Few liquors conjure sand, surf, and warm tropical breezes like rum. And as with a lot of American cocktail culture, the story of our country’s love affair with rum runs straight through the heart of New Orleans.

And the two men who sit at the forefront of rum culture are names you might not be familiar with – Luis Jung and Frederick Wulff.

The former, Luis Emmanuel Jung, was a German immigrant, who arrived in New Orleans in the early 19th century and quickly climb the rungs of the rum trade, establishing himself and New Orleans, as one of the premier rum destinations in the country. His efforts not only helped introduce this now-beloved spirit to the city’s residents, but he also created economic opportunities for local businesses and shaped New Orleans’ reputation as a hub of indulgence and revelry.

Frederick A. Wulff, a Danish merchant, arrived a few years later, and following in Jung’s footsteps, further expanded the rum trade in New Orleans. Combing their extensive network of Caribbean distillers, the 2 joined forces to become the central rum importers in New Orleans and beyond, stoking America’s growing love affair for the sweet spirit. The relationships these 2 forged, cemented the ties between New Orleans and the Caribbean that still exist to this day.

But more than just being savvy businessmen, Jung and Wulff helped shape the very culture and of New Orleans. The abundance of rum, led to the spirit becoming an integral part of the city’s vibrant culinary scene, finding its way into iconic cocktails like the Hurricane and the Daiquiri.

Today, their legacy lives on in the luxury rum brand that bears their name, and their “origin” rums from Trinidad, Guyana, and Barbados trace their roots to the original regions and relationships built by the pair nearly 200 years ago.

In fact, a section of the Sazerac House is dedicated to these 2 men, and the rums they introduced to New Orleans, and we invite you learn more about them and their rums by paying us a visit.

Cheers!