Rum Tasting
at the Four
Seasons Nevis
By Tim Cotroneo
I
f it’s Thursday night on the
island of Nevis, then you’ll find
three shot glasses perfectly
positioned on the mahogany bar
counter at 101 Rums Bar. Like a
magician ready to perform a sleight
of hand, Mark Theron stands ready
and willing to work his rum magic
for a new group of students.
as a 17-year-old soldier in the
South African Air Force.
More than Three
Shots of Rum
Theron’s gallery is comprised of
travel savvy vacationers who fly
from around the world to luxuriate
at Nevis’s posh Four Seasons
Resort. The vacationers are in
Nevis to enjoy a real Caribbean
experience, in this case, learning
about the liquid that for centuries
has been the drink of choice for
pirates, navy officers, beach bar
owners and collectors like Theron.
Today, Theron’s personal collection
of rum varieties is 200 and
counting. While mesmerizing
students with stories of rum
history and rum-making at 101
Rums Bar, Theron actually has
126 rums at his disposal. The bar,
connected to the Four Seasons
oceanfront Mango Restaurant,
is building a reputation as a
Caribbean rum destination site.
The bar and restaurant is also
home to Kendie Williams, an
award-winning mixologist, who
concocts colorful rum cocktails
for vacationers on a nightly basis.
Theron journeyed to Nevis after
first having set up shop in the sail
making and hurricane protection
business on the island of St.
Martin. The now-50-year-old
Theron confides that his personal
rum story began after drinking a
rum named Red Heart while serving
The three shots that Theron
focuses on at the beginning of
his presentation represent the
categories accounting for the rum
industry as we know it. We’re
talking Ron for Spanish rum, Rum
for English rum, and Rhum for
French rum. The students’ mission,
42
if they choose to accept it, is to
inhale and then sip these diverse
categories of rum in the hopes of
not only determining which they
like best, but also to earn a
certificate for their night of rum
tasting. For Theron, the best part
of his night is sharing with
students how studying the history
of rum is like journeying across
the Caribbean.
Theron counsels students in how
to read a rum label, what to look
for when buying a new rum, the
difference between column stills
and pot stills when making rum, and
the best way to expand their rum
palette. “Personally, I’m always
seeking out new rums. I love the
anticipation just before taking
that first sip. Here, at 101 Rums
Bar, we like to tickle our taste buds
and discover our new favorite rum,”
Theron said.
A Priceless Rum
When asked which was the most
expensive rum currently stocked at
101 Rums Bar. Theron pointed
skyward to a top-shelf rum in a
black container embossed in gold.
“The Applewood Estate Jamaica
rum is aged in oak barrels for 50
years before serving. Here at 101
Rums Bar, a shot can be purchased
for $450,” Theron said. He then
remarked that the age and the
price of a rum doesn’t always mean
it’s better than another. “What
tastes right for me doesn’t always
taste right for you,” Theron
cautioned.
After a night of rum appreciation,
the students admired their
certificates before hailing
bartender Williams in the hopes
of advancing their newfound rum
tasting abilities. Theron beamed
like a proud Papa while watching
and listening to his new protégés
speak his language. On the tiny
island of Nevis, the 101 Rums Bar
is a great place to talk ron, rum,
and rhum.
www.fourseasons.com/
nevis/dining/restaurants/
mango/101_rums/