Spirits of the Caribbean The Story of Rum

by DUSTIN ZOELLER

Summer is upon us once again, and for many of us that means one thing: tropical drinks on the lake. There is perhaps no spirit better suited for refreshing lakeside cocktails than rum. While many are aware that most rum comes to us from the Caribbean, few know of the role that rum has played in the history of the United States. As we approach our annual 4th of July celebrations, let’s take a moment to examine the story of rum and role it has played in the history of this country.

The story of rum begins with sugarcane, a tall grass first harvested in Papa New Guinea around 4000 BC. Sugarcane and it’s cultivation methods were brought to the Caribbean from Brazil in the 17th century. Slaves on these sugarcane plantations discovered that molasses, a by-product of the sugar refining process, could be fermented into alcohol, and then distilled. As rum production spread through South America and the Caribbean, it developed the name 'rumbullion' or 'rumbustion.' Both terms mean upheavel or violent commotion, likely because of the effects the spirit had on those who drank it. Over time these names were shortened to just 'rum.'

Around this time, there were 3,000 colonists living in New England. The colonists found themselves in a tough spot when they discovered that the drastic changes in the seasons of this new land made it exceedingly difficult to produce wine and beer. They soon resorted to drinking rum. Rum was much cheaper than the little bit of brandy they were able to import because the trade routes were shorter and the base ingredient of molasses was cheaper to produce. On top of that, rum was quite a bit stronger than brandy. It wasn’t long before rum became the drink of choice in New England, warming the colonists from the inside during the cold winters and lessening their reliance on European imports. Soon enough, New Englanders got the idea to import molasses from the islands instead of rum and started distilling it themselves. In 1664 the first rum distillery in North America was opened on Staten Island. Another distillery opened in Boston, Massachusetts three years later, followed by distilleries in Salem, Newport and Medford. Rum would go on to account for 80% of New England's exports.

Given the importance of rum to this new economy, it’s no wonder that New Englanders were upset when King George III tried to impose an import tax on molasses from French colonized islands (New England’s primary source of molasses). This eventually led to the Sugar Act in 1764 where a tax was levied on molasses. Thus began the early rumblings of, “No taxation without representation,” which grew stronger with subsequent tax schemes on other goods throughout the colonies from England, paving the way for the American Revolutionary War.

By 1775, the average American drank 3.5 gallons of rum a year. Not surprisingly, once the fighting began, rum was one of the most sought after commodities. One general, writing to George Washington in 1780 was quoted saying, “Besides beef and Pork, bread & flour, Rum is too material an article, to be omitted. No exertions ought to be spar’d to provide ample quantities of it.” The popularity of rum continued after the American Revolution; George Washington insisted on a barrel of Barbados rum at his 1789 inauguration.

The supply of molasses was disrupted during the war, and restrictions were placed on sugar imports from the British West Indies. Meanwhile, more settlers were arriving on American shores and moving westward where there was more wide-open land and untouched resources. Many of these immigrants were from Ireland and Scotland. These new immigrants didn’t have experience with molasses distillation but did have plenty of experience with grain distillation. As the settlers began to move westward and open up the prairie to farmland, America was soon awash in grain and before long, whiskey had replaced rum as the nation’s spirit of choice.

Rum made a brief comeback during prohibition. It was the cheapest and simplest liquor to ferry between the Caribbean islands and the Atlantic coast. The speedy boatmen and their varied craft were called “rum runners.” One of the earliest and most successful of these “rum runners” was Captain William “Bill” McCoy, an enterprising former merchant sailor who would bring rum from the Bahamas up the coast to New York City and legally act as a floating liquor store three miles off the shore just beyond United States maritime law. During those years, a common practice among captains was to add water to the liquor bottles to stretch their profits or to re-label it as better goods. McCoy was famous for “never” adding water to his booze and selling only highquality brands, so bootleggers started to use the term “the real McCoy” to describe good liquor. For decades, grain-based spirits have sat at the forefront of American taste, but the desire and demand for rum is now back on the rise. At Speakeasy Liquors and Lucky’s Beer Wine and Spirits, we take pride in offering a wide selection of rum to our customers. Let’s take a look at a few of these fine products:

Bumbu: Bumbu is based on the original recipes developed by traders and travellers during the 16th and 17th centuries, who had a habit of blending spices into their rum – a practice unique to the region at a time when spices were worth gold. Bumbu is crafted in small batches on the island of Barbados, where the first rums were distilled nearly 400 years ago, in 1688. The distillery was founded in 1893 and there stills date back to 1840.

Tanduay: Tanduay is a Filipino brand with more than 160 years of history. Today, it maintains its status as world’s number #1 rum by volume for five consecutive years now. Tanduay Rum is made from varieties of heirloom sugarcane, using only first-syrup A-grade molasses. Once harvested, they refine the sugarcane in Tanduay’s sugar mill to extract the molasses from the initial boil. After fermentation and distillation, the rum is aged in ex-bourbon oak barrels.

Pyraat: Pyrat is an amber-hued blend of Caribbean rums aged up to 16 years and expertly crafted for richness and complexity. There rum features a burst of aromas that includes caramel, honey, molasses and orange peel with a palate that is delicate and smooth, almost sweet, with hints of fresh spices.

The Real McCoy: The Real McCoy Rum is based on the story of Bill McCoy, the pioneer rum runner of the Prohibition era. Their multi-award winning collection of rum are completely unadulterated -- there are no added sweeteners, flavors, perfumes or chemical stabilizers – and they use only the finest blackstrap molasses and pure Barbados spring water. The rum is small batch distilled in a rare artisan combination of copper pot & column stills, then authentically tropically aged in heavy char American Oak bourbon barrels.

All of these quality gin products and more, including such staples as Bacardi and Captain Morgan, can be found at Speakeasy Liquors and Lucky’s Beer Wine and Spirits. Come give us a visit! 

Shots