December 2011 Rum Bum re-cap

The Rum Bums closed out 2011 with a four-round tasting of Clément Rhums. I had the pleasure of chatting with Rocky Yeh, the portfolio master that represents Clément, both before the tasting and as he made his way around the bar to enlighten us about Rhum Agricole.

Rocky Yeh in action

We kicked off the tasting with Clément VSOP. Clément ages the VSOP for an average of five years in a similar fashion as they would a cognac. It was dark, silky and sweet - a great rum for sipping. We followed the VSOP with a taste of the Premiere Canne. Served with a lime wedge for squeezing, the Premiere Canne was smooth and dry, which Rocky attributed to the high water and alcohol content in this barely-aged spirit.

If sipping rum is not your thing, I would recommend ordering a millionario (Cameron’s choice on the drink menu). This cocktail is a delightful mix of Clément VSOP, vermouth, orange bitters and an orange twist. The millionario was chilled and crisp - really refreshing!

We finished up the night with a taste of the Clément Creole Shrubb paired with a mini passion fruit cheesecake. The Creole Shrubb is a rum-based orange liquor that is über sweet for sipping. The La Isla crew got creative with this gem and instructed us to create a tiny well in the cheesecake to hold a small serving of the Creole Shrubb. It was a tropical fruit explosion!

Lee knocked the food pairings out of the park in December. He served up Puerto Rican-style ‘potstickers’ filled with pork, shrimp, shredded carrots, green onions and flamboyan (red pepper garlic sauce) alongside vegetable escabeche. This was a light plate that was a great lead in to the passion fruit cheesecake. One of the things that I love about Rum Bums is that we get to try small bites of dishes that are not always on the regular menu.

Thanks to Rocky for introducing us (or, at least, me) to Clément and to the La Isla crew for hosting another great evening of Rum Bums.

Rum Bums December 2011 ~ a taste of Rhum Clément from Martinique

“I love rum because it is one the most unique spirits around. It can be light and neutral like vodka or rich and woody like bourbon.” So says Rocky Yeh, a self-described bon vivant and lover of all spirits. Yeh will headline the upcoming Rum Bums gathering on Tuesday, December 27 at 9pm.

Yeh represents Rhum Clément, the leading producer of Rhum Agricole in Martinique. You may be wondering, ‘what is Rhum Agricole?’ - don’t worry, I have cliff notes. Rhum Agricole is the process of distilling rum from sugarcane juice (rather than molasses, which is a sugar by-product) that was first adopted by Homère Clément in Martinique in 1887.

In the late 1800’s, the French began to produce sugar from sugar beets. As a result, Caribbean sugar producers had to find a new stream of income as sugar prices plummeted. The French islands in the West Indies began distilling and fermenting fresh sugarcane juice in to rum.

Yeh says that Rhum Clément embodies both the history and culture of Martinique. “Un-aged Clément is pretty indicative of the Rhum Agricole style with its funkiness.” In addition, the rich notes and evolution of the aged spirit reflect its distinct interaction with the climate and premium wood.

The rums that we will be tasting on Tuesday sound delicious. The Clément Créole Shrubb is a rum-based orange liquor, while the Clément VSOP is described as an aged rum with a smooth, mellow flavor. As if that wasn’t enough, La Isla’s crew will be mixing a couple of rum-infused cocktails as well as serving up appetizers.

Please join us as we make our last toast of 2011!