Stephen Remsberg's Rum Collection - Where is it Now?
While reading the rum chapter of Aaron Goldfarb’s new book, Dusty Booze, I was struck by how strongly Stephen Remsberg’s rum collection remains in the consciousness of rum geeks. (A substantial excerpt from the aforementioned chapter appears in this recent Lithub article.) I was extremely fortunate to visit Stephen and his collection at his New Orleans home shortly after Tales of the Cocktail 2018. He was a gracious host, sharing numerous eye-popping pours and regaling me with tales about each.
Shortly after my visit, a popular drinks site asked me to write about Remsberg’s collection. That article is no longer online, so below, I’ve shared an ever-so-slightly edited portion of what I originally wrote in 2018. You’ll also find many previously unpublished photos from my visit. (Click on the gallery photos to see them full-size.) Afterward, I’ll debunk a common misperception about the collection and share what happened in the years following my visit.
Stephen Remsberg’s Rum Collection
(2018 article excerpt)
Walking through the front door of Stephen Remsberg’s modest New Orleans house is akin to entering Valhalla. But rather than fallen Norse warriors, the inhabitants are historical rums, many predating U.S. prohibition by several decades. Imagine having the original rums used in the earliest daiquiris or the first generation of Tiki recipes like the 1934 Zombie. Dig deeper, and you’ll find London Dock rums from the late 1800s, the legendary J. Wray & Nephew Dagger rums, and pre-prohibition New England rums – all are within arm’s reach.
On a bar shelf is an open bottle of 1915-era Bacardi. Below it, a clear glass jug holds a gallon of 1970s-era Mount Gay rum, which is extremely rare in modern times because it is 100 percent pot distilled. Collectively, Jamaican rum dominates the collection, with Demerara likely in a distant second place. Slack-jawed awe is an entirely viable response for anyone with any knowledge of rum history.
Notably, Remsberg’s collection isn’t a few dozen bottles safely cocooned in pristine glass case. Rather, untold hundreds of dusty bottles rest on any available flat surface. A large dining room table strains under the weight of dozens of tightly packed bottles. Mind you, this is not a normal state of affairs in the Remsberg household. Today, they are being photographed and appraised.
Remsberg, a retired maritime attorney in his early 70s, has collected rums for over forty years. This was long before the most recent Tiki revival renewed interest in bottles like Lemon Hart 151, a staple of many Tiki classics. However, Jeff “Beachbum” Berry’s early Tiki research in the late 1990s helped Remsberg focus his collecting. “Beachbum unearthed Donn [Beach]’s rum cellar list—- 138 of the best rums Donn could find in 1934,” says Remsberg.
Today, his home and offsite storage house a total collection of around 2,000 rare bottles. An unusual online source helped with his research: “eBay provided duty-free shop lists from all over the world, brought back from honeymoons and vacations from the 1880s through the 1950s.” He says, “They’re probably the best resources for dating bottles anywhere.”
Remsberg isn’t reticent to share his collection. His shelves hold numerous opened bottles, and he intends for them to be enjoyed. If he has duplicate bottles, at least one is open for tasting–including a 1960s-era J. Wray and Nephew Special Reserve 15-year from Jamaica, his favorite rum of all.
Even with his generous pours, it’s unlikely Remsberg and his guests could drink it all (though the list of who might like to try is long and illustrious). Thus, the future life of this treasure trove is an interesting question. Luckily for rum historians, a plan is being made to keep the collection intact and well-documented for future generations.
Myth Debunking
The number of bottles in Remsberg’s collection has been erroneously reported as containing 12,000 bottles by both Liquor.com and Flaviar. However, I validated that number with Stephen when I wrote about the collection. This is his verbatim response:
I was curious to find the origin of the legend that I had 12,000 bottles of rum. I tracked it to an article on liquor.com. Why do they still call people editors? That is 1000 cases. There are retail stores that don't have that many bottles, and I certainly could not have fit that many bottles in my house. I can defend the claim of 2,000, and I'm still avidly collecting. I've won bottles on two auctions this month, so who knows where it will go.
Unfortunately, the 12,000 number has become conventional wisdom among people retelling the story. As the aphorism goes, a lie travels halfway around the world while the truth is still lacing up its shoes.
The Remsberg Collection Post 2018
At an event at Tales of the Cocktail 2018, Plantation Rum (now Planteray) announced that Remsberg planned to donate or sell his collection to the company. Remsberg was the guest of honor at the event, but ultimately, the stated intention didn’t come to pass. As noted in the 2018 excerpt above, the collection was being appraised at the time of the announcement. Ultimately, Velier owner Luca Gargano struck a deal to acquire the collection.
Remsberg passed away on the final day of 2022. You can read his obituary here.
Today, the Remsberg collection resides in Genoa, Italy, alongside Gargano’s even larger rum collection. Steffen Mayer, aka Stefano Caroni on Facebook and author of the truly massive Caroni 100% Trinidad Rum book, has visited and photographed the Remsberg collection in Genoa. According to Steffen, the photo of the Golden Glow bottle in his book was taken there.
Wow, that collection looks amazing.
I can't begin to imagine what it must be like to have the rare opportunity to see... and better yet taste rums from this collection. Thanks for the article.