24 April 2020: During this lockdown there is one important and delicious thing we can’t give you. Rum.

We can't give you Whistler African Style Rum, but we can can give you...

What we can give you now (besides of course the hand sanitiser we are currently producing) is a distraction. Some recipes, tips, and tricks to entertain you.

Another thing that no one can take away from us during this time, is music.

We figure our nation is currently going through enough, so we won’t expose you to a recording of us trying to sing songs and play instruments. That does not, however, mean that we can’t give you tunes.

We asked each Whistler team member to compile of playlist of the songs keeping them sane whilst in lockdown.

Here is who picked what and why:

Stef:

• Tell it to me, Old Crown Medicine Show: This song reminds me of manning the bar for Whistler during Open Days on the farm, which I think back on fondly.
• The Ballad of Billy the Kid, Billy Joel: This song makes me think of Lon. He loves this song.
• O.B., Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats: We listened to this song over and over the evening in October 2017 when we bottled our first rum. We specially ordered 300 bottles via air freight from China to be on time for a video shoot the next day. We worked until 01:30 (AM) on Saturday morning to fill bottles and get the distillery ready for the shoot. We started shooting the video at 6:30am on the same day.

Kantoor:

• Nge Thanda Wena, Mlindo de Vocalist: This song reminds me of Open Days around 14:00 in the afternoon when things start to get busy.
• Emhlabeni, Matshikos: This song makes me think back of when I started as part of the Whistler team. I knew nothing back then.
• Hero, Matshikos: His song is talking about me...zero to hero (#themaster) 😊

Lon:

• Float On, Modest Mouse: This song inspires me. It is a song we have enjoyed multiple times. The Sabie Tube Race, an excellent occasion to enjoy good rum, comes to mind.
• Ring (ft. Willem DeFoe), Mint Royal: This is the song that played when I decided to quit my job and start making rum for a living.
• Old Man, Niel Young: I don’t know. I just like this song.

Trevor:

• Moonshine Lullaby, Anny Get Your Gun: I am a fan of musicals. Don't laugh! “Whistle your own tune”, remember. This song just feels appropriate to me. I imagine that this is the best bed-time song for my kids considering that their dad and uncles are rum runners of sorts.
• Aandlied van die Voëls, Die Fluitende Predikantsvrou: People don't believe that this person, neigh, artist, actually existed. During varsity, my friends and I would play this song on the loudspeaker while getting ready for a party. It is weird, we know, but it is an excellent way to get yourself in a light-hearted mood for a big night out.
• Let It Go, Frozen: This is my official lock-down song. Not by choice, but due to the fact that I have a two-year old daughter.

Enjoy.

Stay safe. Stay healthy. Keep the faith.

Remember. This might feel like a moer long race without end but keep going, because there is rum at the finish line.

Cheers,

 Trevor

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• Find our online shop here, but kindly remember although you can place orders now, deliveries will only be made after the lockdown, per government regulations: https://whistlerrum.co.za.