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Here Are 4 Rums To Consider As We Approach National Rum Day

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No longer relegated to Tiki drinks and fruity frozen concoctions, rum is seeing a renaissance of sorts with the rise in ultra premium, aged expressions. Bartenders are using these in place of whiskey in cocktails such as the Old Fashioned and, just like whiskey, these higher end rums are perfect for sipping.

Whether you want to explore these finer expressions on their own or prefer to stick to the classic cocktails - after all, it is still summer - here are a few picks to celebrate National Rum Day on August 16.

Mount Gay

The oldest continuously running rum distillery in the world, Mount Gay is at the forefront of the growing trend of premium releases of the tropical spirit. The Barbados-based distillery offers a wide range of varietals and unique blends, such as the limited edition XO Peat Smoke Expression which is finished in peated whisky casks from Islay, Scotland. According to a recent study by Mount Gay, People are more likely (75%) to sip rum neat than they are to sip whisky neat (65%).

“Mount Gay has the history and the heritage to tell a story that’s more than 300 years old,” says new master blender Trudiann Branker. “As we see the premiumization of rum, aged rum has become popular as people want the complete experience: quality ingredients, expert distillation techniques and the diversity and complexity that comes with matured aged rum.”  

“We can age in the same types of barrels that whisky is aged in,” says Branker, the first female master blender in Barbadian history. “Pair that with our beautiful terroir. Barbados, the birthplace of rum, is a place that paints a picture of centuries of rum making, and that is something that people are truly interested in learning.”

Mount Gay is also a staunch advocate of the rum Old Fashioned revival, willing to stake its claim as the original spirit in the oldest cocktail, which was first invented in the 1800s. The Mount Gay version of an Old Fashion pays homage to the original cocktail with a modern twist.

Immortal Old Fashioned

2oz Mount Gay XO

.25oz dark crème de cacao

2 dashes of orange bitters

2 dashes of Angostura bitters

Add all ingredients to mixing glass. Add ice and stir. Strain over big cube into rocks glass. Garnish with expressed lemon peel.

Denizen Vatted Dark Rum

Hotaling & Co. recently introduced Denizen Vatted Dark Rum to its the portfolio, which includes Denizen Aged White Rum and Merchant’s Reserve. Denizen Vatted Dark Rum combines 80% dark rum produced in Guyana, distilled from a collection of antique stills and blended in the old vatted style originally formulated for the British Navy in the mid-18th century, with unaged rhum agricole from Martinique. The Guyana blend offers flavors of caramel, burnt sugar and cacao while the rhum agricole adds a backbone of bright vegetal aromas. The label pays homage to the Guyanese slaves who revolted against British colonists on August 18, 1823, in what was known as the Demerara Rebellion.

“We are continuing to see growth in the premium dark rum category, driven by consumer interest in elevating their cocktail experience,” says Morgan Robbat, chief marketing officer at Hotaling & Co. “Denizen Vatted is a rum that fulfills just such a need. The diverse origins of the final blend come together beautifully in a flavor forward, 100-percent-proof rum that can work perfectly in both an elevated cocktail served at a bar, or an elegant simple serve that can be enjoyed in the comfort of home.”  

Guyana Libre

1.5 oz. Denizen Vatted Dark Rum

0.5 oz Luxardo Maraschino

0.5 oz lime

0.5 oz agave syrup

Cola of your choice

Shake all ingredients except cola and strain over ice into a double rocks glass, top with cola and garnish with an anise-studded lime wheel.

Flor de Caña

Celebrating 125 years of rum production, family-owned Flor de Caña is an award-winning distillery that offers a full portfolio of high-quality aged rums distilled at the base of Nicaragua’s San Cristobal volcano, one of the most active in Latin America. Flor de Caña's portfolio includes core rums aged 4, 5 and 7 years, and an ultra-premium collection of 12, 18 and 25 years, which may be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or in a variety of cocktails.

The Flor de Caña distillery is one of the most energy efficient and eco-friendly in the world. All bi-products and waste are used to power the plant, almost 100% of water used is recycled, and the 120,000 tons of CO² released during the fermentation process are captured, purified, and used in the manufacturing of soft drinks. Flor de Caña is also socially responsible, investing in health projects, education, infrastructure, food, recreation and sports in Nicaragua.

Cascada

Created by Charlotte Voisey, Global Head of Brand Ambassador Advocacy at William Grant & Sons

2 parts Flor de Caña 7

½ a fresh passion fruit

¾ part fresh pineapple juice

¾ part vanilla bean syrup

1 part fresh lemon juice

2 parts chilled soda water

Combine ingredients except soda water and shake well. Pour into a tall glass over ice and top with soda water.

Garnish with fresh passion fruit and a large mint sprig.

Goslings Rum

A family business for over 200 years, Goslings is the only company that blends and bottles rum in Bermuda. First exported to the United States in 1980, the flagship Goslings Black Seal Rum is made from a 165-year-old family recipe and has become synonymous with the island as an essential ingredient in the Bermuda fish chowder, the Bermuda Rum Swizzle, and Bermuda’s national cocktail, the Dark ’n Stormy.

Aside from the Black Seal Rum, Goslings also bottles a Gold Seal Rum, an ultra-premium Family Reserve Old Rum aged up to 19 years for a smooth and elegant taste, and the newest release Papa Seal Single Barrel Bermuda Rum, aged for over 15 years in once-used bourbon barrels with medium char.

Rum Swizzle

4 oz Goslings Black Seal Rum

4 oz Goslings Gold Seal Rum

5 oz pineapple juice

5 oz orange juice

¾ oz Grenadine or 2 oz Bermuda Falernum

6 dashes of Angostura bitters

Into a pitcher ⅓ full of crushed ice add Gosling’s Black Seal Rum, Gosling’s Gold Rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, Grenadine or Bermuda Falernum and Angostura bitters. Churn vigorously until a frothing appears or mix in a cocktail shaker. Strain into a martini glass. Makes 6 cocktails.

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