Knowing your main base liquors in cocktails – Rum – 2 of 6

Since you've already been acquainted with Gin, our second base liquor is Rum. Rum has a dark and murky past dating back to the 17th century when it was the drink of choice for pirates, slave runners, American colonists and the British Navy. Rum was created in the Caribbean (credited to the arrival of Christopher Columbus - who planted the plant there), when sugarcane plantation owners realized they could create a unique liquor from adding water to the juice of the sugarcane plant.

All rum then by default comes from sugarcane by-products - fermented sugarcane juice, sugarcane syrup or sugarcane molasses. Rum is usually broken into two classes, light or dark. Light rum is typically young (may be aged in un-charred oak barrels) or un-aged rum perfect for mixing in cocktails. Dark rum on the other hand derives its color as a result of aging in charred oak barrels which imparts a more pronounced flavor. Deeper colored rums have usually been aged longer and should be sipped straight like fine cognac.

Some rums are then flavored with fruits or spices and usually take on the characteristics of where they are produces. Most of the rum we drink here in the US are light-bodied white rums manufactured in Puerto Rico (i.e. Bacardi). Full-bodied rums, favored in Europe, are specialties of Jamaica, Haiti, Barbados, Martinique, Guadeloupe and Guiana.

Some to try.

• Wray & Nephew (Jamaica) - an overproof ( overproof means higher alcohol by volume content - in this rum its 63% vs the common 40%) rum with a heavy and full, flavorsome taste. Hints of banana.

• Appleton Estate V/X (Jamaica) - Hints of banana, berries. Pleasant aftertaste.

• Mount Gay (Barbados) - medium to full bodied taste, clean. Moderately priced too.

• Rhum Barbancourt (Haiti) - cognac quality rum, double distilled before aging in oak vats. Available in three versions: Three-star (aged 4 yrs min), Five Star (8 yrs min) &Estate Reserve (15 yrs min)

• Bacardi White (Puerto Rico) - Neutral, vodka like with a crisp finish. A favorite of bartenders worldwide.

• Ron Anejo Anniversario (Venezuela) - Cask aged for at least 12 years, a personal favorite, one to be sipped straight. Distinction of being a premium aged rum easily available in most liquor stores.