Experimenting with Rum Cocktails
When it comes to cocktails, I don't think there's a spirit that I use more frequently than rum. I don't know if I do it on purpose, but it seems that when I have an idea for a cocktail, I am reaching for the rum bottle. There's something fascinating about rum and how each expression comes with it's own unique personality and attitude. This leads down a path of so many possibilities when it comes to crafting a cocktail. These many expressions of rum also lend themselves very well to blending without collapsing in on itself. Sometimes, there's nothing more fun than working out which 3, 4 or even 5 rums I want to use in my Mai Tai.
I also find rum to be such a friendly and forgiving spirit when it comes to mixing. Sure, some cocktails specifically call for a Barbados style rum, or a Jamaican style rum, but even if you don't exactly follow these rules, you'll still end up sipping on a tasty beverage.
These are all experiments I have tried myself, take your usual Daiquiri for example, which usually calls for a white/light rum. Well how about we bend those rules, call on a 4 year old Cuban rum instead and see what we end up with. Look towards a Caipirinha, a traditional Brazilian drink that utilises the native spirit Cachaca. A style of rum that leans towards what you get from a lot of French agricole rums, a little grassy, slightly herbal or even vegetal. Now substitute the Cachaca for a white, molasses based rum, turning from the grassy notes to a slightly more robust, sweeter, and more characterful spirit. This delivers a totally different drink, still tasty, just different. These are all very fun experiments which I totally recommend doing.
Rum deserves a very strong appreciation, it is not an easy spirit to do well, it comes down heavily to the quality of the production process, in a process that has little room for errors. It requires patience, attention and a finely tuned method when it comes to crafting. Take all of that, add a little bit of magic, and you'll end up with a great spirit on the other end.
By Lucas Bucton - October 2023