Introducing Crossfire Hurricane Rum: The new tipple from The Rolling Stones, celebrating their Jamaican live sessions

The Rolling Stones are pretty much synonymous with pure rock n roll, and a big part of that has to be the boozing lifestyle. Although scaling back on the hard stuff themselves, the band has released their first rum, called Crossfire Hurricane Rum, inspired by one of their most iconic songs.

Fans expected The Stones’ next release to be new music, thanks to the teasing of a new band, ‘The Cockroaches’, across London, which is similar to a tease the band did before the release of their most recent album, Hackney Diamonds. However, it looks as though the latest release is a little less lyrical and a little more liquid.

The spirit is a blend of rums from Jamaica, Barbados, and the Dominican Republic, aged for five years in charred oak barrels. Apparently, it has been inspired by the lyrics from their hit 1968 song Jumpin’ Jack Flash – “I was born in a crossfire hurricane / And I howled at the morning drivin' rain” for those who don't remember.

The band also has links to Jamaica, having recorded their album Goats Head Soup in Kingston in 1972, with a couple of tracks on their Hackney Diamonds album having been recorded in Barbados.

The rum itself comes in two variations: Crossfire Hurricane Gold and Crossfire Hurricane Reserve. The former is a vibrant and versatile blend designed for mixing as well as sipping, with the latter being a more complex expression built around older pot-still rums for depth and high-ester character. From both, you can expect notes of caramelised bananas, tropical fruit and wood, with a sweet but subtle finish. And as you’d hope for with a rum, it’s a gorgeous golden colour, reminiscent of the sunshine on the Caribbean coast.

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards co-created the rum alongside Ian Burrell, a Global Rum Ambassador, and well recognised as one of the leading figures on rum within the spirits industry. The release has been launched by Kite Drinks, a London-based spirits company. The bottles themselves are easily recognisable as Stones-related merchandise, with each bearing their iconic logo.

According to The Rolling Stones, they are “delighted to share [their] unique cultural bond with Jamaica through Crossfire Hurricane.”

They continued: “Our connection with the island goes back more than fifty years and remains an important part of our story. This new venture creates another way to connect with fans of all generations around the world.”

Speaking about the release, Burrell said: “With Crossfire Hurricane, the goal was to create a blend that truly reflects the island’s identity, combining rums from some of Jamaica’s most respected distilleries, balancing pot and column still distillates, and embracing the bold fruit, funk, and high-ester character that defines the category. The result is a rum with real depth and authenticity that honours Jamaica’s heritage while introducing a new generation of drinkers to the true character of Jamaican rum.”

Both rums are currently available to preorder in the UK, retailing at £37 for the Gold blend and £45 for the Reserve bottle.

• Old St Records are giving away free drinks this month to celebrate old school vinyl

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