"Got Rum?" May 2025 by gotrum

Got Rum? ®

c ontents MAY 2025

5 From The e di T or

6-9 The Angel’s s h A re - r um r eviews

10-13 C oo K ing wi T h rum

14-17 T he rum mixologis T

18-19 T he rum universi TY® li B r A r Y

26-29 The rum his T ori A n

30-33 T he r um l AB or AT or Y

36-39 rum in T he news

40-55 T he swee T B usiness o F sug A r

56-63 The sug A r mill: origins A nd evolu T ion

64-67 C ig A r A nd rum PA iring g ot r um? May 2025 - 3

Got Rum? ®

Printed in the u s .A. A publication of r um r unner Press, i nc. Taylor, Texas 76574 - u s .A.

e ditor and Publisher: luis@gotrum.com

e xecutive e ditor: margaret@gotrum.com

Cigar and r um: philip@gotrum.com

Angel’s s hare: paul@gotrum.com

r um h istorian: marco@gotrum.com

r um in the n ews: mike@gotrum.com

Cooking with r um: sue@gotrum.com

w ebmaster: web@gotrum.com

d irector of Photography: art@gotrum.com

i f you would like to submit news or press releases, please forward them to: news@gotrum.com

You can download the free electronic version (low-res) of this magazine, or purchase the high resolution printed version at:

WWW. gotru M. co M

The printed version of “ g ot r um?” is produced with F s C-certified paper, which means it is from responsibly managed forests and verified recycled sources. F ron T C over : Peachy h iring Freeze inside s P re A d : l iquid s unshine

F rom T he edi T or The Spirit of Abundance

As a consultant for distilled spirits producers, i am used to clients experiencing all sorts of problems, from fermentation issues to blending inconsistencies. m ost of these problems are technical in nature and can easily be fixed in-house, once the proper procedures are defined and implemented. m any of the recent calls i ’ve received, however, revolve around the topic of what to do about the tariffs affecting imported goods needed for the survival of a distillery: raw production materials, equipment and bottling dry goods. These problems originate outside the distilleries and, thus, their solutions are not the typical ones.

w hen tariffs hit a precariously-balanced budget, throwing the finances into disarray, the first reaction may be a system-wide reduction or elimination of non-critical expenses, along with hiring freezes and/ or firings. w hile these actions do have an immediate impact on the bottom line, they do little to protect the long-term survival.

• r esearch from Princeton u niversity shows that people who live in poverty have to use a lot of their brainpower to deal with the challenges that come with being poor. This means they have less brainpower left to think about other important things in their lives. Because of this, they are more likely to make mistakes or decisions that can make their money problems worse. l ikewise, a business that is on financial “life support” is not able to take advantage of growth opportunities, if these require capital or workforce investments.

• There is also the ‘ abundance mindset ,’ a concept credited to the self-help author, s tephen Covey. i n his famous book, the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People , he describes the ‘abundance mindset’ as the belief that there is plenty out there and enough resources for everybody. This is at the core of Covey’s “ Habit 4: Think Win-Win .” m ost people think about succeeding in terms

of someone else failing, and thus life becomes a zero-sum game. w in-win is about constantly seeking mutual benefit in all human interactions. To go for winwin , we not only have to be empathic, but also confident. w e not only have to be considerate and sensitive, but also brave.

s earching for “ win-win ” involves all team players: it should be carried out before employees or contractors are let go.

i solated executives in a conference room will never come up with as many options as a team involving all the parties.

Cheers!

l uis Ayala, Editor and Publisher

http://www.linkedin.com/in/rumconsultant

do you want to learn more about rum but don’t want to wait until the next issue of “got rum?”? Then join the “rum lovers unite!” group on linkedin for updates, previews, Q&A and exclusive material.

T he A ngel’ s sh A re

by Paul s enft

m y name is Paul s enft - r um r eviewer, Tasting host, Judge and w riter. m y exploration of r ums began by learning to craft Tiki cocktails for friends. i quickly learned that not all rums are created equally and that the uniqueness of the spirit can be as varied as the locales they are from. This inspired me to travel with my wife around the Caribbean, Central America, and u nited s tates visiting distilleries and learning about how each one creates their rums. i have also had the pleasure of learning from bartenders, brand ambassadors, and other enthusiasts from around the world; each one providing their own unique point of view, adding another chapter to the modern story of rum.

The desire to share this information led me to create www. r umJourney.com where i share my experiences and reviews in the hopes that i would inspire others in their own explorations. i t is my wish in the pages of “ g ot r um?” to be your host and provide you with my impressions of rums available in the world market. h opefully my tasting notes will inspire you to try the rums and make your own opinions. The world is full of good rums and the journey is always best experienced with others. Cheers!

s anta Teresa 1796 Arabica Cask Finish r um

i n July of 2024, it was announced that s anta Teresa was releasing an Arabica Cask Finish r um. i t takes a while for things to get to the Atlanta market, and it took a few months before i acquired a bottle. To create this product, the company uses their standard 1796 product as a base. For the coffee component, the master blenders at h acienda s anta Teresa take medium roast Arabica coffee beans, cold brew the beans with four year old rum instead of water. This liquid is put into American white oak barrels and aged for six months before being decanted. The barrels are then filled with s anta Teresa 1796 and aged for three months before being blended and bottled at 46% AB v. The company states that there are three grams of sugar in each 750 ml bottle.

Appearance

The bottle of rum is packaged in a brown tube whose lid has the words “Passion with Purpose— s anta Teresa” with the company’s flower logo. The tube provides all the information about the rum’s production in an easy to understand graphic on the back. The front of the tube provides the basic information and notes that this bottling is from Batch 1.

The bottle is the standard custom bottle design used for s anta Teresa 1796 only with a brown and white label with gold and white script. The cap and neck of the bottle are covered in red wax, and there appears to be a plastic security wrap under the wax. After i cut away the wax, i reveal a wooden cap holding a dense cork. i t looks like there is supposed to be a pull strip to help open the bottle, but the wax completely covered it.

The liquid holds a dark brown walnut color in the bottle and glass. w hen i swirl the

liquid, a thin band forms around the tasting glass that slowly thickens and releases a single wave of fast moving legs. w ithin a couple of minutes, there are only a couple of beads around the glass.

Aroma

The aroma delivers notes of smoky oak, dark cacao, and coffee, with a touch of sweetness rounding out the experience.

Palate

The first sip of the rum is coffee forward, conditioning the mouth with the lightly acidic flavor and alcohol. Additional sips consistently deliver the coffee notes; however, i detected notes of roasted almonds and charred oak, with caramel coming in before the rum begins to fade into an acidic coffee finish.

r eview

w hen i evaluate flavored rum products, i always ask, did the brand achieve the desired flavor profile? i n this case the blenders at h acienda s anta Teresa achieved it and managed to create something far better than i expected it to be. As noted, the acidity of this rum clocks a little high, but when used as an ingredient in an espresso martini or other coffee based cocktail like a Black m agic, the acidity is nullified by dilution. i n a small way it reminds me of s iesta Key Coffee r um Blend, because both brands have succeeded where so many others have failed. They avoid the rum becoming a syrupy, overly sweet experience and present a balanced flavor experience that is a functional cocktail ingredient. i f you enjoy coffee-based cocktails, this rum is an easy recommendation for you to pick up and add to your back bar.

