How old is rum?

Rums originated in the West Indies and are first mentioned in records from Barbados in about 1650. They were called “kill-devil” or “rumbullion” and by 1667 were simply called rum.

Is rum the oldest spirit?

1.Rum is the Oldest Spirit in the World

The first rum distillation took place in the Caribbean in the 1620s, this led to rum being the first alcohol to be manufactured and distilled. It was also the first spirit that was drank for pleasure and that was not used for medical purposes.

When was rum first invented?

The first recorded rum, however, came about in the West Indies around 1650. However, in 1650, these first rums were known on records from Barbados as “kill-devil” or “rumbullion.” The name rum started to be used as the regular name in 1667. The beginning of rum is tied to a dark part of history.

How was rum first made?

Plantation slaves discovered that molasses, a by-product of the sugar refining process, could be fermented into alcohol. Then, distillation of these alcoholic byproducts concentrated the alcohol, and removed some impurities, producing the first modern rums.

How old is an aged rum?

These older rums tend to carry more impressions of character, which they get from the oak casks they mature in. Our aged rums can spend anything between 4 and 23 years in oak casks. And the older a rum is, the less of it we have. So it becomes more scarce, and more rare.

What is Rum? Science, History, Alchemy, and Tasting 13 Bottles | How to Drink

How old is a good rum?

“There's a level of expectation you have when tasting a rum aged more than 10, 15 or 20 years. You expect it to be rich, complex, flavorful and balanced,” she says.

Is rum better with age?

Unlike wines, distilled spirits do not improve with age once they are in the bottle. As long as they are not opened, your whiskey, brandy, rum, and the like will not change and they will certainly not mature further while they wait on the shelf.

What alcohol did slaves drink?

Drawing on diverse West African cultural traditions of alcohol use, enslaved peoples in the Caribbean used rum as a key component of sociability and as a vehicle to the spiritual world. Rum drinking offered a momentary escape from harsh labor regimens and the general anxieties of life on sugar estates.

Why did Pirates drink rum?

Pirates drank it to prevent diseases such as scurvy, the flu, and to eliminate stress. Rum was inexpensive and it quickly became popular among sailors and in the pirate community. In fact, the seafaring explorers and conquerors soon began consuming it in industrial quantities.

Did slaves drink rum?

They were known as “kill-devil” or “rumbullion” before being dubbed “rum” in 1667. It was rum which was used in the slavery trade of the American colonies: slaves from Africa were traded for molasses in the West Indies; molasses was made into rum in New England and rum was then traded back to Africa.

Who first made rum?

Rums originated in the West Indies and are first mentioned in records from Barbados in about 1650. They were called “kill-devil” or “rumbullion” and by 1667 were simply called rum.

Did the Irish invent rum?

Although more synonymous with the British, we can be sure the Irish played their role in producing some of the earliest expressions of rum. What was originally referred to as Kill-Devil, would later become more refined and produced en masse.

Why rum is called rum?

The origin of the word rum is unclear. The name may have derived from rumbullion meaning “a great tumult or uproar”. Some claim that the name is from the large drinking glasses used by Dutch seamen known as rummers. Other options include contractions of the words saccharum, latin for sugar, or arôme, French for aroma.

What country drinks the most rum?

Despite not being exactly world-famous for its rum, India is the biggest consumer of rum in the world, both in terms of rum drunk per capita and in terms of most rum drunk each year. Indian rums are molasses distilled, and dark.

Why rum is the best liquor?

Considered one of the best spirits for the winter season, Rum is smooth and rich in texture and flavor. The flavored and sweet drink is all you need when you are suffering from a cold or cough.

Is rum good for health?

Rum consumption can give you a healthy and strong heart. Also, it decreases cholesterol levels in the body. It is also a good drink for peripheral artery disease prevention and is a blood thinner, which can help combat artery blockages, prevent heart attacks and heart disease.

Why do pirates say Arrr?

Have you ever wondered why pirates say "Arrr"? We answer this burning question with help from National Geographic and American Profile. Pronounced also as “Yarrr!” and “Arg!”, the word “Arrr!” is traditionally said by pirates when responding "yes" or when expressing excitement.

What's a lady pirate called?

Many disguised themselves as men to be able to fit into pirate crews undetected. Female pirates were a minority – and openingly female pirates – even rarer. In today's popular culture you can find references to girl pirates, women pirates, she-pirates and so on.

What rum did the Royal Navy use?

The end of a Royal Navy tradition, as the daily ration of rum was abolished due to safety concerns, on July 31, 1970.

What's the oldest form of alcohol?

Chemical analyses recently confirmed that the earliest alcoholic beverage in the world was a mixed fermented drink of rice, honey, and hawthorn fruit and/or grape. The residues of the beverage, dated ca. 7000–6600 BCE, were recovered from early pottery from Jiahu, a Neolithic village in the Yellow River Valley.

What did slaves eat to survive?

Maize, rice, peanuts, yams and dried beans were found as important staples of slaves on some plantations in West Africa before and after European contact. Keeping the traditional “stew” cooking could have been a form of subtle resistance to the owner's control.

Who invented vodka?

According to a legend, around 1430, a monk named Isidore from Chudov Monastery inside the Moscow Kremlin made a recipe of the first Russian vodka. Having a special knowledge and distillation devices, he became the creator of a new, higher quality type of alcoholic beverage.

Is 50 year old whiskey still good?

50-year-old whisky is almost the holy grail in spirits terms. Very few casks of whisky will reach 50 years old and still be drinkable, representing a tiny, tiny fraction of a percent.

How long is Captain Morgan aged?

The Captain's Dark Rum isn't just any old seafarer's beverage. To make the perfect dark rum to keep the Captain's men going across the seven seas, Captain Morgan Dark Rum is aged for at least two years in charred oak barrels for that heavenly oak finish, before being blended according to our very own secret recipe.