Drink: Not Just For Pirates Anymore
BY WILLIAM B. LEONARDPHOTO BY MATT ROSE
With the growing popularity of high-end tequilas, single-malt scotches, specialty bourbons and gin martinis, rum had become something of the forgotten liquor. However, two recent phenomena have reawakened interest in the preferred drink of the Caribbean—a pirate movie and the Mojito.Any bartender will happily confirm that the Mojito, a refreshing blend of light rum, sugar, club soda and mint, is now the most requested rum drink. Some bartenders believe the drink’s recognition is the direct result of Bacardi’s catchy Mojito commercial where patrons dance to the rhythm of a bartender muddling a sprig of mint. Other bartenders credit rum’s newfound appreciation to Disney’s hit movie franchise Pirates of the Caribbean. With Johnny Depp swashbuckling about and drinking rum in taverns or on the beach with Keira Knightly, it’s easy to understand the attraction.
Still, in Western North Carolina, rum is just catching on. “Rum is much more popular and widely consumed in the bars, restaurants and clubs of South Florida,” says Joey Maxwell, a bartender with the Grove Park Inn. “There are some requests here and usually when someone asks, they want a Mojito. That really is the hottest rum drink right now.”
Maxwell attended college near Daytona, Florida, and spent several years working as a bartender and restaurant manager in South Florida, so he had the opportunity to hone his craft in making rum drinks. In fact, he developed one of his own. Dubbed the “Grand Turk Twist,” it features the flavors of raspberries, lemon and lime.
Rum’s underlying sweetness and uncanny adaptability as a mixer are certainly part of its charm, but this smooth libation is gaining new respect as a stand-alone — neat or on the rocks. Distilled from cane juice or molasses, a byproduct of sugarcane processing, the modern day version originated in the Caribbean — Barbados is the most likely spot — and the finest examples are still produced in tropical zones.
The spirit’s variations range from medium-bodied light, gold or amber rums that are aged in wooden barrels, to dark rums, which are aged longer, usually in heavily-charred barrels and have a heavy caramel undertone.
“Typically a bar will have dark rum like Meyers on hand and flavored rums like Captain Morgan or a coconut rum on hand. And of course there’s always the Bacardi silver and light rums,” Maxwell says. “Still, I think the popularity of rum drinks will only grow as people learn more about what is available.
Other popular options include Cruzan from the island of St. Croix. Cruzan makes single-barrel dark and light rums as well as some flavored varieties that are attracting a growing following. Some of the highest quality rum available is produced by Rhum Clement on the island of Martinique; Rhum Clement’s JM White Rum (750 ml) runs around $37.
Star African Rum, distilled on the African island of Mauritius is another of the more exotic and high-end rums, with a typical 750 milliliter bottle costing around $35. Angostura Rum, distilled in Trindad and Tobago, is a favorite among aficionados. The Angostura 1824 is considered one of the premier dark rums, with a price tag to match: $65 for a fifth.
While this favored libation of pirates may not soon overtake the old sour mash as the drink of choice for us landlubbers, it is certainly worth a taste, and a toast — “Drink up, me hardies, yo ho!”
