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RUM M
any years ago, when British sailors in the Caribbean first encountered Kill-Devil (the extremely rough local spirit from sugar cane) they drank copious quantities, resulting in behaviour...described at the time as rumbullion. We would like to think that this so-called rumbustious-ness may have led to the name rum. It is believed that the first distilling of sugar cane juice or molasses to make rum took place on the plantations in the Caribbean early in the 17th century and legend has it that it first originated on the island of Barbados. However, we know that South American countries such as Brazil have written evidence of distillation taking place as early as the first decade of the 1600’s following the planting of sugar cane brought across by Spanish explorers. The popularity of rum spread from the Caribbean, first to North America (where there are records of distilleries from the 1660’s in Massachusetts, and it was said New England’s biggest industry was the manufacture of molasses liquor), and then through England, Spain and their colonies. To this day, the Caribbean countries still remain the most important producers
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of rum for international consumption, although no longer the largest source of molasses. Rum, rhum or ron is the product obtained by distilling the ferment of either sugar cane juice or molasses. Sugar cane is a perennial grass grown mostly in the tropics where it thrives particularly in volcanic soils and the variety of cane planted will dictate the volume of sucrose that it will yield. It can be distilled either in a continuous still or a pot still and has no requirement to be aged in barrel. It can be any strength above 37.5 % abv with some as high as 80 % abv and can be white, light and elegant, dark, rich and pungent, or indeed any possible combination thereof. Most Caribbean islands harvest cane from February through June, but regions of South America will aim for two crops each year. The sugar cane is cut by hand or mechanically and taken immediately to the mill where it is chopped and crushed to release the juice. If the juice is to be used for the production of rum it is immediately fermented and then distilled. If it is to be used for the production of sugar, then the juice is heated
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creating crystals and subsequently centrifuged in order to separate those crystals from the molasses. Also known as treacle, molasses is, therefore, essentially all that remains after the sugar has been crystallised out of the juice. The centrifuging process is repeated many times resulting in many different grades of molasses all of which are so thick that they need to be diluted with water prior to fermentation. Fermentation is a very important stage as all the character of the end product is created at this point. It is affected by three main factors: T E MP E RATUR E The temperature of the ferment. This has a great impact on the final flavour of a rum. Ye a s t The type of yeast used. Cultured yeasts are grown specifically for a particular length of ferment, weight of flavour and alcohol strength. Wild yeasts can increase the weight of flavour and produce a longer ferment. The distillery will choose according to their house production styles.
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DURAT I O N This can vary from 48 hours for a typical Eastern Caribbean/Australian/ Indian rum to two weeks for a Jamaican-style rum ; and is influenced by the first two factors. In Jamaica there is an interesting little addition to proceedings, which is called dunder. Dunder is the equivalent of sour mash in American whiskey-production. The distiller takes the residue from previous fermentation and stores it in a pit or tank in the heat of the Caribbean sun; this concentrates the acids, reducing the pH, considerably slowing the rate of fermentation and at the same time imparting a dramatic pungency to the resultant rum. Whilst some of the stills are quite creative, one generally finds that the distillation process is selective. The art of distillation is very much in evidence in the rum world with numerous possibilities from the same distillation. What to capture and what to discard is critical to the style of the end product. Commence collection early and finish early and the result will be a light, delicate, elegant spirit, occasionally showing hints of creamy toffee. Start later and finish later and the result will be a richer, fuller style with hints of burnt rubber and a certain oily character.
pot stills may even be modified to incorporate single or double retort. A retort is a chamber attached to the pot before the condenser, which is usually filled with the first distillate. The vapour passes through this chamber, the heat strips off and incorporates some of the alcohol before passing into the neck where it is condensed and collected. This method will always produce rums of great distinction and character, if not something of an acquired taste. White rums are often aged in stainless steel for up to six months; however, occasionally they will be oak aged for an extended period and then filtered through activated carbon to remove the colour. The vast majority of amber rums will have been aged in old bourbon barrels and many will pick up the vanilla and sweet spice notes found in bourbon. Ageing in this part of the world is a quick business! In the tropics spirits evaporate through the pores in the wood at great speed during maturation. The Caribbean, for example, has evaporation rates of approximately 8 % a year (in contrast, 2 % annually is the norm for whisky in Scotland). This doesn’t herald the same flavour development that only time would allow but does hasten the ageing.
