New rum to be named after Mighty Sparrow

He gave the world what some might term the quintessential rum song: Drunk and Disorderly.

But now a brand of rum will actually bear his name.

The Mighty Sparrow: Aged Rum with Spices was introduced on his Facebook page on May 14. However, the Mighty Sparrow is not the one behind the rums, although they bear his name.

US singer/songwriter Lane Steinberg and US producer, director and screenwriter Lenard Dorfman are the rum’s founders.

Four images of bottles were posted and visitors to his page were asked to give their opinions on the bottles and labels. Sparrow reposted them on May 19 asking for more responses.

The product’s website was launched on June 8. The producers said were looking for partners to bring the product to market and all the details were available on the website. The rum falls under The Mighty Sparrow Company, headquartered at 10 Center Street, Irvington, New York.

In a brief phone interview on Wednesday, Sparrow confirmed he had granted permission for his name to be used for the brand.

“I thought it was something good and I am waiting on my contract,” he said.

Sparrow said he was approached three years ago with the idea.

The calypsonian was baptised at the Linden Seventh Day Adventist Church in New York in 2022.

Asked if the rum bearing his name was in conflict with his religious beliefs, Sparrow said, “As long as we have to go along those lines, we have to remember, moderation is the name. It is the key, and not because somebody is sponsoring something that they have to find themselves completely out of it.

“Whatever you are doing, you have to do things moderately.”

Sparrow said he was not deeply involved, and wished the founders success.

The website describes the rums as being “blended with rare TT rums that have been aged in ex-bourbon, American Oak casks. Of this blend, 51 per cent is aged for ten years, and one per cent is aged for 15 years. This age profile is unique and unprecedented for the category.”

It said most spiced rums use an “unaged, neutral base spirit” and added flavourings to mask “harsh-tasting inferior-quality spirit.” However, this rum’s producers were taking a different approach: it was blended at 80 proof, and was complex, deeply rich and with a “velvety, smooth finish.”

The “ultra-premium blend” was then infused with a big, bold taste, it said.

The history of the rum is told on the site: it said Steinberg discovered that Sparrow – his childhood idol – lived nearby. He picked up his guitar and knocked on Sparrow’s door in the hope they could sing together.

“Before long a friendship developed that evolved into a musical partnership. Together, along with Sparrow’s band they performed to enthralled fans throughout the world, until covid19 struck and put an end to the sold-out performances.”

Steinberg was a senior sales executive at an alcohol spirits distribution company and would often share industry tales with his childhood buddy Dorfman.

“Since their formative days spent in the south Florida sunshine, Dorfman went on to be an acclaimed internationally recognised commercial director and marketer,” the website said.

It added that late one night during the pandemic, Sparrow, Steinberg and Dorfman were talking about their mutual love for aged rum and how “there is not a delicious-tasting premium spiced rum on the market.”

Sparrow agreed and shared memories of “big, bold, delicious-tasting, high-quality, aged rums he tasted travelling through the most exclusive Caribbean hotspots.

“Following in the footsteps of the King of Calypso, we created the ultra-Premium, Mighty Sparrow Aged Rum with Spices,” it said.

Other celebrities involved in the spirits industry include Machel Montano, US singer Ciara and French rapper and producer Joey Starr.

Newsday contacted the founders for more details on the brand and company and Dorfman said they would be interested in an interview next week.