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Domaine de Séverin Rhum Agricole Blanc (1990s)
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Rumaniacs Review # 095 | 0611
As noted in the biography of the Domaine de Séverin, what we're getting now from the new owners is not what we were getting before. The company's distillery changed hands in 2014 and such rums as were made back in the day immediately became "old", and more obsolete with very passing year. From the old style design of the labels, I'd hazard that this one came from the 1990s, or at the very latest, the early 2000s, and I have no background on ageing or lack thereof – I would imagine that if it slept at all, it was a year or less. Over and beyond that, it's a decent blanc, if not particularly earth shattering.
Colour – White
Strength – 50% ABV
Nose – Starts off with plastic, rubber and acetones, which speak to its (supposed) unaged nature; then it flexes its cane-juice-glutes and coughs up a line of sweet water, bright notes of grass, sugar cane sap, brine and sweetish red olives. It's oily, smooth and pungent, with delicate background notes of dill and cilantro lurking in the background. And some soda pop.
Palate – The rhum does something of a right turn from expectations. Dry and dusty, briny and sweet. Vegetable soup and maggie cubes mixes up with herbal / fruity notes of cucumber, dill, watermelon juice and sugar water. Somehow this crazy mish-mash sort of works. Even the vague hint of caramel, molasses and lime leaves at the back end add to the pungency, with the dustiness of old cardboard being the only off note that doesn't belong.
Finish – Warm, smooth, light, oily, a mix of sugar water and 7-up which is the faintest bit dry.
Thoughts – Guadeloupe is free to mess around with molasses or cane juice, not subscribing to the AOC that governs so much of Martinique, and the bottle states it is a rhum agricole, implying cane juice origins. Maybe, though those odd commingling tastes do make me wonder about that. It's tasty enough and at 50% almost exactly strong enough. But somehow, through some odd alchemy of taste and preference, the odd and uncoordinated way the sweet and salt run apart from each other instead of providing mutual support, it's not really my glass of juice.
Posted by Ruminsky at 8:48 pm	Aged Rums - < 1 YO, Agricoles, Column Still Rums, Domaine de Séverin, Guadeloupe, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, Rumaniacs, White Rums Tagged with: Column Still Rums, Domaine de Séverin, Rumaniacs, Rums from Guadeloupe, White Rums - Unaged
Domaine de Séverin Rhum Vieux (1990s)
Séverin is a small distillery in the north of the left "wing" of Guadeloupe (called Basseterre), whose history can be divided into three parts: 1800-1928 when different owners held the small estate and grew various agricultural crops like pineapples and sugar, 1928-2014 when the Marsolle family held it and created the marque of Domaine de Séverin for their rhums, and the post-2014 period when the distillery (but not the whole estate) was sold to a local businessman called Jose Pirbakas. Although there was a cessation of operations after the takeover due to differences in management and operational philosophies (for one thing, all rhum prices were jacked up by 45% in 2014), rhums from Séverin are now once again available, primarily in France, and sporting a new, redesigned bottle and label.
That label is key, since the older ones such as on the bottle I had, are no longer in use and therefore serve as a useful determinant as to whether one is buying a pre-takeover rum (which is a Rumaniacs candidate), or a post 2014 version, which is not.
While it is not explicitly stated on the label, the Vieux is about three years old. Séverin have always played around with different casks in their aged rhums (cognac for the most part), but in this case it is very likely that standard oak barrels were used to age the rhum, which itself derives from a creole column still.
Colour – Gold
Nose – Clearly Séverin, like many producers on Guadeloupe, played around with both molasses and cane juice for its raw material. Here, the deeper aromas of molasses, coca-cola and nougat steer us towards molasses as the base. There were hints of cinnamon and light coffee grounds, some smoke and vanilla, quite easy-going but also reasonably aromatic.
Palate – A very pleasing profile, if not quite as sharply distinct as anything you're getting from Martinique with its strict AOC guidelines. Coke, molasses, bitter chocolate and nougat charge out from the gate. There is also some brine, olives and coffee, and coiling around in the background are some vague floral and light fruity notes which provide a pleasing backdrop for the heavier flavours
Finish – Somewhat weak, a flash in the pan, over quickly. Closing notes of cumin and cinnamon, caramel, damp brown sugar, vanilla.
Thoughts – Reminds me somewhat of rums from Mauritius or the Seychelles. I like these indeterminate products that steer an interesting line between a pure molasses product and one made from juice – it's like they take a bit of the characteristics both without leaning to either side too much. That makes them good rums to drink, though this one is not so exceptional that I'd want it on my top shelf. Still, it was made recently enough that I suspect one can still find it, and if so, it's worth picking up for more than just historical value.
Posted by Ruminsky at 5:13 am	Aged Rums - 01-5 YO, Column Still Rums, Domaine de Séverin, Guadeloupe, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, Rumaniacs Tagged with: Column Still Rums, Domaine de Séverin, Rumaniacs, Rums from Guadeloupe
Longueteau Rhum Blanc Agricole 62° – Review
In the last decade, several major divides have fissured the rum world in ways that would have seemed inconceivable in the early 2000s: these were and are cask strength (or full-proof) versus "standard proof" (40-43%); pure rums that are unadded-to versus those that have additives or are spiced up; tropical ageing against continental; blended rums versus single barrel expressions – and for the purpose of this review, the development and emergence of unmessed-with, unfiltered, unaged white rums, which in the French West Indies are called blancs (clairins from Haiti are a subset of these) and which press several of these buttons at once.
Blancs are often unaged, unfiltered, derive from cane juice, are issued at muscular strengths, and for any bartender or barfly or simple lover of rums, they are explosively good alternatives to standard fare – they can boost up a cocktail, are a riot to drink neat, and are a great complement to anyone's home bar…and if they occasionally have a concussive sort of strength that rearranges your face, well, sometimes you just gotta take one for the team in the name of science.
The Longueteau blanc from Guadeloupe is one of these off-the-reservation mastodons which I can't get enough of. It handily shows blended milquetoast white nonsense the door…largely because it isn't made to sell a gajillion bottles in every low-rent mom-and-pop in the hemisphere (and to every college student of legal age and limited means), but is aimed at people who actually know and care about an exactingly made column-still product that has a taste profile that's more than merely vanilla and cloves and whatever else.
Doubt me? Take a sniff. Not too deep please – 62% ABV will assert itself, viciously, if you're not prepared. And then just think about that range of light, crisp aromas that come through your schnozz. Speaking for myself, I noted freshly mown grass, sugar cane sap bleeding from the stalk, crisp apples and green grapes, cucumbers, sugar water, lemon zest, brine, an olive or two, and even a few guavas in the background. Yes it was sharp, but perhaps the word I should use is "hot" because it presented an aroma that was solid and aggressive without being actually damaging.
Taste? Well, it's certainly not the easy kind of spirit you would introduce to your parents, no, it's too badass for that, and individualistic to a fault. Still, you can't deny it's got character: taking a sip opens up a raft of competing and distinct flavours – salt, olives, acetones, bags of acidic fruit (green grapes and apples seem to be the dominant notes here), cider, lemon zest again, all toned down a little with some aromatic tobacco and sugar water, cumin, and even flowers and pine-sol disinfectant (seriously!). That clear and almost-sweet taste runs right through into the finish, which is equally crisp and fragrant, redolent of sugar water, lemons and some light florals I couldn't pick apart.
There you are, then. Compare that to, oh, a Bacardi Superior, or any filtered white your barman has on the shelf to make his usual creations. See what I mean? It's a totally different animal, and if originality is what you're after, then how can you pass something like this by? Now, to be honest, perhaps comparing a visceral, powerful white French island rhum like this to a meek-and-mild, easygoing white mixing agent like that Bacardi is somewhat unfair — they are of differing styles, differing heritages, differing production philosophies and perhaps even made for different audiences.
Maybe. But I argue that getting a rum at the lowest price just because it's the lowest isn't everything in this world (and in any case, I firmly believe cheap is always expensive in the long run) – if you're into this curious subculture of ours, you almost owe it to yourself to check out alternatives, and the Longueteau blanc is actually quite affordable. And for sure it's also a beast of a drink, a joyous riot of rumstink and rumtaste, and I can almost guarantee that if you are boozing in a place where this is begin served, it's one of the best blanc rhums in the joint.
(558)(85/100)
Longueteau actually makes a white even stronger than this one, the 73.51% "Genesis", which came out in 2017 and which, in a curious coincidence of timing, was just reviewed by RumCorner, somewhat less enthusiastically, here.
As far as I know this derives from cane juice, not molasses.
I've written some background to the distillery in the review of the Très Vieux Grande Réserve 2004, if you're interested
Posted by Ruminsky at 8:20 am	Agricoles, Column Still Rums, Guadeloupe, Longueteau, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, White Rums Tagged with: Column Still Rums, Longueteau, Rhum Agricole, Rhum Agricole Blanc, Rums from Guadeloupe, White Rums - Unaged, White Rums - Unfiltered
Velier Courcelles 1972 31 Year Old Rhum Vieux (42%) – Review
These days, anyone finding a rum three decades old had better hold on to it, because they're getting rarer all the time. As prices for the 1970s and 1980s rums climb past the fourth digit, locating one can be an equally fortunate and frustrating exercise…depending on how it turns out. As to why Velier chose to issue two rums of the same distillation and aging dates, at two different strengths, well, we know he has done this before, most famously with the entire Caroni line and some of the pre-Age Demerara rums.
Of course, it's possible that Velier in this instance worked on the principle of taking a the entire outturn and bottling some at cask strength and the remainder at a more quaffable proof appealing to a broader audience. That's reasonable, I guess (L'Esprit does the same) – yet although the 54% Courcelles 1972 and this 42% version share the same years, there's a difference in that the 54% was laid to rest in steel vats for nearly two additional years, and both are referred to as the dernière distillation which suggests that a bunch of barrels were involved, each with its own peculiarities.
And those peculiarities are important because they make this softer rhum individual on its own merits and different from its brawnier frere. Take the nose for example: it's lovely and sweet, light without actually being delicate. It presents bags of light fruit – pears, ripe apples, watermelons, cherries – that go on forever, to which are added soft red-wine notes, honey, thyme and a drizzle of hot caramel on vanilla ice cream. In a way it reminds me a lot of the Savanna 15 Year Old Porto Finish from Reunion (haven't written about this yet), but somewhat deeper even so, because the scents grow richer over time in spite of its relatively low proof point and their overall mildness.
