Italian News

The Fascinating History of Sicily’s Agricultural Rum

Sixteen years ago, Corrado Bellia (left), inspired by the historic research of art historian Francesca Griglieri Pantani (right), had the idea of bringing back to the city of Avola the 19th century production of Sicilian sugarcane juice rum, a style of rum, originally distilled in the French Caribbean islands from freshly squeezed sugarcane juice rather than molasses. After three years of cane sugar cultivation, the first organic rum production was recently presented in Avola to a panel of experts. (Photo by Alberto Lunetta)

By Dr. Alberto Lunetta, NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

When you think about rum, you probably think about the character Jack Sparrow announcing, “Welcome to the Caribbean!” as he offers a bottle of rum to Elisabeth. Maybe you picture the huge sugarcane plantations of Florida. You might be surprised to learn that Avola, a seaside city 15 miles south of Siracusa and hub of the famous Nero D’Avola wine, also produces 100% Sicilian organic rum!

It’s all because of Corrado Bellia, a visionary food expert in charge of the Consorzio Mandorla di Avola (Consortium of the Avola Almond). He is also the founder of Avola Rum, a family-run factory which has brought the 200 year old tradition of “rum agricolo” (agricultural rum) back to Sicily.

The history of rum production is closely linked to sugarcane cultivation, and Bellia was inspired by “The Hexagonal City,” a 1996 book by local art historian Francesca Gringeri Pantano that explains the history of Avola and the sugarcane industry.

Historic sources suggest that sugar was first brought to the island of Sicily by the Arabs in the year 800 in the Palermo area. Sugar was exported for 300 years from the Sicilian shores to northern Europe, the Middle East and Russia.

As Pantano conducted research at the Naples Historic Archives, she noticed that historic documents often mentioned about the presence of a “trappeto di cannamele,” or sugarcane crusher, and a flourishing sugar industry in the city of Avola. Pantano also found archeological evidence, such as a stone sugar mill, of the forgotten sugar industry

Avola was originally built in the mountain area, but was flattened by the tragic earthquake of January 11, 1693. Marquis Pignatelli d’Aragona Cortes, a nobleman related to the Spanish royal family, rebuilt the city on a plain near the shore that same year.

The cultivation of sugarcane, which requires a great deal of water, was interrupted in the seventeenth century due to changes in the local climate. Additionally, the flourishing Mediterranean sugar industry diminished in the face of rising competition from plantations of the new Americas.

However, sugarcane production continued in Avola in the properties of Marquis Pignatelli d’Aragona Cortes until 1805. After the end of the feudalism in Sicily in 1812 through the 1930s, sugarcane was cultivated in small crops by farmers who made rum for domestic consumption, just like Sicilian families do today with limoncello.

This type of production was described by Sicilian botanist Giuseppe Bianca. According to Bianca, sugarcane was rarely cultivated across the island after the 1930s because Sicily has hills and mountains rather than large plains, complicated by the fact that it does not have tropical weather. He also argued that the size of sugarcane plants is smaller in Sicily rather than in Brazil for instance.

Bellia, the modern day rum producer, explained that Sicilian rum is made from the fermentation and distillation of freshly squeezed sugarcane juice just like the one produced in the French Antilles, as opposed to tropical countries where rum is made from molasses. Today, this agricultural rum method represents only 3 percent of the world’s rum production.

Bellia now cultivates a one-mile long plantation by himself to produce rum and create an organic product that is truly Sicilian. “The best quality of rum is the one made only with sugarcane juice and that’s how, according to historic sources, Sicilians have been making it since the 19th century,” Bellia said.

The artisanal Avola Rum, which is currently distilled at the Distilleria Giovi in Valdina in the Messina province, was presented in May of this year to a panel of experts including master distillers and Leonardo Pinto, one of the leading rum experts and spirits consultants in Europe. Pinto said he found its flavor to be “very balanced, clean, well-fermented and well-distilled.”

“I’ve produced 300 bottles of rum, and I’m planning to double it. I’d like to create a network of distilleries and organic sugar production factories to make different types of Sicilian rum, create employment and be competitive in the international market,” said Bellia.

Bellia has also a personal motivation for promoting economic development in his area: “I have a daughter who is an historic heritage expert. She had to move to England with her family to find a job. My goal is to create the conditions to allow her and my two grandchildren to come back to Sicily and work here. Our island is full of history everywhere.”