RUMS: For connoisseurs and also in cocktails

The first thing that distinguishes them is the color. Dark rums excel in intense color, flavor and the scent of molasses. They’re best drunk neat so you can enjoy the taste. That’s why these rums are ideal as a gift for connoisseurs that enjoy good alcohol. Gold rums are a bit lighter. They can be enjoyed straight while also suitable in cocktails. Dark and gold rums acquire their colors from aging in oak barrels, but sometimes they mature in bourbon or cognac barrels, too. Some heavy dark rums mature for 20 or 30 years. White rums have a less pronounced, lighter taste and are best suited for cocktails. They either spend no time maturing or mature at most for three years. Because maturing just in rum barrels adds color, white rums can still be filtered.

Rums go magnificently well with other flavors. Spiced and flavored rums are enriched with the flavor of spices, fruits or herbs. The most common flavors are vanilla, cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg. Other popular rum flavors include coffee, honey or coconut. If you are buying rum as a gift, first make sure you know which rum he or she likes. Some like only the pure taste of dark rums with no flavoring at all.

Rums can also be categorized from their history, with the classifications listed below: Spanish rums are made with molasses. They are light and sweet with not so strong a flavor. British rums are heavier and have a richer taste that is sometimes sweetened or enhanced with spices. They are more suitable for longer aging. French rums are made directly from sugar cane juice. This is reflected in their lighter taste, with fruit tones also evident.