Rum has always been a drink of choice for Indians, but it is only in the past few years that the tipple has taken off, with many new brands in the market experimenting with notes and tones, much like fine wine. It is said that World Rum Day was launched in 2019 by Paul Jackson, spirits writer and Editor of the World Rum Guide and The Gin Guide. It takes place on the second Saturday of the year.
From light and floral to smoked with tobacco overtones, here are five you should add to your home bar this World Rum Day, which falls on July 13 this year.
Goa has become a hub for small, local, and artisanal spirits brands. Maka Zai, which translates to "I Want" in Konkani, is one such example, coming from Stilldistilling Spirits. Their Bartender's Edition is white, and the Tribute Edition is India's first gold rum. According to the brand, the Bartender's Edition is a homage to bartenders' and their (sometimes) unappreciated talents. This edition is a crystal-clear, medium-bodied white rum with creamy and elegant aromas. The rum's floral, sweet, spicy, and herbaceous characteristics lend it a distinctly tropical flavour. The Tribute Edition is a two-and-a-half-year-old matured gold rum with praline, dried dates, figs, caramel, cinnamon, honey, and a well-rounded vanilla accent. The company had a runaway success with its first limited-release barrel aged rare rum called Mesma (short for mesmerising), a gold rum. Apart from Goa, the brand has a strong presence in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Puducherry, and Haryana.
This distinctive rum traces its roots to a family that ran a rum company popular in Army, Navy, and Air Force canteens across the country in the 1980s. The comapny's bouquet of products includes five varieties, most produced in small batches. The Indian Spiced Rum is a triple-distilled golden rum made from sugarcane, and a variety of botanicals and spices. The medium-bodied spirit is best served neat or in a cocktail. In contrast, the Coastal White Rum is woody and sweet, with a hint of vanilla. The Zesty Lemon, with its burst of citrusy flavours, brings forth refreshing flavours. The Tropical Coconut is for the leisurely hour. Roast coffee, vanilla and secret spices merge to give Roast Coffee a unique note.
This Bengaluru based brand, also known for its whisky, produces a medium-bodied rum mixed with Caribbean rums from Jamaica, Barbados, and Guyana. It is great for people looking for a fruity dry-finish rum with notes of banana, almonds, sugarcane, and tropical fruits. Their Old Port Deluxe is spicy with pistachio, ginger, nutmeg, and bubblegum tones on the palate.
Segredo Aldeia, well known for its Woodburns whisky and Pumori gin, is also a Goan rum brand. It produces two excellent rums, spiced up with an intriguing story of origin involving a hidden town, French pirates, and buried treasure. There are hints of vanilla, fragrant oak, and peaches and cream in the White Rum. The Café Rum has a coffee flavour and is laced with the taste of toffee and tobacco with dark chocolate overtones.
A made-in-India rum list would not be complete without Old Monk. For decades, this iconic brand has been the gold standard of Indian rum. The history of the company goes back to 1855, when Scotsman Sir Edward Dyer originally founded the brewery in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh. After several transformations, it became known as Mohan Meakin Ltd (since April 1980). Old Monk Rum was launched in 1935. While the seven-years aged XXX rum is the most popular, according to fans, the other varieties are also well knwon. The limited edition Legend version is made from the best sugarcane molasses and matured to perfection using traditional processes, with aromas of vanilla, toffee, and oak.
Pitbull is a dark rum created by Karishma Chandy and Kalpesh Parekh of Happenstance Beverages, featuring a blend of molasses and aged spirits that capture the bold and distinctive flavours of the Caribbean Islands. It offers rich notes of sugarcane and tropical fruits like banana, fig, and candied orange, with hints of sweet spices such as cinnamon, vanilla, and anise. The rum boasts natural sweetness and toasty oak influences from the aged spirits and is manufactured in Aurangabad, Maharashtra.