Fun with Rum

February 06, 2018

Rum

There are more Rums available now than ever before, and more/better offerings available in on-trade outlets. 2017 was the year Rum was finally meant to take off and come into its own, but it didn’t quite happen… again.

Why? Well, Rum has somewhat of an image problem, which boils down to…

• The cheapest rums are the bestsellers.
• The spirit is very much defined by colour, which gives no indication of the age of the spirit, the flavour profile or the body.
• There is no easy/obvious progression in rum. If you think of gin, you (originally) would start with Gordon’s then move onto Bombay, then Tanqueray and then Hendricks. In Rum if you start with Barcardi, where do you go next, what is the ladder of progression, not so easy is it?!
• Pirates: A lot of Rums use pirate connected imagery, but many producers want to distance themselves from this image, so the product is taken more seriously and not just as a gimmick.
• Rum is a lifestyle choice, you either like the flavours of Rum or you don’t.

The trick to Rum’s future success is getting consumers to truly appreciate and understand what is in their glass.

Fun with Rum and Mixers

When drinking Rum, it’s fair to say most people reach straight for the default cola, but there are other options, some which may surprise you. And just like the gin ethos, if you spend the money on a premium bottle of rum put a good quality/premium mixer with it.

Ideally when adding a mixer to a Rum, you want to stick to a 2:1 ratio (2 parts mixer to 1 part rum), so you can at least taste the rum.

Coconut Water: - Adds complexity. Ideal with Rums that have seen oak ageing.

Clementine juice: - Acidity (of the juice) is the key here, whilst the flavour of the juice links with the fruitiness of the rum. Works best with aged rums.

Ginger Beer: - Ginger adds zing and increases the spiciness. Works best with spiced rums.

Premium Cola: - Very hit and miss as to which rums it works with, as the cola can overpower the Rum. Try Fevertree Madagascan Cola or Fentimans Curiosity Cola.

Other Mixers: Clementine and Cinnamon Tonic water, Ginger Beer with Muddled Lime, Ginger Ale.

 

January Rum Tasting

Back in January we held a Rum tasting and here’s what we had on show and what you should pair them with…

El Dorado Rum 3 y o White 40%

Guyana

Mixer: Coconut Water

A great mixing and award winning rum. Filtered through natural charcoal for greater clarity and purity. It is then aged for at least 3 years in 45 gallon ex-bourbon oak casks. Crisp and fresh.

Skipper Rum 40%

Guyana

Mixer: Old Fashioned, Premium Cola

First launch in 1930 and still with the same label. A dense, dark molasses-based rum made in Guyana. Gold Medal winning at the 2012 Rum Masters in the category of ‘Dark Rum Aged Up to 7 Years’.

Duppy Share Rum 40%

Jamaica/Barbados

Mixer: Coconut Water, Ginger Beer, Cola

A blend of unique premium rums, a 3 year old, 100% pot still rum from Worthy Park Estate in Jamaica, and a 5 year old Barbadian rum from the prestigious Foursquare Distillery in Barbados. These are very contrasting island styles, a fiery Jamaican rum and a smooth Barbadian rum.

Rumbullion! Spiced Rum 42.6%

English

Mixer: Ginger Beer

Multi award winning rum, made by the same people behind Bathtub Gin. A blend of Caribbean rum, Madagascan vanilla, orange peel, clove, cinnamon and cardamom.

Dark Matter Spiced Rum 40%

Scottish

Mixer: Cola, Ginger Beer

The first and only rum distillery in Scotland. First conceived by brothers Jim & John Ewen, on a scrap of paper whilst on holiday in April 2014.

Foursquare Zinfandel Cask 11 Year Old 43%

Barbados

Mixer: N/A or Old Fashioned

An intriguing rum from Barbados'. This is a combination of two rums (pot and column still): one aged for five years in ex-bourbon casks and then six years in ex-Zinfandel wine casks, and an 11-year-old matured full term in bourbon casks. These were then blended together and bottled in September 2015. Produced as a series by Foursquare distillery.

 

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