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CATEGORY REPORT Rum’s Running THIS TROPICAL SPIRIT MAY BE FUELING GLOBAL WARMING (TO COCKTAILS) by Jenny Adams A cross America in 2010, there was a warming trend behind the bar. Tropical cocktails saw more sales than since their inception in the 1930s and ‘40s—once again morphing from an occasional Mai Tai on a menu to being the infrastructure of entire concepts. In New York, tiki dens like Painkiller and Lani Kai opened to acclaim from The New York Times. Smuggler’s Cove fed the frenzy for tiki in San Francisco, and res- taurants such as Eva’s Caribbean Kitchen in Laguna Beach stocked such an astounding selection of rums that guests could pick one label a day for a year and never worry about repeating. Rum is indeed on the minds and lips of drinkers across America, and it’s in the hearts of bartenders in every type of venue, tiki-themed or not. According to the Distilled Spirits Council, rum is the second largest spirits category, with 24.9 million cases sold in 2010. Mass Market Mavericks Although the economy has been tough for all, “I think in general the rum cat- egory is re-entering the growth phase,” offers Toby Whitmoyer, Vice President of Bacardi Rums. “We’ve seen an increasing consumer interest in traditional rums as well as value brands. And the fl avored lines are also doing very well.” Bacardi Arctic Grape Continuing a legacy of production set forth by company founder Don Facundo, Bacardi rum gets a seven-step produc- tion process and aging in American white oak barrels. The latest in their fl avor line, Bacardi Arctic Grape, combines the sweetness of white grapes with the bold, tart kick of the Scandinavian-sourced lingonberry. Puerto Rico, 70 proof, $13.99, Bacardi USA Cruzan Light Aged Rum The Nelthropp family has been an integral part of St. Croix’s rich history since the 18th century, perfecting the art of balancing, blending and aging rums. The brand has a distinct fi ve-column distillation process. Cruzan Light is aged a minimum of 14 months for a dry, clean taste with vanilla overtones, while Cruzan Dark is aged a minimum of two years, yielding a medium-body, rich color, texture and fl avor. St. Croix, 80 proof, $15.99, Beam Global Spirits & Wine 56 / the tasting panel / august 201 1 Brugal 1888 Brugal 1888 is a blend of rums aged fi ve to 14 years in medium-roasted American white oak casks and subsequently in European oak casks, previ- ously used for aging sherry. The 1888 label is smooth and full-bodied with a notable fi nish of toffee caramel, wood and licorice. Dominican Republic, 80 proof, $49.99, Rémy Cointreau USA Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum Made with molasses, water, grain and yeast, and distilled in a continuous still, the brand’s characteristic taste really is achieved through the fi nal addi- tion. A unique and proprietary recipe of exotic, indigenous island spices produce a rum that has pirated away the hearts of rum fans all over the world. St. Croix, 70 proof, $14.99, Diageo