52
SUGARCANE
SENSATION
Rum is one of the more
complex spirits, with a long
and rich history of production
all around the world, where it's
made in many different styles.
Most rums are based on
molasses, a byproduct of
refining sugarcane into raw
sugar, which is fermented with
water and then distilled. These
can be made in a lighter style like Havana Club (from
Puerto Rico) and Bacardi (also Puerto Rico), though
they also can have more depth of character, as with
Appleton Estate (Jamaica) and El Dorado (Guyana).
Rum can also be made with fresh-pressed sugarcane
juice, the most popular styles being Brazilian cachaça
and rhum agricole. Cachaças in our portfolio include
Leblon, the bestselling brand in Brazil, and Ypioca.
Some rhum agricole brands that we represent are
Copalli (Belize), Denizen (Martinique), and Bhatiste
(Charlotte Amali). Fun fact: Brazil is the number-one
producer of rum in the world; the annual scale of
production is greater than the world's total of vodka.
Although the most popular rums are made in
Central and South America, some companies in
the United States produce it as well: To name a few
in California, there's Raff Distillerie (San Francisco),
Surf City (Huntington Beach) and Humboldt Distillery
(Humboldt).
—Giuseppe Galioto
Key Account Specialist, Inland Empire
52
