Rum diARY

 Today, rum is produced literally all over the world: Africa, Asia & the Pacific, including India the number one consumer of rum in the world, Caribbean, Central and South America, Europe, and North America.

The top 5 rum consuming nations in the world are India, USA, Philippines, France and United Kingdom and the top 5 per capita are Dominican Republic, Philippines, Canada, USA, and France. Of the top 5 countries globally, only France saw a rise in volume sales from 2011 to 2016. The world consumed 1.3 billion litres of rum in the year 2016.

The top 3 brands of rum globally are McDowells (India), Bacardi (Puerto Rico), and Tanduay (Philippines).

Rum is an alcoholic beverage distilled through fermentation from the byproducts of sugarcane such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice. In the United States, rum currently generates the third highest sales volume in the U.S. spirit industry, behind vodka and whiskey. As of 2016, consumption of rum in the United States was recorded to have exceeded more than 24 million 9 liter cases. In 2016, the sales volume of rum in the U.S. amounted to about 24.7 million 9 liter cases. There currently are several regional variations and grades of the alcoholic beverage which include: light rum, commonly used in cocktails, "golden" and "dark" rums, as well as premium rums. The latter two are typically consumed straight, with ice, or with mixers and can also be used for cooking. The leading rum brand in the U.S. as of 2016 was Bacardi. Other popular rum brands produced in the U.S. include: Captain Morgan, Malibu, Admiral Nelson (??) and Cruzan Rum. In 2016, Bacardi recorded over 17 million 9 liter cases in volume sales worldwide while Captain Morgan reportedly sold about 10.7 million 9 liter cases in that same year.

United States of America (USA) commercial rum export value amounted to around 65.8 million U.S. dollars in 2016 and the dutiable import volume of rum to the U.S.A. for that same year was approximately 7.6 million U.S. dollars, most of it coming from Mexico, Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad. The majority of the world's rum is produced in Latin America and

in the Caribbean where it plays a part in the culture of most of the West Indian islands.

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India

There’s a good chance the first spirit distilled from cane sugar was made in India, sometime between 0CE and 500CE. Despite not being exactly world-famous for its rum, India is the biggest consumer of rum in the world, both in terms of rum drunk per capita and in terms of most rum drunk each year. Indian rums are molasses distilled, and dark. They tend to have a sweet nose and taste, with a thicker mouth feel even than other dark rums. Some reviewers recommend it as a before-dinner sipper, like Sherry. It’s also something of a currency: Soldiers in the Indian army still receive a “ration” or rum each week as part of their pay. Best bottles: Old Monk 12 Year and Khukri XXX Rums.

Haiti and Martinique

Both of these island nations have had plenty of weird history for the good and the bad. Both produce a style of rum similar to one another, but unlike rums made anywhere else in the world, Haitian and Martinique rums use a charentaise distillation method -- the same kind used in producing cognacs. A charentaise is a two-stage distillation method, meaning the first batch of distilled spirits is put back through the system to be distilled a second time. The rum is then aged in Limosin Oak Barrels, which gives it more tannin and spice than other oak varieties. The end result is acidic, with spicy notes of ginger and pepper on top of the honey finish. Best Bottles: St. James Fleur de Canne (Martinique) and Rhum Barbancourt (Haiti).

Jamaica

You think of rum mixers like Mai Tais when you think Jamaica and rum, but you’d be thinking wrong. . If you like that slight formaldehyde after-taste in Jamaican beer, you’re already a fan of hogo. Jamaican distilleries get their hogo profile by maintaining a culture of “dunder”, preserved yeast that continues to grow and mutate much like a sourdough batch and carry notes of previous batches into new brews. Best Bottles: Worth Park Single Estate and 98 Appleton Estate 21 Year

Cuba

Until recently, it’s been hard to get Cuban rum, but the lifting of sanctions by President Obama means they’ll probably be available starting this year. Before what we’ll call the Big Pissing Contest, Cuban rums were popular throughout the U.S.A. Their return might be the biggest thing in alcohol legalization since Repeal Day. Cuban rums are a Spanish-style spirit -- clearer, drier, and with a higher proof. This means a crisper mouth-feel and lighter flavors (often of honey or citrus skin). They’re a smooth drink best enjoyed neat or over a single chunk of ice. Fun fact: Cuban rum has been formalized since a royal decree in 1539, which standardized production and built a rum brand before branding was a word people used. Best Bottles: Ron Palma Mulata, Santiago de Cuba Extra Anejo