T he A ngel’ s sh A re

by Paul s enft

v izcaya r um Cask 12

w hile visiting one of my local shops, i came across this rum, and while familiar with other v izcaya releases, i had not tried this one before and decided to purchase it to review it for the magazine. r esearch revealed that the rum is produced in the d ominican r epublic using freshpressed sugarcane juice as its base using a Cuban formula. After the fermentation process, the rums in the blend are aged up to six years in used bourbon barrels. The rum is blended to 40% AB v and bottled and corked by hand. s everal sources attribute this rum to being manufactured by o liver and o liver, but it does not appear on their website as one of the rums they officially produce.

Appearance

The short neck 750 ml bottle has a heavy base, and that makes it a bit unwieldy to pour. The bottle is sealed with a plastic capped synthetic cork that is wrapped with a clear security wrap. Foregoing a back label, the bottle has an informative neck wrap and a front label with the most basic information about the rum.

The rum has a light amber straw color in the bottle and lightens slightly in the tasting glass. s wirling the liquid in the glass creates a medium band that expands and drops several fast moving waves of legs down the sides. The band evaporates quickly, leaving a large amount of residue around the tasting glass.

Aroma

The rum leads with a strong sweet vanilla note, followed by notes of sweet cacao, honeyed dried apricots, with a hint of baking spices and oak.

Palate

The rum leads with the expected swirl of caramelized vanilla, followed by equally sweet milk chocolate, with a sting of alcohol around the palate. There is a maple syrup note that lands right before a long, astringent oak finish forms and lingers quite a while on the palate.

r eview

As i mentioned in the opening, this rum was an impulse buy. As i evaluated the product, quite a few red flags popped up that this product was heavily dosed. The sweetness of the aroma and flavor profile, after the sipping experience, left gritty sweet remnants on the teeth and tongue. i did a tactile test and found that the liquid was quite sticky, and even after the liquid evaporated, my fingers were still sticking together.

By design, imbibers are encouraged to use this in cocktails, and i can agree this is probably the best way to use the product. h owever, i would note that if the cocktail recipe calls for simple syrup or other sweet ingredients, you may need to dial those ingredients back accordingly to avoid creating an undrinkable sugar bomb. Personally, i find the overall sweetness of the rum to be problematic but can see where consumers might enjoy it.

COOKING WITH RUM

Bringing the Spirit of the Cane Into the Heart of the Kitchen!

by Chef Susan Whitley

s weet and s picy r um c hicken

i ngredients:

• 2 lbs. Chicken Breast, boneless and skinless

• ½ C. d ark r um

• ¼ C. l ime Juice

• ¼ C. s oy s auce

• 1 Tbsp. w orcestershire s auce

• 3 Tbsp. h oney

• 2 Tbsp. s riracha

• Chopped Fresh Cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

1. i n a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients, except the chicken, and mix until honey has been blended well with the rest of the marinade.

2. Add the chicken into the marinade and coat well. Place clear wrap over bowl to seal and let it sit for 30 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 400°F.

4. Transfer chicken into a baking dish and bake for 40 minutes, or until the center of the chicken is fully cooked (165°F with a meat thermometer). Take baking dish out of oven and let stand for 5 minutes. r emove chicken from marinade and place onto a serving platter and garnish with chopped cilantro. r ecommended: Place chicken over a bed of rice (fried rice is my favorite for this dish) or a salad.

i ngredients:

Mojito c upcakes

For the Cupcakes-

• 1 s tick Butter

• ¾ C. s ugar

• 2 l arge e ggs, room temperature

• ¾ tsp. s alt

• 2 tsp. v anilla e xtract

• ½ C. g old r um

• ¼ C. Yogurt, plain

• Zest of 2 l imes

• 2 Tbsp. Fresh l ime Juice

• 1 tsp. m int s yrup

• 1 ½ C. All-Purpose Flour

• 1 tsp. Baking Powder

For the Frosting-

• 1 ½ s tick Butter, room temperature

• 2 ½ C. Powdered s ugar

• 2 Tbsp. Fresh m int l eaves, small diced

• ½ tsp. m int s yrup

• 3 Tbsp. w hite r um

• m int l eaves and l ime w edges, for garnish

d irections:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. l ine 12 cupcake molds with cupcake liners.

2. i n a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, eggs, salt, and vanilla extract. s tir in rum, yogurt, lime zest, juice and mint syrup.

3. i n a separate bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. Pour into bowl with wet ingredients, mixing as you pour.

4. s coop batter into cupcake molds, filling 3/4 of the way up. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the cupcakes are light golden brown and a knife comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cupcakes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

5. To make the frosting, place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy. i f mixture is too thick, add an additional tablespoon of rum.

6. Transfer frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Frost cupcakes, then top with small mint leaves and a lime wedge. e njoy!

Photo credit: www.javacupcakes.com

THE RUM Mixologist

A space devoted to the exploration of classic and new rum cocktails

What i s Mixology?

m ixology is the study and skill of inventing, preparing and serving cocktails and other mixed drinks. m ixologists are experts in this field, but mixologists’ knowledge goes beyond memorizing basic cocktail recipes: it includes historical information, basic chemistry behind flavor combinations and a capacity for combining common ingredients in new ways.

Join us, as we explore the essential collection of rum cocktail recipes that every mixologist needs to master.

THE RUM Mixologist

This m onth’s Cocktail:

Piña Colada

About t he Piña c olada

The Piña Colada is a classic Puerto r ican cocktail made with pineapple juice, lowcongener, un-aged rum (also called light rum ), and cream of coconut. w hile piña coladas can be shaken or stirred, this shaken recipe is a more recent adaptation of the original frozen piña colada from the 1950s.

Piña c olada

i ngredients:

• 2 oz. l ight r um

• 2 oz. Pineapple Juice

• 1 1/2 oz. Cream of Coconut

• 1 l ime w edge, optional

• Pineapple w edge, for garnish

• m araschino Cherry, for garnish

Directions:

1. Pour the light rum, pineapple juice, and cream of coconut into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. For a slightly less sweet colada, squeeze the juice of a lime wedge into the shaker.

2. s hake well for at least 30 seconds. w hen thoroughly shaken, the drink should be creamy with a luscious foam from the pineapple juice.

3. s train into a chilled glass (Collins, h urricane or similar).

4. g arnish with pineapple wedge and maraschino cherry.

r eviews of books related to sugarcane, milling, fermentation, distillation, aging, blending and other topics related to the production or history of rum.

www. r um u niversity.com

A taste of t hailand: t he c omplete t hai c ookbook with More t han 300 Authentic t hai r ecipes! by u rassaya Manaying

(Publisher’s r eview)

Available via Kindle u nlimited.

