Many distilled beverages are made from sugar cane, one of the worlds most prolific crops: vodka, shochu, arak, basi, aguardiente. But sugars biggest booze celebrity is rum, the swill of sea rogues, slaves and colonists. (For the record, Canadas first distillery produced rum, not whisky.) Rum, which provided the liquid foundation of the first and second comings of tiki, is one of historys unruliest drinks, an incredibly broad (and relatively unregulated) category, so you certainly wont be strapped for choices when National Rum Week (August 15-21) rolls around.
Rum
Blanco, golden, amber, dark, black-strap, spiced: theres a spectrum to explore in as many styles. Spunky, oily old-school pot-still rums from Jamaica. Lean, dry and delicate Cubans. Demerara from Guyana curvy, silken and self-indulgent. High-proof naval styles. Rums loose definition a spirit fermented and distilled from sugar cane or its by-products, i.e., molasses is conducive to a trove of interpretations. Whether quaffed in cocktail form or savoured neat, rums versatility is rivalled only by that broadest of spirits categories, whisk(e)y. Some of the worlds most popular mixed drinks the mojito, the daiquiri, the Cuba Libre, rum punches galore owe their existence to cane spirits.
Stop at Miss Things (1279 Queen West, 416-516-8677, missthings.com), which stocks over 100 rum labels and specializes in tropical drinks, before heading to the Shameful Tiki (1378 Queen West, shamefultikiroom.com) for a full-blown tiki experience. Also check out the recently opened Yongehurst Distillery (346 Westmoreland, 416-616-5991, yongehurst.com), which released Harbour Rum, its first bottling, earlier this summer.
Rhum Agricole
Fermented and distilled from fresh sugar cane juice rather than molasses, rhum agricole is exclusively produced in the French Caribbean islands. (Hence the h.) Martinique lays claim to the only AOC or Appelation dOrigine Controlee, though the style is also indigenous to Guadeloupe, and similar fresh cane rhums hail from Haiti, Barbancourt being the best-known brand. As always, the rules are fuzzy when it comes to rum.
Spend time at Rhum Corner (926 Dundas West, 647-346-9356, rhumcorner.com) to sample the liquors funkiest styles.
Cachaca
Between the Rio Olympics, Zika fear-mongering and myriad political scandals, weve been getting an earful about Brazil lately. But heres something you might not know about South Americas largest country: its a sugar cane powerhouse, producing more sweet grass than any other nation on earth, by far. Cachaca, Brazils national spirit, like agricole, is made from fresh cane juice. Thousands of brands are available there, and the locals drink enough of the stuff (mostly muddled with sugar and lime in caipirinhas) to put it in third from the top on the list of the worlds most consumed spirits. Cachaca varies in flavour profile depending on aging and production, but its generally described as fresher and more herbaceous than its sugary kin, kind of like the love child of rum and tequila.
Cachaca is scarce in Ontario, but you can grab a bottle of industry giant Leblon ($37.60/700 ml, LCBO 307488) at the liquor store, or head to Mata Bar (1690 Queen West, 647-961-0234, matabar.ca) in deep Parkdale for a caipirinha.
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Why In the wide world of rum, spiced or flavoured varieties usually dont do it for me. Recently released Baron Samedi (named for the top-hatted, rum-loving loa of the underworld and resurrection in Haitian Vodou), isnt an exception. An inoffensive vanilla bomb made for mixing, it could work its way into at-home tiki drinks.
Price $27.95/750 ml until August 14, then $29.95
Availability LCBO 454769
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Why Pot-distilled Jamaican rums are famously robust and rustic, with a certain ripeness or sugar cane funk dubbed hogo back in the day. Its the same big-bellied power youll find in rums within the Appleton range. This was distilled in Jamaica and matured in the Ferrand cellars in Charente, France, Cognac country.
Price $62.55/750 ml
Availability LCBO 454728
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Why Rum is widely produced throughout the West Indies, but much of whats made on the small island of Grenada known as the Island of Spice for its abundance of nutmeg, mace, cinnamon and allspice isnt exported to the Americas. Light and fruity with a natural, gentle spiciness.
Price $51.75/700 ml
Availability LCBO 455816
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