Capn Jimbo's Rum Project Forum

[Capn Jimbo]

It has been noted (Credit: Luis Ayala) that sugar cane likely originated in Papua New Guinea, spread by traders throughout China and India, to North Africa and finally took root in Spain and Portugal in 850 AD. Chris Columbus (actually his son) delivered cane to Dominica (including Haiti) in 1492. Sailors from Portugal planted cane in Brazil about 1500.

Accordingly, it can be argued that some form of spiritsmade largely, if not exclusively, from sugar cane no doubt predated "kill-Devil" or "Rumbullion" in Barbados. One likely origin may be Brazil, whose sugar cane spirits came to later be called Cachaca.

Still, more than one scholar makes a convincing case that the modern history of rum as we know it, i.e. rum made from molasses began in Barbados in 1650. The reasons (per Ian Williams) stem from a number of unique factors including its geography, terrain, soil and inhabitants.

First, that Barbados was a convenient first port for ships travelling west from Europe and North Africa. Second was that Barbados was one of the very few Caribbean islands that is made of water-filtering coral (rather than from volcanic residue). Thus Barbados had a plentiful supply of extremely clean water. Third was a geography and soil conditions that were nearly ideal for the raising of crops. And last was the makeup of the population which included a goodly number of Celtic indentured servants from Scotland, Ireland and Britain - many of whom already possessed skills in the making of spirits.

Accordingly, Barbados became the home of rum as we know it.

From Barbados rum became"The Drink That Conquered The World" (Credit: Charles Coloumbe). Barbados easily became the most influential of the early colonies - providing seven of the first 23 governors of South Carolina. Fortunes were made, and Barbados was easily the most valuable colony of the once Great Britain. We are further blessed in that one of the early distillers of Barbadian rum was a company that has been traced to 1703 and is still in business today:

Mount Gay.

Although none will argue that today's product is anywhere near the same as the early kill-Devil, it is impossible not to appreciate a company that well knows and respects its rum roots, and whose current product represents over three hundred continuous years of improvement.

It should be no surprise that Mount Gay Extra Old is my chosen reference rums for this section. In my opinion, the Barbadian rums are nearly without peer. Understanding rum mandates an understanding of its history and development. MGXO is the initial, base standard to which all other styles need be compared.
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