The Best Thai Food, From o ur Kitchen to Yours! This book offers all the basic info you will need to get started with Thai cooking, followed by Authentic Thai r ecipes. s ee the list below for a complete breakdown of the recipes:

• 30 Thai Curry Pastes, m arinades, and o ther Concoctions

• 16 Thai d ipping s auces, s alsas, And v inaigrettes

• 25 Thai s nacks & Appetizers

• 10 Thai s oups

• 15 Thai s alads

• 20 Thai Beef & Pork r ecipes

• 20 Thai Chicken r ecipes

• 20 Thai Fish and s eafood r ecipes

• 20 Thai v egetable r ecipes

• 15 Thai n oodle r ecipes

• 17 Thai r ice r ecipes

• 25 Thai d esserts

• 12 Thai d rinks and Teas

• 30 Thai- i nspired i nternational r ecipes

• 40 i nternational r egional r ecipes Popular in Thailand

About the author

A sin : B08P9ZBY g 8

Publisher: ( n ovember 28, 2020)

Publication date: n ovember 28, 2020

l anguage: e nglish

File size: 1.1 m B

u rassaya m anaying was born and raised in Thailand, s he is a professional cook and nutritionist who specializes in traditional Thai recipes. s he is best known for her cookbooks on Thai Cooking.

s imultaneous device usage: u nlimited

Text-to- s peech: e nabled

s creen r eader: s upported

e nhanced typesetting: e nabled

x - r ay: e nabled

w ord w ise: e nabled

Print length: 256 pages

Your o ne- s top s hop for Aged r ums in Bulk!

• Column- d istilled, Pot- d istilled or Blends

• h igh Congener ( i ncluding h igh e sters), l ow Congener or Blends

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• s ingle Barrels and s econd Aging/Finish

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• o ver 150 m arks/ s tyles Available, plus Custom Blends

• l ow m inimums and Fast Turnaround, w orldwide s hipping www. r umCentral.com

n ow o ffering Bottling s ervices!

Q: Why Bottle/ c o-Pack at r um c entral?

A: r um Central is located within the texas triangle , a region in Texas formed by the state’s four main metropolitan areas. The texas triangle is one of eleven mega regions in the u nited s tates and is home to approximately 75% of the s tate’s population. This area also benefits substantially from trade with m exico, the u nited s tates’ third largest trade partner.

A: r um Central is 30 m iles from Austin, with convenient access to interstate highways, rail lines, airports and seaports (within 250 miles of 4 of the top 10 u . s . seaports), guaranteeing fast and efficient shipping of your dry and finished goods.

Q: Do you need more information?

A: Contact us via our website below! www. r umCentral.com

www.

l uis Ayala will be teaching the following at m oonshine u niversity in Kentucky (https://www.moonshineuniversity.com/):

• r um section of the 5- d ay d istiller Course, July 28-August 1 2025

• r um section of the 5- d ay d istiller Course, o ctober 20-24 2025

w e will also be teaching the following courses at our campus in Texas:

Q3 2025 c ourses

• s eptember 22 ( m on) - The Business of r um

• s eptember 23 (Tue) - The Classifications of r um

• s eptember 24-26 ( w ed-Fri) - 3 d ay r um Course (Fermentation, d istillation, i ntroduction to Blending)

Q4 2025 c ourses

• n ovember 3 ( m on) - i ntroduction to r um Blending

• n ovember 4-5 (Tue- w ed) - Advanced r um Blending

w e also offer customized and private training classes. For more information, please contact us at:

r egistrar@rumuniversity.com

For seating availability at The r um u niversity in Texas, please visit:

www. r um u niversity.com

s ign up now to be notified of upcoming courses and seating availability. Click on the button below or copy/paste the link on your browser:

https://secure.campaigner.com/C s B/Public/ Form.aspx?fid=1092285

the ru M histori A n

by m arco Pierini

i was born in 1954 in a little town in Tuscany ( i taly) where i still live. i n my youth, i got a degree in Philosophy in Florence and i studied Political s cience in m adrid, but my real passion has always been h istory and through h istory i have always tried to understand the world, and men. l ife brought me to work in tourism, event organization and vocational training, then, already in my fifties i discovered rum and i fell in love with it.

i have visited distilleries, met rum people, attended rum Festivals and joined the r um Family. i have studied too, because r um is not only a great distillate, it’s a world. Produced in scores of countries, by thousands of companies, with an extraordinary variety of aromas and flavors, it is a fascinating field of studies. i began to understand something about sugarcane, fermentation, distillation, ageing and so on.

s oon, i discovered that rum has also a terrible and rich h istory, made of voyages and conquests, blood and sweat, imperial fleets and revolutions. i soon realized that this h istory deserved to be researched properly and i decided to devote myself to it with all my passion and with the help of the basic scholarly tools i had learnt during my old university years.

i n 2017 i published the book “A meri CA n rum – A s hort h istory of r um in e arly America”

i n 2019 i began to run a Blog: www. therumhistorian.com

i n 2020, with my son Claudio, i have published a new book “F ren C h rum – A h istory 1639-1902”.

i am currently doing new research on the h istory of Cuban r um.

T he T r A velling rum his T ori A n : si C ilY

The Fathers of h istory, over there in ancient Athens, were all mostly historians of the present, their present of course. Therefore – “if little things with great we may compare” ( v irgilio / d ryden) –it will be no surprise if your r um h istorian in this article deals not with the past of rum, but with its present and maybe with its future, too. m ore articles of this kind will follow.”

s o, i wrote in an article of 5 years ago, T he T r A velling rum his T ori A n T o C o P enh A gen F or T he 1° nordi C rum F es T in the June 2019 issue of our magazine. s oon afterwards, unfortunately, things took a different turn. First there came Covid, then a series of personal problems which made traveling difficult for me, and that now-distant article wasn’t followed by any others.

n ow, i hope to be able to start travelling again, fingers crossed.

i have just come back from a short, but intense and exciting group tour to s icily. The journey was organised by m arco g raziano, one of the most knowledgeable and passionate rum experts in i taly – check out his website Le Vie del Rum (The r oads of r um). w e set off on April 10th and

spent three days touring e astern s icily, visiting Avola, m odica, n oto, m essina and Taormina, going to see sugarcane fields and distilleries, speaking to producers, learning a lot and, of course, sipping rums, and some wine too. o f course, three days isn’t much, but still, better than nothing. i f things go well, i hope to be able to return there in the near future, with more time to take it all in.

