When it comes to whiskey, most imbibers assume that categories like bourbon, single malt Scotch and Irish whiskey have been around since the dawn of time. However, the official, legal recognition of these categories is a relatively recent phenomenon. If…
Category: Cocktail Wonk
Two Centuries in a Bottle: Drinking the Harewood House 1780 Rum
Every camera in the room is trained on a lone man struggling to open a rather plain brown glass bottle, unlabeled except for a paper tag around its neck. The red wax sealing the neck is not giving way easily…
California Rum Festival 2018 In Pictures
The 2018 edition of the California Rum Festival saw the four-year old-event hitting its stride. Held in the Soma Arts building for the third year running, many of the prior year’s small kinks were absent. People lined up around the…
What Exactly Is Navy Rum?
Recently, a new Panamanian rum aged for 18 years appeared on the scene, drawing howls of protest on the Ministry of Rum Facebook forum. The reason was two little words on the label: “Navy Rum.” To rum purists, this is akin…
Rum Has No Rules is Lazy Journalism
Nearly a decade into this modern rum renaissance, articles explaining rum for the introductory reader appear almost daily. On the whole, it’s a good thing; the more people aware that rum can be something much more than a vodka substitute…
The Unabridged Jamaican Rum Geographical Indication – aka Jamaica’s rum rules
In an ongoing effort to disprove the good-intentioned but flawed “Rum has no rules” sentiment, a number of rum experts have repeatedly and forcefully worked to shoot it down. Specifically, by highlighting actual legal documents defining exactly what the “standard…
The Best Rums Under $30 for the Aspiring Rum Enthusiast
In last month’s column I set forth a list of rums matched to people’s preference for other spirits. For instance, if tequila makes your heart beat faster, rhum agricole or cachaça may be up your alley. This time around, I’ve…
Cask Finished Rums: Great Idea or Gimmick?
The recent energy around premium rums has been great for enthusiasts. Cane spirit lovers have increasingly better access to bespoke expressions, many at cask strength, which means it’s a great time to be a rum collector. Many brands have scrambled…
A Very Rummy Tales of the Cocktail 2018
Call me biased, but at my fourth Tales of the Cocktail, the global rum family seemed front and center at the annual cocktail and spirits show. I didn’t do a rigorous analysis, but more than any other spirit, rum seemed…
The Missing Minister of Rum
In the last few months I’ve seen solid evidence that true premium rum is finally making inroads to the hearts and minds of spirits lovers. Bourbon and single malt drinkers are taking (the right) rums more seriously, and new bespoke…