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WSET ® Level 3 Spirits > Sugar Cane Spirits - Caribbean Rum > Flashcards

Sugar Cane Spirits - Caribbean Rum Flashcards

Caribbean-based rums are one of the most commonly consumed spirits categories in the world, but there are many aspects of the production and maturation processes that are less well understood. This deck covers all of the differences between the major rum productions of the Caribbean region.

1
Q

Aguardiente

A

Regarding Cuban Rum

  • A low strength spirit distilled to 75% abv (150º proof) and must be aged in old oak barrels for at least 2 years.
  • It is then decanted, carbon-filtered, and blended with a high-strength spirit.
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2
Q

Distillation ABV range for spirits in Martinique for Rhum Agricole?

A

Between 65% abv and 75% abv.

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3
Q

Although there is a history of aging Caribbean rums in wooden barrels, what are two reasons why this is not as common as it might be?

A
  1. Long aging in the heat can result in excessive evaporative loss and potentially unbalanced flavors
  2. Volume losses are not easily off-set with higher prices, so this is a financial issue
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4
Q

Besides water, what do distillers typically add to their sugary liquid before fermentation?

A
  • Nitrogen-based yeast nutrients (as needed)
  • Acid
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5
Q

Can sugar be added to Jamaican Rum?

A

No

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6
Q

Cane juice rums come from where?

A

Typically the French-speaking islands of Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Haiti, and on a broad basis, these are fairly rare due to the perishable nature of the cane juice once it is pressed.

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7
Q

Characteristics of a heavy mark rum:

A
  • Distilled to a low alcohol strength
  • Pronounced aroma intensity
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8
Q

Characteristics of a light mark rum:

A
  • Distilled to a high strength
  • Light aroma intensity
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9
Q

Clairin

A

Sugar cane juice rums, that are unaged expressions from Haiti.

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10
Q

Continental Aging

A

Rums aged in Europe are sometimes referred to as this.

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11
Q

Cuban Rum: 1st ageing

A
  • Required
  • All aguardiente must be aged in older 180-200L oak barrels
  • minimum of 2 years
  • after 1st aging, the spirit is filtered with activated charcoal (smooths it out)
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12
Q

Cuban Rum: 2nd ageing

A
  • Required
  • Aged aguardiente is blended with Superfine Cane Spirit
  • Re-barreled into old-oak casks
  • No minimum aging requirement
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13
Q

Cuban Rum: 3rd aging

A
  • Optional
  • Twice-aged rum is blended and re-barreled into 180-200L older neutral barrels
  • Except for Cuban Dark Rum, which has to be aged all three times
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14
Q

Cuban Rum: Distillation

A

There are two kinds of spirit produced:

  1. Aguardiente - no defined abv range (typically 75% abv), but must have the required aromatic profile
  2. Super Fine Cane Spirit - must be distilled to a strength of less than 96% abv
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15
Q

Cuban Rum: Post Distillation

A
  • All Cuban rum must be oak aged
  • No additives or flavors may be added
  • 3 defined periods of aging
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16
Q

Cuban Rum: Raw Material

A
  • Must be made from molasses
  • Cane must be from Cuba
  • Molasses must be low in sulfur compounds
  • Yeast should be a mix of cultured yeasts that have a reliable style
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17
Q

Dunder

A
  • Dunder is similar to backset in American whiskey production
  • It is the acidic residue that is left in the bottom of the still
  • Used to acidify the sugary liquid for ferment
  • Also used to add a lot of fusel oils and other aromatic fractions (especially esters) with high boiling points back to the system
  • Used to produce marks with a high level of esters
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18
Q

EU bottling strength for Rum?

A

Minimum of 37.5% abv / 75º proof.

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19
Q

EU Definition of Rum:

A
  • Made from the fermentation and distillation of molasses, cane syrup, or sugar cane juice
  • Distilled to a strength of less than 96% abv
  • Have a minimum bottling strength of at least 37.5% abv
  • It may not be flavored, but can include caramel color
  • Sugar additions limited to 20g/L
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20
Q

Gargano Classification

A

Labeling system for rums done by the type of still, and whether they are blends or not.