But … s icily? w hy, you may ask, should we rum geeks be interested in s icily? l et me tell you: because today, rum is being produced in s icily, and it is excellent.

l et’s start from the beginning.

i n the very center of the m editerranean, lies the ancient island of s icily. i t’s the largest island in the m editerranean, just under 10,000 square miles; to give you an idea, it is slightly larger than v ermont.

i nhabited since prehistoric times, it was later colonised by a long series of invaders. i n chronological order: g reeks, Carthaginians, r omans, Byzantines, Arabs, n ormans, s wabians, French, s panish and finally, in 1860-61 g aribaldi, with his ‘The Thousand’, united it with i taly. The last invasion was in 1943, when the Allied Forces landed in s icily and began the liberation of e urope from n azism and Fascism.

i t is a true gem, perhaps the brightest pearl in the m editerranean. “ n owhere else in the world will you find such a wealth of monuments from so wide a variety of civilizations … gathered in so small a space and combined with so much that is s icily’s own: the dazzling baroque, for example, of n oto, ragusa and m odica, the almost unbelievable stucco work of g iacomo s erpotta, even the traditional puppet theatre which, quite apart from its very considerable entertainment value, helps immeasurably in our understanding of the s icilian people and their past.” (John Julius n orwich “ SICILY A Short History from the Ancient Greeks to Cosa Nostra ” 2015)

According to most scholars, sugarcane originates from s outh- e astern Asia and was later cultivated in i ndia and China

millennia B.C. e . The Arabs came across it in i ndia where they arrived, first as merchants and then as conquerors, between the vii and ix centuries C. e . They spread it throughout their vast empire, first in the m iddle e ast, then in n orth Africa and s pain.

The Arabs conquered s icily too, roughly in the first half of ix century, and ruled it for approximately two centuries. Then came the n ormans, who in 1030 established the Kingdom of s icily, but a significant Arab and m uslim population remained on the island thanks to the tolerance of the new rulers. Among the many innovations that the Arabs brought to s icily was sugarcane, later locally called “ cannamela ”.

i n s icily, sugarcane cultivation experienced ups and downs, but we know for a fact that, since around 1450, s icilian sugar was regularly exported in substantial quantities to g enoa, v enice and across the whole of e urope. Those were not large-scale plantations in the American style, worked by slaves. i nstead, they were smaller enterprises, called “ Trappeto ”, where mostly free workers were employed. To squeeze the cane, they didn’t use the two-, then threeroller vertical mill as they did in America, but rather a press similar to those used for olives. For two centuries, s icilian sugar was an important element of e uropean trade, but in the 1600s production began to decrease. m ost scholars believe that s icilian sugar knuckled under the competition from the large quantities of cheap sugar arriving from the large American plantations; according to others the decline depended on local factors, such as changes in the climate, timber shortage, the burden of excessive taxation, etc. Anyway, by the second half of the 1700s, commercial sugar production in s icily had practically disappeared. Travellers of the time reported that only a few, small plots of land remained where sugarcane was still cultivated, by then only as a personal passion of some wealthy landowners.

i n 1825, g aspare v accaro published a captivating book “ Sul richiamo della canna zuccherina in Sicilia e sulle ragioni che lo esiggono ” ( On the Revival of Sugarcane in Sicily and the Reasons Demanding it ). The author, convinced that sugarcane could be successfully cultivated again

in s icily thanks to the help of modern knowhow, planted a small sugarcane field on his land. h e tended it for several years, observed, experimented and reflected on his experience. h e devoted an entire chapter to rum, which he produced using not molasses, but pure cane juice, claiming that it is of excellent quality. There is also a lengthy su PP lemen T dedicated to the translation from a French book, “ Manuel des habitants de Saint Domingue … et de faire le Rum a la manera Anglaise” (“Handbook of the inhabitants of Saint Domingue … and how to make rum in the English manner ”) by J. s d u Coeur Joly, published in Paris in 1802. i t is an interesting text, describing the traditional process of rummaking with pot stills at the end of the 1700s, right before Jean-Baptiste CellierBlumenthal, Aeneas Coffey and the Column s till. u nfortunately, it does not include the original text. d espite some research online, i have not been able to find it and, as we know, translations are not always to be trusted. e specially since v accaro himself candidly admits that he knows nothing about distillation (and does not even drink the rum he produces!). Anyway, as far as i know, v accaro’s experiment had no further effect and did not lead to renewed largescale sugarcane cultivation in s icily. s mall plots of sugarcane persisted for a little time, especially around the city of Avola, in the province of s yracuse in e astern s icily.

i n 1878 a renowned local scholar, g iuseppe Bianca, published “ Monografia agraria del territorio d’Avola in Sicilia ” (“ Agricultural Monograph of the Territory of Avola in Sicily ”) in which he wrote: “ Sugarcane … i t is a plant of ancient knowledge and long-standing naturalization in this district where, until the middle of the last century, it supplied a large sugar-making laboratory maintained at the expense of the d uke of Terranuova, whose ruins still endure today. After the competition from American sugars and a combination of various other economic circumstances brought that industry to an end, a few enthusiasts continued to cultivate it on an extremely limited scale to produce an excellent rhum , far superior to those available on the market. h owever, it is not economically profitable nor can it vie with

the competition, due to the high production costs.” i am not sure of the exact date, but shortly after the publication of Bianca’s book sugarcane cultivation disappeared entirely, and s icilian sugar and rum faded into oblivion.

u ntil something totally unexpected happened. At the end of last century, a visionary entrepreneur, Corrado Bellia, already a protagonist of the local economy and a promoter of the famous Avola almond, decided to attempt replanting sugarcane. m any thought it was a crazy idea, but Bellia persevered and between 2019 and 2020 he procured three (3!) sugarcane stalks from s pain and planted them near Avola. There it took root, grew, formed a small home-grown crop and in July 2021 the first harvest was made, which produced enough juice to be fermented, distilled and bottled. Corrado Bellia finally released his rum, named A vol A rum , at Christmas 2021, the first s icilian rum in over a century. A small, yet great miracle that, as an i talian and a rum enthusiast, fills me with admiration and enthusiasm. Thank you, Corrado!

The sugarcane harvest takes place between d ecember and April, depending on the sugar content achieved. The cane is cut, by hand, at the base, where the highest sugar concentration is found, with the leaves and tips removed. The latter, if properly preserved, can be planted again in the spring to create new plantations. The cane is pressed to extract the juice. This is followed by a long fermentation process and then a double bain-marie distillation

Corrado Bellia giving us an open air master class in Avola

This is not the Caribbean: this is m odica, s icily!

in a Pot s till, at the g iovi d istillery in m essina. Avola r um is therefore made from pure sugarcane juice, not with molasses, and it retains all the richness, fullness, the floral and herbaceous aromas of an excellent, agricultural rum, rivalling even the famous, prestigious rums of the French Antilles. h owever, legally it cannot bear the name “Agricultural r um” because e uropean regulations restrict the use of this term to the rums produced, furthermore with specific characteristics, in the French overseas territories and on the Portuguese island of m adeira. i t is a young rum, not aged, which is precisely the type of rum i prefer. e ach year, between 500 and 700 bottles are produced. n aturally, the price is high, it is a rum for a select group of enthusiasts, of whom i am honored to be part.

