Montanya Distillers, a craft rum distillery and Certified B Corporation®, has added a new addition to its rum family — Valentia (Val-en-tee-a). This American-made, premium, limited-release rum celebrates the progress women have made in becoming a vital part of craft distilling. Renee Newton, a distiller at Montanya, first distilled Valentia more than four years ago, and it has been aging in oak ever since. 

“This rum is a five-year dream of mine that’s coming alive,” said Karen Hoskin, CEO/co-founder of Montanya Distillers. “People often ask me about the challenges of being one of the first women in craft distilling and now I get to tell a different story, of women who are distilling and making beautiful spirits.” 

The Valentia is finished in rye barrels from Catoctin Creek Distillery, which was distilled by Becky Harris, also a female founder, owner, and head distiller. Valentia is a single barrel, double maturation rum that Montanya bottled with a female crew on November 19. It will first be released in Colorado, with wider distribution to follow.  

“The name Valentia is the Spanish word for courage, bravery, and grit because that’s what it’s taken for women to get to this point in a male-dominated industry,” continued Hoskin. “When we started, there were no women and that has changed greatly in the last decade. It’s rewarding to see.”

Valentia is an aromatic rum with a natural sweetness, hints of vanilla, cardamom and ginger, and peppery notes from the rye barrel. It is the first Montanya rum that does not include a tiny touch of caramelized honey. It is pure rum distillate from non-GMO Louisiana sugar cane and Colorado aquifer water. It contains no added sugar and nothing else except the yeast that brought it to life.

Valentia is the first Montanya rum to debut this new Cradle to Cradle certified glass bottle. Strategic partner Constellation Brands helped conduct a market study to confirm Karen’s sense that the shape of this new bottle more accurately conveys the premium quality of Montanya’s American rum. The bottle is produced by O-I out of Illinois and is a vital partner in helping Montanya reduce its environmental impact. Other Montanya rums will start to appear in these new premium bottles by January 2020.

Valentia Notes:

  • Flavor: Natural sweetness with peppery notes from the rye barrel. Hints of vanilla, cardamom, and ginger with a subtle rye finish. 
  • Nose: Very aromatic with scents of vanilla and fall spices. 
  • Distillation: Pot distilled.
  • Aging: Three and a half years in white American oak from Laws Whiskey House and three months in Catoctin Creek rye barrels.
  • Color: Light amber
  • Proof: 80
  • Recommendations: Sipping rum, or classic-spirit forward cocktails such as an Old Fashioned, Manhattan, or Montanya’s Ti Punch.

“It’s been great to be a part of Montanya for so long,” noted Newton on distilling the Valentia. “This one was fun to make and Valentia’s flavors and lightness delightfully surprised me. It’s gentle, slightly sweet palate is smooth and it’s going to be a good one to keep us warm and toasty this winter.”

A portion of the sales from Valentia will go toward the scholarship fund at Women of the Vine and Spirits, which supports women as they work toward their level 1-3 certification through Wine and Spirits Education Trust.

If you’d like to attend Montanya’s launch party in Crested Butte, Colo. on November 22nd, come to the distillery at 7 pm for live music, complimentary appetizers, and a complimentary sample Valentia cocktail and taste. 

To learn more about Montanya Rum, the distillery, distribution, and the company’s focus on sustainability visit MontanyaRum.com. 

About Montanya Distillers
Montanya Distillers, a Certified B Corporation® located in Crested Butte, Colo., is a craft rum distillery in the heart of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Its distilling process uses old-world artisan traditions, combining science with art. By using natural American ingredients, Montanya has created aged rums that have received 18 Gold and Silver medals in international competitions. These rums reflect both Montanya Distillers’ mountain culture and a new American rum tradition. Montanya produces Platino Light rum, Oro Dark rum, and a longer-aged, limited-edition rum called Exclusiva. The company was named the Craft Distillery of the Year by the American Distilling Institute, American Rum of the Year in Berlin, and celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2018. Learn more at MontanyaRum.com.

About Karen Hoskin
Karen Hoskin, founder, owner and CEO of Montanya Distillers, has become known nationally for her advocacy for gender diversity and sustainability in the craft spirits industry. She is a frequent speaker at The American Distilling Institute (ADI) and American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) conferences, as well The Miami Rum Congress, NY Rum Congress, and at colleges and universities. She was the first female to receive The Bubble Cap Award for Distiller of the Year from ADI and the first female to keynote the ADI Conference in 2017. Karen founded the Women’s Distillery Guild, which is now a subgroup of Women of the Vine & Spirits, to provide community and support for women in craft spirits. She is a respected voice for environmental sustainability and waste reduction in the alcohol beverage industry and has published many articles as the Sustainability Correspondent for Distiller Magazine. Karen holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Colorado. Learn more at www.karenhoskin.com. 

About Constellation Brands
Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ and STZ.B), a Fortune 500® company, is a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits with operations in the U.S., Mexico, New Zealand, Italy and Canada. Constellation is the No. 3 beer company in the U.S. with high-end, iconic imported beer brands such as the Corona and Modelo brand families and Pacifico. The company’s portfolio includes a collection of highly-rated brands such as SIMI and Mount Veeder Winery wine brands, Kim Crawford, High West Whiskey and Casa Noble Tequila, as well as new wine innovations such as Cooper & Thief and Spoken Barrel.  Other brands in the venture portfolio are Catoctin Creek Whiskey, Copper and Kings Brandy, Black Button Whiskey, El Silencio Mezcal, Austin Cocktails and Vivify Beverages. 

Based in Victor, N.Y., the company believes that “industry leadership involves a commitment to brand building, our trade partners, the environment, our investors and to consumers around the world who choose our products when celebrating big moments or enjoying quiet ones.” Since its founding in 1945, Constellation’s ability to see, meet and stay ahead of shifting consumer preferences and trends across total beverage alcohol has fueled our success and made us the No. 1 growth contributor in beverage alcohol in the U.S.

To learn more, follow Constellation on Twitter @cbrands and visit www.cbrands.com.

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