Photo Credit: Goslings Rum/Wagstaff
Boston has always had a love affair with Bermuda, so it was no surprise really here in Red Sox Nation when Goslings Rum became the official rum of Fenway Park. Their signature Dark ‘n Stormy cocktails can now be found throughout the park, but one haute place you won’t want to miss is the aptly named Goslings Dark ‘n Stormy Boardroom.
We caught up earlier today with Malcolm Gosling, Jr. (eighth generation), who spoke to us about being the official rum of the Boston Red Sox and gave us an inside look inside the Goslings Dark n’ Stormy Boardroom Suite behind home plate at Fenway Park.
How did Goslings became the official rum of the Boston Red Sox?
When my father first started the exporting company and moved it up to Boston, we would do a lot of event marketing. We looked at different events around New England and were partners with the Patriots for a couple of years and the Deutche Bank tournament, which the Red Sox were also a part of, so we had the introduction there. Tom Kershaw, who owns Cheers, introduced my father to Larry Lucchino, who was the President of the Red Sox at the time. We are now in our eighth year. We have a lot of ties to Boston. My father went to Boston College and I grew up a Red Sox fan.
Tell us a little about the Goslings Dark ‘n Stormy Boardroom at Fenway Park.
It is really unlike any hospitality suite I have been to at any sporting event. It truly is a boardroom. In 2010, we were in a unique position to take it over and brand it. It’s the highest tier at Fenway, available only to season ticket holders, so it’s like a club within a club. The boardroom was intended to host meetings and we put our Bermuda feel on it and were able to create this incredible experience through the Goslings cocktails we provide there. It has become the perfect place to entertain because you have an indoor/outdoor experience and the seats are right behind home plate and are perfect for watching a Sox game.
Why do you think Boston has had such a long lasting love affair with Goslings and the Dark ‘n Stormy cocktail?
Bermuda is only an hour and a half flight from Logan and I think Bermuda is a popular spot for people to visit. Likewise, Boston is popular for Bermudians to come and catch a Sox game over a long weekend. There are incredible boarding schools and high schools and universities, so we have always had a strong connection to Boston. You can get a Goslings Dark ‘n Stormy at most of the bars at Fenway.
What do you think it is about Goslings that makes your rum stand out from others?
Goslings is a 100 percent family owned company, which is extremely rare this day and age especially in the liquor industry. We are now in our eighth generation, and, of course, our product is incredible. Our rums are aged in bourbon barrels. The Dark ‘n Stormy is our trademark drink. We were able to do that in the 1980s just as a way to protect the integrity of the drink. Now, it’s available globally for people who want to recreate that same experience they had in Bermuda at home.
How would you like to see the Goslings brand evolve 50 years from now?
Our heritage and authenticity are our most valuable assets. We have been around for 212 years and have stayed true to our roots. In 50 years, it will obviously stay in the family. It’s an exciting time for rums now with aged spirits. The average consumer today is educated more so than ever, and people are seeing what aged rums are all about. We are seeing a lot of small batches getting their time to shine. Right now, we are experiencing with different aging techniques and will be coming out with limited, small batch styles later this year, so we are really excited about that.
