Introducing Ian Burrell

Ian Burrell is the Worlds only recognised Global Ambassador for the Rum category, a role he created and has embodied across all seven continents. Founder of the UK RumFest, the Worlds first international rum festival, he has inspired festivals worldwide and brought rum culture to a global stage. For Crossfire Hurricane, Ian has shaped a rare multi-distillery Jamaican blend bringing together distinct styles of rum to create greater depth, balance and complexity than any single distillery could achieve alone. His expertise and instinct for flavour ensure the rum remains rooted in authentic Jamaican tradition while expressing the full spectrum of the Islands character.

An award-winning “EduTainer,” Ian has been named Class Drink Magazine’s winner of Outstanding Contributor Award (2023) International Wine & Spirits Competition’s Communicator of the Year (2024), listed among Drinks International’s Top 10 Most Influential People in the Drinks Industry, and in 2025 received the Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award at the Spirited Awards. Known as The Rum Man on TV, he regularly appears on Channel 4’s Celebrity cooking show Sunday Brunch and ITV’s Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarch, sharing his infectious passion for rum with millions of viewers. He is also the author of the best-selling book “Rum A Tasting Course: A Flavour-Focused Approach to the World of Rum

Without further ado, I’ll bring you to our interview with Ian – pour yourself a glass of Crossfire Hurricane and get reading…..

Q:You're widely known as the World's leading rum authority. How did your journey with rum begin? 

My rum journey started with my heritage, for as a Jamaican, rum is more than a spirit, it's part of our culture. This led to passion which came through professionally as a young bartender and brand ambassador, who job was to promote Jamaica rum globally to a wider audience

Q: What keeps your passion for rum alive after more than three decades in the industry?

There are always new consumers to the rum category, as well as new students yearning for rum education. That thirst for knowledge and a willingness to share keeps my passion alive as I love to learn and pass on rum stories and experiences. 

Q: You've spent years working with Jamaica's legendary distilleries, what makes them so special?

Jamaica's rum distilleries are iconic and unique in the world of rum. With so much history and heritage behind Jamaican rum production, their charismatic style of rums has carved out a niche on the global rum platform. From light subtle fruity spirits to heavy, robust funky distillates, these legendary distilleries make an array of flavours unmatched by any rum producing country in the world.

Q: For someone new to Jamaican rum, what flavours should they expect?

New Jamaica rum drinkers should expect a variety of "rummy" profiles that capture a spectrum of intense tropical fruit notes, sugarcane molasses, citrus and spice...and that's just the unaged rums. The use of oak barrels when ageing these rums promotes aromas of vanilla, cooked or ripen tropical fruits such as pineapple, mangoes and breadfruit; orange peel and Caribbean spices like allspice & nutmeg. However, the aroma & flavour that new drinkers may associate with some Jamaican rums is "funk”. This can be described as an intense, pungent flavour profile characterised by high-esters, overripe tropical fruit notes such as soured banana, decaying pineapple, and overripe mango with a touch of savouriness.

Q: What inspired the creation of Crossfire Hurricane rum?

The phrase "Crossfire Hurricane" is from the first line of the Rolling Stones 1960's song "Jumpin’ Jack Flash- “I was born in a crossfire hurricane". This was a classic song from a bygone era. The new Crossfire Hurricane Rum is also a classic, bringing together a medley of Jamaican rum blends that befits a classic Jamaican style of spirit. While in exile from the UK during the early 1970's, the Stones were heavily influenced by the dynamic sounds and culture of Jamaica. This resulted in a album called "Goat's Head Soup", being recorded on the same island that also made some of the most iconic rums in the world. Crossfire Hurricane is a celebration and an appreciation of this, distilled, blended and bottled with one love. 

Q: What makes Crossfire Hurricane different from other rums on the market?

Most Jamaican rums are traditionally blends crafted within a single distillery. Crossfire Hurricane breaks new ground as the first brand to unite and blend individual rums from four of Jamaica’s six remaining distilleries—Hampden Estate, Long Pond, Worthy Park, and Clarendon, each renowned for producing a distinctly different style of spirit.

This bold marriage of marques (blends) creates a rum of exceptional complexity, depth, and character, delivering a truly unique flavour profile. Versatile by design, Crossfire Hurricane shines in every serve, whether lengthened with your favourite mixer, elevated in a classic cocktail, or savoured neat or over a generous cube of ice. This is a rum crafted not just for one moment, but for every occasion.