The stills used may vary considerably. Column stills can be as high as a four-storey building with one rectifying column or more columns all linked together; or in the case of Martinique’s Rhum Agricole, can be very small, fitting quite easily into an average room. The taller ones are very versatile as the collection shelves can be set anywhere to make anything from a heavy to light distillate. The pot stills can be big or small with long necks giving more delicate rums, whereas, short necks result in richer, heavier rums. Some
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RL Seale is one of Barbados’ oldest trading houses, a family-owned business which has five generations of rum-making experience dating back to 1820. The family company, was founded in 1926 by Reginald Leon Seale. He began his working life in 1883 at the age of 13 on a wage of 6 pence per week as an assistant rum blender apprenticed to his father, who had been employed in rum manufacture since 1820. After 43 years of hard work he had saved enough money (US$50) to start his own rum blending, bottling and retail business and that enterprise has been passed from father-to-son since then. Rum has been produced on the island of Barbados for more than 300 years, but it was not until the 1906 Rum Duty Act was passed that the industry began to develop as we know it today. Prior to this, distillation took place on many of the plantations, but the new law meant the distilleries had to obtain a licence and could sell only in bulk. Hence many of the Bridgetown
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trading companies became bottlers, including Martin Doorly & Co, and the growth of branded names began. Martin Doorly evolved into Doorly’s Macaw Rum, and became the first bottled rum exported from the island. Doorly’s rums are still famous throughout the world. The Foursquare Distillery is situated on the gentle southern slopes of the St George Valley on the island of Barbados. The St George Valley opens onto Barbados’ East Coast facing the cooling Trade Winds which provide Foursquare with the ideal climate for ageing with a consistent, warm temperature profile without extremes. The distillery occupies the site of a former sugar factory that dates back to 1636 and is one of the most modern, efficient and environmentally conscious rum distilleries in the world. The distillery produces light rums in a three-column vacuum still and heavier rums in a modern pot still.
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The rums produced at Foursquare Distillery are a blend of pot and column stills. The rums are aged at a strength of 65% ABV, which is much lower than most Caribbean rums which are typically laid down at between 70% and 75% ABV (if they are aged at all). At this lower strength better extraction can be achieved from the wood, and the most precious elements of the spirit do not evaporate out. That said, the barrels typically lose about 6% of their contents to the angels each year through evaporation. This means that after 12 years of ageing they will lose over half the volume of rum they started with.
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Current head distiller, Richard Seale, is one of the region’s most innovative distillers and blenders and has a passion for producing perfect rum with great flavour. He has a reputation for embracing technology and being somewhat of a maverick among his peers.
FIVE generations of rum-making experience dating back to 1820
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HIGH HIGHER HIGHEST RUM
M
any of the most famous aged spirits and popular brands have built a powerful and wellreasoned dictionary of adjectives, descriptive jargon and obscure terminology to describe their attributes and individual character‌ perhaps none more so than Scotch Single Malt Whiskies.
