New Ten to One Rum Celebrates Black History Month With Artist Collab

Jul 31, 2023

Ten to One is one of the best new rum brands to surface over the past few years, with an excellent core lineup and some notable special releases from time to time. The latest in this latter category is a new collaboration with artist Devin B. Johnson, who designed a bottle label in honor of Black History Month.

Ten to One was founded by Marc Farrell, a Trinidadian who wanted to create a rum brand that would focus on releasing high-quality spirits for a more knowledgeable and modern alcohol consumer. The brand name comes from Trinidad and Tobago's first prime minister, Dr. Eric Williams, who used the phrase "one from 10 leaves zero" in reference to keeping a federation of 10 Caribbean countries together. There are three rums in the Ten to One core lineup—dark, white and the excellent 26-year-old Founder's Reserve. No color, sugar or flavoring is added to the rums, a practice that is often used in the industry that purists are not always fond of.

The liquid in the bottle of this new limited-release is the same as the dark rum—a blend of eight-year-old Barbados and Dominican column still rums, high-ester Jamaican pot still rum and rum from Farrell's native Trinidad. It's bottled at 86 proof instead of the original 80, however. The rum was aged in ex-bourbon barrels to infuse it with caramel, oak and vanilla flavors. But the label is what really makes this bottle stand out. Devin B. Johnson, a young, emerging New York artist who studied at Pratt in Brooklyn, created the artwork titled "Inner Glow." According to the brand, it's a "striking portrait of a diasporic figure in serene hues of turquoise, cobalt and black, its eyes gazing toward the future with strength and hope. It's a stunning depiction that pays homage to the power and wisdom drawn from the collective fabric of a shared Black heritage."

The new Ten to One limited-release bottle will launch on February 1, which is the start of Black History Month. It will be available online for $64.99, as well as at retailers around the country.