New York, where the 20th century steakhouse was invented, now has few of the original pioneers like Palm on Second Avenue, Bruno’s Pen & Pencil, Christ Cella and others. We still have Peter Luger, Keens and The Homestead, and plenty more that followed later, like Smith & Wollensky, Wolfgang’s, Porter House and a slew now owned by eastern European immigrants. 
      All are vying for a decreasing amount of the best USDA Prime beef that had always distinguished New York, before the Meat Packing district in Chelsea was taken over by trendy (always empty) boutiques. Don’t for a minute believe that all the steakhouses in the U.S., or even in New York, now get the same quality of aged, marbled beef once available.
         Fortunately, such a lament does not apply to Gallaghers, whose beef carcasses hang in a cold locker for all to see from the street, aging there for at least 21 days, darkening, losing moisture and getting a touch moldy on the outside—all factors that make for a corn-fed cut of beef.  Add to that the fact that the grilling over hickory wood has been honed over eight decades, along with the preparation all the other staple items on the menu, and you’ve reason enough to go to Gallaghers for a great meal. Testament to the quality of the beef  is my long-time butcher saying that Gallagher’s is one of the few places in New York where he eats beef.
      But there’s more. Gallaghers has a raffish West Side history fitted impeccably to the legends of Broadway and the sports world who have dined there, as they once would have gone to Toots Shor’s, Jack Dempsey’s, Billy the Oysterman, Reuben’s, the Russian Tea Room and Sardi’s, of which only the last two are still open.
      The story begins during Prohibition, when former Ziegfeld girl Helen Gallagher and gambler, later husband, Jack Solomon opened a speakeasy that was quickly turned into a Broadway area steakhouse when liquor became legal again. Right from the start it attracted show biz and sports people who brought memorabilia to be hung on the walls.  
      When Helen died, Jack married florist Irene Hayes, and when Jack died, Irene took over until selling to veteran restaurateur Jerome Brody, who installed the meat locker windows as of 1964. Brody’s widow  Marlene took over and commissioned cartoonist Peb Pierre Bellocq to create the “Canvas of Stars” mural, which she still owns after selling Gallaghers in 2013 to Dean Poll, who completely renovated the place. 
      There have been times in Gallagher’s history when the kitchen dropped the ball, the waiters trudged through the motions and the greeting at the door could be dour. And before the purchase and rehab by Poll (who until recently ran the Loeb Boathouse in Central Park; he’s also got a Gallaghers in Las Vegas), the place needed a good hosing down.
      Now, without changing much of anything you’d notice, Gallaghers is again unique for its sprawl, its sometimes raucous bar, its well-set tables and booths and enough sports and showbiz paraphernalia to fill the Museum of the City of New York and the New-York Historical Society. Gallagher’s is where the new draft picks were announced, and press conferences for Madison Square Garden fights and sports movies would be held.
      Waiters look trim in their black jackets (some trimmer than others) and their choreographic interplay with the kitchen, the bus boys and the rolling food carts adds to the whirl as your waiter announces the night’s specials, which are considerable and out of the ordinary for a steakhouse. And they’ll tell you if there’s just one or two portions of a dish left. (I missed out on the last slab of Prime rib by seconds!) The restaurant, which gets lunch, matinee, pre-theater, during-theater and after-theater crowds, can be very loud around seven o’clock, though by nine the din dies down a bit.
      Gallaghers' appetizers are mostly those you’ll find elsewhere, including a first-rate jumbo lump crab cake (left) with cucumber salad ($25) that really did contain a lot of jumbo crab. More unusual and quite well done were plump shrimp and lobster dumplings with a soy-ginger sauce ($18). But there are also those specials, and this being summer, one was a refreshing, very sweet watermelon salad with feta cheese ($15). Vichyssoise ($12) sounded like a good idea, though aside from its cool creaminess didn’t have a lot of potato or leek flavors.
      The menu’s Steaks & Chops section is as large as that for Seafood, beginning with a superbly charred, medium-rare porterhouse ($65 per person) cut for two, three or four people. Equally fine were three Colorado lamb chops ($65) that were perfectly trimmed so as to leave sufficient sweet fat on them. 
      Dover sole (MP) was a special that evening, and the nice fat specimen, cooked with plenty of good butter, equaled any I’ve had in the best French restaurants in New York, London or Paris.
         An abundance of sides include a hefty portion of hashed brown potatoes ($13) our table of four ate with relish and still took some home, as we did the carefully sautéed spinach ($15). Despite the grand portion of onion rings ($13), we demolished them, incapable of restraint when they came so well-crusted and tasting so much of sweet onions.
       The wine list at Gallaghers has a long pedigree, stressing American reds. Mark-ups are north of 100 percent, and there are not many bottles under $100.
        Desserts at steakhouses toe a traditional line, and they usually range from okay to pretty good. Those at Gallaghers (all $12) are so much so that I might even consider coming here after theater just for a slice of the thick, not-too-sweet pecan or apple pies or the summery strawberry shortcake (right), even that bistro favorite profiteroles with chocolate sauce.
        
