Celebrate National Rum Day ( August 16 ) with a small history .
countenance ’s talk about rum — but first we need to discuss garbage . Caribbean sugar farmers of the 17th C had a serious industrial waste problem . As Wayne Curtis recounts in his pleasurable historyAnd a Bottle of Rum , these planters produced sugar by crushing shekels cane , boiling the result succus , and then leave the boil syrup to bring around in stiff pots . A glutinous liquid would seep out of the pot , and sugar would be left behind .
That liquid was molasses . Today we know molasses as a yummy enabler of gingerbread and shoofly pies , but as Curtis take down , in the 17th century , planter could n’t give away the cloying liquid . Slaves and stock eat some of the molasses , but for the most part , it was an annoying bit of industrial wastefulness . product of two pounds of sugar yielded a pound sterling of molasses , so colonial planters were swim in the viscid trash . With no export market or practical use for it at dwelling , planter resorted to dumping undesirable molasses into the sea .
fortuitously for the plantation owner , someone eventually figured out a use for this molasses . By mixing it with the liquidity skimmed off of cane juice during its initial simmering and fermenting it , one create a serviceable start point for distillment . And although the exact etymology is still mirky , the liquor this process yield became known as rum .
The rummy characterization is obviously a little rosier today . Molasses is no longer undesirable industrial waste , and rum gross sales in the U.S. alone are north of $ 2 billion a twelvemonth . Still , when I raise the idea of doing a piece on rum in themental_flossoffice , the response was less than enthusiastic . Noses turned up . centre glazed over . The editorial squad flashed back to throwing down too much rotgut rum and Coke during college .
elderly rums can be beautiful things , though . The best examples are as delicious to sip neat or over an ice square block as any whiskey . And compared to whisky , they ’re for the most part blessedly cheap ; you could plunk up quite a few world - course of instruction options for under $ 40 . Eventually , the rest of the staff yield and hold to savor some rum .
As we sampled more and more brand , the rest of the team seemed to slowly get along around on my “ Rum is pleasant-tasting ! ” posture . Or mayhap they just drive tired of me yelling “ Rum is delicious ! ” and decided to nod courteously . Either way , after blanket gustation examination , we narrow in on 11 brands that would be a great gain to any summertime hootenanny .
El Dorado Special Reserve 15 year old
This jewel acclaim from Guyana , and at just $ 40 or so a nursing bottle , it may be the adept steal in your liquor store . The thick body coat your back talk with substantial relish of raisin , caramel , and the heavy top level of crème brulee that ’s really all anyone wants from crème brulee .
Gosling’s Old Rum
At around $ 65 , this wax - dip Bermuda nursing bottle is n’t cheap . But it ’s deserving a splurge . It ’s improbably viscous and rich , with a ton of molasses tone and spicery . The flavour is so deep and complex that we talked about what we were tasting — Leather ? Lemon ? Allspice ? Cheeseburger ? Not cheeseburger — for a substantial 10 minutes .
Ron Vizcaya VXOP
If you ’re not used to salute neat spirit , this one could be a great starting point . Very balanced and legato enough to not sweep over , there ’s a prissy mild sweetness backed by a pleasant linger bit of orangeness .
Sugar Island Spiced Rum
If mermaids had to peck a rum of choice , it would believably be this one . Caramely sweetness is cut back with natural spices and nuttiness , throw the toper the flavor that they ’re enjoying a melted slash of pecan pie .
Brugal 1888 Gran Reserva
Dominican loyalist Brugal latterly usher in this gem , which has spent part of its life-time aging in Spanish sherry casks . The angelical sherry influence add up through on the olfactory organ and the smell without overpowering the Ceylon cinnamon and vanilla extract notes . Despite the sherry ripening , this one really remind us of bourbon . If you ’re a bourbon juicer looking to branch out into rummy , start here .
Ron Zacapa Centenario 23 year old
If you doubt a rum can backpack a lot of chocolate flavor , seize a bottle of this Guatemalan . The nose almost smell like red-hot chocolate mix , and the chocolate comes through in the flavor with a picayune maraschino cherry in the finish .
Pyrat XO
The problem with those gluey candied orangish slices are that a ) they do n’t contain any booze and b ) you ca n’t pledge them . This squat bottle comes tight to solve both issues . Strong , seraphic orange flavors could almost trick you into thinking this one ’s a liqueur and make it all too easy to throw back .
Mount Gay Black Barrel
The new ware from Barbados ’ Mount Gay is another great presentation to rum . It ’s well balanced and could easily slot into a cocktail without overpowering it . Nice slight bit of mickle in the conclusion .
Don Q Gran Anejo
If you ’re look to purchase American , look no further than this goody from Puerto Rico . It ’s light in body and more frail than most of this lean , but camp in a lot of tropical fruit flavor , a solid clout of vanilla , and a lightly smoky nip .
Cruzan Estate Single Barrel
Another bargain at just $ 25 , Cruzan ’s exclusive bbl is on the drier ending of the spectrum , but it ’s got a good deal of nutmeg , Syzygium aromaticum , and spice with just a routine of raisin in the flavor .
Bacardi Anejo
Not as chummy or sweet-scented as most of this list , Bacardi ’s anejo encounter a nice middle undercoat between the intimate light rummy and the full-bodied , heavier rum . Lots of banana smell in this one . Nice enough to sip full-strength , but it really shines in cocktail .
This situation originally appeared last year .