Tasting a rum like this is a mixed experience – one appreciates the subtlety, but strains to pick apart the notes. That said, it's quite good, with lovely clear and clean notes of light fruitiness – pears again, watermelon again, some grapes, raisins and ripe mangoes, set off by softer nuances that speak of nougat, white chocolate, a flirt of coffee, rosemary, caramel, vanilla, thyme and some florals. It also has a background of honey that I quite enjoy with a profile like this because it strengthens the whole in a quiet kind of way, provides a bed for the rest of the flavours to emerge onto and do their thing. About the weakest point of the whole experience may be how it ends – the finish is short and faint, a zephyr following from a stiff breeze, with just some barely discernible floral and fruity hints and a bit of orange zest and tart yoghurt, and then it's all over.
After writing up my notes, I keep coming back to how differently it presents when rated against the 54% version – it's like they are different branches from the tree, growing in different directions while still conforming to underlying and similar standards (many of the tasting components, for example, are quite similar). The 42% iteration, I have to somewhat reluctantly note, is less when placed next to its masterful stronger sibling. On its own, with nothing else to compare it to, it's quietly, subtly brilliant and will not disappoint the casual drinker. But side by side, its potential clarion call is muted and dialled down, it is deferential and says much less…and when it does, it whispers.
(#528)(86/100)
The Courcelles distillery in Grande Terre (one of the two "wings" of Guadeloupe island) was established in the 1930s and closed way back in 1964 when the then owner, M. Despointes, transferred the inventory and equipment to another distillery, that of Ste Marthe. They continued using Courcelles's pot still and distilled this rum in 1972. This is probably the last year any Courcelles distillate was made – I've never been able to find one produced more recently.
Distilled in 1972 and set to age in 220 liter barrels until 2003. Outturn is unknown
The profile does not suggest an agricole, and since Guadeloupe is not AOC compliant, it probably derives from molasses. The taste certainly suggests it.
About that strength differential – in my essay about the Age of the Demeraras, I remarked that the first three releases of Velier Demeraras were all issued at standard proofs because Luca was nervous about moving too fast with releasing >50% cask strength rums. I suspect that he had similar feelings about the 42% version of the Courcelles, which was why it was bottled first – two years later, just when he was putting out the full proof Skeldons in 2005, he went full bore with the rest of the Courcelles stock and never looked back.
Posted by Ruminsky at 4:48 am	Aged Rums - 31 YO +, Column Still Rums, Courcelles, Europe, Guadeloupe, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, Velier Tagged with: Column Still Rums, Courcelles, Independent Bottlers, Marie Galante, Rums from Guadeloupe, Rums from Velier, Ultra-Aged Rums
Damoiseau 1953 31 Year Old Rhum Vieux – Review
In one of those odd coincidences that crop up from time to time, I was polishing up my essay for one of Damoiseau's ultra-premium halo rums – a 31-year-old inky bad boy from 1953 which is usually too rare or too pricey for most to bother with – when Single Cask posted his own in-depth evaluation. We had a good laugh over that one, but in a way it's good too, because while one person's review of a single rum is fine, a better opinion can be formed with several people putting their snoots and their pens in.
Age-wise, the 1953 from Guadeloupe does not class with the ur-rum of the Aged Canon, the Longpond 1941 58 year old from Jamaica. Yet it is nearly as old as the 1972 37 year old Courcelles which was the first to truly switch me on to French Island rhums, and which is the oldest such aged product I've yet found – others, such as the Bally 1929 and Clement 1952 and the St James 1885 were made before 1953, but are younger. Whatever the case, it is a blast from the past, something we should try if we can just to get a sense of the evolution of rum and rhum and ron over the decades. And yes, also because it's so damn cool to have something from the fifties.
So what was happening in 1953? The Cold War was in full swing, of course, Eisenhower was inaugurated as #34, Mossadegh was overthrown, Stalin died, Kruschev lived. The Kenyan Mau Mau uprising was going on while the Korean conflict "ended." Everest was conquered. Watson and Crick announced DNA, Ian Fleming published the first James Bond novel, the first Playby came out, and Jacques Tati released the whimsical classic M. Hulot's Holiday (a favourite of mine, along with Playtime). The rationing of cane sugar in the UK came to an end. The Brits suspended the British Guiana constitution and occupied the country militarily so as to make it safe for democracy. And this rum came off the still in Damoiseau's facilities.
I have no idea whether it was pure cane juice distillate or molasses – Guadeloupe has a history of mixing things up, which is part of their attraction for me – but just based on the way it nosed and tasted when run past other aged dinosaurs (the Courcelles, Damoiseau's own 1980, the Cadenhead Green Label 1975 among others) I'm going to say it had at least some molasses-based spirit in the bag. It was a sort of mud brown opaque liquid that immediately made me remember the St James 1885, and poured thickly into a glass, even at its relatively low ABV of 42%.
But it smelled very nice for all that low power. Really. It had deep fruity flavours of blackberries and prunes, plus a lighter note of strawberries and orange peel, flambeed bananas, and it reminded me somewhat of a Bajan Black Rock rum, what with that underlying series of crisper smells. Candied oranges, a flirt of caramel, some faint licorice, very ripe cherries added to the fun. However it was deeper than any of those, richer, smokier, and developed over time into a plump and rotund nose that steered you between the darkness of a crazy old fellow like the 1885, and the clarity of Damoiseau's 1989 20 year old. Which perhaps says something for bottles that have sat waiting their turn for many many decades.
The palate is perhaps where people will pause and look at the glass a second time. That it was pungent and warm was beyond question: even at the rather anemic strength, one could easily appreciate the relative smooth profile, pick out some weak brine, prunes, chocolate covered dates, banana cake, strawberries and honey; and to that, over time, was added a few lighter balancing elements of unripe strawberries, maybe a stalk of lemongrass. Overall, what fruitiness there was, was dialled way back and became almost imperceptible, to be overtaken by something more like a mix between tannins and some much-too-strong unsweetened black tea, both a good and a bad thing, depending on your viewpoint. As for the finish, not much could be said – warm, short and unfortunately weak. That said, here perhaps more could be discerned which were missing from the palate – black tea, honey, raisins, faint chocolate, plenty of crushed walnuts, if too little of the fruitiness I was looking for.
Taking all these aspects together, one must concede that it started well, it's just that as it opened up, there emerged a sort of woody, smoky, nutty background: this gradually overwhelmed the delicate balance with the fruit which the rhum needed (my opinion), and that to some extent derailed the experience. Too, the flavours melded into each other in a way that a stronger strength might have separated, creating a somewhat indeterminate melange that was tasty, yes, just…indistinct. And not entirely successful.
After the fact, looking at the rhum coldly and practically and assessing it on price alone, I can't tell you this is a must-have. It's the kind that relies on the numbers "5", "3" and "1" to be taken seriously, but when it comes down to a tasting, it doesn't quite live up to the hype of the halo…and the numbers become just that, numbers. As with rums like the Black Tot (or even the St James, Clement or Bally rhums mentioned above), we're buying to touch the past and reconnect with a sense of real heritage, back when the Cuban style of rum dominated the market, to see how what we drink now came from what was made then. It absolutely is a major product in that sense — just not exceptional, compared to what it costs, compared to what we might expect.
So, the Damoiseau 1953 nails the historical value and cool presentation ethos just fine, and it is different, fascinating, old, pretty good, and if that's what you want, you're good to go. You'll be the belle of the ball showing it off, and all the stares and envious plaudits will surely be yours for the taking (unless someone trots out a Bally). The best thing to do — when you're in the store looking at it, with your bonus cheque twitching in your pocket — is to ask yourself some very honest questions as to why you want to buy it and then proceed purely on that basis. I ignored that advice myself, and that's why you're reading this review.
The Single Cask review is really worth a read. Also, he noted that it came from some "lost casks" but Herve Damoiseau, when confirming the age as 31 years for me (the rhum was bottled in 1984), didn't know anything about that.
Posted by Ruminsky at 4:52 am	Aged Rums - 31 YO +, Column Still Rums, Damoiseau, Guadeloupe, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type Tagged with: Damoiseau, Guadeloupe, Heritage Rum, Millesime, Premium Rums, Ultra-Aged Rums
Velier Guadeloupe Rhum Vieux "Basseterre" 1997 – Review
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Don't get so caught up in the Velier's 70th Anniversary bottlings, their dwindling Demeraras or the now flavour-of-the-month Caronis, that you forget the one-offs, the small stuff, the ones that don't make waves any longer (if they ever did). Just because the Damoiseau 1980, Courcelles 1972, Basseterre and Rhum Rhum lines don't make headlines while the aforementioned series do, is actually a good reason to try and find them, for they remain undiscovered treasures in the history of Velier and are often undervalued, or even (gasp!) underpriced.
One of these delightful short form works by La Casa di Gargano is the Basseterre 1997, a companion to the Basseterre 1995, which I thought had been an excellent agricole (scored 87), if, as I mentioned in the review, somewhat overshadowed by other aspects of Luca's oevre. I had sourced them both, but for some reason got sent two of the 1995 and none of the 1997, and was so pissed off that it took me another two years to grudgingly spring the cash for another 1997 (if you're interested, I gave a Danish friend the extra 1995, unopened).
The two Basseterre rhums have an interesting backstory. Back in the mid 2000s, Velier had its relationship with Damoiseau in place and Luca, as was (and is) his wont, struck up a friendship with Sylvain Guzzo, the commercial director of Karukera, and asked him to sniff around for some good casks elsewhere in Guadeloupe. In these cynical and pessimistic times we cast the jaundiced eyes of aged streetwalkers at remarks like "he did it for me entirely out of friendship, not money" but knowing Luca I believe it to be the unvarnished truth, because he's, y'know, just that kind of guy. In any event, some barrels from Montebello were sourced, samples were sent and a deal struck to issue them under Velier's imprimatur. Luca is by his own admission a lousy painter, and therefore worked with a young architectural student from a university in Slovenia to design the labels with their abstract artwork and was going to use the Montebello name on them…before that company saw the Velier catalogue, had a lawyer issue a cease and desist order, and that plan had to change on the spot. So after considering and rejecting the name "Renegade" (maybe that would also have created problems) the label was quickly amended to "Basseterre" and so it was issued.
