Post #573740 by Rum guy on Sat, Jan 29, 2011 10:20 AM

Thursday, Jan 27th, 2011, Caribbean Spirits Inc applied for a Use Up Permit, yes that's the priority name given to this special permit issued by the TTB - that wonderfully efficient branch of the US government that is responsible for all things alcohol.

The Use Up Permit will allow Caribbean Spirits Inc to import the last remaining 481 cases of Lemon Hart 151 from the Corby Distillers facility in Walkerville, ON. These cases will bear the words "Imported by Pernod Ricard, Purchase NY" on the back and will be the last cases of Lemon Hart Demerara Rum bearing those words.

To put a sticker on these cases as someone has suggested would be nearly impossible since you'd be dealing with several companies in two countries and the cost would be much more than the price of the rum. Part, and only part, of the story behind why this has taken so long is that Pernod sold the brand to Mosaiq and agreed not to sell any more Lemon Hart Rum and then found this rum in their warehouse. In order for Pernod to sell this rum, Caribbean Spirits had to agree to buy a ridiculous amount of product liability insurance and negotiate the deal with lawyers in Windsor, ON, Montreal, Quebec and New York.

Before you, or I, will be able to enjoy any of this rum, the application has to be approved by the TTB and then it has to be imported, cleared by customs and shipped to NJ from where it will be distributed in the US and I have no idea how long this will take, it's up to the government.

This product has been blended at the Corby Distillers, Walkerville/Windsor, ON facility for many years for the US market. Unlike the Lemon Hart 80 proof that is sold in Canada which has been blended with Canadian rum distilled in Newfoundland, I'm led to believe that the Lemon Hart 80proof rum sold heretofore in the US was not blended with Canadian rum but was blended only with rum from Guyana.

I will be going to Montreal, Quebec next month to meet with Mosaiq and representatives from the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation to discuss a number of things concerning the future of Lemon Hart.

Here are a couple of other facts that I have confirmed from the previous brand owners. Lemon Hart 151 has never been sold in Canada. In addition to the Lemon Hart Demerara Rums, Pernod also blended and bottled some Lemon Hart Jamaica Rums that were sold primarily in Europe though small quantities were sold to an importer in NY and distributed to a few stores in CA in the past. Lemon Hart Jamaica Rum is finished with the conclusion of the brand purchase by Mosaiq.

DDL has confirmed to me that they will continue to sell aged rum to Mosaiq, to be blended by the NLLC under the Lemon Hart Demerara Rum label. DDL's office in Miami has nothing to do with the importation or distribution of Lemon Hart rum. DDL has no plans to blend or sell a competing rum anytime in the future.

If you would like to buy some of this rum don't call me, contact your local liquor store and ask them to have their distributor contact Caribbean Spirits. As an importer, Caribbean Spirits can only sell to licensed distributors, not retail stores nor law-abiding citizens who are not licensed to distribute alcohol beverages in their state of residence. Hey, this is after all the freest country in the world.

Hope this helps.