There
was a time not so long ago when admitting to liking rum was
like saying: "You know, there is something to be said
for the music of Chris de Burgh." For anyone outside
the black British population, rum was a treacle-like drink
mixed with blackcurrant. Even the biggest-selling brand wasn't
considered as a rum.
That
was then. Today, premium rum is hot.
Mojitos
are hip, and there's a revival in Mai-Tais and well-made Daiquiris,
while aged rums are (rightly) seen as ideal partners for fine
cigars. The classic spirit that the trade forgot finally appears
to be making a belated arrival on the UK bar scene.
Premium
rum may be small beer, but it's outperforming the spirits
category and improved sales by 11% in 2000. Brands such as
Mount Gay (up by 18% year-on-year) and Havana Club (up by
42%) are becoming serious players.
Why
rum? "The key words are premium, versatility and flavour,"
says Crispin Stephens, brand manager for Havana Club. Deirdre
McMenemy, brand manager for Mount Gay at Maxxium UK, adds:
"People are moving away from their traditional repertoire.
When that happens, they tend to trade up, and premium rum
becomes an alternative." So it's time to appreciate that
rum has as much heritage as malt whisky.
Rum
can be split into two main families - the fragrant rhums made
from cane juice (in Guadeloupe, Martinique and Haiti), distilled
in small column stills; and those made from molasses (everywhere
else), distilled in either tall column stills or pot stills.
Needless
to say, there are an infinite number of variations within
these two camps. The terroir of each island produces subtly
different types of sugar cane, giving different flavours;
the length of fermentation will also influence aroma; the
type of still used will have a huge impact; while ageing,
mostly in former Bourbon barrels, will help to produce complex
spicy aromas, although the humid Caribbean climate means blenders
have to be highly skilled to avoid their spirit becoming nothing
more than a mouthful of wood.
Each
distiller plays different tunes on those basic themes and,
while you can identify some broad regional similarities -
Cuban rum tends to be sweet and rich, those from Barbados
(Mount Gay, Cockspur, Doorly's) are elegant and fruity, Jamaica
traditionally makes boldly flavoured rums, while Guadeloupe
and Martinique specialise in more aromatic, floral distillates
- it is the distiller and blender who dictates the house style.
For
example, Wray & Nephew produces a "traditional"
aged rum in the bold Appleton Estate, but also makes the greatest
high-strength white rum, Overproof. It's confusing for the
beginner, but also gives an insight into the huge range of
flavours, styles and approaches which are out there.
Expect
increased activity this year. Havana Club and Mount Gay are
both gearing up for a major push in cocktail bars, much to
the irritation of Bacardi, whose hegemony over the category
is at last being challenged. "There are great opportunities
for premium rums," says Stephens. "People want variety
in their drinks these days, something different. There's room
for us all."
The
danger is that rum could become nothing more than a fad. It's
up to the suppliers to start educating the trade into the
subtleties, heritage and quality of top rum and exploit this
new-found interest.
Source:
caterer.com
