There aren’t really 115 different kinds of rum. But there are distinct differences, even huge differences, in style between the several main rum traditions in the Caribbean Sea. These differences can make or break a cocktail. Learning just a few basic rum choices can immeasurably improve your summer bartending. (And believe you me, come late July in Cincinnati, you are really going to need some summer bartending.)
Actual Cuban rum is a thing of the past, at least in America, but this old-time rum maker would rate among the lighter styles of rum. Bacardi relocated from Cuba to Puerto Rico just as the Communist revolution was happening under Fidel Castro; today Bacardi makes rum in several places, including the Bahamas, Bermuda and Mexico. Cuban rum is/was distilled to a higher proof than, for example, Jamaican. This higher proof spirit removes more flavor from the rum and results in a blander character. A solid, affordable choice is Cruzan Light, from the U.S. Virgin Islands, is aged a two years in neutral wood to just take the edge off. But my very favorite lighter white rum is surely Prichard’s, which hails from that traditional rum island, Tennessee. Located a few miles from the Jack Daniels distillery, Phil Prichard produces an all-American rum, using high quality molasses from Louisiana and running it through is tiny, artisanal pot stills. Prichards has a wonderful fruity quality, reminding of pineapple against hints of coconut; yet these flavors come only from the molasses and the still, with nothing added. I love this rum in delicate, lime inflected drinks like a classic daiquiri.
At the other end of the spectrum is Jamaican rum, which has a reputation for dark, heavy, earthy flavors. The Jamaican style is not for everyone, but the intense character is irreplaceable in many cocktails, particularly vintage 19th century style drinks. The Mai Tai, as invented by Trader Vic Bergeron (with apologies to fans of Don the Beachcomber), depends on a solid thwack of dark Jamaican. Appleton is a good everyday Jamaican rum. I particularly admire Appleton for eschewing the use of caramel color. While the vast majority of “gold” or “dark” rums include some caramel coloring, all the color in any Appleton rum (including their lower tier brand Coruba) is derived from the oak barrel it aged in.
The middle ground between these two extremes would be a basic medium-bodied rum. This is appropriate for lots of Tiki and other cocktails. Mount Gay would work here, but a slightly fancier choice would be Barbancourt four year. [There’s another reason I like Barbancourt. It’s a classic rum, made on Haiti from pure sugar cane, not molasses. But the distillery—and its staff—took a severe hit in the 2009 earthquake. I like to support a traditional business like this that needs my help, and helps its neighbors in return. Folks. Please buy some Barbarncourt.]
Finally, I’d like to give a shout to two very special rums. For me, these represent the bending end of artisanal rum production. Both are wickedly intense in flavor, but could not be more different in their production.
The first is a French rum, but it’s not made in France. The island of Martinique is known for its fine rhum agricole. The term indicates a rhum made only with sugar cane and gently distilled to less than 140º proof, that is protected by the same appellation controlee laws that govern French wine and cheese. I carry two rhum agricole distilleries, La Neisson, which is the slightly softer of the two. The other is La Favorite, one of the baddest rums I’ve ever found. La Favorite Blanc is full of riveting, vibrant, pungent flavors that come powering through your cocktail. It is my single most favorite rhum (or rum) for any white rum cocktail: daiquiris, mojitos, that sort of thing. And the simple, elegant ‘Ti Punch, native to Martinique, is a winner too. La Favorite Blanc is a serious 100 proof, and at just $26.99 for a fat liter bottle, is a square deal to boot.
Which brings us to the last word in dark rum, the ne plus ultra of the Caribbean. I stated earlier how Jamaica traditionally made the heaviest rums. Yet the truly massive Jamaican rums are today a thing of the past, as tastes have lightened. Leave it to artisan importer Haus Alpenz to fill the gap. Alpenz worked closely with cocktail historian extraordinaire Dave Wondrich and British rum brand Smith & Cross to recreate that long lost style. The result is Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaica Rum. The label states “Pure Pot Still,” indicating that the rum was distilled only in the small pot stills typical to Jamaica, creating a dense and heavy spirit. Bottled at 57%, the old British Navy proof, the result is a rum of titanic—tectonic!—impact. Without doubt it is the biggest, boldest rum I’ve ever had, packed with flavor, the density of uranium. It exists on another plane than Appleton, and will change the way you think of rum. It’s worth every penny of $24.99, an impressive price considering the steep federal duties levied on imported 114º proof spirit. All Hail Smith & Cross!
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