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It's been awhile since I had my first taste of rum, but I still consider myself a novice to the world, especially after reading a few articles recently; it seems the varieties and their qualities can be nearly as overwhelming as those of whisky, and the history of this spirit is certainly as rich; it's one that's thrived on the blood, oceans of it, and passions of many; if you are tempted to look beyond the sumptuous, full body of a dark Island Rum, you will surely see man in all his ugly glory. Now that I've certainly depressed you, I will tell you of the lighter aspects of rum from a personal perspective, and how I'll present my findings to you. Although the process of producing rum has been refined long ago, with distillation, filtering, and aging, it has never been a subtle spirit, as it is made from the by-products of sugarcane (molasses, sugarcane juice); this means its sweetness is undeniable, and I am sad to say overly sweet things, though I do enjoy them, can make me feel pretty sick. So, it is a challenge for me to find a rum's true character, to get beyond the its typical characteristics of sugarcane and cask; this is usually the challenge when tasting many things, but for me, this has been the most difficult. Perhaps I just need more practice; I've tried far more whiskeys and vodkas than I have rum; it's time to make things even! So, this is the deal: when I am tasting rum, really drinking rum, I drink it straight. I mostly mention this so you know where I'm coming from on the rum review-o-meter, and because most North Americans have it mixed, therefore you might be coming from a very different perspective tastewise when enjoying the world of rum. I admit I hope to sway you from mixing your rum, by telling you of all the delectable wonders it offers. Let me know if I do, it will mean that I've done my job, and I can head on to a new level of rumdom, get a little closer to those golden island gates of rum heaven. Now that's out of the way, there's matter of categorizing these darlings; there will be several sections: Light (aka Silver or White), Gold (aka Amber), Dark (aka Black, often from English speaking islands), Premium (This will be rare, as they are damn expensive. They're aged for much longer periods than many rums and crafted with care. Please, think of me and a pretty bottle when the holidays roll around, won't you?), Overproof (I doubt I'll have much of a chance getting a hold of this one; they're WAY over 40%; I can dream, no?), and Flavored (Again, a low chance; I'm really skeptical about these, but you never know...). There are other ways of categorizing rum, ways I would find more interesting, but I felt this is what most could relate to. Another way might be to categorize it by what language the island the rum is made on speaks, which can tell one of many characteristics, but as I will always include the location and if available, the age. If you feel the need to find out more, I happily encourage you to do so. You can find an excellent, detailed article HERE. Enough with the talk! On with the rumbullion! Wednesday, February 15 2006
We bought this rum just before the beginning of the Christmas holidays for mixing in drink and food, but it was also an opportunity to try something different, minus the usual expectations; if it wasn't the best thing in the world, no problem--we'll just drown a bowl of fruit and enjoy it that way--happy holidays. Sometimes we need a break from the serious world of tasting, to let go and await
The smell is the first indication of something special: tobacco. I haven't come across something like this with another rum--it's light, but it's there without a doubt, followed by a stronger scent of flowers and a combo of cinnamon and sugar. In the beginning the body is medium and the texture silky, becoming lighter with a bit of dryness before it reaches the hatch. The taste at the front is a fusion of all the smells mentioned; this is the climax--I'll say no more, just trust me, drink it, you'll see. At the back of the tongue you get something like a dark chocolate, nearly smoky, which I'm guessing has something to do with the barrels. And the sugar-on-top finale is a handful of golden raisin for the nose, very mellow, very Mmmmm...! I've tried this only twice. The first time, my boyfriend's family had, that evening, returned from Costa Rica, after living there for six months and brought back with them memories, life changing experiences and several beautiful bottles of Abuelo, to pour them out with and to drink them back in. As a gift, they gave a bottle to my boyfriend and we shared it over several nights. Many memories… Buy me a bottle, and if I've drunk enough, I might tell you more. Until then, at least get yourself one, and enjoy one of the most elegant things to come out of Panama. Wednesday, November 16 2005
English Harbor Aged Antigua Rum (5 years)
One tragedy of drinking spirits I keep coming across is that many do not experience it straight, nor know how to, even though there's not much to it. One need NOT be a connoisseur or a tough guy to do so; no, in fact, it's very simple: it's a matter of quality! If what you're drinking this evening is a decent spirit (which, by the way, is often not much different, if any, in price), then you needn't add much of anything to it other than, perhaps, the traditional ice or soda water) to have an enjoyable experience. I implore you not to! Anyway, badly mixed drinks can dull the senses (in this instance that of taste and smell), not to mention give you a killer hangover when you've had too many. Just try smartening up those senses by smelling it straight, tasting it, sip by sip, straight, and you'll see, with a bit of patience, a whole new world open up to you. I know it'll be weird and difficult for those used to something else, but If you have trouble, have some water on the side, chill it for a bit, or add an ice-cube. The rule of thumb is, just take it slow and keep it all-around SIMPLE. This was a birthday present from my guy; it came in a curvy, long-necked bottle with a very plump bottom, had a little cork stopper, and it was wrapped sweetly at the top with a foil seal; the labeling was cute, too! Although the packaging is a little over the top for its contents, this is still a nice rum that's a notch above Appleton's Special Reserve rum. The aroma is quite strong, filling the nostrils with the usual scent of cane, only with a bit of a bite; it's softened with a hint of vanilla, mellowing the sweetness, something I appreciate, as I can have a problem if that's all I can read from a spirit. Swish it around in the mouth and it'll have something akin to sultana raisins. This one must be taken slowly, or you might easily miss out on its subtleties, and if you decide to have it just after dessert as an digestive, I will warn you, this baby will bite your stomach if you're sensitive to overly sweet things, such as I am, but thankfully, this doesn't happen as easily as it does with the Appleton rums, Reserve or otherwise, which is the main reason I say it's better. However, if you have a sweet-tooth, I think you'll find this a highly enjoyable rum that you might think you could quaff all night. And so, a happy birthday it was; I recommend it for yours, too! |
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