Anecdotes aside, what have we got here? A Guadeloupe column-distilled 49.2% ABV rhum from the Carrere distillerie more commonly called Montebello, located just a little south of Petit Bourg and in operation since 1930. Curiously, it's a blend: of rhum agricole (distilled from cane juice) and rhum traditionnel (distilled from molasses). Aged…well, what is the age? It was put in oak in 1997 then taken out of the barrels in 2006 (again, just like the 1997 edition) and placed in an inert vat until 2008 for the two divergent strains to marry. So I'm calling it a nine year old, though one could argue it sat for 11 years even if it was just twiddling its thumbs for two. And as noted above, there's a reason why Sylvain's name is on the back label, so now you know pretty much the same story as me.
Even now I remember being enthused about the 1995, though it had issues with how it opened. That level of uncouth seemed to be under greater control here – it was somewhat sharp, sweet and salty at the same time, just not in a messy way. The lighter sweet started to become more noticeable after it began to morph into honey and floral notes, plus anise, a little cumin, and softer, riper fruits such as bananas. Under that was a nice counterpoint of well-behaved (if the term could be applied without smiling) acetone and rubber and an odd ashy kind of smell which was quite intriguing. In fine, the nose was a really nice and complex to a fault, quite impressive.
I also had no fault to find with the palate which reminded me right off of creamy Danish cookies and a nice Guinness. A little malty in its own way. It was very clear and crisp to taste, with brine, aromatic herbs (dill, parsley, coriander), spices (cumin leavened with a dusting of nutmeg), honey, unsweetened yoghurt, and a light vein of citrus, out of which emerged, at the end, some coffee grounds and fleshy, ripe fruits, all of which was summed up in a really good fade, dry and well balanced, that went on for a surprisingly long time, giving up gradually diminishing notes of anise, coffee, fruits and a little citrus.
The rum really was quite a good one, better than the 1995, I'd suggest, because somehow the complexity was better handled and it was faintly richer. It's great that they are not well known, which keeps them available and reasonably priced to this day, but it's too bad there were only two of these made, because unlike the Demeraras or Caronis there is not a great level of comparability to go on with. Be that as it may, the fact remains that these smaller editions of more limited bottlings — which don't have the hype or the glory of the great series for which Velier is justly famed — are like Stephen King's short stories tossed off between better known doorstopper novels like "It", "Duma Key", "The Stand" or The Gunslinger Cycle. Yet can we truly say that "Quitters Inc" "The Ledge" or "Crouch End" are somehow less? Of course not. This thing is a sweet, intense song on the "B" side of a best selling 45 – perhaps not as good as the bestseller which fronts it, but one which all aficionados of the band can justly appreciate. And speaking for myself, I have no problem with that at all.
Outturn is unknown
Background history of the company can be found at the bottom of the 1995 review
Posted by Ruminsky at 11:25 pm	Aged Rums - 06-10 YO, Blended Rums, Column Still Rums, Europe, Guadeloupe, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, Velier Tagged with: Blended Rums, Carrere, Guadeloupe, Montebello, Velier
Bielle Rhum Vieux Agricole Brut de Fût 2007 7 Year Old – Review
The nose of the seven year old 57.3% Bielle is deceptive in the extreme, quiet and camouflaged, and sneaks up on you like a spec ops team on dawn patrol through a foggy jungle. At first there's not much…vague hints of grass, sap and sweet honey. Maybe some herbs, an earthy sort of musk. A flower or two. It's all very commonplace for a Guadeloupe rhum and you might think after a few seconds of careful sniffing, "What, is this all there is?" …before it opens up and then it's like Major T.J. Kong cheerfully went on the offensive big time, with a fusillade of additional smells emerging as if from ambush: citrus, herbs, dill and cloves zipping around, followed by the solid crump-crump of honey, more caramel and eucalyptus oil. Whew! The Bielle 2007 might have started inoffensive and easy but it sure knew how to make up for lost time once it got going.
And if the nose is a gradually unfolding escalation, well, the palate is like a full scale battle joined between opposing forces in love with all their laser-guided precision artillery. It was sharp and light and furious all at once, a bombardment of delicious flavours, throwing shards of flowers, honey, wet green grass, bananas, pears, watermelon, olives, and cane juice sap with all the insouciance of a bird-colonel in the suck testing out his latest hi-tech toys. Add a little water and spices emerge, precisely, forcefully, tastily – cinnamon and nutmeg for the most part, some cloves, as well as sugar water, and even a touch of brine. And it all leads to a long and rather sharp denouement, crisp and yet warm, redolent of caramel, citrus, tannins and smoke. Bit of a comedown, here, balance was slightly off, sharpness a tad too much…we may have burnt the rum in order to save it, Cap'n.
Okay, so this is perhaps overly metaphorical for a rum review, an armchair rumwarrior's idle fascination with military exercises (though at least it's a fun digression from standard tasting notes, I suggest). But the tastes and sensations were there, as described, and any rum that can inspire such daydreams is worth a look, right? It presents as quite a fascinating piece of work, and those were the thoughts that ran through my mind on an afternoon when I perhaps had too much time on my hands. Each morsel of flavour arrived precisely, pirouetted, fired off a volley, shouldered arms and then marched off. It was great.
Bielle is not a company whose wares I've seen or tried much of – in fact, that was the reason I bought this one (and the Dillon, from last week). Located just south of dead centre on the tiny island of Marie Galante (itself south of Guadeloupe), Bielle was a small sugar plantation dating back to the late 1700s, named after Jean-Pierre Bielle (he also owned a coffee shop), which went through a series of owners and went belly-up in the 1930s; it was eventually sold to a local landowner, Paul Rameaux, which did nothing to revive its waning fortunes. 1975 marked a revival of Bielle when la Société d'Exploitation de la Distillerie Bielle (SEDB) took over the assets, and nowadays a nephew of Mr. Rameaux, Dominique Thiery, runs the small distillery. So, it's another small outfit from the French West Indies about whom only the islanders themselves and the French seem to know very much. But y'know, after trying this just-short-of-phenomenal young rhum, I'm jealous as all get-out and kicking myself, because where has this thing been all my life while I was dancing with the rhums from elsewhere? I'd better get some more from there, and quickly, because I'll tell you, this is a distillery making rhums which deserve some serious attention.
Velier issued a rhum from Bielle as part of their 2017 70th Anniversary, also from 2007.
Posted by Ruminsky at 6:00 pm	Aged Rums - 06-10 YO, Agricoles, Bielle, Column Still Rums, Guadeloupe, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type Tagged with: Agricoles, Bielle, Guadeloupe
Velier's star shone brightly in 2017, so much so that if you were following the October 2017 UK rumfest on Facebook, it almost seemed like they took over the joint and nothing else really mattered. Luca's collaboration with Richard Seale of Foursquare over the last few years resulted the vigorous promotion of a new rum classification system, as well as the spectacular 2006 ten year old and the Triptych (with more to come); and for Velier's 70th Anniversary – marked by events throughout the year – a whole raft of rums got issued from Jamaica, Barbados, St. Lucia, Guadeloupe, Mauritius, Japan….So much happened and so much got done that I had to re-issue an updated company biography, and that's definitely a first. The Age of Velier's Demeraras might be over and the Caronis might be on a decline as the stocks evaporate…but company is in no danger of becoming an also-ran anytime soon.
Still, all these great rums aside, let us not forget some of the older, lesser known, more individual rums they put out the door, such as the Damoiseau 1980 and the Basseterre 1995 and 1997, some of the Papalins and Liberation series, the older Guyanese rums distributed at lesser proofs by Breitenstock…and this one which is on nobody's must-have list except mine. It holds a special place in my heart – not just because it was issued by Velier (thought this surely is part of it), but because the original Courcelles 1972 is the very rum that started my love affair with French island rhums and agricoles…so for sure this one had some pretty big shoes to try and fill.
It filled them and then some. Reddish gold and at a robust 54% ABV (there's another 42% version floating around) it started off with a beeswax, honey and smoke aroma, heavy and distinct, and segued into treacle, nougat, white chocolate and nuts. Not much of an agricole profile permeated its nose, and since it's been observed before that since Guadeloupe – from which this hails – is not AOC controlled and uses molasses as often as juice for its rhums, the Courcelles could be either one. No matter: I loved it. Even after an hour or two, more scents kept emerging from the glass – caramel and a faint saltiness, aromatic flower-based hot tea, and just to add some edge, a fine line of mild orange zest ran through it all, well balanced and adding to the overall lusciousness of the product.
The palate, which is where I spent most of my time, was excellent, though perhaps a little more restrained…some attention had to be paid here. The brutal aggro of a rum bottled at 60%-plus had been dialled back, pruned like a bonsai, and left a poem of artistry and taste behind: more honey, nougat, nutmeg, brown sugar water, and calming waves of shaved coconut and the warmth of well-polished old leather, cumin, and anise, with that same light vein of orange peel still making itself unobtrusively felt without destabilizing the experience. At the close, long and aromatic aromas simply continued the aforementioned and quietly wrapped up the show with final suggestions of rose tea, almonds, coconut and light fruit in a long, sweet and dry finish. Frankly, it was hard to see it being the same vintage as the Velier Courcelles 42% which was tried alongside it, and was better in every way – the 54% was an excellent strength for what was on display and I enjoyed every minute of it.
There's a streak of contrariness in my nature that seeks to resist flavour-of-the month rums that ascend to the heights of public opinion to the point where their makers can do no wrong and every issuance of a new expression is met with chirps of delight, holy cows and a rush to buy them all. But even with that in mind, quality is quality and skill is skill and when a rum is this good it cannot be ignored or snootily dismissed in an effort to provide "balance" in some kind of perverse reflex action good only for the personal ego. Velier, even when nobody knew of them, showed great market sense, great powers of selection and issued great rums, which is why they're just about all collector's items now. The Demeraras and Caronis and collaborations with other makers showed vision and gave us all fantastic rums to treasure…but here, from the dawn of Luca's meteoric career, came a now-almost-forgotten and generally-overlooked rum that came close to breaking the scale altogether. It is one of the best rums from the French islands ever issued by an independent, a cornerstone of my experience with older rums from around the world…and hopefully, if you are fortunate enough to ever try it, yours.
