The main varieties and types of rum

Contents

Varieties of rum by color
Varieties of rum by strength
Types of Roma by country

Like any other alcohol, depending on the color, strength, technology and country of production, rum has types and varieties. A detailed classification allows you to better understand the range and choose the most suitable drink that will suit your taste preferences.

There are three main types of rum (according to production technology):

Agricultural (rhum agricole) – pure cane juice is used to obtain a drink without separating sugar. This method was almost completely abandoned, as it was too expensive and only allowed to make rum during the sugarcane harvest. The finished drink has no advantages in taste or smell. Agricultural rum continues to be made only in Haiti and some overseas departments of France.
Industrial (rhum industrielle) – the raw material for this type of rum is sugar cane molasses, from which sugar has been previously removed. This method produces approximately 90% of all rum in the world. It is considered the most efficient for the sugar industry as no waste is left in the production process. Ready sugar is refined and sold separately, and rum is made from pressed molasses.
Tafya – obtained by processing molasses waste. Naturally, this type of rum is the least quality. It is only produced in a few Third World countries for local consumption. Such products are not exported.

Varieties of rum by color

Light (white, silver) – a transparent alcoholic drink without a pronounced taste. In most cases, it is used as a base for cocktails.

Golden (amber) is a drink aged in oak barrels with a medium density. In the production process, additives can be used: spices and caramel.

Dark (black) – aged in charred oak barrels and has a pronounced taste of molasses or caramel. In some varieties there are notes of spices. Dark rum is most often used in cocktails and in cooking.

The main varieties and types of rum — Dark, golden and light rum

Flavored – rum with fruit additives: lemon, orange, coconut or mango.

Varieties of rum by strength

Rum elixir – a drink with a strength of 30 to 40 degrees, has a sweet rich taste. Drinking neat.

Aged (añejo) – aged for over 5 years in oak barrels. The culture of its use resembles the ritual of drinking whiskey. Aged rum is drunk only in its pure form. The most famous brand is Bacardi (Bacardi).

Strong – characterized by a high alcohol content (standard – 40%). The fortress of some representatives of this variety reaches 75%.

Types of Roma by country

Cuban rum

The tireless navigator and discoverer Christopher Columbus brought sugar cane to Cuba in the XNUMXth century, from which the locals learned how to make a rather heavy and coarse drink. At the end of the XNUMXth century, Facundo Bacardi guessed to replace the traditional alambic with a continuous cycle column, obtaining a light and light rum. This was the beginning of a new tradition of “rum-smoking”. Over time, the drink was known far beyond the “Island of Freedom”, it was not only drunk in its pure form, but also used as the basis for new cocktails, which were also destined for world fame: Cuba Libre, Mojito, Havana Especial, etc.

Today, more than 40 types of rum are produced in Cuba, but only five brands are exported. Santiago de Cuba and Havana Club are the best known on the Russian market.

Like any other rum, the Cuban version is made from sugar cane processing waste – molasses. Yeast is added to the black sweet molasses, and the resulting mash is double distilled. Ready alcohol is diluted to a strength of 50-55 degrees and left to mature in oak barrels (new or sherry). The aging period varies from a few weeks to 25 years, and the older the drink, the darker and stronger it is.

Categories:

White (minimum shutter speed);
Golden (aging 1-2 years);
Dark (aging in charred barrels from 3 years);
Aged (aging 5-12 years, rarely longer).

Famous brands: Bacardi (historically, this rum is considered Cuban, although production has long been located outside the country), Havana Club, Mulata, Caney, Legendario, Santero, Varadero. Dried guava (tropical fruit) is added to the original Guayabita del Pilnar rum casks.

Jamaican Rum

Discovered by Columbus, Jamaica for almost half a thousand years remained a sugar colony, first of Spain, and then of England. Rum, as a by-product of sugar production, became popular in the XNUMXth century, and today, in fact, the entire economy of the island rests on this alcohol.

The Jamaican rum is not light or sophisticated, it is a strong, heavy drink with a deep, rich taste and a cool character.

