2020 in Review at Montanya
What a year! We remember sitting in the office in February debating this new thing called Covid-19. Just a few weeks later, we closed the Tasting Room to the public ahead of county orders to do so, and we all know what came next. We’re so grateful for weathering the storm and the silver linings that came to us in 2020, and we thought it would be fun to use our Year in Review blog post to reflect on the good:
5 of Our Favorite Announcements
Western Whole Foods Markets Picked Up Montanya Rum — Can we say dreams? Thrilled to partner with such like-minded retailers as Whole Foods Markets and Spirit Hub.
The Arrival of Our New Still — Bella Chiara! What a beauty she is and we can’t wait to bring her on line in early 2021.
Making Surface Sanitizer — A win-win that met a need in our community and made use of a distilling byproduct we can’t otherwise use.
Speaking Up for Change — While we wish the road ahead was straight and smooth, it’s been meaningful and necessary to find new ways to support our family, friends and employees of color (here’s just one way we did that).
Two Great New Team Members — We were thrilled to welcome our Director of National Sales, Rob Richardson, and a new Director Human Resources and Business Development, Andrea Schumacher.
Grateful to Live Our Values
Founder and owner Karen Hoskin celebrates with members of the local Black Lives Matter movement after the installation of a Black Lives Matter mural on our main street, Elk Avenue.
Top 5 Blog Posts
Setting the Record Straight on Gluten in Spirits — Distilled spirits come out of the still gluten-free, but that doesn’t mean every spirit you buy is gluten free.
Simple Three-Ingredient Cocktails — For no-fuss home bartenders or when you’re in the mood for something simple, these four cocktails are made with three ingredients or less
A Closer Look at the Rum Distillation Process — This by-the-numbers look at every batch of Montanya Rum move up a slot in this year’s most popular blog posts.
Cocktails for Camping — When this post makes the top five, we really know we’ve found our people!
A New Limited Release: Valentia — A long awaited milestone for our founder Karen, this double maturation rum was made by women every step of the way.
Thankful for You
Montanya rum fans were also a highlight in 2020, many of you sending us your own cocktail recipe. Thanks to @mountainsipsomobile for this beautiful and delicious cocktail.
Livin' on a Pear
1 1/4 oz. Montanya Oro Rum
1/2 oz. Mathilde Creme de Cassis
1 oz. pear purée
1/2 oz. fresh OJ
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
Sprig of mint
Lightly muddle mint in a shaker. Add ice and all ingredients. Shake and double strain over crushed ice. Garnish with a mint sprig and cinnamon-dusted pear slice.
Top 5 Rum Cocktail Recipes From Our Online Collection
Maharaja — A signature Montanya cocktail inspired by Karen’s travels in India.
Painkiller — Every rum bar needs a cocktail perfect for the beach.
Señorita — A Montanya original, with a kick.
Old & New Fashioneds — Two takes on a classic cocktail, reimagined with rum.
Classic Daiquiri — A favorite in Karen’s home bar and at the Tasting Room.
Grateful for Community
Our local and county health officials have worked so hard to keep people safe during the pandemic—from where we sit they have an incredibly hard job! Among their efforts, the county provided these HEPA anti-viral filtration systems for our Tasting Room and other local businesses.
Top 5 Cocktails in the Tasting Room
For a little history: the top 3 held their spots from last year as well, but the Painkiller moved up a spot and the Kokomo bumped the Mojito from the Top 5 altogether.
Maharaja — Inspired by our founder’s travels in India, where she also tried rum for the first time.
Señorita — Look no further when you’re looking to add some kick to your cocktail.
New Fashioned — Whiskey drinkers can’t believe there’s no bourbon.
Painkiller — Distiller Renee Newton’s favorite Montanya cocktail because “It’s a little sweet and a little spicy just like me. :)”
Kokomo — The inspiration for this recipe came to one of our bartenders in a dream. You just never know where ideas will come from!
Committed to Change
We’ve installed this container in partnership with Mahoney Environmental to collect and recycle our cooking oil. It might not be pretty, per se, but it’s bear proof and one more way we’re reducing waste at Montanya.
Top 5 Food Items in the Tasting Room
We guess our customers know what they like! These food items were everyone’s faves in 2019 too, in this same order.
Ramen — Continues to hold the #1 spot year after year!
Seared Ahi Tuna Bowl — Wild-caught ahi tuna, black forbidden rice, avocado, wasabi aioli—just a few of the ingredients that make this dish so, so good.
Animal Fries — Sweet potato fries gone wild with Bulgogi beef, Banh Mi sauce, grated parm and green onion.
Amalfi Bowl — No menu is complete without some kind of quinoa bowl, and this delicious dish fits the bill.
Korean Wings — Served with local Kimchi, made by one of our distillers, Renee Newton.
Lovin’ Our Furry Friends
We always love of our four-legged family members, but this year more than ever. Studies have shown that the stress hormone cortisol goes down in people and dogs alike after just a few pets. We can attest! (Thanks to Distiller Renee Newton for this pic of her favorite pup.)
5 of the Most Popular Links in Life Distilled
In 2020, we loved writing our weekly email more than ever, sharing some of the things that made us laugh, gave us a break from the real world or helped us find perspective. Here are some of the most popular links we shared:
Year in Search: 2020 — This video shares the most-searched word in 2020, in a moving and meaningful way.
Media Bias Chart — We guess this comes as no surprise given the nature of this year’s elections! A look at how major news outlets stack up when it comes to bias.
Oh Happy Dogs! — It’s hard not to smile at this tap-dancing pup, who’s just so happy to have a tennis ball.
A Conference Call in Real Life — As we all turned toward Zoom, this recreation of a conference call had new relevance, and made us laugh.
Giants in the Woods — A goody that takes us all the way back to January, this link is for you if 2020 has you wishing for a little magic to offset all the reality this year has sent our way.
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Click here for your copy of the Little Book of Cocktails.