The Courcelles distillery in Grande Terre (one of the two "wings" of Guadeloupe island) was established in the 1930s and closed way back in 1964 when the then owner, M. Despointes, transferred the inventory and equipment to another distillery, that of Ste Marthe. They continued using Courcelles's pot still and distilled this rum in 1972. This is probably the last year any Courcelles was made – I've never been able to find one made more recently.
Distilled in 1972 and set to age in 220 liter barrels until 2003 when it was decanted into "dead" vats, and then bottled in 2005. I chose to call it a 31 year old, not a 33.
The profile does not suggest an agricole, and since Guadeloupe is not AOC compliant, it may derive from molasses…or not. If anyone has definitive information or a link to settle the issue, please let me know.
Posted by Ruminsky at 10:49 pm	Aged Rums - 31 YO +, Courcelles, Guadeloupe, Independent Bottlers, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, Velier Tagged with: Agricoles, Courcelles, Guadeloupe, Velier
Secret Treasures 1992 11 Year Old Guadeloupe Rum – Review
The independent bottler Secret Treasures is no longer the same company it started out as, and this particular and delectable Guadeloupe rum was selected by the Swiss concern Fassbind before they sold off the brand to Haromex in 2005. So although Haromex is now making a new line of rums under the ST label (like the St Lucia Vendome and John Dore still rums I've looked at before), this rhum predates them and is part of the original line up. Guadeloupe is, of course, somewhat general a term so let me expand on that by saying the rhum originates from the Gardel Distillerie located in the north-east of Grand Terre in the commune of Le Moule. Gardel, owned by Générale Sucrière, a major player in the global sugar refining industry, is one of two distilleries in Le Moule (the other is Damoiseau) and earns some of its distinction by being the sole refinery on the main island. I don't think Gardel makes any rhums of its own but sell rum stock to brokers and others – however, there is maddeningly little information available and I've got some queries out there which may make me amend this portion of the post in future.
Some basic facts on the rhum then, just to set the scene: it was from the Gardel distillery, distilled 1992 and bottled August 2003 from three casks which provided 1,401 bottles (this was #327). It was issued at a relatively unadventurous 42% which would have been fairly standard at that time, and one can only wonder what it has been doing for the last fourteen years and why nobody ever bought the thing. Since I had and retain a sneaking appreciation for Secret Treasures ever since I had their excellent Enmore 1989, there were no battles with my conscience to buy a few more from their range. Note that it is labelled as a "rum" (not rhum) and I have no absolute confirmation whether it was truly cane-juice derived, or where exactly it was aged (even Reference-rhum, that online French-language encyclopedia of rum brands, says "molasses" with a question mark under its entry).
In any event, whatever its ultimate source or point of ageing, I thought it was a zippy and sprightly rhum of initially crisp clarity and cleanliness. Coloured orange-amber, it nosed in surprisingly bright and clear fashion, immediately giving up aromas of honey, flowers and 7-Up (seriously!); over a period of minutes a more solid briny background emerged, accompanied by perfectly ripe fleshy fruits – peaches, apricots, sultanas and raspberries. Not particularly fierce or savage – it was too laid back and standard strength for that – but a very enjoyable nosing experience, the sort of easy going yet sufficiently assertive profile to have one curiously going deeper into it just to see where the rabbit hole led.
Aside from a certain lightness to the profile, the palate provided a soft series of tastes, which were fruity, floral, musky and delicate all at the same time. It was hard to know what to make of it – initially there were flowers, fudge, salty caramel, coconut, and vanilla, counterpointed with lemon zest, green apples, grapes and peaches. After a while additional flavours evolved: maple syrup, aromatic tobacco and vague coffee. Some of the crispness of the nose faded into the background here, and overall it did not present the sort of complexity that would advance it to the top shelf, but it was distinct enough to grab the attention, and at the very least it was intriguing, and for sure quite pleasant to drink. Perhaps the finish was the weakest part, being short and easy and light, mostly reminding one of caramel, light fruits, and raisins, which goes some way to making me wondering whether it was a true cane juice distillate (it lacked the distinctive herbal grassiness of such a product), or from molasses. One thing was clear though – it was nicely made, and wore its middle age well, without any kind of raw edge or jagged sharpness that distinguishes extremely young bottom-tier rums.
So: trying this clean and playful Guadeloupe rhum in tandem with the L'Esprit Bellevue 58% 8-year-old and the Longueteau 6-year-old VSOP, I felt the last two rhums were remarkably similar, though I liked the soft honey and maple-syrup notes of the Secret Treasures just a little more, and the L'Esprit better than both, which just goes to show that ageing isn't everything, especially in the world of agricoles (remember the spectacular Chantal Comte 1980?). Be that as it may, there's nothing at all bad about the ST Gardel 1992 rhum, and in fact it makes me really interested to try the 1989 variation, just to see how it stacks up. These days Fassbind is long gone from the scene and Haromex is making changes to the labels and the line up – but for those of you who come across some of the original bottler's expressions dating back from the eighties and nineties, you could do a lot worse than pick one of them up, if for no reason than the pure and simple enjoyment of a well-aged rhum, well made, almost forgotten, and tasting just fine.
(84.5/100)
The Gardel plant, also known as Sainte-Marie, is the only sugar plant which still operating in Guadeloupe. It was founded in 1870 and its first owner was Benjamin François Benony Saint-Alarey, who chose to pay homage to his paternal grandmother in his naming of the factory. In 1994, the sugar sector in Guadeloupe underwent major restructuring, leading to the closure of all sugar factories on the island except Gardel which is currently composed of an agricultural part with a 1000 hectares and an industrial area. It produces nearly 100,000 tons of sugar per year. Information about the distillery is much more scant, unfortunately, though there's a curious note by Ed Hamilton on the original Ministry of Rum forum, that it was closed by 1994…and the label for Renegade Guadeloupe 1998 mentions both a column still, and 1992 as the last date of any distillation.
Posted by Ruminsky at 6:00 pm	Aged Rums - 11-15 YO, Agricoles, Column Still Rums, Europe, Guadeloupe, Independent Bottlers, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, Secret Treasures Tagged with: Europe, Fassbind AG, Guadeloupe, Rums from Guadeloupe, Secret Treasures
Longueteau VSOP Rhum Vieux Agricole – Review
Much as I had with the Longueteau Grand Réserve, a ten year old agricole from Basse-Terre (Guadeloupe), I felt the 42% strength on the six year old VSOP was perhaps too timid and too wispy for a rhum which could have been more had it been made stronger. Longueteau, a distillery which has been in operation since 1895 and produces the Karukera and Longueteau lines of rhums, seems to eschew fierce and powerful expressions and is quite content to keep on issuing standard strength work, but since their quality is nothing to sneeze at and is readily approachable by the larger body of rum aficionados, perhaps they have hit on a preferred strength and just stick with it.
In any case, the orange amber coloured rhum presented very nicely indeed on the nose, beginning with a light sort of fruit basket left in the sun too long but just missing being overripe. There was vanilla ice cream and the vague saltiness of rye bread and that spread known as kraüter-quark in Germany, with dill and parsley adding some interesting herbal notes. Like most agricoles it was delicate and crisp at the same time, and while there was certainly some sugar cane sap and grassiness it, this stayed very much in the background. After opening up over several minutes more, one could discern olives in nutmeg, brine, watermelon and peaches, light and clear, firm and delicate all at once.
The nose was certainly very pleasant – however much one had to work at it – but on the palate the 42% became somewhat more problematic since it really was too light and easy….though one could say "playful" as well, and still be on the mark. Oddly, a drop of water (and another ten minutes of opening up) solved that problem nicely, allowing clear, if faint, acetone and fried banana flavours to emerge. These merged well with some smoke and oaken tannins, more vanilla and a smorgasbord of fruits to come forward – papaya, watermelon, sugar water, pears and white guavas – to which, over time, were added herbs, and some pickled gherkins, leading up to a short, dry finish mostly redolent of soya, brine, dark bread and (again) vanilla and a grape or two.
Overall the rhum was a very pleasant one, if perhaps just too gentle. Many will enjoy it for precisely those attributes, since it doesn't assault the senses but prefers to stroke them with a silken wire of flavour, and draws back from any kind of serious challenge or analysis. A cocktail geek can probably make an interesting concoction with it, but for my money this is a tasty, twittering little rumlet, which, with a few extra proof points, might be even better, and in its current iteration, can be had by itself without any additional embellishment. It's both complex enough within its limitations, and unassertive enough for the peaceniks, to give perfect satisfaction on that level, and in any case, yes, I did like it: whatever my reservations, I also consider it a soundly enjoyable sundowner that adds to the sum total of the delicious variations which agricoles provide.
Some distillery notes are provided in the review of the Grand Réserve.
The company website says aged in oak casks that once held brandy; other sources say ex-cognac barrels.
Posted by Ruminsky at 8:32 pm	Aged Rums - 01-5 YO, Agricoles, Blended Rums, Column Still Rums, Guadeloupe, Longueteau, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type Tagged with: Agricoles, Guadeloupe, Longueteau, Rums from Basse-Terre, Rums from Guadeloupe


text:
Germany begs Russia to pick up the torch that US has dropped
This is American exceptionalism in action. It means, 'except' America.
by Frank Sellers May 12, 2018 11.5k Views 49 Votes
Germany's Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, who has a history of expressing anti Russian rhetoric relevant to Russia's presence in Syria as well as an alleged cyber attack on the German Foreign Ministry which Maas says that he 'has to assume stemmed from Russia', has turned an about face. He has traveled, for the first time, to Moscow to discuss international diplomacy, the Iran nuclear deal, peace talks on Ukraine, and Syria.
Maas met with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, where he encouraged Russia to leverage its influence with Iran to help spur the Middle Eastern state in remaining committed to the nuclear deal, which Trump abandoned earlier in the week.
Maas then declared that Germany was interested in bringing back the peace talks on the Ukraine, together with other European partners. Maas also pointed out that the Syrian conflict can't be settled without Russia, before contributing a wreath to the tomb of the unknown soldier, which is a dedication to Russian soliders who died fighting the Germans in WW2.