However, perhaps the spirit which has tried least to explain some of its terminology is Rum. This is possibly because different distilleries and countries have their own production methods, standardised ageing terms are not required and flavour profiles differ widely from region to region. Here we will try to cast some light on rum’s predilection with ester content and weight. Ester numbers or weights are traditionally measured in terms of their content per 100,000 parts of alcohol. A rough guide might give the following parameters:
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E S T E R S
Low Ester: 1-60 Medium Ester: 61-240 High Ester: 240-500 Very High Ester: 501+ Rum can contain the highest ester contents of any potable, but what is it actually a measure of? Esters are chemical compounds formed by condensing higher alcohol with organic acid, and esterification is where the alcohol and acid form an ester as the product of a reaction. Short-chain alcohols have alkyl chains of 1-7 carbons. Mediumchain alcohols have alkyl chains of 7-12 carbons. Long-chain alcohols (also known as fatty alcohols) have alkyl chains of up to 21 carbons, and very long-chain alcohols have alkyl chains of 22 carbons or longer. For ease of understanding Methanol has 1 carbon, Ethanol 2, Isopropyl 3 and Butyl 4... all can combine to form aromas that are common in organic chemistry and biological materials,
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and often have a distinct pleasant, fruity odour; many are isolated by their potential to imitate the aroma of herbs, fruits and spices. Fatty acid ethyl esters are the main components of rum aromas and therefore their quantity and weight are an important factor in the pungency and breadth of rum aroma. The ester content of rum is almost all to do with the fermentation and pre-distillation preparation of the molasses or cane juice and the subsequent oxidation during ageing and is a measure of the strength of its smell.
a.
The slower the fermentation of the molasses or cane juice, the more likely the development of bacterial action and the higher the final ester and acid content. The distiller needs to ensure that his fermentation to produce ethanol alcohol is not inhibited by the bacterial levels and that only the required compounds are produced
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by these reactions. By stretching the fermentation from a typical 3648 hours for a light spirit to several weeks for a heavier one the bacterial activity can produce a final ester content beyond 2500, although between 500 and 1500 is more normal. Shorter chain esters are formed earlier in the ferment, with the longest coming through as the yeast cells die.
b.
By adding stillage or dunder to the preparation prior to fermentation the acid levels and the likelihood of promoting bacterial action are increased. This is practised predominantly in Jamaica.
c.
The ageing process. As alcohol evaporates through the pores of the oak and air is absorbed into the rum, the alcohols are oxidised and turn first into aldehydes, then to acids from which further reaction produces esters. In simple terms, the longer the rum ages, or the quicker the evaporation of alcohol takes place, the potential will rise for an increase in the ester content of the spirit. To go further one can say that the consequence of ageing is an increase in the concentration of acids, esters, furfural, tannins, and aromatic compounds as a result of oxidation, condensation, and other interactions with the wood.
d.
Distillation methods can be used to allow the esters formed during the fermentation to pass through. This, with an accompanying increase in medium-chain alcohols, sometimes known as fusel oils, contributes to generally increased congener levels and the apparent higher volatility of distilled high ester rums. Jamaica is the only producer of very high ester rum, with Martinique also producing high ester spirits. Traditionally, pot distilled rums will have a higher ester content than column distillates as the reflux action in the column still can be used to eliminate unwanted alcohols and increase neutrality.
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P h o t o g r a p h y: Devin Ains l ie
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Mangoes Into A Bar... BR O UGHT T O Y O U BY To m Hi g h a m
F E ATUR I N G D O O RLY ’ S 5 Y O
50ml Doorly’s 5yo 10ml Briottet Mandarin 30ml Mango Nectar 25ml Fresh Lime Juice 10ml Orgeat Syrup 2 dash Peychauds Dash Egg White
This first section will be a description of the person and their achievements in the drink industry. Followed by a few words from the mixologist about why they have selected this cocktail, Could take the form of an interview. W h y h ave y o u se l e c t e d t h is
struggling with mojitos and cosmos at o c k ta i in l ? Manchester’s Kosmonaut isclocated Followed few words Northern Quarter. Withbya alaid back from thethis point!). I loved the idea of using two mixologist about why they have base spirits that complemented each artistic feel, there is a heavy influence other so well. This led me to playing selected thisvisited cocktail, Could take the from New York bars. We Tom with different combinations and coming form an interview. Higham to get hisof opinion on rum up with Mangoes Into a Bar. cocktails. W H E N D I D Y O U D I S C O V E R TH E
Why is Doorly’s 5yo the perfect choice MAM O None T B last O R S rum H MARY ? If you could only have Followed few words from for thethis cocktail? cocktail what would it be? by Anda why? It would have to be a fish house punch. I love this classic. Like many classics the base liquor is the star and it’s quite hard hitting but the lemon, peach and tea really add another dimension to it. It's beautifully refreshing while definitely not a soft option!
