*Overview of the best according to the editors of Healthy Food Near Me. About selection criteria. This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
Few people think about the fact that rum is perhaps the most unregulated drink in the world, because no one controls its production. In fact, there are no strict rules for making a drink, so each manufacturer uses its own technology. Hence the variety of the finished product. Fortunately, there is a simple classification – color. Which rum is better: light or dark? Our experts know the answer.
About making rum
In principle, from the moment the first bottles were created to the present day, nothing much has changed in the technology of making rum. Initially, the process of making a drink was as follows. At first, sugar cane was processed to produce sweet molasses/juice. Then the process of fermentation of the resulting mass and its distillation took place. The drink “obtained” in this way was diluted with purified water to the required degree and poured into barrels for infusion. By the way, sherry or bourbon could have previously been stored in these same barrels.
A new round in improving the quality of rum began in 1843, after Don Facundo Bacardi Masso first used a carbon filter in the manufacture of a drink, and used special barrels made of American oak as containers for storing the finished product. So it turned out light rum. Today it is known in the world under the name “Bacardi”.
ON A NOTE. The barrel in which the finished drink “ripens” has the greatest influence on the taste notes of the drink. I’m talking, of course, about oak barrels. It is this type of wood that passes through its “pores” the oxygen necessary to complete the process of forming a rum bouquet and saturating it with a unique aroma.
There are 2 main ways to create rum: industrial and agricultural. At the initial stages, the production is identical (sorting, grinding, juicing). After that, with the industrial method, they begin to boil the juice in order to obtain syrup from it, from which sugar is subsequently separated. Pure molasses is fermented, then goes through the distillation process. Fruits are added to the product, less often spices. The race starts. The resulting strong composition is diluted with water and sent to “ripen”.
This rum has several varieties:
Young – a colorless drink, “ripens” in metal vats;
Old – aged in oak barrels for 4 years;
Aromatic – has rich taste and aromatic properties due to the addition of spices, fruits (used in cooking);
Amber – “ripens” in oak barrels for no longer than 3 months;
Light – fermented in the shortest possible time at high temperature.
The agricultural method does not involve separating the sugar crystals from the syrup. This is an expensive method that is tied to the cane harvest season.
Comparison of light and dark rum
Light rum (also known as white or silver rum) is a strong, colorless drink obtained by carbon filtration. A few centuries ago, aristocrats preferred just such an option, and commoners used the dark one. The most famous is Bacardi Carta Blanka, most often used as one of the ingredients in cocktails.
Often light rum is used for soaking fruits. It is he who is added to the well-known Mojito, Cuba Libre, etc. cocktails. You can also try a strong alcoholic drink in its pure form, making it a little more spicy with a little mint or lime.
Dark rum (it is also called black), unlike light rum, has not only a rich brown-amber color, but also a powerful taste / aroma, and even a thicker texture. The drink receives such unusual properties when molasses and caramel are added to it. Or barrels made of oak burnt from the inside are used. Thus, dark rum is obtained: from the barrel it is saturated with a powerful aroma and darkens.
The drink is not used in cocktails – only in its pure form. It is undesirable to add ice to it (diluted with water, it will lose its original taste and aroma). If you want to drink cold dark rum, we recommend adding cooling stones to the glass.
Introduction to the drink
For those who decide to try rum for the first time, we recommend that you take into account a few simple, but no less important tips, and then your acquaintance with the drink will be successful:
Don’t be the first to try dark rum (clear) – in order to fully experience its charm, you need to prepare. Try to start with the so-called “spiced”. It has a mild yet spicy taste;
Pick the right glass – the ideal option is a thick-walled, narrowed-up glass or a cognac glass. All aroma will remain in the upper part of the glass, and the balance of taste will remain unchanged;
Control portion size – it should not be more than 70 ml, drink only in small sips, while trying to hold the drink on the tongue in order to fully reveal its bouquet.
Attention! This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.