Avola r um was not alone for long. s hortly after, in nearby m odica, already famous for its chocolate, a new company, d istilleria Alma, was established, which launched its own rum, m AT er rum . Alma performs the whole process: they cultivate the cane, press it in the distillery to extract the juice, ferment, distil and bottle on site. They have two varieties of cane, the purple and the yellow one. The former, sweet and fruity, ripens more slowly, reaching as high as 21 degrees brix; the yellow, more precocious, chlorophyllic, brought from s pain, at 23 degrees brix is ready to reveal all its aromatic power. The harvest is carried out from m arch to June, by hand. The juice is fermented with oenological yeasts, for 7296 hours, at a controlled temperature. They use small, powerful copper stills, with a

m essina, the g iovi d istillery.

600-liter bain-marie pot still and a column still with four plates. For now, they offer 3 different types of rum 2 white unaged rums, and 1 spicy variety, but they are already exploring barrel aging. They produce several thousand bottles per year, which are sold in i taly, France and also in the u nited s tates, where they are distributed by s paghetti w estern i mports. They aim to grow, and they have everything it takes to succeed; right during our trip, one of their rums won an award at the prestigious Paris r hum Fest Award 2025.

But that’s not all, things always come in three. g iovi d istillery, after its experience with Avola r um, decided to produce its own rum as well. The production process is still underway, and we had the privilege of testing some samples, which show great promise. Furthermore, we know that some young s icilian entrepreneurs are planning similar projects, and there are rumors that major players in the i talian beverage industry are interested in these novel developments. l ast, but not least, new rums have emerged in various parts of i taly, some made from locally grown sugarcane, others using imported molasses or syrup. They are small-scale companies with limited production, catering to niche markets. h owever, i taly certainly does not lack suitable land, expertise, skills and passion. i n short, all the right conditions are in place for i talian r um to grow and become an important part of the w orld of r um.

m arco Pierini

The Rum Laboratory

Presented

Join us as we explore the world of rum spices and flavors! i n this series you will learn to flavor your own r ums and to create your own l iqueurs and c reams.

g ot r um? May 2025 - 31

Presents making your own

Black Tea and Rum Liqueur

i ngredients

• 700-750 m l Bottle of l ight w hite r um (column-distilled)

• g ood quality Black Tea, 6 Tbsp or 6 bags.

• s imple s yrup or s ugar to taste (optional)

d irections

i f the tea is in bags, carefully open the tea bags and empty them into a bowl.

Place all the tea inside the rum bottle (a funnel works great). Close the bottle and shake it vigorously. Allow it to sit for 24 hours, shaking every couple of hours if possible.

o nce the rum extracts enough tea flavor and color (extraction time will vary depending on your ambient temperature), run the liquid through a strainer or fine mesh filter to remove all the tea leaves. Taste it and add the simple syrup or sugar if you want to. i t is now ready to enjoy neat, on ice, in cocktails or as a topping for desserts!

Did you know that ...

• w esterners prefer black tea whereas Asians prefer green tea.

• Black tea is called “red tea” in China.

• Black tea is the most popular variety of tea, accounting for about three quarters of the world’s tea consumption.

• w hen stored properly, black tea does not lose its flavor for many years. This is the primary reason why it was traded extensively in the past.

• i n the 1800’s, black tea was used as currency by the s iberians, m ongolians and Tibetans.

• The caffeine content of black tea is low at 40 mg per cup. i n contrast, a cup of brewed coffee has 85 to 200 mg.

• Black tea is both low-calorie and lowcost. A cup contains a mere 2 calories and when prepared at home, it costs only a few cents.

s ource: s ervingJoy.com

RUM And The e nvironment

ACT ion i T ems

May’s Action i tem i s . . .

t hrow Away l ess f ood!

i n the u nited s tates, consumers and businesses waste 92 billion pounds of food annually, equal to 145 billion meals, with a value of over $473 billion dollars (this represents 38% of the country’s annual food supply). i f you live in a different country, look up your own food waste figures, chances are that they’ll be shocking too!

Food waste is a major contributor to climate change. i t’s responsible for 8% of all global carbon emissions, making up most items in our landfills. g rowing food requires lots of water, fuel, and fertilizer, all of which are wasted when food is not consumed.

By preventing food waste and rescuing food at risk of being discarded, we can lessen our environmental impact and ensure that resources are used to nourish communities.

The amount of greenhouse gases this causes puts a massive strain on the environment. That’s why it’s so important to minimise what we discard. A simple way to reduce food waste is to ensure your fruits and vegetables are stored properly. This will help them stay fresh longer, providing a larger window for you to consume them.

e ven if there is some food you need to throw away, composting allows it to decompose naturally, without harming the environment (we’ll discuss composting in more detail next month).

r u M in the ne W s

by m ike Kunetka

These are the most recent and noteworthy headlines in the rum industry. i f you want us to share your news with our readers, please send me an email to: m ike@gotrum.com.

AM eric A n c A ne

l ast year, the rum world heard that m aggie Campbell had left m ount g ay where she worked on their in-house sugarcane project. w e all wondered what was next. Then last o ctober, a posting appeared on i nstagram from American Cane: “American Cane, a rum company committed to celebrating and producing iconic American rum, is thrilled to announce the appointment of m aggie Campbell as its Chief e xecutive o fficer. w ith a deep passion for the art of spirits and 18 years of experience in the Beverage i ndustry, m aggie is poised to lead American Cane in its mission to revitalize and redefine American rum.”

Their website explains their mission: r um’s history in America is a story that’s been whispered rather than shouted, tangled in forgotten fields, hidden in the shadows of prohibition, and nearly silenced by the louder spirits that came after. h owever, in l ouisiana, where the m ississippi d elta meets centuries of cane-growing tradition, a new chapter is being written, one that honors the roots while daring to grow in new directions. This is a tale that begins not just with rum, but with the land itself. The fertile soil of l ouisiana has been

cultivated by generations of Americans, black, white, and indigenous, their knowledge and labor transforming the cane into an elixir. Yet, as time wore on, their names faded from the records, their contributions swallowed by the weight of history’s silence. Today, American Cane stands as a keeper of this legacy, a place where the true heritage of American rum is being revived. i t will be interesting to see where m aggie Campbel and her co-founder d arin v est take American Cane! https://www.americancane.com/

frien D s of the c AB il D o 2025 ru M ren D e ZV ous

Friends of the Cabildo will host its third annual r um r endezvous Tasting, w ednesday, m ay 14, from 6-8 p.m. at Palace Café in n ew o rleans. e ight l ouisiana based distillers, producers and blenders will take part in the tasting along with g arden & g un cocktail writer w ayne Curtis and The r um w onk, m att Pietrek. The 3rd annual tasting benefits the Friends of the Cabildo and its mission to support the l ouisiana s tate m useum. h eld inside the acclaimed d ickie Brennan’s Palace Café, food, oysters and libations will be flowing. g uests will be able to speak with producers and taste their rums along with an open bar as well. e ight l ouisiana d istillers, producers and l ouisiana based r um Brands will be featured: w ildcat Brothers d istilling, m arsh h ouse r um, m yers’s r um ( s azerac), o ld Alker d istillery, o xbow r um d istillery, Atelier v ie d istillery, no Ë l Family d istillery and n ew o rleans d istillery. https://friendsofthecabildo.org