Deutsche Welle reports:
Germany's top diplomat Heiko Maas and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov both called for the nuclear deal with Iran to be upheld on Thursday, during Maas' first official visit to Russia. The appeal marks a rare moment of unity between Moscow and Berlin just days after US walked out on the 2015 accord.
In Moscow, Maas urged Russia to influence Tehran and make it stick to the deal, which aims to limit Iran's alleged pursuit of nuclear weapons. The German foreign minister also said he was seeking details from the US on its plans for future sanctions against Iran.
US President Donald Trump has shrugged off pressurefrom allies to keep the deal in place and called the accord "defective at its core." However, leaders of the UK, France, and Germany all contacted Iranian President Hasan Rouhani in the attempt to salvage the accord.
Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel called Rouhani on Thursday to reaffirm Germany's commitment to the deal "as long as Iran continues to fulfil its obligations," said Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert. Merkel also said she was ready to negotiate about Iran's ballistic missiles and involvement in Syria and Yemen.
Angela Merkel is also set to visit Russia next week.
New start on Ukraine?
Visiting Moscow on Thursday, Germany's top diplomat Maas suggested reviving the peace talks between Germany, France, Ukraine and Russia on the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Lavrov responded by saying Russia was "ready to consider" this offer.
Maas also called for "honest dialogue" with Moscow and for Russia to be included in global diplomacy, despite its differences with Berlin. Maas admitted that the conflict in Syria "cannot be solved without Russia."
The German diplomat also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow, which is dedicated to the Soviet soldiers killed during World War II.
Lavrov said on Thursday that he "appreciated" Maas' traveling to Russia so soon after becoming foreign minister. He said talking face to face was much better than "microphone diplomacy," in an apparent jibe at Maas' comments on Russia in an interview with news magazine Der Spiegel.
Maas tough on Russia
Maas has struck a more forceful tone on Russia than his predecessor and fellow Social Democrat, Sigmar Gabriel.
In the Spiegel interview, he has called Russia an "aggressor" and accused the Russian government of being "increasingly hostile," which has been met with criticism from his SPD party.
Also in a bid to get Russia to assume a leadership position relative to preserving the nuclear deal, and by extension, the European economy, Merkel got on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where he mutually voiced his concern over Trump's action, and where Merkel also came forward about the situation in Syria. i24News International reports:
Putin has previously voiced "deep concern" over US President Donald Trump's decision and Russian officials have said they would work with European partners to preserve the agreement.
"The importance of preserving the deal from a point of view of international and regional stability was highlighted," the Kremlin said in a statement following a call between Putin and Merkel.
The two leaders also discussed the situation in Syria as well as Merkel's planned working visit to Russia next week, Moscow said Merkel has previously said Germany and its European partners would "do everything" to ensure Iran remains in the landmark 2015 nuclear deal.
Coinciding with Trump's withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran's nuclear development, and western sanctions relative thereto, and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas's visit to Moscow and German Chancellor Angela's phone call with Putin, the German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Peter Altmaier, is set to travel to Moscow next week to discuss European, particularly German, energy cooperation efforts with Russia, notably the Nord – Stream 2 project, as the insecure future of the Iran nuclear deal and the resumption of American sanctions introduces some uncertainty for the future of the German energy sector.
TASS reports:
BERLIN, May 11. /TASS/. Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier has confirmed that he will visit Moscow at the beginning of the next week, he said in an interview with German radio station Deutschlandfunk released on Friday.
"I will follow my colleague [German Foreign Minister Heiko] Maas, who attended negotiations in Moscow yesterday. I will be there on Monday and Tuesday, and Chancellor [Angela Merkel will visit Sochi – TASS] during the week," Altmaier said.
German news agency DPA earlier reported that Altmaier plans to visit Ukraine and Russia on May 13-14 and chiefly discuss energy issues there, in particular the implementation of the Nord Stream – 2 project and Ukraine's role as the a transit corridor for Russian gas to Europe.
The issue of German-Russian economic cooperation will dominate the Moscow visit. DPA reported that there is uncertainty in German business circles regarding the sanctions policy. Altmaier will also discuss in Moscow preparations for Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to Sochi on May 18, where she is due to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Altmaier earlier headed the German Chancellery and is believed to be one of Merkel's most trusted advisors.
Meanwhile, Merkel has not only reiterated Germany's commitment to the nuclear deal, but also its word in multilateral agreements. Speaking to the Catholic Convention in Münster, she stated the importance of standing by international agreements while echoing her disappointment with the Trump withdrawal from the JCPOA.
She's the most high-profile guest of the "Katholikentag," Germany's Catholic Convention: Chancellor Angela Merkel came to the five-day event in Münster as it turned its attention to international politics on Friday.
Merkel called the US decision to leave the Iran nuclear deal "a cause of great concern," in a panel discussion and emphasized the role of international cooperation when confronting crises.
"If we always step away from multilateral agreements as soon as we don't like something about them, that would be a bad message for the world. We want to strengthen multilateralism," the chancellor said.
She said the US decision was a "serious incident" but not a reason to call the entire transatlantic relationship into question, adding that she would "continue to support transatlantic partnership."
All of this, of course, in a lead up to Merkel's visit to Sochi on the 18th with a view to urging Moscow to take up the leadership that Trump has abdicated on the international playing field by working out a way to save the nuclear deal as well as confidence in multilateral agreements. As a bonus, Merkel is promising to revive constructive diplomacy between Europe and Moscow, notably as it relates to energy cooperation, the Syria situation, and peace talks over the Ukraine.
Deutsche Welle observes:
German-Russian relations had soured because of alleged Russian cyberattacks and the Kremlin's annexation of Crimea. But the US President's hardline policy on around the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) for Iran has intensified the search for common ground in Berlin and Moscow. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi on May 18, and on Friday morning the two spoke on the telephone.
"The importance of preserving the deal from a point of view of international and regional stability was highlighted," the Kremlin said in a statement following the call.
Merkel's spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said that the two leaders had agreed to push for the other signatories to the deal — France, the UK and China — to continue abiding by it. Merkel also touched on the future of the agreement in remarks she made in the city of Münster on Friday.
"I believe it is not right that a deal which was agreed, which was voted upon in the UN Security Council and unanimously approved, should be unilaterally terminated," Merkel said, adding that the US decision "damages trust in the international order."
The foreign ministers of Germany, France and the UK will meet with their Iranian counterpart next Tuesday in Brussels. But equally important, if the JCPOA is to survive, would be coordination with Russia and China, since those two nations can offer Tehran the biggest incentives to stay in the nuclear deal. …In Sochi, Merkel is likely to lobby Putin to give Tehran guarantees of future economic cooperation in return for abiding by the provisions of the JCPOA.
…Trump's unilateralism — and in particular a brusque tweet by the new US ambassador to Germany — have been interpreted as attempts by Washington to impose its policy and law beyond its borders. That has led some commentators to diagnose a breakdown in solidarity between the US and Western Europe.
The Financial Times newspaper postulated that Tuesday "may be remembered as the day the US abandoned its belief in allies." Those sentiments were echoed by Elmar Brok, a conservative German Member of the European Parliament.
"We have to acknowledge that on these and other issues that Western unity is crumbling, and there is no partnership," Brok told a German radio station. "This means that we now have to try, together with the Chinese and the Russians, to keep the Middle East free of nuclear weapons."
Trump, in pushing his 'America First' campaign is doing the exact opposite. In reality, it translates to 'America alone', as his maneuver on the Iran deal demonstrates that America is not only concerned with its own interests first, while it possesses a position of global influence, but that this means that America's interests are of priority, even if that means chopping off cooperation with its allies with moves that are detrimental to their interests.
But it's not just America's European allies who recognize this. As American belligerence continues to develop ever more aggressively against those regimes which America possesses little dominance over, those nations have further begun to ban together to work with each other as they become further ostracized by the West.
America has decided to conduct a trade war with China, and threatened actual war, hence China as developed its One Belt One Road initiative to unify the region in trade matters, and is presently implementing its own petroyuan to rival the dominance of the American dollar in the oil trading business.
America has decided that it doesn't want to be friends with Russia, hitting it with multiple rounds of sanctions and threats, hence, Russia is therefore developing its options out with its neighbors.
America has decided that it will punish the Venezuelans for having their own oil sector and refusing American domination, hence they are developing a crypocurrency to conduct trade with Russia, and potentially China.
It's a foreign policy of narcissism, where America perceives its 'exception' as if its own interests are the only ones that matter at all, and to hell with everyone else. This mode of action not only harms allied interests, but is pushing them into the zone of those which America is at opposition, namely, China and Russia. Once America pushes someone out of the way, they begin looking around for other options, to pursue their interests with or without America, and this time, for Europe, particularly in this case Germany, without America.
As America abandons its position of leadership on the global playing field, it is opening up the way for Russia take up the torch and bring peace and stability where America brings division and destabilization.
RussiaDonald TrumpVladimir PutinAngela MerkelGermanySyriaChinaUkraineIranUnited StatesJCPOA
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
You Inspired Me to Work Hard': Russell Wilson Pens Heartfelt Thank You Note to Peyton Manning
"You inspired the kid in the green shirt."
SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 15: Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks looks to throw the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during their game at Qwest Field on September 15, 2013 in Seattle, Washington. Credit: Getty Images
Seattle Seahawks Quarterback Russell Wilson penned a heartfelt open-letter to Peyton Manning Monday, one day after the Denver Broncos quarterback led his team to a victory in Super Bowl 50.
Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks looks to throw the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during their game at Qwest Field on September 15, 2013 in Seattle, Washington. Credit: Getty Images
Wilson's letter to Manning was posted as rumors continue to swirl that the legendary quarterback will retire after earning his record-breaking 200th career win in Sunday's Super Bowl victory.
Here's Wilson's letter, posted on The Players' Tribune:
From all the wins, to the few tough losses. From the 71,000 yards, to all the touchdowns, to the few interceptions.
From all the meetings, to all the hard practices, to all the film, to all the blood, sweat and tears.
From all the Pro Bowls, to the handful of MVPs, to the two Lombardi trophies. From all the teammates, to all the opponents, to all the fans.
From the blue and white, to the blue and orange …
Sheriff,
If this is it, there's one moment I won't forget.
10th grade. Louisiana. At your quarterback camp.
