Spiced rum: what is it, what is it made of, tips on how to choose
Briefly about the drink
For the first time, rum producers decided to diversify their products with various additives only at the end of the XX century. It all started quite innocently: during the distillation process or at the final stage of production, coconut and spices were added to the future rum, and then the number of new spicy ingredients increased, which allowed experts to distinguish flavored rum in addition to spiced rum, but this is a completely different story...
What is spiced rum made of
As a rule, various spices are produced from dried fruits, seeds, roots, leaves or bark of plants suitable for food. These aromatic and spicy herbal substances add a certain zest to the taste of the drink.
The main advantages of this type of rum include its unique ability to perfectly combine with other drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
Mixologists and bartenders quickly noticed this and found the drink widely used in the field of rum cocktails. The idea was immediately picked up by chefs: in cooking, aromatic rum with spices is used to make pies, cakes, pastries, etc.
Interestingly, the most ardent fans of spiced rum are US citizens.
The most popular ingredients
For the production of spiced rum, craftsmen most often use such spices as ginger root, vanilla, Jamaican pepper, cinnamon, cassia, known as "fake cinnamon" (obtained from the bark of an evergreen tree - Chinese cinnamon), cloves, rosemary, anise and many others.
Such additives as citrus extracts, coffee beans, mint, cherry, black currant, coconut, mango, pineapple, banana and some others allow us to classify the finished drink as flavored rum rather than spiced rum.
Sometimes the manufacturer combines spices, herbs and fruit additives to create truly magical spirits characterized by unforgettable aromatic and flavor nuances.
Basic tips for choosing spiced rum
If you compare any spiced rum with a classic dark rum, you will notice that the color of the former is somewhat darker and richer.
This deep shade of the drink is provided by caramel, which the manufacturer specially adds to its product as a coloring agent.
The addition of caramel is not prohibited by law, but it perfectly disguises a low-quality alcoholic beverage, which makes it very difficult to choose a good rum.
Most often, high-quality spiced rum is made on the basis of golden or dark rum, to which a certain amount of caramel is added.
Of course, there is no question of any aging, so this type of rum is a young, unaged alcoholic beverage.
In this case, the dark color does not indicate the "old age" of the product.
When choosing spiced rum, you should be on the lookout, because many cheap brands are made from low-quality light rum colored with caramel.
When buying spiced rum, it is best to seek advice from experts who are not interested in selling the product or carefully study the labels of the products presented.
Pay attention to the excise stamp, except for the duty free zone.
Popular brands of spiced rum
Sailor Jerry
Pango
Foursquare
Montecristo
Ron de Jeremy
Captain Morgan
Bacardi
Update: 17.01.2018
Category: Rum