TA S T I N G |
RUM
ISLAND
SPIRIT
RUM IS THE QUINTESSENTIAL EXOTIC HOLIDAY COMPANION, JUST BEGGING FOR A SHOT OF FRUIT JUICE, COLA AND A COLOURED UMBRELLA AND ICE BLOCKS TO CLINK MUSICALLY IN THE GLASS WHILE YOU SLOTH IN THE WARM SUN BENEATH WAVING PALM FRONDS WITHIN EARSHOT OF LAPPING WAVES ...
The Panel: Hector McBeth, Leah van Deventer, Harry Tayler, CHEERS publisher Shayne Dowling and editor Fiona McDonald.
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hat’s the scenario when viewed through rose-tinted spectacles, anyway! Whether that beach is in Thailand, Fiji or Barbados, right now there won’t be many tourists laying about in hammocks or fighting off Germans to claim a sun lounger, sadly. One way of circumventing that problem is by enjoying rum at home. All indications of sales figures is that South Africa is mirroring the increasing appreciation of this spirit that’s growing worldwide, albeit a year or three behind the curve. Those in the know, like panellists Hector McBeth, sprits writer Leah van Deventer and Wolfburn distillery owner Harry Tayler believe that rum will have
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a real presence locally by the end of 2021 or 2022. “There’s no doubt that the amount of shelf space and facings given over to rum has increased,” spirits expert McBeth said. “South Africa just needs to catch up with the rest of the world – but it’ll happen.” Leah van Deventer said it was a good sign that there were already 20-plus South African made rums available. “So it’s definitely growing but just a bit disorganised at the moment.” McBeth pointed out that most rums are all based on sugarcane – except for a few from Europe which had sugar beets as their source, but generally all are distilled in column stills. The only variation occurred when the dark rums are either coloured by adding caramel or coloured because of age and time in barrel.
