BARREL AGED SPIRITS COLLECTION

BARREL-AGED SPIRITS COLLECTION

Rump@blic _179

THE REPUBLIC OF RUM

Following the Sugarcane Route

in wooden barrels, rum gained more reso nance, becoming a highly valued drink and a bargaining chip. The invention of the col umn still in the 1830s by Aeneas Coffey facil itated the distillation of alcohol at high ABV and in large quantities. However, it wasn’t until the years of Prohibition and the Great Depression that rum saw an explosion in popularity. Scotch whisky and Bourbon, the most widely consumed alcoholic products, became scarce, leading to the development of illegal spirit trade from America to sup port the war effort. With the appreciation of Cuban rums, pro ducers of strong rums – such as Jamaican one – began blending their products with lighter ones, giving rise to blended rum. Par allel to the economic recovery of the 1940s, the TIKI world emerged as a representation of escapism. Today: Expansion of independent produc ers, modern equipment, and consumers in creasingly informed and focused on seeking traceable spirits. There is still no specific regulation for rum, except for the AOC (Ap pellation d’Origine Contrôlée) of Martiniq ue and the geographical indications recog nized by the EU.

According to historical facts, the true origin of sugarcane is associated with Asian coun tries. Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, India, and Indonesia have been cultivating it since time immemorial. From the 3rd to the 7th century, sugarcane spread through out the Mediterranean via the troops of Al exander the Great, reaching ancient Persia, Syria, Egypt, and Sicily. Initially used for sug ar, molasses, the residual part derived from processing sugarcane, was initially used as food for horses. However, the true essence of sugarcane is associated with colonization routes. Due to colonization in South-Central America, sugarcane found fertile soil due to the warm climate and availability of water. Sugar became highly valued in Europe and a major source of profit, leading to the use of slaves by plantation owners in the 16th century. European colonization and trian gular trade ensued. Initially, molasses was offered to slaves, but with the discovery of distillation, the first sugar-rich rums were produced, which were used as a support for slaves, giving rise to the planter’s punch, namely the planter’s drink.

Navy Rum, the Sailors' Rum: High-proof rums distilled from Guyanese molasses, with high doses of caramel. "Navy" derives from the fact that since 1731 the British Navy has established that rum becomes an official distillate on board British ships, as a daily ration for sailors.

Between the 17th and 18th centuries, as dis tillation and aging techniques improved