Newport, RI - February 3, 2010 - The Mooring Seafood Kitchen & Bar, located on Sayer's Wharf in the heart of downtown Newport, will host a Gosling's Rum tasting on Thursday, February 18th,  as part of the 22nd Annual Newport Winter Festival.  The Mooring will host Andrew Holmes, Brand Director for Gosling's Rum in Bermuda, who will lead guests through the tasting.

The event will begin at 6:00 p.m. The cost is $25.00 per person, or $20.00 with the purchase of a Winter Festival button; tax and gratuity are additional.  Reservations are required, and can be made by calling 401-846-2260.  Visit www.mooringrestaurant.com for more information.

Guests will have the opportunity to taste the three marks of Gosling's, individually and mixed in cocktails, including the classic Dark & Stormy:

Gosling's Black Seal Rum: Featuring a rich, intricate flavor, well-balanced and nuanced with butterscotch, vanilla, and caramel.

Gosling's Gold Rum: Boasting a rich, golden amber color, it offers a nose of vanilla, apricot, mango, and lightly smoked oak and hints of citrus and tropical flavors with nutty undertones.

Gosling's Family Reserve Old: Meant to be sipped, it is crafted from the same Bermuda blend as the Black Seal, but is also aged in oak barrels until it acquires an extra complexity, much like a rare Scotch or cognac.

Each selection will be complemented by small tasting dishes prepared by Executive Chef Adi Mandel, and will include Black Seal Steaks, Sizzling Shrimp, and Bermuda Fish Chowder.

About Gosling's Rum
The history of Black Seal Rum(r) and the Gosling family began long ago. In the spring of 1806 James Gosling, the oldest son of William Gosling, wine and spirits merchant, set out from England on the ship, Mercury, with £10,000 of merchandise, bound for America.

After ninety-one desperate days on a becalmed sea their charter ran out, and they put in at the nearest port, St. George's, Bermuda. Rather than pressing on for America, James opened a shop on the King's Parade, St. George's in December 1806. In 1824 James returned to England and his brother Ambrose rented a shop on Front Street in the new Capitol of Hamilton for £25 a year. The Gosling's have maintained a store at this location for 127 years.

In 1860, the distinctive Bermuda black rum destined to be Black Seal was formulated and offered for sale. Up until the First World War it was only sold from the barrel, and most folks brought in their own bottles for a "fill up." Eventually the black rum was sold in champagne bottles, reclaimed from the British Officer's Mess, and the corks sealed with black sealing wax.

Soon, people began to ask for the "Black Seal," and many years later the idea of the little, barrel juggling "Black Seal" was born. Over the years Black Seal(r) Rum has become synonymous with Bermuda. It is an essential ingredient in Bermuda fish chowder, adds the island flavor to the Bermuda Rum Swizzle, and is the tempest in Bermuda's favorite cocktail the Dark 'n Stormy(r). A family business for over two centuries, Gosling's is Bermuda's oldest business house, and is the largest exporter of a Bermuda-made product.

About Andrew Holmes, Brand Director, Bermuda
Born and raised in Bermuda; educated at Bishops University in Quebec Canada, Andrew Holmes started with Gosling's Export in August 2002.  Based in Bermuda training under Malcolm Gosling, Andrew was transferred to Canada in January 2003. His work in Canada was to educate Canadians about Gosling's Rum and the island of Bermuda, developing opportunities and distribution for the rum.  In March 2006 Andrew returned to Bermuda to work with the Gosling's Rum brands on the island.  In 2009 Andrew began to work with the Master Blender Kenny Simons and has been training as his apprentice while continuing his work on the island.  Andrew is also an enthusiastic mixologist and still tends bar on a regular basis.  Having won several bartending competitions Andrew takes pride in creating cocktails with Gosling's Rum as well as cooking with the rum.

About the Mooring Seafood Kitchen & Bar

The Mooring Seafood Kitchen & Bar is Newport's premier waterfront and seafood restaurant in the heart of the downtown historic district. The Mooring's 25+ page wine list can be downloaded at their website at www.mooringrestaurant.com. For more information, please call 401-846-2260.

The Mooring Seafood Kitchen & Bar is a subsidiary of Newport Harbor Corporation, an employee-ownership (ESOP) hospitality company, located in Newport, RI.  For more information on Newport Harbor Corporation, please visit the website at www.newportharbor.com.

Contact: Kate Barba
Regan Communications Group
401.351.8855
kbarba@regancomm.com