Image source: The Players' Tribune
You inspired the kid in the green shirt.
You inspired me to work hard. To be disciplined. To be respectful. To take notes.
You inspired me to love the process. To love the sweat. To love the tears.
But most of all …
You inspired me to love the game.
Thanks, Peyton.
If this is it,


This is a pair of Navajo handcrafted earrings by Ronnie Henry. These beautiful earrings are created with Purple Spiny Oyster Shell and Sterling Silver. Both settings are signed by Ronnie and are marked Sterling.
The earrings measure approximately 3 inches long as measured from the center of the french ear loop to the bottom of the setting.
Total weight of the pair is 8.0 grams.


Saying goodbye can be among the hardest things to do in life. That's why there are so many good songs about the process, and not all of them are found in the country music catalog. In fact, Scandal's Goodbye to You, an upbeat rocker, is among the best of the bunch. Patty Smyth's searing lyrics make this song an unforgettable experience for the listener.
The reason CTN was thinking about saying goodbye as he prepared this week's Crashing the Net is because it is time to say goodbye to almost half of the NHL's 30 teams. Come Sunday, 14 teams will be done for the season, left to watch helplessly as their 16 peers advance to the postseason.
CTN thought about using Pantera's Cemetery Gates to talk about the goodbye process, but decided to go in a different, less harsh direction.
The 14 teams that don't advance are forgotten, for the most part, as attention turns to the race ahead instead of the race just completed. There is precious little time to do after-action reports in the spring of an NHL season. Simply, there is too much other stuff going on.
So CTN decided to take a step back from the building playoff fever to take the time to give the NHL's eliminated teams a proper sendoff.
Unfortunately, CTN only can say goodbye to 10 of the 14 teams that are shutting down shop at the regular season's conclusion. Four teams that aren't in the top 16 spots -- Buffalo, Washington, Chicago and Vancouver -- still have playoff hopes as the season enters its frantic four-day fight to the finish line, so we don't want to say premature goodbyes to those teams. Therefore, they are not included in this exercise.
For the 10 eliminated teams, though, it is time to remember the good times and the bad from the 2007-08 season, and thank each of the clubs for the memories they provided the NHL fan this season.
And unlike Patty Smyth, who is giving her boyfriend the final kiss-off in Goodbye to You, CTN knows he will welcome all these teams back into the fold next season, eager to see what they can do to re-win CTN's affection. In fact, the hope for the future is the theme for each team's goodbye missive.
Atlanta -- At the start of the season there was so much to like about this team. It was coming off its first playoff appearance and looked to have the pieces in place to continue the climb to respectability. But things went horribly wrong and the Thrashers finished the season in a free fall. Can they bounce back? You bet they can. They have some pieces in place, for sure. Despite the beating he has taken in the media, GM Don Waddell is a pretty astute fellow and he can guide the renaissance. Kari Lehtonen has not developed as expected in goal, but he still is young enough to turn it around. Ilya Kovalchuk is as dynamic a scorer as there is in the game, and Tobias Enstrom is one of the most polished young defenseman to come along in a long time. Plus, late-season addition Colby Armstrong is going to provide some of the accountability that must be injected into this organization.
Columbus -- This is the first Ken Hitchcock-coached team -- at least, coached for a full season -- that will miss the playoffs. But don't expect Hitch to miss the postseason two years in a row. CTN firmly believes the Blue Jackets will make the postseason for the first time in franchise history next seasons. The pieces clearly are in place. Goalie Pascal Leclaire finally has delivered on expectations and approached the franchise goalie status predicted for him when he was drafted. Rick Nash has become a better player under Hitchcock's system and remains the best power forward nobody pays attention to. Heck, even Nikolai Zherdev has seemed to find has way after almost being written off. On the blue line, the duo of Rusty Klesla -- not yet as good as predicted, but still solid -- and Ron Hainsey -- one of the League's most underrated defenseman -- are good building blocks. The Blue Jackets played everybody hard this year and made teams work for their points. Next year, Columbus will take those same points more often than not. CTN is confident in making that statement.
Edmonton -- Was there a team in March more fun to watch than the Oilers? Well, maybe the Capitals, but that is it. Early on, the Oilers struggled and were left for dead by all but the true believers. But this is a team that took the never-say-quit attitude of coach Craig MacTavish and just kept plugging away. A ridiculously young team, they grew up right before our eyes, and it was an amazing maturation to watch. So many players stepped to the forefront during the season. Sam Gagner shocked many by making the team out of camp. Yes, he hit some lulls during the season, but he was more than solid. Tom Gilbert was great as a young blueliner. Curtis Glencross was a solid addition from Columbus. Kyle Brodziak is a sandpaper-type player who always looks good playing for a MacTavish-led team. Fernando Pisani came back from a career-threatening illness to contribute. In the end, there almost were too many feel-good stories to count in Oil Country, and none were better than the career revitalization enjoyed by goalie Mathieu Garon. The career journeyman stole the No. 1 job and played brilliantly -- especially in the shootout -- to get Edmonton to within three points of a playoff berth before the dream ended earlier this week.
Florida -- Most likely, something is going to have to give with the Panthers. Jacques Martin is one of the few coaches to also handle GM duties, and that dual responsibility hasn't allowed him to deliver the results wanted -- mainly, a berth in the postseason. The Panthers have the blocks in place to be better in quick order, though. Goalie Tomas Vokoun has proven he can carry a team to the playoffs -- he did it in Nashville and he has been good for long stretches in Florida. He needs to be more consistent, though. Jay Bouwmeester is a franchise defenseman that doesn't get the credit he deserves. And Olli Jokinen is a big, No. 1 center that most teams can only dream about. Plus, many of the team's younger players have made huge strides. Nathan Horton, Stephen Weiss and David Booth all made big steps in their development this year, but more has to happen here for the Panthers to be considered a playoff team. Fortunately, though, they are not that far removed from the accomplishments of their Southeast Division peers, so such improvement should not seem overly daunting for either the team or its fans.
Los Angeles -- You usually need sunglasses in Los Angeles, but the brightness of the Kings' future makes it almost mandatory to don the shades. This team is just loaded with young talent on the cusp of becoming prime-time players. Any franchise happily would accept a young core that included players like Anze Kopitar, Mike Cammalleri, Dustin Brown, Patrick O'Sullivan and Jack Johnson. If management can keep that group together for the long-term, you are looking at a dynasty in the making. But that only will happen if the Kings can find a goalie to carry the load. The club tried seven different keepers this season without success. Erik Ersberg has been one of the more pleasant surprises of the season, but he does not yet have the pedigree or resume of a franchise goalie. But Jonathan Bernier does. The young goalie just finished his final year of junior eligibility and is considered the Kings' goalie of the future. Could that future start next season? That will be one of the most pressing questions of the 2008-09 season. CTN knows one thing -- if this team ever does find a reliable goalie and a few depth defensemen to fill out the blue line, the Kings will be back in the playoff picture before you can spell Cammalleri.
New York Islanders -- There was no late-season magic this time around. The Islanders couldn't stay alive long enough to pull off another last-game miracle like last season's memorable win in New Jersey. A never-ending run of injuries and an almost incomprehensible inability to score for long periods of time doomed this team to also-ran status and made GM Garth Snow's aggressive summer signings look like a bust. Plus, the late-season hip injury to franchise goalie Rick DiPietro didn't sit well with Islanders faithful. The injury required surgery and means DiPietro has missed the final few games of each of the last two seasons because of injury and the resulting corrective surgery. Last season, he needed surgery on his other hip. But there always are positives to be taken out of any situation and that also is the case here. First, in the face of almost unceasing adversity, the team never stopped working for coach Ted Nolan. He clearly is the right coach to get this team to where it wants to be. Plus, the run of injuries resulted in the Islanders being forced to test their organizational depth in ways that could not be imagined. For the most part, the organization passed the test, blooding a number of young players. Kyle Okposo, the most well-known of these prospects, looked good in his end-of-season call-up.
Phoenix -- For a while in February and early March, it looked like the Coyotes were going to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Read that sentence again and you will understand just how good a season it has been in the desert. Wayne Gretzky should get some serious consideration for coach of the year, and a case can be made that goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, a waiver-wire pickup from Anaheim, should get some support for Most Valuable Player. He also has staked his claim to the No. 1 job with the Coyotes and infused the organization with hope that it has settled its long-standing goalie issues. Plus, the Desert Dogs saw their youth movement start to pay off, especially with the better-than-expected play of Peter Mueller, the club's 2006 first-round pick. Obviously, the club is confident it has the depth necessary to make the jump to the next level because it successfully resisted the temptation to move assets at the trade deadline to make a long-shot run at the postseason. The flip side to that faith, however, is the expectations of tangible results. That means the pressure will be on to make the postseason next year. Can the Coyotes do it? It won't be easy, but CTN thinks the answer is yes.
St. Louis –The Blues' season went off the proverbial rails in the last two months, obscuring what had been a good season to that point. So the question remains: Were the Blues winning by smoke and mirrors in the first four months, or is the bad run to close the season just plain bad luck? CTN likes to think it is the latter. Andy Murray has proven that he is a good coach, so he shouldn't be questioned at this point. He has a system of on-ice accountability for his players, which is effective in today's NHL. The Blues clearly need more depth -- both on the blue line and up front -- but they are producing young players. David Perron, a 2007 first-round selection -- one of three first-rounders taken by the Blues -- surprised everyone but himself by not only making the team as an 18-year-old, but also playing well when given the opportunity. The Blues will need even more players to follow Perron's lead next year if they want to return to the postseason party. The picture may not look too bright right now for the Blues, but CTN believes team president John Davidson has this franchise on the proper path.
Tampa Bay -- This is a team only four years removed from winning the franchise's first Stanley Cup. Today, they sit in the basement of the Eastern Conference. What the heck happened? Almost too much to document, that is for sure. But the team has suffered the vagaries that come with the lack of a franchise goalie, something the club has missed since letting Cup hero Nikolai Khabibulin walk away. But the front office thinks they have a new goalie stud in Mike Smith, the centerpiece of the late-season trade that moved franchise icon Brad Richards to Dallas. If that is the case, he should mesh nicely with the remaining Big Three -- Vinny Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and Dan Boyle -- to give the Lightning the nucleus to improve. The question that remains, however, is if GM Jay Feaster can surround that high-priced core with enough depth to weather an 82-game schedule and produce more wins than losses in the process.
