In the Spirit: Cotton & Reed | Listen

Rum distilling is grounded in history and tradition, and DC-based Cotton & Reed embraces the legacy while forging their own path forward as a reimagined North American Rum distillery. Known for their award-winning white rum (we’re talking double gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition), and enticing limited release bottles like mango, coconut, and Allspice Dram, Cotton & Reed have refined their process through years of testing and tasting. The Local Palate sat down with head distiller John Hayes and general manager Britt Fox to hear about their process, inspiration, and how Cotton & Reed gained notoriety in Washington, DC.

TLP: Tell me about your journeys into the distilling world.

John Hayes: My background is in chemistry, but during a stint in Tennessee, I fell in love with distilleries and began scheming to incorporate spirits into my career. My start in distillation began at Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery, pulling weekend shifts for about 6 months. When I moved to DC, I wanted to pursue distilling full time, and found my place at Cotton & Reed in 2019. Needless to say, the following year required a lot of pivoting, making hand sanitizer, and adjusting procedures, but it was also a great time to lean into refining our product, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to focus there. 

Britt Fox: My background is in nonprofits, so I’m used to wearing many hats. I don’t take boredom well, so I spent my nights moonlighting as a bartender. I was bartending in New Orleans in 2022 with Punch at Brennan’s when Jordan Cotton, the CEO and co-founder of Cotton & Reed, saddled up to the bar. Cotton & Reed began as a hobby distilling project, at a time where rum wasn’t really spoken for in DC and Cotton was hard set on creating a line of products that were crafted in house without any sourcing. We began discussing how I could become more involved with the brand, and I ended up becoming general manager. 

TLP: Have you both always had an affinity for rum?

Hayes: Whiskey was my first foray into craft spirits, but I found a deep respect for rum because I find it to be the most diverse spirit. Rum can appease a number of palates, and it’s a great spirit to express creativity. 

Fox: I’d call myself more of a spirits enthusiast, but I gravitate towards spirits with an origin story. John and I are always sharing our spirit nerdom, but it feels really exciting to be part of the next chapter in North American rum. We’re always trying out experimental rums, new takes, and finding ways to demystify it from the bar. 

TLP: Tell me about the process for distilling your rums.

John Hayes: It’s truly a blend of art and science from the start. We use 25% black dot molasses and 75% cane syrup; this coaxes out the flavors. We use a double distillation process in a 500 gallon hybrid still, making the bottles around 180 to 182 proof after the second distillation. Each of our rums have bold notes, whether that’s grassy and plant-centric or fruity flavors like mango and banana. Our white rum is the only bottle that has minimized carbon filtration to reduce burn and emphasize flavor; all others are aged or spiced after the double distillation. 

TLP: In addition to your main line, you have a number of limited releases; tell me about those.

Fox: Honestly, these bottles are born of inspiration when it strikes. We actually have a lot going on this year. Our limited edition mango rum is similar to our coconut rum, and has a great beachy vibe while still sticking to natural and organic ingredients.

The other two releases are more nerdy. We have a Queen’s Share Rum that is 110 proof. It’s a great rum to serve at the bar and have a little educational moment on rum history. Queen’s Share Rum is specifically the redistilled tails, the heaviest and oiliest parts, and gives bold flavors and wood notes. Ours is aged for two years, and has tasting notes that resemble bananas foster. Lastly, we have the white gold release which is aged in an amburana barrel and has a light to medium body and notes of vanilla and marshmallow.  

TLP: With an impressive line up, what are your top 3 bottles for the best introduction to Cotton & Reed?

Fox: I honestly think you have to get both the white and the gold to grasp the diversity between the two signature bottles. The white is our flagship bottle but the gold is our most versatile. To have a good time, I’d suggest the coconut rum; it’s the best for a party. But for me, I’d pick one of the limited releases as my third, either the Queen’s Share or mango. 

Hayes: There’s something to be said for the Allspice Dram as well. It’s got a cult following and makes a great substitution for a spiced rum. It’s a little sweet but perfect for the American palate, and an essential around the holidays. 

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