tortug A ru M co MPA n Y and the f A ir W e A ther foun DA tion

Tortuga r um Company announced a new partnership with the Fair w eather Foundation, a Cayman-based nonprofit dedicated to preserving and celebrating the islands’ rich maritime history. Through this partnership, Tortuga will donate $1 for every bottle sold of its locally distilled rum in a special edition ship bottle, created in tribute to Cayman’s seafaring legacy. The initiative supports the Fair w eather Foundation’s efforts to restore the s v. Fair w eather, the last known Caymanian-built wooden schooner still afloat, and bring her home to the Cayman i slands where she will be used as a historical/cultural vessel to educate future generations about the islands’ proud shipbuilding and maritime traditions. This announcement comes at a meaningful time, as Tortuga r um Company’s distilleries at 7 m ile s hops and w est Bay have recently reopened and are once again proudly producing local rum after a temporary closure due to the C ovid -19 pandemic. The public is invited to visit the distilleries for a complimentary tour, sample a selection of freshly

crafted Tortuga rums, and purchase a bottle of the special edition ship bottle with each purchase directly supporting the Fair w eather Foundation’s work. “Tortuga has always celebrated the spirit of the Cayman i slands,” e ugene n olan, C eo , Tortuga r um Company, who recently visited the shipyard to experience first-hand the restoration project, said. “This partnership is a meaningful way for us to give back to our community and help keep our seafaring heritage alive. w e’re honored to support the Fair w eather Foundation’s incredible work, especially at a time when we are proud to be distilling right here in Cayman again.” The special edition ship bottle is now available at Tortuga Fine w ine & s pirits and d uty-Free locations across the Cayman i slands. “ w e’re thrilled to have Tortuga r um Company onboard,” Paul d eegan, Co-Founder & d irector, Fair w eather Foundation, said. “Their support is helping us bring Cayman’s maritime history to life for the next generation.” https://tortuga.ky/ https://www.fairweather.ky

us s A iling and goslings

us s ailing, the national governing body of the sport of sailing, and g oslings r um have renewed their successful partnership through the 2025 season. g oslings, Bermuda’s oldest company and largest exporter, will continue to serve as the o fficial r um and g inger Beer of us s ailing. The alignment will bring the popular mixed drink to on-water and shoreside events in support of sailors and sailing organizations in the u nited s tates. “ us s ailing is thrilled to renew g oslings as one of our many trusted partners,” said Charlie e nright, C eo of us s ailing. “As a world-renowned brand, g oslings is synonymous with rich tradition, a storied past, and a high-quality product. w e are proud to continue our relationship with them. Their range of premium rums and innovative recipes will impart a celebratory element to our events, our online engagement and it will enhance the beverage experience at all of us s ailing’s Adult Championships.” A family business for over 200 years, g oslings is the only company that blends and bottles rum on Bermuda. First exported to the u nited s tates in the 1980s, g oslings offers an award-winning portfolio, including the flagship g oslings Black s eal r um and g oslings s tormy g inger Beer. Both are key ingredients in g oslings’ trademarked cocktail, the d ark ‘n s tormy®, which appears like a storm cloud in a glass and, legend has it, was named by a sailor. “ g oslings has long been intertwined with the sea and with the sport of sailing, from sponsoring iconic races like the America’s Cup and n ewport Bermuda r ace, to crafting our ocean-aged g oslings s pirited s eas r um,” says m alcolm l . g osling, eighthgeneration rum maker and President of g oslings e xport Bermuda. “ w e’re proud to support us s ailing athletes and honored to enhance the

camaraderie and celebration at this year’s Adult Championships.” www.ussailing.org https://goslings.com/

BA c A r D i

Just in time for summer, BACA rd Í®, is shaking up the flavored rum scene with the launch of BACA rd Í Passionfruit. s weet, tangy, and irresistibly vibrant, this new launch blends the signature BACA rd Í white rum with bold passionfruit flavor. w ith tropical and citrus dominating flavored rum trends*, BACA rd Í Passionfruit delivers an enticing blend of refreshing fruitiness and bold character, perfectly suited for social occasions. The flavored rum category is on an upward trajectory, expected to grow significantly over the next five years, and BACA rd Í is committed to staying at the forefront of this momentum, introducing exciting, eyecatching innovations, to recruit new consumers and drive the category expansion. Tjalling s imoons, BACA rd Í Brand d irector for e urope, comments on the launch: “At BACA rd Í, we’re always looking for new ways to bring bold, exciting flavors to our fans, and Passionfruit is the perfect fit. As the #1 rum brand in e urope, we know that consumers are looking for drinks that elevate their drinking experiences and match their evolving tastes. Passionfruit is already a top performer in cocktails, both at home and in bars, so we’re confident this vibrant new launch will excite rum lovers and invite new drinkers to explore delicious, tropical flavors.” BACA rd Í Passionfruit (70cl, 27% AB v ) will launch in the n etherlands, g ermany, s weden, n orway, Poland and l uxembourg throughout April and m ay 2025. https://www.bacardilimited.com/

ne W norfol K D istiller Y

r um in Tasmania? Can you imagine doing your weekly grocery shop and instead of using cash or credit card, you handed over a bottle of rum and went on your merry way? This was previously the case; when Tasmania was first settled, rum was currency and used broadly across the state. i t was in 1808 that g overnor Bligh (who you may know from the ‘mutiny on the bounty’ incident), outlawed spirits as currency in Australia and caused the infamous r um r ebellion. s hortly thereafter, spirits production was banned in Tasmania and rum disappeared from the island. Fast forward 180 years, great whisky and gin are aplenty, but Tasmanian rum is still more difficult to find. As a spirited spirits enthusiast, it was over a glass of rum in a small s alamanca tavern that Tarrant d erksen realized there were no rum-dedicated distilleries in the state. Tarrant set about establishing n ew n orfolk d istillery, a family-owned and run business dedicated to nurturing and re-invigorating the love for rum in Australia. The distilling facility and cellar door is

located within w illow Court, a former hospital and asylum complex of deep historical significance to the d erwent v alley region. r ecently, three n ew n orfolk releases took the Top Award and g old m edals in three separate rum styles at this year’s w orld r um Awards. Their n ear h orizon s piced, which won a g old in the Traditional s piced Category, uses a combination of foraged native Australian botanicals and blends them with exotic Caribbean spices. The spirit base is created from sustainable Australian molasses that is fermented and double distilled at their distillery in Tasmania. n ew n orfolk’s Project Furiosa won a g old m edal in the Contemporary & Botanical Category. i t uses a handpicked blend of native botanicals: three different varieties of myrtles, strawberry gum, pepperberry and wattleseed. For the base they use a 100% Australian molasses, naturally fermented at the distillery over a period of 6 to 8 weeks. This is then double distilled in ‘ r ipley’, their copper pot still, to create the wild cane spirit foundation of this release. Finally, their d rone r iot won a g old m edal in the s ugarcane s pirit category. i n the style of a Jamaican rum, this wildly fermented sugarcane spirit pushes the boundaries of flavor and funk. The recipe was left to naturally ferment at the distillery for up to 6 weeks, before double-distillation through their copper pot still.