Has no legal declaration and is not widely used.

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21
Q

Grandes Arômes

A

Martinique high-ester rums made from molasses, that are similar to Jamaican rums.

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22
Q

Jamaican Rum (GI)

A

Geographical Indication

used for any rum labeled as ‘Jamaican Rum’

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23
Q

Jamaican Rum: Distillation

A

Stills must be made of copper

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24
Q

Jamaican Rum: Post Distillation

A
  • Either unaged or aged in small oak barrels in Jamaica
  • Only water and caramel can be added to wood-aged rums
  • Sugar may not be added to Jamaica Rum
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25
Q

Jamaican Rum: Raw Material

A

Can be made from either sugar cane juice, cane syrup, molasses, sugar, or any combination

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26
Q

Maestros Roneros

A

Rum Masters (Cuba)

are dedicated to understanding and maintaining the style of Cuban rum

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27
Q

Martinique Rhum Agricole AOC: Raw Materials

A
  • Must be made from sugar cane juice
  • Cane must be grown on the island of Martinique and harvested between Jan 1 and August 31
  • Ferment is limited to 5 days
  • Fermented liquid abv should not exceed 7.5%
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28
Q

Martinique Rhum Agricole AOC: Distillation

A
  • Distillation between January 2 and September 5
  • Column still must have 20 plates and heated with steam injection or reboiler
  • New spirit no less than 65% abv and no more than 75% abv
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29
Q

Martinique Rhum Agricole AOC: Extra Vieux

A

6 years of age

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30
Q

Martinique Rhum Agricole AOC: Hors d’Age

A

6 years of age

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31
Q

Martinique Rhum Agricole AOC: Labeling

A
  • ‘Martinique’ must appear on the label in combination with ‘agricole’
  • These have to be paired with either ‘blanc’ or ‘vieux’
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32
Q

Martinique Rhum Agricole AOC: Rhum Blanc

A
  • Rum with no color
  • rested for a minimum of six weeks after distillation
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33
Q

Martinique Rhum Agricole AOC: Rhum Vieux

A
  • Rum that has been aged for a minimum of three years in oak barrels of a capacity less than 650L
  • Supplementary labeling terms for 3Y, 4Y, 6Y
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34
Q

Martinique Rhum Agricole AOC: Tres Vieux

A

4 years of age

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35
Q

Martinique Rhum Agricole AOC: Vieux Cuvee Speciale

A

4 years of age

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36
Q

Martinique Rhum Agricole AOC: Vieux Grande Reserve

A

6 years of age

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37
Q

Martinique Rhum Agricole AOC: Vieux Reserve Speciale

A

4 years of age

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38
Q

Martinique Rhum Agricole AOC: Vieux VO

A

3 years of age

39
Q

Martinique Rhum Agricole AOC: Vieux VSOP

A

4 years of age

40
Q

Martinique Rhum Agricole AOC: Vintage

A

6 years of age

41
Q

Martinique Rhum Agricole AOC: XO

A

6 years of age

42
Q

Maximum distillation strength for Rum in the EU?

A

96% abv / 192° proof

43
Q

Retort

A
  • A vessel, typically copper, that is linked either to a pot or another retort
  • Similar to a thumper or doubler in US Whiskey stills
44
Q

Rhum Agricole

A
  • Rum made from the fermentation and distillation of sugar cane juice
  • Produced in a French Overseas Department or the island of Madeira
  • Martinique and Guadaloupe are the main regions (they are part of France and therefore are part of the EU)
45
Q

Still material allowed for Jamaican Rum?

A

Only copper

46
Q

True / False:

Most distilleries have their own sugar refineries.

A

False

Most sugar refining is done by specialist companies.

47
Q

True / False:

Sugar cane juice rums from Haiti can be labeled as Rhum Agricole because it is a French-speaking country.

