Spirit of the Month: Rum
OVERVIEW
What makes rum so interesting? Here are a few reasons why you should have a bottle (or two) stocked in your home bar.
EASE OF USE/FLEXIBILITY
Mojito. Hurricane. Planter’s Punch (aka rum punch). Cable Car. Dark & Stormy. Daiquiri (not the frozen kind). And simply, Rum and Coke.
Some of the most popular rum cocktails consist of only a handful of ingredients and cover all seasons. Many rums are built for sipping over ice. Others allow for creating some of the classic cocktails listed above. Regardless of whether you are consuming rum by itself or with other ingredients, the inherent sweetness and varying bodies (from light to heavy) of rum results in an array of different options for your palate. The types and varieties below will help you determine the right choice.
VARIETIES
For a spirit to be considered rum, it must be made from a sugar-based product (e.g. sugar cane, molasses, etc.). There are a few different variations of rum. Let’s quickly cover each type/variation and what it means for your cocktails.
DARK RUM – This can be misleading, but the description is typically reserved for rums which have been aged (or well-aged). Dark rum provides a combination richness and sweetness, and a bold variation of this type of rum is called black strap rum. The “black” in black strap rum is usually the result of caramel coloring added to an otherwise youthful rum (i.e. the rum has not been aged for very long). With that said, blackstrap molasses (which is named after the final separation of molasses from sugar cane) results in a heavy-bodied rum that adds a unique flavor to cocktails but can also overpower other ingredients.
GOLD RUM – Also characterized as “gold”, “pale” or “amber”, this type of rum presents a strong but smooth flavor. Gold rums are usually aged in oak casks and lend well to being used in cocktails which the flavors of the spirit are highly desired.
LIGHT RUM – Often referred to as “white”, “clear” or “silver”, light rum is not as rich and heavy as gold and dark rum. If looking for a rum option where highlighting complementary ingredients in a cocktail is important (without the additional flavors and scents), then light rum is a solid choice. Speaking of additional flavors…
FLAVORED RUMS – Similar to other spirits, the infusion of flavors and scents with rum has become more popular as distillers push the boundaries of experimentation. There are tons of options available in the market (spiced and coconut being popular), but please see the Ultimate Rum Guide for a comprehensive list of flavored rums. Also check out our Cocktail of the Month, which highlights a potential game-changing peach tea rum (Legendaire) in a variation of the popular Tiki cocktail, the Jungle Bird.
OTHER VARIATIONS – There are other rum variations which have historical and regional significance such as cachaça (popular Brazilian spirit made from sugar cane juice), rhum agricole (a French Caribbean staple from distilled and fermented cane juice) and aguardiente, which is also created from sugar cane but retains a herbal, vegetal taste due to the distillation process.
AFFORDABLE OPTIONS
If the price of your spirit choice is concern, then you may or may not be surprised when it comes to rum. Like other spirits, you can certainly find relatively expensive rums (e.g. Goslings Papa Seal Single Barrel Bermuda Rum, Appleton Estate 21) in the market. However, there are plenty of high quality rums which are both inexpensive and highly accessible. Regardless of whether you are looking for a sipping rum (see PUNCH’s Guide to the Best Sipping Rums under $50) or rum best suited cocktails, there is something for everyone. Some of my favorite affordable rums include El Dorado 8 Year (which can present itself like a bourbon), Goslings Black Seal, Flor de Cana 12 Year, Rhum JM Blanc 100 and Diplomatico Mantuano rum.