For many years now I have played with
different means of aging and blending rums to create new and fun rums. After reading and interesting article of how
some bars have made a priority blend for their customers from existing
expressions gave me an idea. People have
asked me for years what was my favorite rum, and my glib answer has always been
“the one I have in my hand”. I think
that it is time for me to put some of my skills together and make up a blend
that truly suits my palate and share it with my closest friends.
I have done some experimenting in this
vein when I was at the Rum Bar in Key West.
I had my “Root Juice”, “Bark Juice” and Barrel Juice” that took high
proof rums and let them age in different things in a gallon jug for the
customers to try. These became very
popular among the clientele, but I think that it is time for me to get a bit
more serious about blending a special expression to put my name on.
For most of us like rum more than anything
else, It’s the spirit with the widest range of characteristics, styles, that
come to us from so many regions of the world.
After
tasting hundreds and hundreds of rums produced all over the world, I’m going to
try and narrow it down to seven or eight that will generate different characteristics
to fit my personal palate. Arriving at
the final recipe will take some time experimenting with many of my 300 or so
rums, but when I decide on a final blend, I will be putting into my three-liter
cask and let it age as a until it matures to the taste I’m looking for.
This is something that anyone with a taste
for rum can do, you just have to be willing to put in the time to work with all
of the expressions that you have available to you and in what proportions you
want them.
