A section of the Door Restaurant in Queens, New York was jam-packed on Thursday, Aug. 13 with supporters of the Caribbean communities in New York who came out to hear about Labor Day plans to promote two popular Jamaican brands — Dragon Stout and the new D & G white over proof rum.
Riviera Imports, the distributors of both products in the New York region, hosted the sizzling four-hour party. Although the company has been distributing the smooth and rich flavor of Dragon Stout for nearly 10 years in New York, the D & G over proof rum is making its grand entrance to the area market for the first time, and party attendees had ample opportunities to sample both.
Executives from Riviera Imports were eager to show off an exciting new line of Dragon Stout and D & G over proof promotional materials including caps, men’s and women’s t-shirts, bottle collars, shelf talkers and posters that will be generously distributed over the Labor Day weekend of Sept. 3 to 7 at key events in Brooklyn. All the promo items have been inspired by the trademark colors of Jamaica — black, green and gold. There will also be a strong brand presence at mas camps and at all the concerts and parties happening behind the Brooklyn Museum for four consecutive nights. Additionally, there will be on site promotions at designated events in Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx where the stout and the rum will be sampled and showcased.
“We at Riviera Imports have had a long relationship with the Caribbean communities in New York, and we are thrilled that this year we are saluting the community and participating in the carnival in a big way, bringing two iconic Jamaican products to you,” Brand Development Vice President Dan Rosenfeld told the happy throng. “We also want to extend our special thanks to former New York City council member Una Clarke who is here with us this evening, and who has been our avid supporter since day one,” he added.
Juan Reyes, director of sales for Riviera pointed out that the winning formula for the Jamaican-brewed Dragon Stout has remained unchanged for almost a 100 years, and that several generations of residents from the Caribbean look forward to their holiday celebrations with this year to year favorite.
The D & G white over proof rum has only been in the New York market for a few weeks but it has already been creating a buzz. “The consumer response to the white Jamaican rum has been phenomenal, people love the smooth taste, it is perfect for making cocktails and we think it’s a much better product than the competition,” Reyes added.
Here is a recipe for Mandeville Cool Breeze, an easy-to-make cocktail utilizing the D & G rum created by this writer.
Ingredients
2 oz. white over proof rum
2 oz. pineapple juice
1/4 cup diced cubes of water melon
I slice fresh green lime
4 to 6 cubes of ice
Method
Place ice cubes in a cocktail glass, then add cubes of water melon. Pour rum over the ice and water melon, then add pineapple juice. Jiggle with a spoon then garnish with green lime and serve.
For an alternative cocktail, just add 2 oz. Ting Jamaican grapefruit drink to 2 oz. D & G white over proof rum on ice, stir and serve
