August's lazy evenings provide a good excuse to enjoy well-chilled rum concoctions. How convenient that Aug. 16 serves as National Rum Day in the United States.
Like the origins of rum itself, nobody seems to know just when and how National Rum Day was launched. No matter. It promotes responsible rum appreciation and enjoyment.
Rum comes from fermenting sugar cane or molasses, the dark, sticky byproduct of refined sugar cane. Distillation converts the fermented base into a clear alcoholic liquid of around 97.5 percent alcohol. Adding water cuts the potency, while aging in barrels of various types gives colors ranging from light amber to dark brown. Most commercial rums carry about 40 percent alcohol, although some potent versions range more than 70 percent.
Because rum producers exist throughout the Caribbean and Latin America — not to mention Spain, Australia, India and South Africa — consumers have an overwhelming array of choices. Keep it simple while doing your duty by National Rum Day with the following.
Gosling's “Black Seal” Bermuda Black Rum (6913; on sale: $13.99): Rum's roots in Bermuda date back to 1609, when the British first visited the island and drank rum. The Gosling family set up shop on the island in 1806.
Today, the family's seventh generation carries on the business based on the famous Black Seal recipe. The recipe dates to 1857 when the rum sold in barrels only. After World War I, bottled versions went to market with a black wax seal, and the name stuck. Now, the bottle label depicts a cheerful black seal balancing a barrel on its nose.
Gosling's Black Seal Bermuda Rum's distinctive dark amber color offers spicy mocha and toffee aromas. Aging in charred American oak barrels used at one time previously for bourbon creates the distinctive personality. The rum balances rich, sweet spice and fruit flavors through a smooth, refined finish.
The Dark 'n Stormy, a cocktail made popular by the East Coast sailing crowd, calls for mixing 2 ounces of Gosling's Black Seal Bermuda Rum with 4 ounces of ginger beer over ice in a highball glass.
For a tasty pirate-style rum punch, follow spirits writer David Wondrich's easy recipe. Make simple syrup by dissolving ¾ cup of sugar in 1 cup of water over low heat. After the mixture cools for 15 minutes, put the syrup in a 3-quart pitcher and stir in ¾ cup of fresh lime juice.
Then, add a bottle of Gosling's Black Seal Bermuda Rum along with 3 cups of water and lots of ice. Stir the mixture and top with freshly grated nutmeg. Let the pirate party begin.
Further south in Barbados, Mount Gay has been producing rum since 1703. Mount Gay Eclipse Barbados Rum (7868; $17.99) has a lovely amber color offering vanilla and banana aromas. The rum's exceptionally smooth tropical fruit and spice flavors balance nicely with a refreshing, bright finish. It makes an excellent choice for cocktails such as the Old Cuban.
In a cocktail shaker, gently muddle 6 fresh mint leaves with 3⁄4 ounce of fresh lime juice. Add 1 ounce of simple syrup, 2 ounces of Mount Gay Eclipse Barbados Rum and several dashes of Angostura bitters. Shake with ice until well-chilled, and strain into a highball glass. Top off with dry sparkling wine, such as prosecco, and serve with a sprig of fresh mint.
After enjoying a rum cocktail before dinner, try grilling burgers or rib-eye steaks paired with the ever-tasty Marietta Cellars, Old Vines Red, Lot No. 57, California (Luxury 39439; $11.99). Winemaker Chris Bilbro has turned out this proprietary zinfandel-based blend in successive, nonvintage lots since 1978.
Bilbro traces the unpretentious, delicious style to his Italian immigrant aunt, Marietta, who taught Bilbro to cook and enjoy food. He and his sons take a similar winemaking approach by selecting and melding wine lots from Sonoma and Mendocino County vineyards featuring old vines.
Ripe, red fruit with plumy aromas layer with spicy notes of licorice and savory herbs. Full-flavored yet fresh fruity flavors with spice balance with soft tannins and a refreshing finish. Highly recommended.
Dave DeSimone is the wine columnist for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at ddesimone@tribweb.com.
