RUM & CACHACA

RUM

The origin of the word ‘rum’ is still in limbo between many varying historical accounts, which is entirely appropriate considering the dark and stormy nature of its history and - in many cases - the character of the spirit itself.  When Columbus arrived in the Bahamas (mistakenly calling it ‘the Indies’) to claim the land for Spain, he was nonetheless correct in predicting that their sugarcane plants would grow in this region. Sugar cane became the staple crop of the Caribbean during the ensuing colonial era, and molasses - the bi-product of its refining - was set aside to ferment and eventually distill into ‘rum’.

Rum was used to fuel sailors of the British Navy - (when captains eventually diluted the 1-pint daily ration with water, the crew called the stuff ‘grog’); it became a key component of the slave trade; and it eventually helped sparked the American Revolution -- (again - there are MANY books written about the stuff!).  It is still mostly produced in the places that were once colonized by the English, French, Dutch and Spanish, and comes in a variety of styles:

• Spanish: lighter and distilled from molasses

• English: richer and often distilled from demerara sugar

• Jamaican: “navy rum” - strong with a funky complexity

• French: ‘Rhum Agricole’ - distilled from fresh cane juice, is distinct and grassy.  The name itself is protected under the AOC and cannot be used anywhere outside of France and its protectorate Martinique.

Light Rums are un-aged, where as dark varieties are aged and in many cases spiced or flavored. ‘Navy Strength’

CACHACA

Cachaca is a distilled spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice and is the most popular spirit among distilled alcoholic beverages in Brazil.