Rum: From Demon To Delightful

Drinkin’ rum and Coca-Cola/Go down Point Koomahnah/Both mother and daughter/Workin’ for the Yankee dollar . . .

Every time I think of rum, that late ’40s mega-hit begins in my head—the Andrew Sisters in their wonderful, close-part harmony singing “Rum and Coca Cola” in a languid, sexy Calypso beat. Rum is the topic this month, with its amazing history—often dark and sinister, sometimes light and gay.

Rum, that wickedly delicious spirit distilled from sugarcane juice, has a story that goes back hundreds of years. The first modern rum was distilled from molasses, a by-product of sugar refining, in the Caribbean by plantation slaves in the 17^th century. A 1651 document from Barbados reads: “The chief fuddling they make in the island is rum bullion, alias Kill-Devil, and this is made of sugarcane’s distilled, hot, hellish, and terrible liquor.”

That may be, but rum was the favorite spirit in Colonial America at thirteen liters per capita per year. Making rum became New England’s major industry, with a fine distillery in Boston established in 1658. The New England version was better than that from the islands. So good was it that this rum was accepted currency in Europe. The British Navy switched from French brandy to rum around 1665.

My favorite rum story—possibly true—is: when Lord Nelson died, his body was put in a large cask of rum to preserve it until it arrived in England. When the cask was opened, there was Lord Nelson, a drilled hole in the bottom of the container, and no rum.

A notable year in rum history is 1703 when Mt. Gay rum was first produced in Barbados. It is still a most excellent example of what one might call the richer style. Then, in 1829, Don Facundo Bacardi Masso came to Cuba from Spain. He loved spirits and had an inventive mind. He tasted the rum being made there and found it was rich, dark, and overwhelming. He took this dark stuff and put it through a charcoal filter. Out came the impurities, leaving a light, smooth, and flavorful drink. Bending to the task, he opened his own distillery in 1862; the rest is drinks history. Bacardi is now made in many versions and sells all over the world.

Today, rum comes in many grades and styles. Light rums (silver or white) are sweet but not complex and are used mostly in mixed drinks. Gold (amber) rums are aged in wooden barrels. Spiced rums get their flavors from various spices and may be artificially colored with caramel.

Dark rums are aged in charred barrels and are rich and complex—often used to give backbone to rum drinks (think mai tais). Flavored rums are infused generally with fruit flavors; Bacardi has just introduce Dragon Berry. I have no idea what a dragon berry tastes like, but I can’t wait!

Overproof rums are over the top in alcohol content, sometimes as high as 150 proof. They’re great for flaming desserts! Premium rums are generally made in very small batches, aged for a long period of time, and generally consumed like a fine whisky or cognac.

Rum is made all over the world. Australia produces some world-class options. One of them, Inners Circle Black, won top prize in a recent international spirits tasting in London. There are also two superb rums made right here in Mountain View at Essential Spirits Alambic Distillery: Sergeant Classick Gold and Sergeant Classick Silver Hawaiian Rums. The master distiller is Dave Classik; he is a star in the artisan spirits business.

And let us not forget the unforgettable Trader Vic Bergeron (1902–1984) who brought many rum drinks with funny names to San Francisco, and then the world. A generation ago, having a mai tai in Trader Vic’s Captain’s Cabin was where it was at. Bergeron noted that he invented the drink in 1944; mai tai in Tahitian means “out of this world.”

In regard to today’s rum market, Anthony Dias Blue, noted wine and spirits writer and executive director of the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, says, “Rum has been the slowest of the major spirits categories to revitalize and add a top layer of ‘super-premium’ product. That said, there are a number of exciting developments and new brands. And if you add in the cachaça category [liquors made from sugarcane juice in Brazil], there is a lot of action. Also lovely, small production rhum agricole is appearing regularly from Martinique. It won’t be long before modern rum rises to the level of tequila and gin.”

At Anthony’s competition, held in March, the Best in Show awards for rum and cachaça were given to Angostura Rum, 1824, from Trinidad Tobago, and Weber Haus Silver Cachaça, respectively. The double gold medal winners were awarded to: Angostura Five-Year-Old Rum, Bounty Millenium Rum, Cabana Cachaça, Germana Crystal and Black Cachaça, Pampero Aniversario Rum, Ron Abuelo Twelve-Year-Old Rum. For all results: sfspiritscomp.com.

For delicious rum cocktail recipes, including the original Trader Vic’s mai tai, go to nobhillgazette.com.

Ed Schwartz has been involved in many aspects of fine wine for 30 years and has worked with top wineries in California, Italy and France. His writings on wine, food and travel have appeared in the SF Chronicle, LA Times and Image magazine.