Siddiqui is inspired by the moonshine produced by Texan and Californian oil workers during their time in Saudi Arabia. I sometimes wonder how influential Siddiqui has been over the last half century,’ says brand owner Nigel Brown, who is about to oversee the global launch of the spirit drinks. The new Siddiqui rums, both brown and white, are being produced more openly by Penderyn Distillery in Wales, but are said to have been inspired by the original illicit recipes from the ‘Blue Flame’ instruction book that circulated amongst the oil industry workforce. Being parched after a long hot day, there wasn’t a lot to do in the compound so they let loose. Boy did they party. The parties are legendary, never to be repeated.”

Penderyn Distillery are delighted to announce that they have partnered with the California-based, Siddiqui Rums Corporation. This exciting new partnership means that Penderyn will produce Siddiqui Rums for international markets.The Merser Double barrel is a blend of rums sourced from Jamaica, Barbados and Dominican Republic. The rums are produced from a combination of pot, single column and multi-column stills. They are aged for up to 12 years before blending and then left to marry for another six months in 250-liter ex-Scotch casks. It’s certainly distinctive and unusual. I wouldn’t nose this and think “oh its a bit like whisky” its more like a Smoked Rum. Cachaça is a Brazilian spirit that is made from sugarcane juice that has been fermented and distilled. Stylistically, it is similar to Rhum Agricole and features intense fruit flavors, along with green vegetative and herbal notes.

To me, it's "a hint of home, with some much more mature (and less lighter-fluid-esque), refined, spiced-rum-like flavours". It's a flavoured white or gold rum. Nothing Whiskey about it imho. Also, it doesn't reflect the few genuine brown siddiquis I've had (which, being honest, were horrible) The Ron Añejo Carúpano 21 Private Reserve is a Venezuelan rum that is difficult to find in the US. That’s a pity because it is an outstanding rum. This is a no age statement, solera-based rum. The reference to 21 is the age of the solera. This a very aromatic rum. It offers up notes of fruit, along with caramel, vanilla and white chocolate. Saudi Arabia isn’t a country that jumps to mind when thinking about spirits producers, but it does have an association with a new rum brand. Welsh whisky company Penderyn Distillery has appointed Simon Roffe as new Director of Business Development. It’s a big ask, but for tens of thousands of people who worked in the deserts of the Middle East over the last 68 years, the word ‘Siddiqui’ will conjure up images of hot and heavy work under clear Arabian skies, and chilled evenings around the fire with the tranquil Persian Gulf ahead and star-strewn skies above.

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Siddiqui was the gift of relaxation the oil workers all made for themselves,” declared the colourful press release that accompanied the brand launch. Most recently, he played a key role in launching Halewood’s travel retail business and was instrumental in the rise of Whitley Neill Gin.