New old Canada Rum
Charlottetown pub offering unique brand of Island-made rum 
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It’s been over 100 years since rum was last distilled legally on P.E.I. but the drought has come to an end with the Merchantman Pub now offering an Island-made rum on its drink menu.
Over 100 guests packed the pub and got a sample of Merchantman 1897, brewed by Prince Edward Distillery in Hermanville, Sunday before it was officially made available to the public today.
The amber rum is barrel-aged, all natural, non-filtered and double distilled to give it a unique flavour of caramel and apricot with a hint of vanilla.
Peter Hyndman, owner of the Merchantman Pub, said he is happy to be the only establishment on P.E.I. to be able to offer the Island-made rum.
“I find it is important to be a leader in the industry to try to introduce a new product to the consumer and celebrate the fact we are the only location on P.E.I. to do this,” Hyndman said.
The rum is a joint venture between the Merchantman Pub and Prince Edward Distillery and the recipe has been modified a few times since the process to create it was started almost three years ago. Merchantman 1897 is exclusive to the Merchantman Pub and an agreement is in place to ensure it will only be available at the location.
He came up with the idea and the name Merchantman 1897 because 1897 was the year his great-grandfather, Charles Hyndman, with the company Hyndman and Morris, stopped producing rum on P.E.I., Hyndman said.
“I thought, ‘Why isn’t there someone producing rum on P.E.I.?’”
He is thankful to the P.E.I. Liquor Commission for licensing the rum and making it possible to have such a unique product available at his pub, Hyndman said.
“They are very supportive of local people on P.E.I. to try to support new products.”
Julie Shore, owner and master distiller of Prince Edward Distillery, said the rum is as natural as possible and a true Island-made product.
“It’s just what we create and what the barrel creates. It’s just a true rum,” Shore said.