By
George Brozowski
So
you think you're a rummy! You're favorite
drink is rum, really good rum not those rum and coke rums
but real rum straight up and neat as can be. You know a lot
about rum. You drink a lot of rum. Well let's see if you really
are a rummy or just a wanna be rummy.
As
a professional alcoholic it's my job to know a bit and write
about a number of diverse spirits. Whenever I get my hands
on a new bottle of hooch I like to hit the books and see what
new tidbit of information or wild story or rampant rumor I
can surface and share with you. I thought it might be fun
to give you a quiz to try out your knowledge of rum. The answers
are all at the bottom of this article. When you finish post
a comment with your score and let us know just how much of
a rummy you really are. If you got an 8 you're a rummy alright.
If you got a 9 you're a real rummy and if you scored 10 out
of 10 then you're a professional alcoholic just like me. Good
luck!
1.
What is Rum distilled from?
2. What is the oldest Rum brand in Existence?
3. What is a Cuba Libre?
4. Where did Rum originate?
5. What is white Rum also known as?
6. Light Rum mixed with pineapple juice and
coconut cream makes what?
7. How many calories in a shot of 80 proof
rum?
8. What is a cocktail of light rum, lime
wedges and club soda called?
9. Which country uses dunder and wild yeast
for fermentation?
10. What type of still provides multiple
distillations in one single pass?
Mount
Gay Extra Old Rum is distilled in
Barbados in the oldest distillery, not just the oldest Rum
distillery, in the new world. It may have started production
as early as 1663 but written proof puts it at 1703. First,
crushed sugar cane is heated to squeeze out all the sugar
crystals and molasses possible. Those molasses are then fermented
for 72 hours and then distilled in both pot and column stills.
That distillate is then entombed in charred Kentucky bourbon
barrels for years. The Mount Gay Extra Old is a blend of the
best years with the oldest being 17 years old.
The
color of the Rum in the bottle is a light liquid amber. The
nose boasts banana, honey and vanilla and is spicy and warm
but surprisingly not oaky. On the palate it shape shifts and
acquires Bourbon highlights and caramel with a slight oak
background. It continues to have spice notes but is not really
spicy. It is actually quite well rounded and very pleasant.
The finish is long and smooth with subtle spice finally leaving
a beautiful after taste of a blend of Bourbon and Rum. This
is a great straight up sipping Rum and on the rocks it mellows
right out and releases even more tropical magic.
At
about $40.00 per 750 ML bottle it is priced about right for
the flavor and the experience. It is not overly complex, leaving
that chore to its older brother the 1703 containing rums aged
for 10 to 30 years. Rum this good should be enjoyed straight
up or on the rocks. You should save the mixed drink duties
for a Rum a bit less noteworthy. However, going against the
grain we tried it in a Cuba Libre and a Mojito and they were
both excellent. You really might consider a less expensive
Rum for a Cuba Libre. The Mojito, being the lighter mixture
really let the Rum flavors shine through. Yeah, yeah, don't
give me a hard time, I know you're supposed to use light Rum
but hey take a walk on the wild side with me and try this,
I guarantee you'll like it. Better yet, just drink it straight
up from a snifter to get the best effect. Enjoy!
Answers:
1. Sugarcane molasses
2. Mount Gay Rum
3. Rum and coke
4.Caribbean
5. Silver Rum
6. Pina Colada
7. 97
8. Classic Mojito
9. Jamaica
10. Column still
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