STYLE GUIDE

Distilled from molasses or sugar cane juice, rum is produced mostly in the Caribbean and Latin America. Its flavour profile is greatly influenced by the colonization of the area in the 16th and 17th centuries. Let’s look at the three main styles.

Spanish

Produced in countries such as Cuba, Puerto Rico and Venezuela, these rums are made in column stills and then heavily filtered, which yields a lighter, smoother, more approachable spirit. There is a reason it’s the most popular style of rum!

Havana Club 7 Year Old

LCBO 53140, $36.95

English

English-style rum is a combination of column- and pot-still rums, with the latter lending more richness and spice. Depending on the blend, these rums can range from light to bold, and they’re found in countries such as Guyana, Bermuda and Trinidad.

El Dorado 12 Year Old

LCBO 60608, $45.95

Jamaican

While technically an English style, Jamaican rum has such a distinct funkiness it deserves its own classification. It’s made in pot stills, which are responsible for its aggressive personality. The robust variety is often balanced with softer rums in cocktails.

Appleton Estate 12-Year-Old Rare

LCBO 14355, $48.95