      While finishing my meal, I found myself wondering, if Paul Bocuse, Roger Vergé and Alain Ducasse sat down and ate at a table at Gallaghers, what would they say? I suspect they would have just looked at each other, nodded and said, “C’est magnifique!” And well they should; everyone else does.

 

Open daily for lunch and dinner.

 

 

      All three experts expressed disappointment in not having more time to do their work, for it was now October and their contract called for a full report within a month.
         O’Keeffe was as good as his word and contacted Derrick Donaldson at Crofthouse, who said it was fine for Katie to call him.
         “I asked him if the shit hit the fan with the announcement that  Crofthouse got the sale,” said O’Keeffe. “He said there was a lot of media attention, both in China and Taiwan, but that the big collectors had not yet registered. He didn’t seem surprised by that, yet, but they would have to soon. 
      “Then again, I can’t imagine how many bidders there will be on a painting of this value. When prices get that high, they call it the ‘nosebleed zone.’ Who knows, maybe some of the museums will have emissaries hoping by some fluke that the big collectors don’t show up.”
         Derrick Donaldson seemed pleased to get Katie’s call and told her what he’d told O’Keeffe. What Katie wanted to know was how much the Chinese might have told Crofthouse about the painting’s provenance.
         “I must admit, not much,” said Donaldson, who had an uppercrust British accent, with the slight but deliberate stutter. “They told us that from what they knew the painting had been in Beijing for as long as anyone knew. They assumed it arrived in China back in the 17th century, at a time when there was next to no western art in Asia outside of what the British and the Dutch brought with them to India and China to decorate their own homes. I have seen some minor landscapes and some hoary old portraits from the days of the Raj, but nothing on the order of a Vermeer.”
      “Well,” asked Katie, “does that make you a little skittish?”
         “Skittish? Hm, not a word we use much here. I’d say we want to be very careful and ask all the right questions. It’s our reputation on the line, of course. To that end we’re bringing in three of the world’s finest Vermeer specialists to examine the painting.”
         Katie took pleasure in reeling off the experts’ names and saying she’d already spoke with all of them.
         “Well, then,” said Donaldson, “You may know more than I do. They’re very tight-lipped, as they should be until they finish their research. I do know they are working very hard and very long hours.  The painting is here at our offices, all very secure, of course.”
        Katie turned the discussion to the potential bidders, again reeling off the six whom she’d been following, not mentioning the late Mr. Saito.
         “My lord, you really have done your homework, Ms. Cavuto. Yes, those are all A-list names in this firmament.”
         “And you haven’t heard from any of them yet?”
         “No, but it’s a little early. Often collectors of this order try to feel each other out about a big sale, do their own research, ask their own experts. I’m sure they’ll come around, although I hear this fellow Stepanossky had a bit of an accident that took off most of his foot.”
         “That’s what I’ve read,” said Katie. “He may not feel much like bidding in November.”
      “That would be a loss. He’s as rich as any of them. You know the Russians. Swiss banks are bulging with Russian money. They had to convert new rubles to dollars to do it, and that hasn’t been easy.”
         Katie asked a few more questions, thanked him, and wished him luck with the sale. Donaldson said, “We are in unchartered waters here, you know. This could open up China in so many ways. It will have geo-political ramifications. Well, in any case, it’ll be fun, won’t it?”
         Katie knew that Donaldson had every right to be giddy, since, if this auction went well, his company would be the most likely to be the lead house for whatever else the Chinese planned to sell.  
      Just two days late, the authentication report by the three experts was given to the principals at Crofthouse. The report was very lengthy, more than 150 pages, treating every aspect of the painting, from the condition to the origins of the canvas and frame, along with analysis, as much as was possible, of the pigments used, which paint colors may not have existed back in the 17th century. 
        The x-rays seemed to show no significant underpainting, nothing that differed from the final design used. Marie-Céline Bourget did question the painting of the folds of fabric on the figure’s right arm and concluded that at some point the original paint had been compromised long after the work was finished, and painted over, which explained the lack of “refinement” she’d mentioned, as well as paints from a later date.
         There was a consideration of provenance without a paper trail, except that certain documents in the Netherlands mentioned that Vermeer might have agreed to do a third scientist as part of a triptych but without proof that it was ever done or sold. With help from Chinese archivists they found mention of “certain works of art received from the West during the early years of the Qing Dynasty,” which ruled China from 1644 to 1912.  The works were not further identified or described.
         The final summary of the report, written in English and translated into Chinese, said:

