Spiced rum is experiencing its moment in the spotlight, with new brands appearing from all over the world. I’m always on the lookout for interesting rum concepts and a brand that piqued my interest was Don Picco e Figlie rum.
Inspired by Italian culture, Don Picco comes from the founder of Angioletti Italian cider, David Peek. I got in touch with Dave to find out more about Don Picco and here’s the story.
Sharing the story of Italy
As the creator of Angioletti, Peek has an interest in bringing Italian inspired drink concepts to the UK and working with Italian restaurants.
Don Picco is the next step in expanding his portfolio and although he doesn’t have an Italian background, Peek is conscious of developing a product that continues the good work that Angioletti has been doing.
The Don Picco name is a play on Peek’s own name and a tribute to his family. Figlie references his daughters, while Don is a nod to his father, who passed away in 2021. For every bottle sold, £1 will be donated to the Pancreatic Cancer UK charity.
This emphasis on family certainly rings true of Italian culture and Peek is committed to full transparency.
The distillate used for the rum is sourced from Panama and blended, aged and spiced in Valle d’Aosta in North-Western Italy. The rum has been described as having flavours of vanilla, oak, dried apricot, chocolate and spices and working well with specific cocktails.
Some suggestions include an Italian Dark & Stormy, Italian Spiced Mojito or Italian Rum Punch.
What you see is what you get
Peek also said that positioning is key for Don Picco and that he wants to get away from terms like ‘craft’ and ‘premium.’ In his eyes, those terms have lost meaning and in the early days of Angioletti cider he tapped into the hand-crafted element of the product but has since moved away from those terms.
Don Picco is a high-quality spiced rum positioned at an affordable price. It’s about making the drink accessible to the widest possible demographic while also elevating the spiced rum category.
In my opinion, starting a rum brand should be about moving the industry forward. It shouldn’t be about making fast money at the expense of a terrible product and gimmicky messaging.
Don Picco is a spiced rum from the right place and if you’d like to find out more about it, be sure to check out the website here.
The Rum Ration 