Toronto -- Three years without a playoff appearance in Toronto -- what is the hockey world coming to? There's no denying that things are a mess in TO. The club hoped to turn over its roster at this spring's deadline, but was rebuffed at virtually every turn. Captain and elder statesman Mats Sundin was attacked for his unwillingness to waive his no-trade clause. Now there is uncertainty about whether or not he will be back next season. As it stands now, the club is older than anybody would like to see. It also needs a GM ready to pull the trigger on some bold moves once a replacement for interim GM Cliff Fletcher is identified. On the ice, though, there are some positives that suggest the postseason drought is almost complete. Vesa Toskala came over from San Jose and played like a legitimate No. 1. And the Leafs have identified some younger players -- Jiri Tlusty and Anton Stralman jump to mind -- that can be part of the rebuilding process. But there is no question the Leafs will have to be incredibly aggressive and creative in the coming months to find a way out of their current predicament.


Definition at line 40 of file eeprom.h.
[in] i2c Pointer to I2C peripheral register block.
[in] addr I2C address for EEPROM, in 8 bit format, where LSB is reserved for R/W bit.
[in] offset Offset in EEPROM to start reading from.
[out] data Location to place read data, must be at least len long.
[in] len Number of bytes to read.
Returns number of bytes read. Less than specified number of bytes is returned if reading beyond end of EEPROM. Negative value is returned is some sort of error occurred during read.
Definition at line 118 of file eeprom.c.
References I2C_TransferSeq_TypeDef::addr, I2C_TransferSeq_TypeDef::buf, I2C_TransferSeq_TypeDef::data, EEPROM_DVK_LEN, I2C_TransferSeq_TypeDef::flags, I2C_FLAG_WRITE_READ, I2CSPM_Transfer(), i2cTransferDone, and I2C_TransferSeq_TypeDef::len.
[in] offset Offset in EEPROM to start writing to.
[out] data Location holding data to write, must be at least len long.
[in] len Number of bytes to write.
Returns number of bytes written. Less than specified number of bytes is returned if writing beyond end of EEPROM. Negative value is returned is some sort of error occurred during write.
Definition at line 179 of file eeprom.c.
References I2C_TransferSeq_TypeDef::addr, I2C_TransferSeq_TypeDef::buf, I2C_TransferSeq_TypeDef::data, EEPROM_AckPoll(), EEPROM_DVK_LEN, EEPROM_DVK_PAGESIZE, I2C_TransferSeq_TypeDef::flags, I2C_FLAG_WRITE_WRITE, I2CSPM_Transfer(), i2cTransferDone, and I2C_TransferSeq_TypeDef::len.


His Grace, Bishop Thomas of the Diocese of Oakland, Charleston, and the Mid-Atlantic.
St. Nicholas, and St. Helena. The icon of St. Helena was commissioned in honor of Kh. Joyce Black, for her decades of service to the Church.
of the Diocese of Oakland, Charleston, and the Mid-Atlantic.
Following the Liturgy, 6 people were inducted into the Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch: Nicole Manthos, Teri Ayoub, Jacqueline and John Kerlish, Kh. Vera Acker, and Janette Ghabour.
Bp. Thomas also dedicated the new addition and Great Hall, in the name of our founding pastor and his wife, Fr. Boniface & Kh. Joyce Black.


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The 'productionalist' method
In advance of Artbeat Studio's 24-Hour Art-a-thon Feb 6 to 7, CNC profiles the artists participating in this event that is raising funds for Artbeat Studio, an organization supporting artists with mental illness. Click here to read the other profiles.
Victoria Stone
"Sculpting is so emotional," Victoria Stone says of her favourite artistic medium. "Because you're directly connected to it with your hands."
One of Stone's specialties is sculpting the face.
"I find the face so fascinating because of the way you can manipulate its features."
Stone entered Artbeat Studio's residency program seven years ago after a friend mentioned that it was a place to go and be creative when you're experiencing a transition.
Stone knew it would be a good fit.
"I found that when I was going through periods of illness, I would naturally gravitate to making art."
During Artbeat, Stone experimented with many mediums and eventually found her passion with clay.
She calls working with clay a productionalist method.
"All you're working with is [clay] and it evolves more naturally because of the direct hand contact."
Before enrolling at Artbeat Studio, Stone was a counselor at Osborne House, a career she found hard to balance with her mental illness.
"It was hard emotionally, [some were] IV drug uses and their lives were obviously devastated. It was hard in that respect, but it was also internally gratifying because it was sort of a place I could access an unconditional love for people."
However, that unconditional love also blurred her ability to depersonalize her life from the women at Osborne House.
"I just decided it was probably not a good idea to constantly try and solve my own problems by helping other people, " says Stone. "It can be a real double-edged sword. You can't really get to yourself and what you need to deal with."
Yet Stone says that when she sculpts, she often envisions the faces of the women from Osborne House.
"It was a survival resilience," Stone says of the women, "That I had great admiration for."
Feminist themes are often central in much of Stone's work. She says it's because of the paradox of how women are broken down into society as either the virgin or the whore.
"It's an inner conflict every woman has." And Stone says she hopes she can break down those barriers through her art.
Victoria Stone is one of seven Artbeat Studio alumni participating in the 24-Hour Art-a-thon from Feb. 6-7, 2014 beginning at 5 p.m. The 24-Hour Art-a-thon is an event to raise money for Artbeat Studio's endowment fund, which supports its core-programming. To support Victoria and Artbeat Studio, please visit The Winnipeg Foundation's website to donate online.
Categories: Arts & Entertainment, Charitable Organizations, Health & Safety, PhilanthropyBy Rebecca Henderson February 4, 2014
Author: Rebecca Henderson
Rebecca Henderson is a freelance writer and comedian, living in Winnipeg. She enjoys a glass of red wine when helping dismantle the patriarchy.
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What a birthday for Maggie the cat!
Manitoba by the Book: Slow Train Coming


[Book Review]: The Little Book of Hygge – Meik Wiking.
More or less everyone active on social media, particularly sites which encourage us to live aesthetically pleasing lives, are familiar with 'The Little Book of Hygge'. Aside from is compelling cover it discusses at topic which most of us outside of Denmark are uneducated in; so much so that 'The Happiness Research Institute', based in Copenhagen have been able to present us with this insightful text.
The definition of Hygge is not effortless to state, hence why an entire book as such as this has been dedicated to teaching the unaware. The origin of the word Hygge derives from Dutch and has ties with Norwegian due to Denmark and Norway formally being a merged nation; infact the history behind the word links to numerous languages including Latin. Simply to say it is close to the meanings of 'well-being', 'cosiness' and 'togetherness': Hygge is all these aspects simultaneously and much more.
Overall the book details how physical features and acts in our surroundings contribute to positive emotions which aid the secretion of serotonin and just general pleasant, relaxed, stress free thoughts. After all Denmark, among Northern European countries, have the one highest rates of happy citizens – clearly this is no coincidence in consideration of all things Hygge.
All around the world there are elements of Hygge: the ways in which we interpret this can vary accordingly to environment and upbringing. However, Danes thrive on Hygge living; they don't necessarily need to be in a 'chilled out' state in order to talk about what is to them regarded as a culture rather than simply a trendy lifestyle. Hygee in Denmark is is verb as well as an adjective. It is suggested that Denmark more than any other location uphold a Hygge lifestyle as their climate, for the majority of seasons, provide short hours of daylight in addition to more than one hundred days of rainfall per annum.
If you seek to adopt a Hygge way of life it's best to have first-hand experience of reading a book like the one mentioned. For review purposes I will condensed selected information for guidance in order to incorporate such a warming, heartfelt sense into your life.
Despite having access to electricity, Denmark use more candles in the world than any other country: almost thrice as much as the runner's up, Austria. Dimmed, not striking lighting provided by candlelight creates an ambiance that promotes relaxation without being in an absolute state of tiredness.
Without mention the demand of aroma candles has exceeded since the term 'Hygge' was formed. Although, the Danes stick to traditional, basic or organic non-scented candles placing them statically: i.e. spread apart among several rooms ensuring that light isn't concentrated into one area. If lamps are to be used, yellow tinged bulbs and other forms/accessories which allow 'low' lighting are considered as essential as apposed to something optional.
As much as it is important to celebrate an individual's personal achievements, Hygge is generally achieved through togetherness; thus putting 'we' as priority over 'I' is key. Reminiscing over past times and planning social events whilst in another social moment helps with Hygge and assures that everyone is accounted for.
Throughout the book countless materialistic contributions to Hygge are suggested in addition to the emphasis on daily tasks having an impact on whether or not other countries can take on such a culture. Quite often sentences can be somewhat repetitive, but I suppose as an introduction to something which could be an entirely new topic to a reader, patterns in writing would be the best way to embed information into memory. I can only hope to write and publish such a text which could have a positive impact on at least one audience member's life and outlook…someday.
In conclusion I think many people could benefit from grasping the words expressed onto the pages. Most of us live in a society where pop culture and economy play a detrimental role in our lives; so it's nice to strip back to simplicity through Hygee and all associated with it particularly if doing so can have a positive impact on an individual's mental health.
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Кальє (від фр. Caillé) — желеподібний згусток, який утворюється при осадженні молока (згущення) закваскою або сичужним ферментом і служить основою для виробництва різних видів сиру.
 Ігнасіо Кальє (ісп. Ignacio Calle, 16 листопада 1930, Медельїн — 24 лютого 1982, Медельїн) — колумбійський футболіст, що грав на позиції захисника.
 Кальє-Пресіадос (ісп. Calle de Preciados) — одна з центральних вулиць Мадрида.
 Кійськ Кальє Карлович, Кальє Кійськ (ест. Kaljo Kiisk; 3 грудня 1925(19251203), с. Тойла (Естонія — 20 вересня 2007, Таллінн) — естонський режисер, актор.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Moderate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Wed afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri morning, min 15°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.
Heavy rain (total 23mm), heaviest during Sun afternoon. Warm (max 20°C on Sun afternoon, min 16°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.
Mostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed morning, min 14°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.