                  After thorough examination of the painting in dispute, the committee feels confident that it is indeed by Johannes Vermeer, painted around 1665, perhaps as part of a triptych of two similar works in which the artist used the same model and the same room for the background.

             The committee wishes to insist, however, that in other circumstances, its report would be considered as preliminary to a more in-depth examination that might involve further scientific testing in order to reach an even firmer conclusion.

             We certify that this report was done with as much exactitude, precision and impeccable historical research as      was possible within the schedule of its completion, so that in the unanimous opinion of this committee, the painting known as The Chemist or The Alchemist is authenticated for sale by the People’s Republic of China through the Crofthouse Auction Company, Ltd, of Hong Kong in the People’s Republic of China. 

         The report was signed, with varying degrees of flourish, by the three art experts, as well as Crofthouse’s and the Chinese authorities’ attorneys and witnesses.
         Art Today did not get an exclusive on the report—all other media knew it was coming—but Coleman and his staff did due diligence in calling the other most important auction houses for comments, all of which were standard issue boilerplate to the effect that they hoped the sale went well for all concerned. 
      Coleman knew, of course, that some of the prospective bidders—those left in the running—had in the past been customers of Sotheby’s or Christie’s, and that if they were going to bid, it was an open field as to how to arrange for participation, since sales to private collectors of paintings of such rarity and value were almost always kept secret.  Sometimes the collectors never revealed they were the owners; other times, as with the late Ryoei Saito, the owner might brandish his ownership as a measure of pride and power. In the case of what had now been declared an authentic Vermeer, no one in the art world could be sure the buyer would ever be revealed. But the price would.

 

   

    Interest in diverse rums beyond the white variety that is the basis for so many cocktails has been growing as  new rleases come on the market from traditional regions like the Caribbean to unexpected  sources like the Philippines, India and the Czech Republic. One of the best-known Guatemalan brands has been Botran, which chose to get out of the market for two years and now returned with its own new approach to a more sophisticated market. To find out more I interviewed Botran's Ivan Valdez, senior global brand manager for Licores de Guatemala.

 

Botran is now back in the U.S. market after three years. Why the hiatus?

As Guatemala’s top-selling aged rum, representing Guatemala in over 50 countries around the world, we took some time to revisit our brand and market strategy.  At a global scale, we elevated our vision to “to fill every glass with the bright and vibrant spirit of Guatemalan rum,” resulting in a fresh look and new certifications that highlight the brand’s provenance and rum mastery.  Subsequently, our in-market strategy led us to a quest to find the partner with the capability and drive to position Botran Rum in the premium segment.  Thus, our refreshed brand, solid credentials and strong partner make it the perfect timing for a reinsertion to achieve sustained growth in the U.S. market.  

What are the new certifications?