A

False

Haiti does speak French, but they are not part of France, and cannot label with the term Rhum Agricole.

48
Q

US Definition of Rum

A
  • Must be made from the fermentation and distillation of molasses, cane syrup, sugar cane juice, or any other sugar cane by-product
  • Distilled to a strength less than 95% abv
  • Minimum bottling strength of 40% abv
49
Q

US minimum bottling strength for Rum?

A

40% abv / 80º proof

50
Q

What are several examples of companies in the Caribbean that produce long-aged rums that benefit from additional esterification and change in style?

A
  • Appleton in Jamaica
  • DDL in Guyana
51
Q

What are the legal requirements for abv in Guadalouope Rhum Agricole?

A

There are no set limits, and the distillation can reach as high as 85% abv.

52
Q

What are the pros and cons of a long rum fermentation?

A
  • Pros - a lot of aromatic complexity may be achieved
  • Cons - not a lot of cons if you are looking for added complexity from microbial activity to take place

Some Jamaican distillers will leave their rums in open wooden vats for up to several weeks after ferment, allowing the microbes to create deep flavors.

53
Q

What are the pros and cons of a short rum fermentation?

A
  • Pros - it is a very efficient fermentation
  • Cons - may not develop pronounced aromatics
54
Q

What are the four main post-distillation steps for rum production?

A
  1. Blending - using different marks to create the style
  2. Caramel Coloring - many rums are colored, some very dark to give the impression of aging, but are in fact young
  3. Adding sweetness - used to varying degrees, can cover poor distillation methods
  4. Dilution - Most rum is bottled at 40% abv, although some are overproof
55
Q

What are the two broad layers of the rum industry in the Caribbean?

A
  1. Distilling companies (own their own brands, but also supply non-producing companies with either new rum or aged rums)
  2. Non-producing companies (either brand owners or intermediaries)
56
Q

What can be added to a still in the Caribbean in order to help control distillation temperatures?

A
  • Dephlegmators
  • Plates in the still
57
Q

What can be added to wood-aged rums in Jamaica?

A

Only water and caramel-color

58
Q

What cuts are returned to High Wines Retort in a rum still?

A

the High Wines, which are the first part of the tails to come off the condensor

These are at approximately 75% abv.

59
Q

What cuts are returned to the low wines retort in a rum still?

A
  • Low Wines
  • Heads

This achieves about 35% abv in the Low Wine Retort.

60
Q

What impurities might be found in molasses?

A
  • Ash
  • Sulfur
  • Lime
  • Heavy metals

These impurities are either created, introduced, or concentrated during refining.

61
Q

What is the goal of short-aging of rums in wood, in the Caribbean?

A

To take advantage of…

  • the evaporative loss (rather than add color from the wood)
  • extractive interactions
  • oxidation and esterification that can happen in a barrel
  • soften textural harshness
  • develop aromatic complexity
62
Q

What is notable about the distillation and stills used by Angostura Distillery in Trinidad?

A

They only have column stills, but produce a range of marks by drawing the distillate from varying points of the columns.

63
Q

What is most Caribbean rum produced from as a raw material?

A

Molasses or blackstrap molasses

64
Q

What is muck?

A

Muck is the by-product of rum production and is made in pits filled with decaying/composting material.

This material may come from the residue of the fermentation, dunder, the residue from retorts, and remnants of sugar cane plants.

65
Q

What is Navy Strength or Overproof Rum?

A

Typically rums bottled at 57% abv or 114º proof, or greater.

57.15% abv was the traditional point in which rum + gunpowder would hold a flame. Less and the flame goes out; higher and the gunpowder explodes (overproof).

66
Q

What is the company and brand that is most noted for using a modified solera system to age their rums?

A
  • Company - Industrias Licoreras de Guatemala
  • Brand - Zacapa
67
Q

What kind of stills are used to make Rhum Agricole?

A

Single-column stills.

These are required by law in Martinique.

68
Q

What must Cuban rum be produced from?

