Storage: Corks and Air

It's tea time ladies, grab yer mugs! Drink it fast or sip it slow. About glasses, how ta crook yer pinkie, nosing and tasting techniques and equipment. May your cup - and your women - be bottomless!
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How long does it take you to really taste a dram?

1 minute
0
No votes
2 minutes
0
No votes
3 minutes
0
No votes
5 minutes
0
No votes
7 minutes
0
No votes
10 minutes
1
50%
15 minutes
0
No votes
20 minutes
1
50%
None - bottoms up!
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 2

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Capn Jimbo
Rum Evangelisti and Compleat Idiot
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Storage: Corks and Air

Post by Capn Jimbo »

Corks and air - not necessarily in that order...

I love a good cork, don't you? And the corks in bottles are pretty interesting too, lol. Corks are classic, and they do allow a bit of breathing which is not altogether a bad thing. I'm sure most of us like the authenticity, feel and muffled pop of a nice cork.

But they have some problems too.

Over the very long haul a rum can change, often for the better, but sometimes not. We have had the experience of rum being stored on its side (you do examine your corks, don't you?), and absorbing some unpleasant flavors and aroma. Fortunately, in the two cases this has happened, a bit of airing seemed to improve the situation.

For those who want to keep their rum longer than say, six months, a good artificial, air tight replacement closure may be in order. I have surely considered this. Too, corks can dry out, and we have been known to replace an obviously dry cork with a fresher one (you do save your old corks, don't you, lol?).

Last is the matter of airing. I know how exciting it is to find and pour a new rum. You've heard about it, read about, looked for it, found it, admired it and the time has finally arrived and you've poured it.

Wait.

Wait.

Now I don't mean stare at it. Of course you will admire it, swirl it, observe it. And nose it well, and yes, taste it. But then, slow down. Take your time. With a half decent amount of time the rum will breathe and it will change, usually for the better. New aromas and even tastes will appear. Trust me on this.

And to really understand a rum, you are going to go through a few drams and hopefully with a fine tasting partner like my Sue Sea. You will, or should, arrive down to the shoulders - or even a bit more if you are enjoying things.

We think some air in the bottle helps. Whatever escapes early I think needs to escape. A rested rum from the shoulders down is a better rum, the one your loving distiller intended.

Think about it...
Last edited by Capn Jimbo on Sat Mar 06, 2010 8:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Pyrate Surgeon
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Location: Central Coast, CA

Airing for improvement

Post by Pyrate Surgeon »

In the instance of Rogue's White Rum, I heartily agree that letting this rum breath makes a real improvement to it's body and nose. When first cracked, the first thought that struck me was..."Good god, medicinal!" And the taste was similarly appalling. It was hastily recorked and thrust to the back of the liquer locker. Approximately 8 months later, it was drug back into the light and gritting my teeth, was uncorked. I was startled at the difference in it's nose...and the taste was now discernible as something resembling a rum.

It doesn't hold a candle to Appleton, nor Starr, but at least you can now tell it's something other than neutral spirits! :shock:
The Rhum comes After the surgery, mate!
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