https://www.newnorfolkdistillery.com/

B l A c K tot

Black Tot has unveiled a new recipe and design for its Finest Caribbean r um. o n Facebook, they stated “ o ur new Black Tot Finest Caribbean brings layers of flavor, depth and complexity to create a rum which is even more perfect for sipping and of course mixing.” s o, what makes it better? They have increased the percentage of Barbados in the blend, enhancing its flavors of tropical fruit and coconut, while the new addition of Trinidad brings flavors of stone fruit and vanilla to deliver bright, fruit-driven flavors with layers of complexity. The structure and body of the rum remains bold and complex with g uyana supporting with deep, rich notes of muscovado sugar, tonka bean and licorice, with Jamaica’s touch of funk. The vibrant blend of Barbados and Trinadad integrates harmoniously. The blend consists of 40% 5-year Barbados rum, 35% lighter column still rum, aged 2 -4 years from Trinidad, 20% pot & column still rum from g uyana, aged up to 5 years and 5% pot still rum from Jamaica, aged 3 years. o liver Chilton, e lixir d istillers’ master blender, told s pirits Business ‘The new blend is an approachable all-rounder. w e’ve layered Trinidad rum into our original blend, a softer, sweeter, and tropical fruit-driven blend, which makes our new Black Tot Finest Caribbean blend so versatile.

um? May 2025 -

i ts depth of flavor is both for sipping and makes a strong base for building brilliant cocktails: we want to get more people into this incredible category.” https://blacktot.com/

A l AMB i Q ue serr A no

l ast month, i wrote about Alambique s errano’s release of their v ida n ativa series. Their next release will be 3 Años. This offering will be widely available rather than a limited release like the majority of the brand’s previous rums and will start hitting shelves and bars this month. l ike all Alambique s errano rums, 3 Años starts with cane juice harvested from the steep hillsides of the region that is naturally-fermented in steel and pine tanks with ambient yeast. i t is a blend of 82% rum from their proprietary Krassel s till, aged 38 months in new French o ak and 12% copper alembic pot still rum aged 40 months in new French o ak. Both sets of casks were aged in an underground humid cellar. 3 Años has been gently brought to a bottling proof of 46.1% abv with distilled water sourced from the r ío Blanco of s anta m aría Tlalixtac, o axaca. i t has been bottled with no added sugar nor coloring. https://www.alambiqueserrano.com/

rhu M s A int JAM es

e arlier this year, s aint James won recognition for s ingle Cask 2003 release. n ow, just two months later, their n ectar du m aître de Chai is gathering attention. This is a pure cane aged agricultural rum from the s aint James distillery (3 years of minimum aging) A o C m artinique, which has undergone a controlled maceration of prunes, enhanced with Bourbon vanilla pods. i n addition to aging, said maceration and bottling took place on m artinique, in a tropical climate, in their s ainte- m arie cellar, which allows the product to claim the appellation “A o C m artinique aged agricultural rum liqueur”. “ w e wanted to create a differentiation from the other references in the range, particularly our aged rums,” explains Anthony Charnay, Product m anager of s aint James. “ w e also wanted to avoid the natural cloudy deposits, inevitable during maceration but neutral in terms of taste, from impacting the appearance, especially since we opted for gentle filtration.” https://rhum-saintjames.com/

KŌLOA RUM COMPANY

Kōloa has introduced The Hawaiian Heritage Collection, a tribute to the rich cultural legacy of h awaii. The inaugural release features an exceptional l imited e dition 6-Year o ld Aged r um, created in collaboration with The Friends of ‘ i olani Palace. This partnership represents more

than just a premium spirits launch; it embodies a commitment to preserving h awaii’s royal heritage through sustainable business practices. The release honors the iconic ‘ i olani Palace, a n ational h istoric l andmark and the former royal residence of h awaii’s last monarchs. Built in 1882 by King Kalakaua, this architectural masterpiece stands as a symbol of resilience, history, and the multicultural spirit of the islands. w ith every bottle, you’re not just enjoying this exceptional spirit, you are supporting a meaningful cause. Proceeds from this release will benefit The Friends of ‘ i olani Palace, helping to preserve and share its legacy for generations to come. Bob g unter, President & C eo of Koloa r um Company, emphasizes the deeper significance of this launch: “This special release transcends traditional product offerings, representing a celebration of our island’s cultural pride while actively contributing to landmark preservation.” Available exclusively in h awaii, this limited-edition rum invites you to raise a glass in honor of history, culture, and The s pirit of Aloha ™. https://koloarum.com/ https://www.iolanipalace.org/

colours of ru M

There are more new releases from Colours of r um. The first is 2015 h ampden, a high-ester powerhouse, aged for 8 years under the intense Caribbean sun in ex-bourbon casks. The tropical heat and humidity had clearly worked their magic on this do K-mark rum, known for its off-the-charts ester levels. A true Jamaican beast in every sense. Then there is the 2016 T. d l . from Trinidad, a fresh take on T. d . l’s iconic style. At just 8 years old, it’s packed with bright citrus notes; think lime zest and green apple, balanced by a touch of vanilla and toasted coconut. 2023 h ampden hl CF is a raw, unfiltered take on Jamaican rum. w ithout barrel influence, it reveals its full aromatic intensity: pineapple, mango, coastal brine, and a whisper of smoke. An experience as close to the still as it gets. Finally, there are the Trinity s ets, exclusive sets of 3 x 100ml bottles of exceptional rums from the critically acclaimed Colours of r um collection. There are four different Trinity s ets and each one is presented in an elegant gift box and contains carefully selected rums. i t is a great opportunity to discover a variety of styles and flavors. The Trinity i set includes bottles of Foursquare 2006 15 Year, T. d l . 2009 13 Year and Jamaica Blend 2008 14 Year. The Trinity ii set includes Foursquare 2002 20 Year, Bellevue 1998 23 Year and h ampden 2012 11 Year. The Trinity iii set includes Foursquare 2006 15 Year, Bellevue 1998 23 Year and h ampden 2013 10 Year. Finally, the Trinity iv set includes s outh Pacific d istillery 2001 21 Year, u itvlugt 1997 24 Year and l ong Pond 2001 21 Year. https://coloursofrum.com/

The Sweet Business of Sugar

THAILAND

r egardless of distillation equipment, fermentation method, aging or blending techniques, all rum producers have one thing in common: sugarcane

w ithout sugarcane we would not have sugar mills, countless farmers would not have a profitable crop and we would not have rum!

