Mythbusters
We bust some common misconceptions about the world of rum
Test what you think you know about rum
The rum world is easily the most diverse in terms of production methods, regionality and mode of consumption. This seemingly mind-boggling situation often leads to the erroneous notion that rum has no rules. Every rum-producing country has rules! So, let us correct a few common misconceptions.
AUTHENTIC RUM IS NO MORE ‘SWEET’ THAN WHISKY.
Regardless of rum being made from sugarcane juice or molasses, all the naturally occurring sugars will have been consumed by the yeast during fermentation. Without that, there would be no alcohol.
A number of brands add sugar after maturation – sometimes excessively so. The legal limit under EU regulations is 20 grams per litre (g/L).
RUM CANNOT BE FLAVOURED AND STILL BE CALLED ‘RUM’ UNDER UK/EUROPEAN DEFINITIONS.
Spiced rum is a ‘spirit drink’, but if you see ‘spiced’, or ‘pineapple’, or ‘coffee’ prefixing the word ‘rum’ then you would not be too surprised if you were buying a flavoured product, and there is a fundamental honesty in this. The problem is when these additions are not disclosed. If it tastes artificially sweet and unnatural, then it probably is.
THE COLOUR OF THE RUM IS NO CORRELATION TO ITS AGE.
The widespread use of spirit caramel removes a baseline, and the type and condition of the casks that the rum has been matured in really does make a difference. Virgin oak will give up lots of colour very quickly; a cask that has been used multiple times, far less so. Preseasoned barrels, for example Pedro Ximénez sherry, can easily add lots of colour. Colour is not a flavour; ‘gold’ and ‘dark’ confer nothing about the way something will taste.
Excessive use of colourant is prevalent in rums claiming a ‘Navy’ style (for which there is no official definition).
A PROMINENTLY PLACED NUMBER ON THE LABEL IS NO GUARANTEE OF ITS AGE.
Qualifiers adjacent to the number such as ‘Years Old’ or ‘Años’ should confer a minimum age. In the case of solera style, or average age – the actual number is supposed to be indicative, but difficult to pin down. It could be the oldest rum in the blend, or that it has been blended to a profile that is representative of that number.
Generally, it is worth taking with a pinch of salt and seeing how the value proposition works out for you. Terms such as Añejo, Gran Añejo, or VSOP will need a little research to see if it means anything in the country of origin.