Polished Palate Biography
Rene van Hoven, Rum Pages
Rene van Hoven, Mr. Rumpages.com, is a connoisseur & journalist. During his
study F&B, he worked at a liquor shop in Amsterdam , Cave Rokin. From that moment on, wine and spirits were it. After receiving his wine degree, Rene specialized more in spirits, particularly Rum and Whisky. Cave Rokin is the shop where Rene does Rum tastings each month.
His first real appearance in the Rum world happened on Barbados in 2000 and 2001. Here he was a Rum judge at the International Rum Festival. While there, he met Luis Ayala and Edward Hamilton, both still friends. From there on things went wild.
Rene felt there was not enough good information about Rum. Therefore he wanted to write about it himself. His first magazine was Drinks SVB, for which he still writes. His first article was about the Rum Festival in Barbados . By starting his private rum website (www.rumpages.com) the writing part grew and grew. Now Rene writes regularly for several magazines and internet sites (Whisky Passion, De Kiln, Taste, Just-Drinks).
The writing continued. Rene rewrote the chapter about Rum for the Liquorist group, the highest degree available in the Dutch spirits education. There are plans to do some teaching there as well. Rene also rewrote the entire book for the VAKO, another group in Dutch spirits education. Eventually he educated people in wines and spirits at the Peoples University in Velsen.
Rene traveled to several countries to see how they produce rum and rhum. In 2005 he even started to work in a distillery: the Prichard distillery in Kelso , Tennessee USA . This great experience gave him several ideas about articles that can be found on his website. Rene was present at the New York RumFest USA in November 2005 and is now on the International Jury for several Rum festivals in Europe and the USA .
Rene’s private collection includes all kinds of rarities from several centuries. He collects Rum bottles and has more than 250 of them, varying from young to extremely old.
Rene van Hoven
www.rumpages.com
Raadhuisstraat 24 a
1541 JC Koog aan de Zaan
Netherlands, Europe