Richland Rum’s 2016 Vintage Single Estate "Georgia Agricole" Has Arrived

Atlanta, GA, December 02, 2016 --(PR.com)-- Richland Rum celebrates the start of the Sugar Cane Harvesting Season on the second Saturday of each year with a limited production of Single Estate Georgia Agricole, made directly from the First Pressing of the 1st harvested cane of the 2016 crop. This Virgin Rum, handcrafted from fresh juice within hours after crushing cane stalks, highlights the terroir of their Georgia Grown Sugar Cane with distinct flavors and aromas imparted by the native soil, water from the Georgia Aquifer and the warm southern climate.

“The 2016 Vintage of our Single Estate Georgia Agricole has surprised us, after the record drought this year, with its fresh, floral and grassy notes over an earthy and dry base,” said Erik Vonk, Richland Estate’s proprietor. He continued: “The 2016 harvest demonstrates again that Georgia Terroir supports our commitment to handcrafting the Best Rum in America and allows us to strictly use fresh ingredients and all natural processes.”

Celebration at Distillery
On Saturday, December 10th, representatives of the trade, as well as consumers, are invited to the Annual Celebration of the start of the Sugar Cane Harvesting Season at the Distillery in Richland. Guests can observe on-site Sugar Cane pressing and reduction of fresh cane juice demonstrations to "Almost Rum" – the company’s pure cane syrup - using vintage equipment. Also, they are invited to tour the Distillery and offered a unique opportunity to taste the Virgin Agricole.

Release of 2016 Agricole scheduled for March 2017
The all manual production of Virgin Rum from the year’s first harvest is limited to a single batch which will yield no more than a few hundred cases. Once pressed the fresh cane juice is immediately fermented and then distilled. The Virgin Rum is then allowed to rest for 60 – 90 days before bottling and scheduled for release to the Distillery’s Distributors in March 2017

Single Estate Old Georgia Rum
Richland Rum is hand-crafted with pride and passion in Richland, GA, USA, using home-grown unrefined sugar cane syrup – not molasses - and water from the Georgia Aquifer as the only ingredients. Sourcing and processing of unrefined sugar cane syrup, slow fermentation, copper pot distilling in single day batches, aging in virgin American oak barrels and ultimately bottling, are all handled in-house, creating a rare, authentic Single Estate Rum. The all-natural Rum is not blended or mass-produced and does not contain preservatives, spices, taste enhancers, color agents or additives of any kind.

Richland Rum and the Rum Renaissance
“Rum thrived in America long before Whisky and Bourbon did. Fine quality, aged Rum made directly from unrefined Sugar Cane, not molasses, is complex, delicious and worth relishing slowly. Actually, in the early days Bourbons tried to emulate good Rums!” said Erik Vonk, the Richland Distilling Company’s founder and proprietor. Vonk continued: “We are thrilled to see a Rum Renaissance and to rank among a very few Distilleries in America fully dedicated to handcrafting domestic, authentic Single Estate Rum, savored by Whisky and Bourbon fans, Cognac and Brandy connoisseurs and aficionados of aged spirits in general.”

About the Richland Distilling CompanyThe Richland Distilling Company and Richland Estate – where sugar cane is cultivated – are owned and operated by one family since 1999 and rank among very few producers solely dedicated to meticulously hand-crafting Single Estate Rum from pure, home-grown cane syrup in small, daily batches using artisan techniques and time-honored equipment.

The company’s core expression, Richland Single Estate Old Georgia Rum, copper pot distilled and aged in Virgin American White Oak Barrels, is consistently recognized for its exceptional quality and recipient of multiple National and International Awards.

Located in historic downtown Richland, Georgia, the Distillery is open to the public. www.richlandrum.com