To celebrate National Rum day I decided to dive a bit deeper into the category so I had a Q&A with Rum Expert and Bacardí Ambassador, Kris Bahamondes.
Below you’ll find some of the most common rum questions answered. This National Rum Day mix up your favourite rum cocktail, like a Pina Colada, Mojito or Rum Punch!
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What are the top 3 things people need to know about rum?
Rum is global, Rum is diverse, and Rum is fun!
What are the best cocktails to mix with certain rums?
Rum is a huge spirit category with flavour profiles that go all the way from crisp and refreshing, to warm and mellowed. There is almost no cocktail that isn’t good with rum, you just have to know which rums will work with which cocktails. White rums work best in refreshing cocktails like the daiquiri or mojito, and premium aged rums in whiskey-style cocktails such as the Old Fashioned or Manhattan.
When pairing rum and food, what is recommended?
The best way to approach rum is like wine. Wine can be made anywhere in the world, but always from one ingredient: grapes. And yet, different wines taste totally unique from one another and each pair in their own way with different foods. Rum is the same. It comes from all over the world and is always made with one ingredient: sugar cane. Every rum has a unique flavour profile and pair differently with different foods. A good rule of thumb though, is to blend white rums with acidic foods such as a ceviche or other citrus driven seafood dishes. Premium aged rums and their warm flavour profiles can blend well with dessert or meat heavy dishes.
How is rum-making sustainable?
Rum making is spirit making, and there are countless ways for more sustainable production. Companies like Bacardi take sustainability seriously and do everything they can do to reduce their carbon footprint. For example, the Bacardi distillery in Puerto Rico captures the CO2 emissions created during the fermentation process and use it to power parts of the distillery. This saves on additional energy usage. More information can be found at Bacardilimited.com.
How old is rum-making?
Rum making pre-dates 0 A.D. (in a sense). Even during B.C., humans were fermenting and drinking sugar-based beverages. With distillation and purposeful aging, rum developed into a more refined practice. In modern times, techniques such as charcoal filtration and the use of proprietary yeasts allow producers to create unique and spectacular rums that can impress any palette.
Where in the world are they making rum?
Rum is made everywhere in the world. At one time it may have been made wherever sugarcane grew. Now, most rums are made from molasses. Molasses is stable and can be transported anywhere in the world, fermented and distilled. So, rum can be made quite literally anywhere, including here in Toronto. The one downside to rum being global is there is no single governing body that controls rum production the way the CRT does with Tequila or the BNIC does with cognac. This means rum producers can put misleading information on their labels leading the consumer to believe they’re purchasing something better than what they’re actually getting. Some countries do put regulations on producers, but these regulations are not standardized from country to country. What does this all mean? Do your homework and know what you’re drinking. The label doesn’t always mean what you think it does and most importantly: drink what you like. If you enjoy the flavour of a rum, that’s what matters the most.
Is there such a thing as rum history?
Rum was a commodity and predates modern history, so it has made appearances on many important global trade routes throughout history and woven its way into countless stories.