Presents

The Sugar Mill: Origins and Evolution

i ntroduction

s ugarcane ( Saccharum officinarum ) is a perennial grass of the family Poaceae i t is primarily cultivated for its juice, from which alcohol (through fermentation and distillation) and sugar (through dehidration and refining) can be obtained. m ost of the world’s sugarcane is grown in subtropical and tropical areas.

i t is commonly accepted today that sugarcane originated in Papua, n ew g uinea, where it was initially domesticated. The plant was then taken to other lands by traders, where its sweet virtues quickly made it a sought-after commodity.

i t is also commonly accepted that around 10,000 years ago, the original inhabitants of Papua did not have tools to process the cane, meaning that they likely chewed it raw to extract the juice, which was consumed as-is ( n oël d eerr, The History of Sugar: Volume One ).

n ot much written history exists that documents the early extraction of the juice for the purpose of dehydration and formation of sugar crystals until the publication of De Materia Medica , a pharmacopoeia of medicinal plants and the medicines that can be obtained from them, which was written between the years 50 and 70 of the current era by Pedanius d ioscorides, a g reek physician in the r oman army. This is the oldest record documenting the existence of crystalized sugar, which was used at the time to “treat indigestion and stomach ailments.”

h ow did people manage to extract the dissolved sugar from the juice? The answers to this question are at the core of this series. s o join us, as we explore this fascinating topic!

Part 5: t he Windmill Press

i n Part 2 we discussed the beauty and simplicity of the Pole Press but also mentioned how inefficient it is for large volumes of sugarcane, suggesting it was o K for personal consumption but nothing more. i n order to understand the volume of sugarcane that must be processed as a commercial activity, we should explore sugarcane yields, both in the infancy of the industry and as they are now, thanks to all our presentday mechanical innovations.

i n early times:

• 1 acre of land produced 10 tons of sugarcane

• 10 tons of sugarcane produced 1 ton of sugar

n owadays in the us A ( l A, F l and T x ):

• 1 acre of land produces 38 tons of sugarcane

• 38 tons of sugarcane produce between 3.8 and 4 tons of sugar

i t is easy to see why industry pioneers would look for ways to take advantage of mechanical innovations and to reduce or eliminate human labor as much as possible.

l ast month we saw an implementation of a Screw Press that also used a water-powered grinder. e recting sugar mills only around rivers or waterways was a very limiting proposition, so innovations had to be brought in from other industries.

e nter the Sugarcane Windmill , an adaptation from wind-powered technology used around the world to create flour from grains.

i n a traditional windmill, sails are designed similar to airplane propellers to catch the wind and spin. The sails drive the horizontal “wind shaft” and the “brake wheel” located in the top of the mill. The brake wheel spins another wheel called the “wallower”

d iagram courtesy of: The Prairie m ills w indmill g olden, i llinois.

located at the top of the vertical “main spindle.” The “great spur wheel” at the bottom of the main spindle engages a “stone nut” which turns the millstones through the “stone spindle.”

s hown in the background: The Mill Yard , part of the series Ten Views in the Island of Antigua by w illiam Clark. o riginally published/produced in Thomas Clay: l ondon, 1823. n otice the vertical rollers inside the mill, we’ll explore these in detail next month.

s ugar Mill s potlight

o ld w indmill at m organ l ewis, Barbados. This m ill was the last sugar windmill to operate in Barbados, it stopped formal operations in 1947. i t is the only complete sugar windmill that has survived in the Caribbean. The wind-driven machinery that ground the sugarcane in the 18th and 19th centuries is still intact inside the mill.

Join us again next month, as we continue to explore this fascinating topic!

cig A r & ru M PA iring

by Philip i li Barake

my name is Philip i li Barake, s ommelier by trade. As a result of working with selected restaurants and wine producers in Chile, i started developing a passion for distilled spirits and cigars. As part of my most recent job, i had the opportunity to visit many Central American countries, as well as, rum distilleries and tobacco growers.

But my passion for spirits and cigars did not end there; in 2010 i had the honor of representing Chile at the i nternational Cigar s ommelier Competition, where i won first place, becoming the first s outh American to ever achieve that feat.

n ow i face the challenge of impressing the readers of “ g ot r um?” with what is perhaps the toughest task for a s ommelier: discussing pairings while being well aware that there are as many individual preferences as there are rums and cigars in the world.

i believe a pairing is an experience that should not be limited to only two products;

it is something that can be incorporated into our lives. i hope to help our readers discover and appreciate the pleasure of trying new things (or experiencing known things in new ways).

Philip # gr CigarPairing

s ingle c ask

i had a pairing in mind for this month, but i also had an arduous work week and was unable to see it to fruition. i nstead, i carried out a simple pairing to remember my trips to rum festivals.

The bottle i selected for this pairing was one that was gifted to all judges who participated in the Berlin r um Festival. This is a 500 m l bottle, signed by d on Pancho, famous master blender who, in recent years, has been producing premium rums in Panama.

This is not just a bottle from someone i know and appreciate, it is also a numbered bottle, limited edition, with age statement and bottled at a cask strength of 51.1% AB v w hen we say that a product is bottled straight from the barrel, we understand that the strength will be above the typical concentration of 37.5%-40% found in most products in the market. This is because rums are aged at a higher alcohol concentration, which allows for a higher extraction rate of barrel components. i t is also a better yielding product when it reaches consumers, since the high-quality water needed to proof it down (if needed) can be added then, rather than being shipped inside the bottle from the start.

As far as the cigar, i had been talking with my friend, the one who created his own brand of cigars from the d ominican r epublic. h is brand is gaining momentum in the market, thanks to his perseverance, i am referring to Fuller Cigars. i have included his cigars in previous pairings and, to be honest, they are excellent in their range of presentations and prices. For this pairing i selected a Fidelio, which is a r obusto, which compared to the Cabo de h ornos, is usually a bit more

Photos credit: @Cigarili

intense, with marked notes of dark leather and coffee. The one thing I didn’t care for, and I told Carlos Fuller, is the ring band, but all other aspects of the cigar are very good.

I started by sipping the rum neat, adding neither ice nor water. Experiencing the alcohol intensity, with subtle notes of caramel reduction and American oak are enough to carry out the pairing through the entire cigar. Since this is a Robusto, which resulted in a bit less than 30 minutes of smoking, I was able to enjoy two glorious pours of the rum, while enjoying the view of the Strait of Magellan, where I currently am.

This is a pairing that is unlikely to be repeated by most, but the motivation behind it is to search for unique opportunities and then to enjoy them to the fullest extent possible. e ven a few minutes after finishing the pairing, i still carry the flavors and aftertaste in my palate. i hope that everyone can find a few special moments to have a similar experience at home, surrounded by the things they love the most, with a bottle of rum that is reserved for special moments and, of course, a great cigar.

Cheers!

Philip i li Barake # gr CigarPairing

Photo credit: @Cigarili