Features:

Traditional method of production (double distillation in alambika).
It is made from local sedge, which is juicier and sweeter than plants from other Caribbean islands.
Molasses is fermented for 12 days – 6 times longer than in Cuba or the Dominican Republic.

The brands Captain Morgan, Appleton, Bepi Tosolini are widely known on the Russian market, while the Jamaicans themselves prefer the brand Wray&Nephew White Overproof.

Spanish rum

Despite the fact that in Spain sugar cane (and hence the distillate of molasses) appeared earlier than in the Caribbean colonies, rum did not become the “number one drink” for the Spaniards. Probably because viticulture was already flourishing in the country, and coarse unrefined rum could not compete with fine wines.

It is not surprising that until the middle of the XNUMXth century, rum was considered the drink of the poor. The situation was changed by Facundo Bacardi, already familiar to us, who learned how to distill a light, light and high-quality drink from sugar cane juice or molasses. It cannot be said that this was an act of altruism: the Spanish crown was seriously concerned about the problem of improving the quality of local alcohol and promised a solid reward to a successful inventor.

Today, Spanish rum tastes very close to Cuban, and the term itself is often used to refer to varieties made on the territory of any former colonies of the Kingdom or Spanish-speaking lands. Spain has its own sugarcane plantations, which produce high-quality rum without any characteristic taste or nuances of the bouquet, which does not prevent individual brands from diluting the line of classic varieties with spicy brands marked Spiced.

Notable producers: Bacardi, Tobacco, Dos Maderas, Jamaica, Guajiro, Ron Cartavio, Clarke’s Court.

Dominican rum

The country produces a lot of rum, but only 30% of the total is exported: Dominicans keep most of it for themselves. The history of rum-smoking in the Dominican Republic is inextricably linked with the names of the dons Brugal, Erasmo and Barcelo: it was these three gentlemen who became the founders of the technology for producing soft and slightly sweet alcohol that still exists today.

The peculiarity of the technology lies in the fact that, due to the local climate, Dominican rum is made from surprisingly juicy and “full-tasting” cane, harvested by hand. In addition, the finished drink must be sent to mature in oak barrels.

As in Cuba, Dominican rum is white, gold, dark and aged, but two more types are added to the classic list:

Flavored is a relatively recent modification of a time-tested recipe. Fruit juice, fragrances, spices and sweeteners are added to the molasses distillate. In fact, it turns out a ready-made rum cocktail.
Strong – the alcohol content exceeds 40 degrees and can reach up to 75.5%.

Известные производители: Cayo Grande Club, Hispaniola, Matusalem, Contraband, Brugal, Barselo, Bermudez, Siboney, Macorix.

Indian rum

India is perhaps the country associated with the word “rum” almost in the last place, and yet, it is this state that is the real birthplace of the cane drink. Judging by the archaeological data that have come down to us, people here knew how to get alcohol from sugar cane as early as the XNUMXth century BC.

Indian rum is sweeter and softer than its “comrades” from the Caribbean, has a caramel-velvety bouquet and a viscous aftertaste. The Indian government controls market prices, so local rum cannot cost more than a certain (rather low) bar, which makes Indian alcohol even more attractive to tourists.

Notable manufacturers: Old Monk, McDowell, Old Port, Contessa, Hercules.

Thai rum

Forty-degree Sang Som rum is the most popular on the Thai market, but “pirate hops”, various beers, and numerous wines all fade into the background compared to local alcohol: ya-dong balm and lao-khao rice whiskey.

Thai rum is distinguished by a number of attractive features for Russian tourists:

Extremely affordable price;
High quality raw materials;
Flawless cleaning;
Mild sweet taste;
Rich bouquet with hints of cinnamon; citrus, eucalyptus.

The drink has only one drawback – it is not sold for export, lovers of the exotic need to personally go for flavored alcohol.

Famous brands: Sang Som, Magic Alambic.

Barbados rum

Produced by distillation in a traditional still, the raw material can be not only molasses, but also cane juice.