Ernest Hemingway-inspired rum brand Papa’s Pilar has unveiled its 2022 Legacy Edition release. The second bottling in the limited-quantity series celebrates the 70th anniversary of the publishing of The Old Man and the Sea.
Papa’s Pilar 2022 Legacy Edition is made up of nine different rums from five sources–Barbados, Dominican Republic, Panama, Venezuela, and Florida–which are then finished in hand-selected French Oak Apple Brandy barrels.
“I’m inspired by Papa Hemingway daily and the 2022 Legacy Edition was a way for me to tap into that inspiration even further while celebrating his life’s work and highlighting innovative rum finishing techniques,” said Master Distiller Ron Call. “I hand-selected some of the most unique barrels for finishing: French Oak Apple Brandy casks. These brandy casks produce apple-forward characteristics, which is rare in rum. You’ll also find notes of vanilla with a touch of honeysuckle and a dark rich honey finish. The result is a rum unlike anything you’ve tasted.”
According to literary lore, The Old Man and the Sea was finished while Hemingway was aboard his beloved boat, the Pilar. “Pilar” was a nickname for Hemingway’s second wife, Pauline, and also the name of the woman leader of the partisan band in For Whom the Bell Tolls. To pay homage to Hemingway’s “Never a Spectator” spirit in an interactive way, the brand created an immersive AR experience that tells the story of The Old Man and the Sea narrated by artist and conservationist Dr. Guy Harvey, and shows Harvey’s first-ever sketches, which were inspired by the book.
For every bottle sold, Papa’s Pilar will donate $20 to the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, which supports reef conservation, restoration and education, a year-round effort for the rum brand. The bottle itself is also meant to serve as a keepsake, wrapped in genuine leather made to resemble the shape of the iconic WWII canteen bottle, and features a pocket on the back that includes a writer’s notebook embossed with the “Never a Spectator” stamp, the motto of Papa’s Pilar Rum. Attached to the side is a black and copper pen that matches the copper details of the bottle.
Papa’s Pilar 2022 Legacy Edition is currently available for purchase via the brand’s official website and will be available in select retailers starting Tuesday, November 1 for $102.99. An Anniversary Bundle, which includes a bottle of the 2022 Legacy Edition, a copy of The Old Man and the Sea, and a branded ice sphere mold will also be available as of October 8 for $132.99.