A

Molasses

69
Q

What needs to be added to sugar commodities that are destined for distillation?

A

Water

In order to create a sugary liquid for ferment, and to control the amount of sugar and, therefore alcohol, after fermentation.

70
Q

What part of Europe are Martinique and Guadaloupe a part of?

A

They are French protectorates - so France.

71
Q

What type of fermentation and still would be most often associated with a lighter mark rum?

A

A light mark is often made with a shorter fermentation and a column still.

72
Q

What type of fermentation and still would be used to produce a heavier mark rum?

A

A heavier mark would most often be the result of combining a long fermentation and then distillation in a pot or column still with a low level of rectification.

73
Q

What type of yeast do most rum distillers use, and why?

A
  • Cultured yeast
  • In order to control the promotion of fruity fermentation esters
74
Q

What UK based company is heavily invested in Rum production and aging?

A

The Main Rum Company, which is a leading exponent of aging rums.

75
Q

What will be the effect on the style of rums aged in Europe as opposed to the Caribbean?

A

European rums will be…

  • less woody
  • have less overt rancio characteristics
  • have more distinct flavors from raw materials and fermentation
76
Q

Where would a relatively young, deeply colored rum get its color from?

A

From the addition of caramel coloring.

Typically used for mass-market production brands.

77
Q

Why is it necessary to move to fermentation with speed, if making rum from cane juice?

A

Because cane juice can be very susceptible to yeast, bacteria, and oxidation.

78
Q

Why is temperature management a key challenge for distillers in the Caribbean?

A

Because the ambient temps in the region are very high.

79
Q

Why might a distiller use both ambient yeast and bacteria for fermentation?

A

In order to create a high level of esters, and achieve more aromatic complexity in their rums.

80
Q

Cuban Rum: Dark Rum aging

A

All Cuban dark rums must be aged for a third time.

81
Q

Where is Bacardi based? Where was it based?

A

Currently based in Puerto Rico.

Was based in Cuba prior to the revolution.

82
Q

Classification system for high-ester Jamaican rum:

A

The oldest system uses four grades, from lowest ester to highest:

  • Common Cleans
  • Plummers
  • Wedderburn
  • Continental Flavored
83
Q

Where is the West Indies Rum Distillery, and what brand is it primarily used for?

A

Barbados

Malibu Rum

84
Q

What are the three large distilleries located in Barbados?

A
  1. West Indies Rum Distillery
  2. Foursquare
  3. Mount Gay
85
Q

What fruity ester-driven, elegant rum brand does Wray & Nephew produce?

A

Appleton

(Jamaica)

86
Q

Where is the Diamond Distillery and who operates it?

A

Guyana

Owned by Demerara Distillers Ltd.

87
Q

What is attractive about the Guyana styles of rum?

A

Their rich, mouth-filling character.

88
Q

Describe Distilling Companies:

A
  • Most are independently owned
  • Supply liquid for their own brands and the blending market
89
Q

Describe Non-producing Rum Companies:

A

Can be divided up…

Intermediaries -

  • which play a vital role as the link between the distilleries and the brand owners
  • Can hold substantial stocks for resale as needed
  • E&A Scheer is a major (Netherlands-based) player

Independent Brand Owners

  • Source rum that is typically blended and packaged
90
Q

Ron Añejo

A

A labeling term for Cuban rums.

Can be used in conjunction with:

  • Blanco
  • Carta Blanca
  • Carta Oro
  • Reserva
  • Extra Añejo
  • Ron Añejo

No other aging requirements or other style requirements included in the law.

91
Q

Residue from Retorts:

A

Lees - generally discarded or sent to muck pits.

92
Q

What types of cane products can be/are used around the world for spirit production?

A
  • Sugar Cane
  • Cane Syrup
  • Molasses
  • Brown Sugar
93
Q

What can active charcoal be used for with a spirit?

A

Can help to remove color.

Such as with Cuban Rums.

WSET ® Level 3 Spirits (23 decks)

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