Born from a love of rum’s history its connection to the Caribbean and Atlantic waters, the Reef Rum Supply Co. is after something wilder than you’ll get at home.

The idea behind aging barrels in the ocean was to speed up the typical landborne process by sinking the barrels a depth of at least 12 meters (39 feet) where the pressure climbs to 2 atmospheres, compressing the barrel and forcing deeper interaction between its contents and the char. What we discovered was that leaving a filled barrel at sea not only receives some of the benefits of dynamic aging (a process already sought after by many brands attempting to replicate the trans-Atlantic voyages of rum freight of yore) because of ever-shifting sea conditions, but also a relatively constant temperature range. And yes, some salinity can even be detected on the palate.

Our first oceanic cocktail barreling was a rhum agricole negroni featuring St. James blanc and special vermouths from Martini; and the result somewhat of a surprise to us all, as inclement weather and subpar conditions pushed back our original retrieval date much later than anticipated. With the aging stretched from two weeks to four, the barrel came out looking like Blackbeard's lost plunder, heavily weathered by the effects of saltwater, but still watertight and sealed. Once the barrel was opened, it was clear it had been exposed to and retained a great deal of pressure - the bung popped and a vapor trail wisped from the hole. The cocktail that went in as a rum acricole-based negroni tasted nothing like it had before it went undersea. What resulted from this submarine cellaring was a subtly chocolatey, salted caramel, viscous oceanic cocktail unlike anything a Negroni would ever be expected to taste like.

As we continue with this experimentation, variable-duration aging and new recipes provide even more data and notes on the process. And sometimes, mistakes are made: Apparently, leaving an air bubble in the barrel will result in a breach with seawater intruding to equalize pressure. This can be attributed to Boyle's law, a physics staple that dictates increasing pressure decreases gas volume, and the nature of the swollen barrel staves being just permeable enough for the air to (eventually) escape. But that's just part of the challenge of creating the ideal oceanic cocktail, balancing science, adventure and a bit of fantasy to make liquid alchemy a refreshing, novel delight.

Here is how the project was presented for the first time at The Hukilau 2014:

Oceanic Cocktails

Journey with us 20,000 leagues under the sea to discover the world of oceanic cocktails, libations specifically aged undersea to enhance and impart flavors that breathe new life into time-tested drinks. On this expedition, we will introduce you to elusive reef denizens, the agricole Negroni and a boutique gin, both barreled more than six fathoms below the surface and destined to put the wind in your sails… We will also be comparing this exotic agricole Negroni to the classic Negroni in this workshop.

We are based out of Miami and partner with both bars and liquor brands to present completely unique premium spirit and cocktail offerings for events and menu placements.