Laura Foster is a widely published journalist and writer with a particular focus on spirits and cocktails
When it comes to spirits trends, rum’s star is on the rise. Consumer knowledge and appreciation of this hugely complex spirit has grown, and so too has the number of quality expressions and brands that are now available to buy.
One thing that has stood in rum’s way previously is its diversity. It is perhaps the most complicated of all spirits categories, thanks to its myriad flavours, styles and producing countries, each with their own rules and regulations; not to mention the fact that it can be made from molasses or sugarcane juice, and distilled using either a pot or column still.
Perhaps because of this, the categorisation of rum has historically been based on the colours white, golden and dark – but these give no indication of how a rum is made, what it’s made from, or what it tastes like. Experts are in the process of discussing how to officially categorise rum, but the jury’s still out.
While most rum is great for sipping neat, the category boasts some of the best cocktails in the pantheon of classics. And let me be clear that I’m not talking about your tropical tiki drinks served in Polynesian art-inspired mugs, adorned with kitsch umbrellas and over-the-top fruit garnishes.
As cocktail consultant Nate Brown says: ‘Tiki is rum, rum isn’t tiki. Tiki cocktails try to tell the false tropical story behind rum. They’ll be escapism-led with lots of fruit juices and Lilt flavours, and a lot of showmanship, sweeteners, and smoke and mirrors.’
Bu hikaye Decanter dergisinin October 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Decanter dergisinin October 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
A Resource for the World? - Argentina is unique in the genetic diversity preserved in much of its vine material. With climate change and disease posing increasing threats worldwide, Catena Zapata winery is asking what lessons can be learned to protect vineyards within and beyond the nation's borders
Argentina is unique in the genetic diversity preserved in much of its vine material. With climate change and disease posing increasing threats worldwide, Catena Zapata winery is asking what lessons can be learned to protect vineyards within and beyond the nation’s borders
Great Cabernets of South America
Other varieties may hog the limelight across South America, but the world’s most popular grape for red wines has played a critical role in the continent's wine heritage. We trace Cabernet Sauvignon’s story here, and recommend 16 benchmark wines to try
PROVENCE by train and bike
With rail links to Paris, Nice, Marseilles and beyond, a vast network of cycle paths and quiet roads, and a plethora of historic wine estates, Provence is an ideal destination for an eco-friendly, car-free and carefree) holiday
IN THE MIX
These days most of the world’s vineyards are planted to just a single variety, but what happens when multiple varieties are planted, harvested and blended together?
Malvasia A BUYER'S GUIDE
If ever a grape was hard to pin down, it'd be Malvasia. Indeed it’s not even a single grape variety. In all of its many varied, and often completely unrelated guises, it has been the mainstay of popular wine styles across the centuries. Our expert takes a closer look...
RIBERA ADOPTS THE NEW OLD WAYS
It’s not so much a new direction for winemakers in Ribera del Duero, but a growing recognition that traditional methods and wine styles set aside by the previous generation can now provide a way ahead to revitalise the region
Roussanne around the world
Up for a challenge? For winemakers as much as wine drinkers, getting a handle on a mercurial grape such as Roussanne isn't easy. But wherever it's grown, when the balance is right, it truly repays the effort
Napa Cabernet 2021
There's a lot of excitement about this vintage, in which conditions were relatively calm and temperatures stable through summer. Ongoing drought reduced yields but intensified flavours, but it means quantities are down and you may need to act fast to secure top wines. Our Napa correspondent selects 60 great wines from more than 500 that he tasted, with many very high scores
10 reason to discover Uruguay
Squeezed between Brazil and Argentina on the Atlantic coast, Uruguay has mostly flown under the tourist radar - until now. Once dubbed 'the Switzerland of the Americas', it's a welcoming country that has much to offer the travelling wine lover
Leo Erazo
The old vines and special terroir of Itata, southern Chile, have beena source of inspiration for this intrepid winemaker. The 2023 fires were a setback, but his commitment to this ancient wine land is undiminished
