Sometimes, rum tasting is as much a lesson in geography as it is an exercise of indulging the palate. In May, the Rum Bums got a taste of three island spirits. Alfonso and Hernan were manning the kitchen and served up delicious Caribbean-style dishes.
Our first round of the night was a taste of Cruzan Estate Diamond 5-year rum from St. Croix. Cruzan prides itself on using virgin rainwater to cut this blend of 5 to 10-year rums that are aged in a single oak barrel. This rum smelled as sweet as brown sugar and had a lingering, spicy finish. The Cruzan 5-year was accompanied by crab and sweet plantain patties, served with a garlic-infused cream sauce and mango salsa.
Up second was Scarlet Ibis rum from Trinidad & Tobago. A blend of 3 to 5-year rums, Scarlet Ibis is distilled in copper pots and aged in small white oak barrels. This rum came across to me as a sweet cherry flavor with a fiery finish. The food pairing for this spirit was a plantain and cod croquette (somewhat reminiscent of a crab cake) served with a tangy cream sauce and slice of lime.
The final taste of the evening was Sea Wynde rum. Sea Wynde is a unique blend as it marries rums from both Jamaica and Guyana. The rum is produced using a traditional pot distilling method and bottled in small batches. it is smokey yet sweet with hints of vanilla. Sea Wynde is offered on the La Isla whisky flight - which is a great way to taste it if you weren’t able to make it to rum club! We finished the food pairings with a decadent summertime treat featuring mojito gelato topped with a breaded sweet potato croquette.
Stay tuned for details regarding our special rum dinner in June which will feature Don Q rum.
