Far down the Clyde and in the heart of Dumbarton a hidden gem with a taste of the Caribbean is about to emerge. With the first wave of coronavirus allowing people to explore their community and immerse themselves in that spirit, many people started their own business.
Lots of new ventures have popped up out of nowhere, but in Dumbarton there is an endeavour which has been taking patience, skill, and passion to perfect and it is now ready to make a name for itself.
Sylvester Herman is the founder of the new business venture, Island Slice, where he makes traditional Caribbean craft rum. An impressive skill for anyone to have, but what is even more impressive is the story behind the drink.
Born in St Lucia to Caribbean parents, Mr Herman has been passionate about craft rum and had it engrained in him from a young age to appreciate what rum should be.
So why is he making it? The well-travelled St Lucian came to Scotland in 2013 after serving in the British Military for four years in Germany. He noticed that he couldn’t find a genuine rum that reminded him of his birthplace. So, after growing up surrounded by rum and punch, he set out to bring that taste to his new home in Dumbarton.
What makes this drink so special is the harsh and powerful history discovered in the process of making it. The recipe comes from his direct descendants who were slaves working in a plantation. The process in making it was passed down from his father and his father before him, and so on.
Mr Herman said: “The rum that I am creating is the same rum that was created to take the sting out of slaves whipped backs and allow them to stand in the sun doing what these plantation and estate owners had them do.
“My rum is from the perspectives of the slaves themselves. My Great grandfather, and my father were direct descendants of slaves. I am a direct descendant of slaves.”
From the passion in his voice when talking about the heritage of the drink, it’s clear to see why he is so passionate about creating rum in the traditional way it was always meant to be.
He said: “I was really exposed to rum when I was 15 and lived with my dad. He owned a rum shop in a small village called Lamáze. He made and sold what was called ‘Ubarkowtwe’, which translates to under the counter.
“Because it was from the steel, and charcoal filtered, it was quite harsh, and I use that same process that was passed on to him.”
Mr Herman is very aware of Glasgow’s dark past which contributed to slavery in the Caribbean. The city’s streets are named after estate and plantation owners who ushered in ‘golden age’ of sugar in the 17th century as a result of the growing popularity of rum back then.
Glasgow’s slave trade past is all around us and we walk down the same streets that are named after slave owners. Cochrane street, named after 18th century tobacco lord and slave-trader, Andrew Cochrane. Buchanan street is named after Andrew Buchanan, who was once Lord Provost of Glasgow, and a plantation owner in Virginia. It is believed he owner more than 300 slaves. Although he recognises this, he doesn’t want the names of these streets torn down but thinks Glasgow should take an honest approach when it comes to the history of these street names.
In our long and detailed chat about Glasgow’s history, he only suggested that in order to not forget the past, the street names should have the information on then men behind them displayed as clearly.
The heritage of Glasgow may be one of many reasons Mr Herman is so passionate about his new business, and he said himself he chose Dumbarton as it is right next to the same river where some of the ships that transported slaves were built.
He doesn’t want his rum to dwell on the past, but more so to remember it, and celebrate the ‘better times after the hard times’. He believes education is the key behind that and wants his newly created drink to contribute to that.
He said: “You don’t want to erase history, I am offering a genuine product and I’m here to offer something from my heritage, because Glasgow is a very welcoming place.
“I’m going to offer everyone a little slice of my island in Dumbarton and give you a genuine taste of the Caribbean.”
After spending five years in the Scottish police, the 38-year-old ex-cop retired from the service this April and has now moved his business venture into a unit right next to Dalreoch train station – handy if you’re popping in for a tasting or two.
He plans on officially opening this Autumn and aswell as supplying the drink to wholesalers, he will offer tasting experiences, hen, and stag dos, and reveal how he makes his rum. If you want to know that though, he added, you better get down and visit.
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