Do you remember the first time you had a Fish House Punch? I remember it clearly, I was 19 and it was at Milk and Honey, London. That Fish House Punch was the most balanced cocktail I had ever had (I was still
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Doorly’s has a wonderful combination of punchy pot still and molasses finished with smoother softer fruity notes that make it great for mixing. My twist on the fish house punch plays on other fruit flavours like peach and mango. The rum however is still dominant and is only enhanced by the complimenting ingredients.
W h y no t s a m p l e so m e o t h e r c r e at ions At t h e Kos m on a u t ? www. k os m on a u t. c o
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F O D L R THE W RUM ENGLISH SPEAKINEAGN CARIBB
EN SPEAGKLISH CARIB ING BEAN
Antigua, Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Grenada, St Lucia, St Vincent, Trinidad & Tobago and the Virgin Islands, all produce predominantly light and golden rums, some with great style and finesse. Labels often use proprietary terms for differing qualities and many use age statements, from three year old up through five, seven etc. In some instances terms such as XO are borrowed from the brandy world. Jamaica produces pungent, light and heavier, high-ester rums. Jamaican rums are valuable for blending as well as for their own style and forthright flavours. Labels tend to indicate simply white or an age statement. Often a proprietary brand name is used and some age statements do actually refer to the minimum age of the blend. Guyana is a powerhouse of molasses production and produces a softer style of medium and heavily-bodied rums. The whites tend to be labelled very simply whilst the golden and dark rums generally utilise age statements which refer to the youngest parts of the blends.
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AL CENTRRICAN AME UMS R
FRENCH SPEAKING C HISPA ISLANDS ARIBB NIC RUM EAN S SOUTH AMERICAN RUMS
Both Jamaica and Guyana use pot and column stills to great effect. Many blended white and dark rums are sourced from theses countries for bottling in the Caribbean or in Europe, and they tend to be labelled with brand names and often carry no age statements or qualitative marks at all.
FRENCH SPEAKING ISLANDS
Guadeloupe, Marie Galante and Martinique produce both agricole and molasses based rums. The agricole have strict rules and follow a defined quality ladder: Blanc and Ambré followed by Vieux (minimum of three years), Hors d’Âge and age statements or vintages. The molassesbased rums are labelled with brand names and rarely carry any other quality statements. Many of these are bottled in France. Haiti has only one major producer; the rums are produced and aged in a similar way to cognac and carry
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age statements which refer to the minimum age of the blend.
L CENTRICAAN AMERMS RU
SOUTH AMERICAN RUMS
H CAR ISPANIC I RUMBBEAN S
Cuba, The Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and Venezuela produce a huge variety of heavy and light rums, predominantly white and gold and labelled with terms such
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INDIANS RUM
ITIAN MAURUMS R
SOUTH AFRICAN RUMS
as silver and blanca for the whites, and añejo, reserva, gran reserva and numerous age statements for the golden. Some are aged in solera systems and the stated age or number on the label can be a reference to the average age of the blend, or the youngest or oldest part of the blend or simply a special number that has been applied to a particular blend. Brazil deserves a mention on its own. It produces a great deal of the world’s molasses and some traditional rums but cachaça is its main spirit. Some of
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AUSTRALIAN RUMS
these do not qualify as true rums as grain and sugar syrup are also used alongside the molasses.
INDIANS RUM
AUSTRALIAN RUMS
SOUTH AFRICAN RUMS
MAU RUMRITIAN S
From Australia through the Philippines, India, South Africa and the Frenchspeaking islands in the Indian Ocean, many types of rum are produced with brand names providing the best
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indication of quality. The French tend to be the greatest respecters of the age statement; the Indian rums tend to have colonial-sounding brands; the Australians may differ mostly on alcoholic strength, whilst the Spanishspeaking producers will tend towards the solera system. Many other countries are now producing rums such as the USA, parts of Europe and South East Asia.
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