Ben Jones knows a good rum when he drinks it. No wonder: his mother’s family founded Rhum Clément on the island of Martinique in 1887. “Growing up we always had a few bottles of Rhum Clément in the liquor cabinet,” Jones says. “My mother would serve guests Créole Shrubb for dessert, over ice cream, with fresh fruit and raisins. It was always a hit.” Clément Créole Shrubb is a rum-based orange liqueur.

Jones had no plans to enter the family business. His father was American; he was raised in Brunswick, Maine, and went to school in the United States. But when he started working with wine and spirits, he quickly discovered that the Clément family rum he grew up with was better than most on the American market. “I discovered that Clément Créole Shrubb and the rest of our portfolio of Martinique rhum agricole were truly unique. American imbibers were missing out!”

He returned to Martinique to inquire about bringing Rhum Clément to the U.S. Today, Jones lives in southern Rhode Island and manages North American export and distribution activities for two Martinique rhum agricole companies: Rhum Clément and Rhum J.M…

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