Name of blog w/o boat?

Note from Melanie:  If I had my way, the boat would be pink and it would be called Barbie's Dreamboat.  But wait...That's Drew!

Why have we named the blog after a boat that we don't have? Great question. Simply, it is more inspiration for us to continue along this path we have chosen. It also feels real if we have a blog or a way to chronicle our adventures while we are in the planning stages. The name of the boat came to us while we were at the Mount Gay Rum distillery in Barbados last spring. The tour was very informative and spirit lifting to say the least at 10am. If you are in the area it is worth the price of admission to tour the facility.

So what is Angel's Share?

Many distilled spirits and wines are virtually undrinkable after their sugar content has fermented into alcohol. In the case of distilled spirits, the alcoholic content of a "fresh" batch may be nearly 190 proof or better, and the flavor of the beverage would not be very appealing. To reduce the percentage of alcohol and to intensify the subtle flavors of the wine or distilled spirit, producers often store their products in oak barrels. In the case of distilled spirits such as whiskey, the staves of the oak barrels are often heavily charred before assembly.
Over time, some of the alcohol seeps through the grain of the oak staves and evaporates into the open air. The evaporating alcohol is called the Angel's Share, alluding to the belief that guardian angels watch over the product as it ages. Barrels of wine or distilled spirits may remain stacked in large warehouses for years, each one rendering its own Angel's Share over time. Needless to say, these warehouses filled with oak barrels and aging spirits can be quite fragrant.

The belief that guardian angels watch over the distilling product gave us the idea of them watching over our boat as we travel along the breeze made by angel's wings. Seemed fitting to name our new to us boat after such a belief.



Cruise spring 2010