         •        Botran is Guatemala´s top-selling aged rum with the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) of “Ron de Guatemala”

         •        ISCC PLUS (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) accreditation, certifying Botran as the world’s first sustainable rum across all parts of the rum journey, including plantations, mill, distillery, ageing facilities, and bottling

         •        Certified Carbon Neutral from SGS in recognition of Botran´s  house Guatemalan Spirits commitment to our planet. Since 1977 Guatemalan Spirits has planted and grown more than 1.8 million trees in Guatemala. (Consequently, it self-mitigates its carbon footprint without the need to purchase carbon credits.)
 

What does sustainability mean vis-à-vis rum production?

In 2019, Botran was awarded ISCC PLUS by the International Sustainability Carbon Certification, thus becoming the first sustainable rum in the world to become sustainable throughout the entire rum-making process (social, harvest, distilling, ageing, bottling) rather than a section of the rum journey.  Thus, we carry our “ISCC” seal proudly on every back label of our products; moreover it is a commitment to sustainable practices such as:

         •        Facilities equipped with the right conditions for our workers to grant their safety and well-being 

         •        Reforestation 

         •        Water management - More than 96% of water used in our mill is recycled

         •        Waste management – we use cane bagasse to produce clean energy

         •        Clean energy - we use biogas, reducing our fossil fuel use by 40-50%

 

 
Is the San Andres distillery the same one used by Zacapa? 

Yes, Botran and Zacapa share the same distillery. But please note that Botran uses different sugar cane, has its own aging facility in Xela, Quezaltenango, and has three female Master Blenders that only work on Botran rums: Magda López, Master Blender and Ageing Facility Manager; Yazmín Chapeton, Master Blender and Head of Manufacturing & Blends; Leslie Taracena, Master Blender and Blend Researcher & Coordinator.

Ivan Valdez, senior global brand manager for Licores de Guatemala.

What is Botran’s “Dynamic Ageing System”?  

Botran’s Dynamic Ageing System is actually more complex than a traditional solera system. Instead of using the customary solera pyramid structure, we’ve created a vintage stacked system that works in vertical columns. Over the years, our three Master Blenders have perfected this aging regimen, elevating it to an art form.   Different types of casks are used in each column to keep the process dynamic, with a focus on amplifying flavors and aromatics.  As our rums are blended, the casks are repositioned, and the process is repeated. Over time, the younger rums take on the big, bold flavors and distinct personalities of the aged rums. Each blend is created to specifically highlight desired characteristics. This is an adapted solera system that adds complexity, and creates roundness and homogeneity across the Botran portfolio. 

Is the rum market increasing in sales and number of rums entering the market?

In 2021, the total rum market in the U.S. reached a total volume of 198 million liters.  While the standard and value segments in rum are decreasing (5-year compound annual growth rate of -1%), growth is coming from the segments at higher tiers.  That is the premium, super premium, ultra-premium, prestige and prestige plus segments with a 5-year CAGR of 4%, 20%, 22%, 10% and 44%, respectively.

 

 

Rum prices have been relatively moderate by comparison to many other brown spirits. Why?

For years, rum consumption has been tied mainly to classic cocktails (mojito, rum and coke, piña colada) leveraging on great mixability and sharing fun moments.  Thus, still in 2021, 94% of the rum volume sits in the standard and value price segments (USD 22.49 and below).  In contrast, those segments represent 57.4% for the whisky/whiskey category – a category primarily associated to a moment of reward and “on the rocks” drinking.  

    While rum has evolved and we see a growing trend in premium, as a category, we have the challenge to change rum’s perception over the coming years from a mixable spirit used in cocktails to a premium spirit of distinction.  Thus, more sipping-rum premium experiences and innovation will come in the future leveraging terroir, aging process, and barrel-types.  This will foster a higher sense of connoisseurship and appreciation over the truth behind rum and create more premium-rum-lovers as they unveil the craftmanship and uniqueness behind rums across the globe.  In the coming years, dark rum will continue to see growth in high price tiers with a 2021 to 2026 CAGR of 7%, 13%, 6%. 11% in the super premium, ultra-premium, prestige and prestige plus segments respectively.

How would you distinguish between a Guatemalan rum and one from other regions in the Caribbean?

