year legacy), the modern resurgence is defined by something entirely new: actual British distillation. We didn’t want an off the shelf product we wanted something bespoke and truly special. No artificial flavouring like many rums on the market. Real ingredients, fresh, punchy with botanical infusions. We also wanted to incorporate our love for open fire cooking and bring those flavours into the process.
The Rum – Real Flavour, Forged in the Flame
Most rums are flavoured, ours is forged. We start with a premium, small-batch spiced rum distilled right here in the UK. Then, we introduce pineapples spit-roasted over open charcoal. By flame-scorching the fruit to the point of caramelisation, we unlock a rich, smoky complexity that traditional spiced rums simply can’t reach. Once the charred pineapples have been steeped in a pineapple caramel for 7 days to get that rich, deep smoky flavour, they are filtered and blended with our spiced rum.
Tasting Notes – Premium Crafted, Small Batch British Rum
A masterwork of smoke and sweetness. Indulge in the deep, caramelised notes of flame-charred pineapple, dark molasses, and toasted spice. With a velvety, smoky finish, it is crafted to be sipped slowly, neat or over a large ice cube. An elegant addition designed to elevate the world’s finest cocktails.
We’ve tried drinking spirits neat before and never really been a fan. But maybe that was down to the spirit. For decades, rum was stuck as a “party drink” and mixed with coke. Our Flame Roasted Pineapple Spiced Rum has changed all that and is incredibly delicious sipped on it’s own. We can guarantee you will love it as much as we do. Welcome to the Cartel!
So how is it made?
The process begins with a handcrafted base spirit, fermented and distilled from scratch. A portion of this spirit is macerated with a botanical blend of cinnamon, orange and lime peels, dried ginger, tonka bean, and vanilla. Simultaneously, whole pineapples are spit-roasted over live coals while being basted with a homemade pineapple caramel; once golden, the fruit is infused back into that caramel for one week. Finally, the spiced maceration, the strained pineapple infusion, and the base spirit are expertly blended with water and additional caramel to achieve a balanced flavor profile at a precise 42% ABV.
The Finish
We wanted our rum’s presentation to be as exceptional as the spirit itself. After countless hours poring over the label design, selecting intricate metallic accents, and hand-finishing each bottle with a gold wax seal, we’ve created a look that truly reflects the quality within. We just know you’re going to love it! We’ve got lots of cocktail recipes coming. Keep an eye here for recipes, ideas and more…
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