August 16, 2016

Summer Sipping: Celebrating National Rum Day

Matthew Wexler READ TIME: 6 MIN.

By now most of us are melting in summer's homestretch of sun-filled days and searing heat. And for those of us who like to cool down with more than a water bottle, it begs the question... what to drink?

Our go-to spirit this season is rum. Sure, vodka may reign supreme for calorie-conscious consumers looking for a light liquor with a splash of soda, but if you want to kick it into high gear with a cocktail that actually has some backbone, we're all about rum.

According to spirit expert Kristen Siebecker, The U.S. and rum go way back. And what better way to spend the forthcoming election season than liquored up as Clinton and Trump go head to head?

"The first rum distillery showed up in Staten Island in New York in the late 1600s and spread its way up the colonial coast to Boston where rum production escalated as the demand grew," notes Siebecker. "By 1764 the clamor was so great for rum that Parliament modified the 'Sugar and Molasses Act' that changed the tax rate, but increased the enforcement of the taxes, limiting trade not only of rum, but also other imports like coffee and lumber. The love of rum but the hatred of taxes bubbled and became a precursor to the American Revolution."

Siebecker points out three main classifications of rum:

  • Silver or White rums are clear and offer a sweetness without the aging. Since these rums are milder they are usually great for mixing.

  • Dark rums are darker in color because of longer aging in whiskey barrels and/or have been distilled from caramelized sugar or molasses.

  • Premium rums should be sipped on their own without a cola within shouting distance. These are usually specialty items to be savored.

    Here are some of our favorites this season and some recipes:

    Cruzan

    The Cruzan Rum Distillery is the mothership of rum with a history dating back more than 250 years. Head to Frederiksted in the U.S. Virgin Islands if you want to head straight to the source and take a distillery tour, or simply pick up a bottle and try one of these delicious recipes:

    Midori Colada
    2 parts Midori Melon Liqueur
    1 part Cruzan Pineapple Rum
    4 parts Colada Mix*

    Combine ingredients in a blender with ice and blend until smooth. Pour into a hurricane type glass and top with whipped cream and a pineapple/cherry stack.

    Colada Mix
    5 parts Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut
    8 parts pineapple juice
    1 part heavy cream

    Combine all ingredients in a blender without ice and mix until well blended. Keep remaining mixture chilled (mixture should last between 5-7 days).

    Cruzan Mojito
    1 1/2 parts Cruzan Aged Light Rum
    1 part simple syrup*
    Juice of 1-2 limes as needed
    10-15 fresh spearmint leaves
    Soda water

    In a tall highball glass, muddle mint with lime juice and simply syrup (you want to muddle just enough to bruise the leaves to release the oils and not tear them). Add crushed ice and rum then stir ensuring that the leaves are distributed all throughout the cocktail. Top up with crushed ice, add soda, and stir one more time. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

    *To make simple syrup, combine equal parts water and sugar and dissolve over medium heat. Let cool before use.

    Don Q

    It all began in 1820 with Juan Sebastian Serrall�s' arrival from Spain and the beginnings of his sugar cane planation. Forty-five years later, his son Don Juan produced his first cask of rum and a tradition was born. Don Q Rum is now Puerto Rico's number one rum.

    A large-scale distillery was built in 1935 and rum cocktails have been free-flowing ever since, including the enigmatic Bahama Mama.

    1 oz Don Q Cristal
    1 oz Don Q A�ejo
    1/2 oz Don Q 151
    1 oz fresh lime juice
    1/2 oz simple syrup
    1/2 oz Orange Juice
    1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
    1 dash grenadine
    1 pineapple wedge for garnish
    1 cherry for garnish

    Add all ingredients to an ice filled cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into a hurricane or large highball glass filled with ice.

    Parce

    Breaking into the spirits business is no easy feat, but for brothers Brian, Patrick and Jim Powers, Colombia offered the allure of a new venture.

    The siblings discovered the father and son duo of Arthur and Brojen Fernandes -- master blenders from Bogota who helped create Parce Rum (slang for "buddy" or "pal" in Colombian).

    Parce earned five wins at 2015's World Spirit Awards. "We started Parce with the belief that an obsessive, consistent attention to quality and detail will yield something truly special," said Jim Powers.

    Red Smoke Rise
    1 1/2 oz Parce rum
    1 fresh lime
    3 grapefruit wedges
    1/2 oz chili pepper syrup*
    Splash dry sparking ros� brut
    Fresh mint
    Chili Powder

    *To make the chili pepper syrup, dissolve 16 oz. granulated sugar in 8 oz. hot water. Add two whole serrano peppers, let chill in refrigerator overnight.

    Muddle grapefruit wedges, lime and spicy syrup in a highball glass. Slap mint between your hands and add to glass. Add rum and ice, stir. Top it with the dry sparkling ros�. Garnish with mint sprig and chili powder.

    by Matthew Wexler

    Matthew Wexler is EDGE's Senior Editor, Features & Branded Content. More of his writing can be found at www.wexlerwrites.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @wexlerwrites.

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