Rum Facts #2 : Overview of rum characteristics of the main rum producing nations

Barbados, Barbados rum, Dominicaanse rep Rum, El Salvador Rum, Guyana rum, Mauritius rum, Panama rum, Venezuelan rum -

Rum Facts #2 : Overview of rum characteristics of the main rum producing nations

 

Rum is typically produced in countries where they grow sugar cane,  in teh past because of the sugar industry, now often exclusively for the Rum production. In this blog we want to provide an overview of the rum characteristics of different rum-producing nations. However, it's worth noting that rum styles can vary greatly within a country, and some countries produce a wide variety of different rums

  • Barbados: Barbados rum is known for its smoothness and balanced flavor profile. Rums from this island nation are typically aged for a minimum of three years, and many are aged for much longer. The home of famous distillery like Foursquare which produces excellent rums in the premium  & super premium segment.
  • Cuba: Cuban rum is known for its light, dry style. and probably know best  from the famous mixer “ Cuba libre” and probably one of the biggest producers of light rums less for Premium rum although some of the best  master distillers originate from Cuba.
  • Dominican Republic: Dominican rum is known for its rich, full-bodied flavor. Rums from this country are typically aged for a minimum of three years., often using the Solera style of Aging, home to some of the best aging and finishing houses in the world producing  numerous premium brands.
  • Guatemala: Guatemalan rum is known for its unique flavor profile, which is influenced by the country's volcanic soil. Rums from this country are typically aged for a minimum of four years.
  • Guyana :Guyana rums are very fruity and rich – among the fullest in body of all Caribbean rums, as the majority is pot still rum. The area is known for the famed Demerara River, around which grow the finest sugar canes and is also home of the famous Demerara Sugar and used to be the main supplier of the Royal Navy until 70ties.
  • Haiti :Haitian spirits typically originate as sugarcane juice, not molasses, and the island’s spirits all have a delicate, demonstrative character typical to  Agricole style rums.
  • Jamaica: Jamaican rum is known for its bold, distinctive flavor, often referred to as Funky . the rums from this island nation are intensely fragrant spirits much appreciated by the die-hard Rum fanatics.
  • Martinique & Guadeloupe: Martinique rum is known for its unique terroir, which imparts a distinctive flavor to the rum. Rums from these islands are complex assertive rums when aged absolutely captivating but also excellent in cocktails.
  • Nicaragua: Nicaraguan rum is known for its rich, full-bodied flavor. Rums from this country are typically aged for a minimum of three years.
  • Panama: Panamanian rum is known for its smooth, light flavor. Panama’s rum history is shorter than that of many of its neighbors but can definitely compete with their neighbors.
  • Puerto Rico: Puerto Rican rum is known for its smooth, light flavor, with its major producer being Bacardi. Rums from this island are aged for a minimum of three years, charcoal filtered and serve as basis in mixers and cocktails.
  • St Lucia :A mixture of distillation methods and production styles gives St. Lucia’s distillers many tools to work with, resulting crisp and dry rums but also, in rich and robust rums or anywhere in between.
  • Trinidad: Trinidad rum is known for its smooth, light flavor. With one  the largest  Multicolumn stills in the Caribbean owned by Angostura also known for the indispensable bitters in  your premium cocktail.
  • Venezuela: Venezuelan rum is known for its rich, full-bodied flavor. Rums from this country are typically aged for a minimum of three years

Other countries such as El Salvador, Philippines, Mauritius and South Africa and even Australia are not (yet) known as major producers of rum and less known to the broad public. These countries have small rum industry with a few distilleries producing rum using locally-sourced sugarcane. Their style is not distinct from other rum-producing nations as they do not go back such a long way, but as quality is improving they also might develop their own identity and become players to take in consideration

Again keep in mind that the characteristic attributed to the different countries are generalizations and each brand and distillery may have their own characteristics by  using different distillation and aging techniques and finishing processes.