Rum ‘n’ Reason at Harrods Wine Shop

In recent years, spirits such as gin and tequila have sought to reinvent themselves as more nuanced drinks and to escape the rather raucous image they conjure in people’s minds.

This is understandable, given that there always was more to these spirits than going well with tonic or being the fuel required to take off one’s clothes in public.

Now it is the turn of rum to establish itself as a more rarified and dignified drink. Long associated with sailors, sodomy and the lash, it is looking for parity with things like brandy, whisky and calvados, all of which are considered with thoughtfulness rather than the phrase `Yo ho ho!’

One way to speed up the gentrification process is to find a place in a prestigious home, such as the Harrods Wine Shop. This venue offers its customers an evening once a month where they can meet various retailers who will happily talk about the process behind their spirits. This particular evening boasted quite a range of rums and  with a curious mix of people presenting them. There was a dignified gentleman happy to wear a red scarf indoors as well as an excitable Dutch man with a rock ‘n’ roll T-shirt. Added to the fun was the fact each of the 12 rums on display had been paired with a custom-made chocolate.

The combination of the particular chocolate and rum really depended on the rum as to whether it would work. It was hard finding fault with the expertly crafted chocolates but the quality of the mix with rum was consistent with the quality of the rum itself. One example of when it didn’t work was with Wood’s 100. Although the accompanying candied orange was very enjoyable by itself, the combination rather jarred when up against the rather scraggy Wood’s.

However, one match-up that proved the possibilities of mixing rum and chocolate was the pairing of Santa Teresa 1796 and a white chocolate ganache covered with flaked coconut. The rum itself was well-rounded, not too powerful upfront and had a surprising smoothness. This elided exceedingly well with the ganache as its initial mildness gave way to a rich array of complementing flavours.

Another successful coupling was the 21-year-old El Dorado with its subtle flavours of tobacco, toffee and almond together with a dark chocolate square. The complexity of the different rums was brought about through the different barrels in which they were aged. Some producers using sherry barrels get a drier, more smoky spirit whereas those using bourbon and cognac barrels get a more honeyed and sweeter result – both of which get smoother the longer they are aged.

You may not be able to yet think of rum as something to sip but it is getting to the stage where it does deserve a bit more respect than being dumped into a glass of Coke.

Rum ‘n’ Reason at Harrods
87–135 Brompton Road
Knightsbridge
SW1X 7XL

Tel: 020 7893 8777