Guatemalan rum has a Protected Designation of Origin, which is safeguarded by the National Association of Alcoholic Spirits Beverage producers of Guatemala. It has been recognized in 32 countries, including those in the European Union. Guatemalan rum style is unique from crop to drop and it all happens in Guatemala:

         •        Our terroir has vertisol soils, which can only be found in 2% of planet earth.

         •        We are a Guatemalan rum and use two varieties of sugar cane which are only used for Botran Rum:  Chapina and Preciosal 

         •        We do not use molasses (a byproduct of sugar production).  We use the virgin honey which comes from the first crush of sugar cane – a highly concentrated sugar cane juice.

         •        We slow-age in altitude in the mountains of Guatemala at 2,300 meters above sea level.

         •        We have a distinctive dynamic ageing system, locally developed and inspired by the traditional solera ageing system.  

  

Do you have a visitor’s center and tasting room? If so, can you tell me about it?

Yes, we do. We invite interested guests to learn more about the Casa Botran Experience at https://botranrum.com/casa-botran-experience/. Guests can book tours to learn about our rums, production, aging and more than 80 years of our history.  Tastings are available as part of the Casa Botran Tour. 

 

Are your various aged rums better for sipping or are they good for mixing?

While we believe everyone should enjoy our rums however they best like, we tend to suggest our Reserva Blanca and No. 8 rums for mixing. The Reserva Blanca was specifically made at the request of bartenders who wanted an aged rum profile to work with but didn’t want color to get in the way of creating vibrantly colored cocktails.  We’ve employed a special activated charcoal filtration process that removes color but maintains taste. Botran’s No. 12 is an ideal choice for someone looking for a more sophisticated yet versatile rum that can bridge cocktails or sipping. For those who enjoy sipping on rums—neat or with ice—Botran’s No. 18 and No. 15 are especially outstanding options when it comes to savoring our cane spirits. These two in particular have been aged using ex-sherry and ex-Port casks, providing subtle shades of flavors and aromatics that are best enjoyed on their own. 

 

Rum prices have been relatively moderate by comparison to many other brown spirits. Why?

Long-gone is the time where rum was the spirit of pirates.  Rum evolved and the growing trend in the higher tiers segments responds to a higher interest of consumers in premium rum.  A higher sense of connoisseurship and understanding the truth behind spirits is creating more rum-lovers as they unveil the craftmanship and uniqueness behind premium rums across the globe.  This makes our vision to “to fill every glass with the bright and vibrant spirit of Guatemalan rum” a bigger commitment to the world.

 

Scotches and bourbons are increasingly being marketed as small batch and finished in special barrels. Has Botran any such intentions?

The use of special barrels has been our specialty since 1940 and is a distinctive trait in our dynamic ageing system.  We use up to four special barrels for our No.18 and No.15, three special barrels for our No.12 and No.8 and two special barrels for our Reserva Blanca.   

Nonetheless, we took our rum mastery to another level, releasing a Rare Blend bottling. These are limited editions that include Botran Rum finished in a fifth special cask.  Most recently, we released Botran Rare Blend Guatemalan Oak (for the European market) and Botran Rare Blend Vintage Wine Cask (for travel retail), which featured a blend of rums aged 8 to 25 years that were finished in a very special cask. Right now, Rare Blend only goes to select markets.

 

Since the Caribbean is so hot and humid, does climate change have any effect on the plantations?

Climate does have an effect on plantations, mainly shifting harvest seasons.  Nonetheless, we use advanced technology and work together with Guatemala’s Climate Change Institute to plan ahead and continue delivering the great quality that represents our protected designation of origin: Ron de Guatemala.

 

What are the threats from hurricanes?

Hurricanes are unprecedented events that rarely affect the southern area of Guatemala. Up until today, we have never been directly affected by such a natural threat, as our facilities are located precisely in this area of the country.  
 

What other countries is Botran sold in?

In addition to the U.S., you can find Botran Rum in more than 50 countries such as Guatemala, El Salvador, France, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Germany, Peru, Costa Rica, Colombia, Czech Republic, Panama, Croatia, Netherlands, Denmark, Canada, Honduras, Sweden, Israel, Belgium, Switzerland, Australia, Greece, etc.