Less than 24 hours before hurricane Dorian was scheduled to touch down, the Ironworks Distillery was filled with customers sipping spicy Dark ‘n Stormies.
Contrary to what you may think, the participants were not drinking like it was their last day; these rum drinkers were learning.
That’s because Sept. 6 was the first of the Lunenburg business’ tasting events which highlighted, some would say appropriately, the town’s tangled history with rum and rum running.
Lynne MacKay, who co-owns the distillery, said the business was much more focused on local fruit liqueurs when it first started in 2009. Inevitably, they started to produce rum, which quickly became one of the most popular products.
“We are so incredibly to be in this town, in this environment, making this product which seems to have such an enormous amount of history,” she said during an interview with the South Shore Breaker.
And although sugar cane — the base source for rum — isn’t a locally sourced ingredient, the tie to Atlantic Canada is undeniable.
“Sugar cane may not grow here but rum is still in the blood of this place,” said MacKay.
In fact, throughout prohibition, Lunenburg’s fishermen turned to rum running as an easy way to make a few extra dollars.
A half-dozen customers came for the inaugural event and, over the course of nearly two hours, were given a history lesson about rum while tasting samples served by mixologist Shane Beehan in the distillery’s new barrel house addition.
From the Carribean to the founding of Halifax to Lunenburg’s bottle fishermen, Beehan touched on the significance of rum as a beverage through the years.
MacKay said the combination of tastings and storytelling is a natural fit.
“They want to listen to stories, they want to know what went on in this harbour,” she said. “And now we have this perfect little room that invites intimate gatherings where people can learn.”
Shane Beehan, who described himself as a bartender by interest and trade, said he really liked sharing the town’s history.
“If you enjoy history and enjoy learning about where you’re from, this is a natural way to keep the story going,” he said. “In a building like this, you keep the culture and heritage alive.”
The next Rum Running Stories & Tasting is scheduled for Sept. 19.
