After a first and informal appearance during the Whisky Live Paris, the second edition of the Magnum Series was officially launched last November 12th, during an exclusive evening at the Remedy from Milan.
In this temple of good drinking they made an appointment Luca Gargano, president of Velier and esteemed rum connoisseur, and Alex Webb, born in the United States, became a globetrotting photographer acclaimed as one of the most important exponents of street photography. The result is something magical, enhanced by the limited edition of the bottles.
The Birth of the Magnum Series Project
The original idea, dated 2021, is by Luca Gargano, owner of Velier, among the first to include the photographs taken during his travels on the labels of the rums discovered on those occasions, with the aim of opening a cultural window on the distilleries and places as well.
It is precisely from this passion for photography that the idea of a collaboration with was born Magnum Photos, famous agency founded in 1947 by legends such as Robert Capa and Henri Cartier-Bresson, and which brings together some of the best photographers in the world.
While the first edition of the series was accompanied by the iconic label images of Elliott Erwitt, which made history Magnum, the second is a real tribute to the American photographer Alex Webb, who has been part of the agency since 1979.
The American photographer is known for his compositions, rich in vibrant colors that capture emblematic moments, often in places crossed by socio-political tensions. Characterizing his work, over the years, has been the great complexity of the scenes, in which there are often many figures, details and possible stories. Webb's images are the representation of a chaos that finds an unexpected balance in the photographic composition, just as happens in quality distillates, the result of a complex stratification of organoleptic elements whose result is much greater than the sum of the parts.
Products
Like the first, the second edition of the Magnum series aims to offer a wide range of variations on the theme of rums, which are born from the same raw material but differ completely. Luca Gargano It does a job similar to that of the Magnum agency, which selects photographers who frequent the same art, expressed with a different sensibility each time.
The selection of the best expressions of rum is as always a careful work of research and exploration of the most interesting reserves present in the distilleries; just like a photographer who never limits himself to a single shot in order to choose the perfect result for his trained eye.
The series is composed of four rums created by Luca Gargano, the result of careful selection and blending of spirits in small batches ranging from 8 to 13 barrels per bottling.
BEENLEIGH 2015 8YO
Founded in 1884, the distillery Beenleigh slocated in Australia, on the banks of the Albert River in south-east Queensland. The molasses used comes from sugar cane crushed by the last private mill in Australia, the Rocky Point Sugar Mill. This rum, on the nose, is fresh and balanced, with hints of fruit, honey and wax that evolve into vanilla and licorice. The palate is lively and generous, with notes of candied citrus, white peach and sweet spices. The finish is soft and persistent, with tones of William pear and Golden apple.
The photograph of Alex Webb on the label was taken in Haiti in 1979. This is his memory: “For the previous four years I had worked extensively in black and white in the Caribbean and along the U.S.-Mexico border, places where bright light and vivid color dominate. I slowly realized that I needed to switch to color to photograph these worlds. And so when I returned to Haiti in 1979, it was to immerse myself not only in the extraordinary and intense culture of the island, but also to respond to its striking and vibrant colors, where the homes, schools and other local buildings were often painted in vivid reds, greens, yellows and blues.”
CLARENDON 10 YO
Founded in 1780, the distillery Clarendon is part of the National Rums of Jamaica Group. This rum, distilled according to the specifications of the MBS mark of the Clarendon distillery, is round and full on the nose, with hints of apricot and vanilla that gradually become floral and medicinal. The palate is dynamic and elegant, with exotic notes, delicate tannins and candied citrus. The finish is long and complex, between bitter nuances of gentian and tones of praline and tobacco.
The photograph by Alex Webb on the label was taken in Trinidad in 2005. The photographer recalls: “In 2005, a magazine asked me to do a story about “Les Bagnards”, French prisoners exiled from their homeland to French Guiana as punishment, (…) and I also photographed places where escaped prisoners had taken refuge. One of these places was Trinidad. Before independence, in the early 1960s, Trinidad was under British rule. During that time, the authorities often chose to ignore escaped French prisoners. Thus, the island became a sort of sanctuary for “Les Bagnards”.
HAMPDEN 13 YO
Founded in 1753, Hampden Estate has been distilling rums that are the purest expression of Jamaica for nearly three centuries in the province of Trelawny, historically known as the Grand Cru of Jamaican rum. Distilled in 2010 and bottled after 13 years of aging, this release is the oldest existing bottling of a Hampden aged entirely in a tropical climate, making it a rare and exceptional product.
It presents itself with a refined nose, dominated by hints of beeswax, candied fruit and camphor, which evolve into geranium, hyacinth and iris. The palate is full-bodied and well-structured, with powerful notes of licorice and chocolate, while maintaining a soft and fruity character. The finish is intense and persistent, very compact and animated by the typical sweetness of Hampden.
The photograph of Alex Webb on the label was taken in Jamaica in 1976.. This is his memory of the shot: “In 1976 I went to Jamaica to cover the national elections. (…) A huge reggae concert in support of Michael Manley and the People's National Party had been organised to coincide with the presidential campaign. (…) The night I arrived, I heard that Bob Marley had been shot (…). The next day I arrived in the late afternoon for the concert. Thousands of Jamaicans crowded the streets around the stage. Some spectators climbed into the trees surrounding the concert site, their bodies silhouetted against the glowing orange sky of twilight”.
SAINT JAMES 12 YO
Founded in 1765, St. James It is the largest and oldest distillery in Martinique, representing its entire production and cultural heritage. Distilled in a Creole column and produced from a blend of the 2003 and 2010 vintages, this rhum agricole was entirely and artisanally produced and bottled at the distillery, falling within the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée of Martinique.
On the nose it is rich and full-bodied, with hints of honey that evolve into gentian, chocolate and vegetal aromas. The palate is creamy and delicate, with an original aromatic palette, rich in medicinal notes, spices and infused herbs, with nuances of cocoa and candied ginger. The finish is soft and persistent, very evocative of sugar cane, with an aftertaste of almond and jam.
The photograph of Alex Webb on the label was taken in Saint Lucia in 1988., the year in which “I was approached by a magazine to work on a piece about the Eastern Caribbean by Derek Walcott, the Saint Lucian poet and Nobel Prize winner in literature. In Saint Lucia, (…) Derek would talk about his vision of poetry, often quoting his own work and that of other poets, especially John Keats. For Derek, those famous lines from “Ode on a Grecian Urn” seemed perfect: ‘Beauty is truth, truth beauty, that only / On earth you know, and that is all that is enough.’ It was a huge privilege to see Saint Lucia through the eyes of a great poet.”
With this second edition, the Magnum Series confirms its status as a unique project in the world of spirits, combining the care in the selection of rums with the narrative power of photography. Each bottle becomes a link between taste and images, telling not only the excellence of the spirits, but also stories of distant places, people and cultures.
In an age where experience is at the centre of attention, the Magnum Series shows how art, in all its expressions, can enhance even the most traditional pleasures.
