Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

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In this episode, we sat down with the founder and distiller behind one of the most interesting rum projects in the U.S. right now, Robyn Smith of rum et al. and @RobynSmithPhD, a chemical engineering PhD turned rum distiller.

The premise behind rum et al. is simple but fascinating. Robyn started with a foundational, always-available rum she named Baseline. She's since released batches in which she introduces a "variable" to the Baseline recipe, such as dunder. This allows you to taste the exact differences that the variable brings to the flavor profile when tasted side by side. If you're a rum geek, it's a really cool tasting experience.

During the episode, we discussed:

How she went from chemical engineering PhD to rum distiller

Her experience in R&D for Lost Spirits Distillery

How rum et al. came to be

All the nerdy rum production details

The joys and challenges of being a one-woman operation

Congeners vs. esters

How ester measurements translate to flavor profile

What we might see from her next

And much more!

Be sure to check out her YouTube channel, @RobynSmithPhD ! These videos about her rum et al. releases are a great place to start:

How Baseline Was Made: youtu.be/b5XEGO3AJZw

How Variable (Dunderclap) Was Made: youtu.be/NXyF7vwRJDk

How Variable (Tailspin) Was Made: youtu.be/1s5Q6leDoXg

Have you had a chance to try Robyn's rum? What stood out to you in the conversation? Let us know via email (host@rumcast.com) or social!