The man in the picture is a well-known hero, well-known film and holds a bottle of a well-known drink. I would also have such a face if the ragweed were over and you would have to go in search of another one. You know what rum is and what its history is briefly from yesterday’s text, and today we have another portion of must know information for you! Thanks to them you will never be accused of ignorance and lack of knowledge, and what’s more – you will be able to shine with them in the company. So – to read!
A closely guarded secret
To remind you of the basic information: rum is a drink whose alcohol content is in the range of 37.5% up to 80% and is made from fermented sugar cane juice, its concentrate or molasses. It has been known to the human palate for centuries, but mass production started for good quite recently, as it was only in the seventeenth century, as reported, on the island of Barbados. It was associated with the development of piracy in the waters of the Caribbean Sea. The drink has gained many admirers faster than expected, and their number has been steadily increasing. Its popularity was so huge that it even reached colonial America, where the first distillery was built in New York on Staten Island in 1664. The demand for rum was enormous and generated huge economic growth in both Europe and America, all thanks to new trade routes.
We all know that the most known and noble rum species, ripening in oak barrels, come from the Caribbean: Barbados, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Cuba. There, rum production has grown to the rank of art, and the exact recipes are the best kept secrets in the company. Few people know, however, that on European soil they have also tried to produce rum or rather a rum-like product. It was made on the basis of molasses obtained from sugar beet. Distilleries in Central Europe for some time even used the name “rum” when referring to their products, such as the Czech or Slovak “Tuziemski Rum” or “Stroh” produced in Austria. After the accession of these countries to the European Union, these names were changed, as the term “rum” is reserved for products made from sugar cane.
Rum: what, where and how, or something about production
Unlike other spirit drinks, such as cognac and whiskey, rum does not have a specific production method – it largely depends on the place of its production. Nowadays, rum is obtained from molasses, although there are countries where it is produced according to traditional recipes. In Martinique and Guadeloupe , it is still made on the basis of only the juice squeezed from the stems.
Yeast is one of the secrets of good rum. They are added to molasses to direct the fermentation and give it the final full flavor. The names of individual yeast cultures are the best kept secret, because they give the drink color and characteristic scratches. Few rum species, mainly from Jamaica, arise as a result of “ wild fermentation “, without yeast, or as they wish experts, thanks to yeast naturally occurring in the environment. The fermented molasses is distilled and the liquor is set aside for aging. Just before bottling, the barrel contents are hand mixed , after which it goes to oak vats, where the flavors and aromas bite through, which makes the rum soaked with specific tannin notes that give it nobility and dignity. Don Facundo Bacardi Masso was the first to buy rum, the founder of the world-known company Bacardi , who – before he started producing Don Facundo rum – traded wine for 30 years .
Rum types and species
Although there are many varieties of rum, in fact all of them can be classified into one of two groups: light or heavy . Heavy rum, whose homeland is the previously mentioned Caribbean, arise as a result of simple distillation, preceded by a longer period of fermenting molasses. They mature for 10-15 years in baked oak barrels, and their aroma is very intense.
As it happens with alcohols, one name does not reflect the species specificity of the whole group, so it is also the case with rum, which for years has evolved into several types. They differ in color, strength, origin and aroma. As a curiosity, it can be added that in the second half of the 20th century rum became enriched at the distillation stage with spices or fruit aromas. Vanilla, cinnamon, rosemary and pepper are added; there are also rums with a taste of mandarin, peach, pineapple or coffee.
The rum market is extremely rich: from light, white, characterized only by sweetness, through aged rum gold , dark or flavored rum with richer values sensory to the so-called overproof rum with high alcohol content. At the very top of this ladder are the noblest reserva rum that should be tasted clean, without any additions (that would be barbaric!). The rest can be easily treated as a base for exquisite punches, drinks or as an addition to tea on cold days.
Our journey does not end, it’s just an introduction to the kingdom of flavors and aromas, and let the words of the song “Treasure Island” hero Captain Flint say: “Fifteen peasant on dead man’s chest. Jo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum!” They drink well, the rest is done! Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum! “.
P.S. If you do not know where to start your adventure with rum, we invite you to read the ranking of the best species in the world. Enjoy!
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