This table gives the weather forecast for Dorje Lakpa at the specific elevation of 2000 m. Our advanced weather models allow us to provide distinct weather forecasts for several elevations of Dorje Lakpa. To see the weather forecasts for the other elevations, use the tab navigation above the table. For a wider overview of the weather, consult the Weather Map of China.
* NOTE: not all weather observatories update at the same frequency which is the reason why some locations may show data from stations that are further away than known closer ones. We also include passing Ship data if it is recorded close to Dorje Lakpa and within an acceptable time window.


These opening hours don't take account of public holidays and of Sundays. You can also check if Petco Midlothian is open on lundi by calling it.
Usually Petco Midlothian is closed on Sundays. Careful, stores-locator.com is a participative site, where anyone can indicate opening hours. If you see any mistake, please contact us.
You are a customer or you know the store Petco Midlothian?
A new vintage clothing shop in Seattle is giving men a chance to craft a distinctive vintage look, and the boutique in Pioneer Square offers a retro look with a decidedly modern twist.


text:
Margaret Mary Anne Reilly1
F, #295601, d. 1888
Margaret Mary Anne Reilly was the daughter of William Adams Reilly.1 She married Falkiner John Minchin, son of William Minchin and Georgina Minchin, on 15 July 1858.1 She died in 1888.1
Margaret Mary Anne Reilly usually went by her middle name of Mary Anne.1 From 15 July 1858, her married name became Minchin.1
Children of Margaret Mary Anne Reilly and Falkiner John Minchin
Helen Frances Georgina Minchin+1
Minnie Minchin1 d. 3 May 1951
Georgiana Louisa Minchin1 d. 1934
William Reilly Minchin1 b. 2 May 1859, d. 11 Sep 1908
Maj.-Gen. Frederick Falkiner Minchin+1 b. 17 Mar 1860, d. 11 Jul 1922
[S47] BIFR1976 Minchin, page 825. See link for full details for this source. Hereinafter cited as. [S47]
William Adams Reilly1
William Adams Reilly lived at Belmont, Mullingar, County Westmeath, IrelandG.1
Child of William Adams Reilly
Margaret Mary Anne Reilly+1 d. 1888
William Reilly Minchin1
M, #295603, b. 2 May 1859, d. 11 September 1908
William Reilly Minchin was born on 2 May 1859.1 He was the son of Falkiner John Minchin and Margaret Mary Anne Reilly.1 He died on 11 September 1908 at age 49, unmarried.1
He gained the rank of Captain in the Queen's Own R.W. Kent Regiment.1
Maj.-Gen. Frederick Falkiner Minchin1
M, #295604, b. 17 March 1860, d. 11 July 1922
Maj.-Gen. Frederick Falkiner Minchin was born on 17 March 1860.1 He was the son of Falkiner John Minchin and Margaret Mary Anne Reilly.1 He married, firstly, Marjorie Emily Abbott, daughter of General Henry Dyeth Abbott, on 27 January 1887.1 He married, secondly, Caroline Jane Royds Lloyd, daughter of John Lloyd, on 20 September 1905.1 He died on 11 July 1922 at age 62.1
He was Director of Ordnance Inspection between 1911 and 1915 at IndiaG.1 He was Military Advisor to the Minister of Munitions in 1915.1 He lived at Annagh, County Tipperary, IrelandG.1 He was appointed Companion, Order of the Bath (C.B.) in 1917.1 He sold Holywell in 1917 at Holywell, Hampshire, EnglandG.1
Children of Maj.-Gen. Frederick Falkiner Minchin and Marjorie Emily Abbott
Violet Marjorie Minchin1 b. 1889, d. 6 Jul 1959
Commander Henry Falkiner Reilly Reilly-Minchin+1 b. 5 Feb 1889, d. 20 Jan 1973
Lt.-Col. Frederick Frank Reilly Minchin1 b. 16 Jun 1890, d. 30 Aug 1927
Children of Maj.-Gen. Frederick Falkiner Minchin and Caroline Jane Royds Lloyd
Richard Humphrey Lloyd Minchin+1 b. 15 Feb 1907
Margaret Doreen Lloyd Minchin+1 b. 8 May 1910
Captain Denis Lloyd Minchin1 b. 26 Feb 1918, d. 11 Nov 1940
Marjorie Emily Abbott1
Marjorie Emily Abbott was the daughter of General Henry Dyeth Abbott.1 She married Maj.-Gen. Frederick Falkiner Minchin, son of Falkiner John Minchin and Margaret Mary Anne Reilly, on 27 January 1887.1 She died on 15 August 1904.1
From 27 January 1887, her married name became Minchin.1
Children of Marjorie Emily Abbott and Maj.-Gen. Frederick Falkiner Minchin
General Henry Dyeth Abbott1
General Henry Dyeth Abbott was appointed Companion, Order of the Bath (C.B.)1
Child of General Henry Dyeth Abbott
Marjorie Emily Abbott+1 d. 15 Aug 1904
Winifred Florence O'Bryen1
Winifred Florence O'Bryen is the daughter of Lt.-Col. James Lochlin O'Bryen.1 She married Commander Henry Falkiner Reilly Reilly-Minchin, son of Maj.-Gen. Frederick Falkiner Minchin and Marjorie Emily Abbott, on 30 June 1918.1
From 30 June 1918, her married name became Reilly-Minchin.1
Children of Winifred Florence O'Bryen and Commander Henry Falkiner Reilly Reilly-Minchin
Brian Patrick John Reilly-Minchin1 b. 6 Jul 1919
Myles Falkiner Reilly-Minchin1 b. 16 Sep 1922
Lt.-Col. James Lochlin O'Bryen1
Lt.-Col. James Lochlin O'Bryen gained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the 31st Punjab Regiment, Indian Army.1
Child of Lt.-Col. James Lochlin O'Bryen
Winifred Florence O'Bryen+1
Brian Patrick John Reilly-Minchin1
M, #295609, b. 6 July 1919
Brian Patrick John Reilly-Minchin was born on 6 July 1919.1 He is the son of Commander Henry Falkiner Reilly Reilly-Minchin and Winifred Florence O'Bryen.1
He graduated from Downing College, Cambridge University, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, EnglandG, in 1948 with a Master of Arts (M.A.)1 He was admitted to Gray's Inn in 1959 entitled to practise as a Barrister-at-Law.1
Myles Falkiner Reilly-Minchin1
M, #295610, b. 16 September 1922
Myles Falkiner Reilly-Minchin was born on 16 September 1922.1 He is the son of Commander Henry Falkiner Reilly Reilly-Minchin and Winifred Florence O'Bryen.1
He was educated at Brighton College, Brighton, Sussex, EnglandG.1 He graduated from King's College, Cambridge University, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, EnglandG, in 1945 with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)1 He graduated from King's College, Cambridge University, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, EnglandG, in 1948 with a Master of Arts (M.A.)1 He was Deputy Director of the Department of Political Affairs, Trusteeship and Decoloniaztion, United Nations.1


Ben's research develops scalable solutions in education and public policy by leveraging behavioral insights, data science, interactive technologies, and deep partnerships with public and private agencies and organizations. Ben leads Mrs. Obama's Up Next campaign, a national text messaging campaign to improve college, financial aid, and loan repayment outcomes for young Americans. Ben has presented about his research at several White House convenings and in testimony before Congress.


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Planned Parenthood Demands Joe Biden Force Americans to Fund Abortions if He's President
Rebecca Oas, Ph.D. Dec 4, 2020 | 7:28PM Washington, DC
(CFAM) — Pro-abortion organizations that strongly supported Joe Biden in the recent U.S. presidential election are hoping that after being inaugurated in January, he will immediately move to dismantle the pro-life policies enacted by President Donald Trump. Even before Biden became his party's nominee, they had assembled their wish list.
Last year as a Democratic presidential nominee was emerging, a coalition of over 90 "reproductive rights" groups including Planned Parenthood published a detailed blueprint to advance their agenda both nationally and internationally. In August of this year, they released a list of "first priorities" for the next administration, beginning with an executive order declaring explicitly the president's commitment to expand access to abortion in the U.S. and around the world.
Biden has already promised to rescind the Mexico City Policy, which was expanded under Trump to cover all global health funding. He has also promised to restore funding to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and reestablish the country's membership with the World Health Organization (WHO).
The United States is already the largest contributor to global family planning, with an estimated $608 million budgeted for family planning and reproductive health in fiscal year 2019. The "first priorities" of abortion groups calls for that amount to be increased to $1.6 billion, including $111 million for UNFPA. And, it seeks to abscond HIV/AIDs funding that has an annual budget of over $6B for the purchase of birth control commodities.
They also call on the next president to remove the pro-life restrictions on foreign aid funding, such as the Helms Amendment that blocks direct funding for abortions overseas and the Kemp-Kasten Amendment that safeguards family planning funding from promoting coercive practices. The Siljander Amendment currently prohibits U.S. funding from being used to lobby either for or against abortion in foreign countries. Abortion groups are asking that it be modified to only prohibit pro-life lobbying.
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Some of these would require changes to legislation, which is the role of Congress, not the President. If the Senate remains under Republican control, the pro-life protections in law are likely to remain in effect. Though the Helms amendment could be redefined to include funding for abortions under some exceptions. The Obama administration took preliminary steps to do the same before Congress was alerted and the Administration halted its plan.
Nevertheless, the executive branch has a great deal of control in U.S. foreign policy, and the "first priorities" document calls on the president to direct the State Department to "champion sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in UN meetings and multilateral forums."
As a first step, this would mean "adopting and advancing comprehensive definitions of SRHR and comprehensive sex education," as they have not been formally accepted or defined in UN negotiations.
One priority of abortion groups that Biden appears likely to support is the appointment of strident "reproductive rights" advocates throughout his administration. Unlike Trump's political appointees, who encountered numerous roadblocks when working with career civil servants who opposed the President's policies, Biden's team would likely face less obstruction.
After the election was called for Biden, the president of California's Planned Parenthood affiliates delivered a statement highlighting the "blueprint" document. "The list is long," she acknowledged, but promised that Planned Parenthood "will be there to hold this administration accountable for its promises to the American people every step of the way."
LifeNews Note: Rebecca Oas writes for the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute. This article originally appeared in the pro-life group's Friday Fax and is used with permission.