Gold of Mauritius Dark Rum

Description

This Gold of Mauritius Dark Rum Rhum Ile Maurice is an Amber Rum from Mauritius. Rum is an alcohol produced from sugar cane. Sugar cane is grown in the right conditions: warmth, plenty of sunshine and rich, well-drained soil. So it's not surprising to find sugar cane in so many places on Earth. Logically, it's not surprising that there are almost as many rum origins as there are sugarcane-producing countries.
There are two categories of rum: agricultural rum, made from vésou (the juice of sugar cane), and rum from sugar mills, a molasses rum (a by-product of sugar production). Rum is produced in several stages. First, the sugar cane is crushed to produce a juice (vésou), then the vésou or molasses is fermented to produce a slightly alcoholic juice (between 5° and 10°). This juice is then distilled to obtain white rum. This white rum is transformed into amber rum when aged in wooden barrels for 1 to 2 years. An aged rum will have aged for at least 3 years in casks and a "hors d'âge" will have spent at least 5 years ageing in casks.

Gold of Mauritius Dark Rum Rhum Ile Maurice is from the Litchquor Rhum Mauritius brand. Litchquor, a contraction of the words litchi and liqueur, is the company behind the Gold of Mauritius and Mauritius Club rums from Mauritius. These are molasses rums that have gone through a distillation column. Fréderic Bestel, founder and Master Blender of Litchquor, is the man behind this quality micro-production. Fréderic Bestel's father ran a small spice and rum business in Mauritius. He made his own arranged rums and travelled the island to sell his produce. Like his father, Frédéric made his own lychee liqueur very early on, and it was a great success even before he came of age. He named his company Litchquor to commemorate those early days. Litchquor buys its rums in Mauritius, before ageing them in casks from South Africa that have contained South African port for Gold of Mauritius and casks of Cherry Brandy from South Africa for Mauritius Club. Fréderic Bestel's rums are classified in the Hispanic tradition family because the ageing processes have been borrowed from what is frequently done in South America.

This rum is a Hispanic tradition rum. In this category you will generally find rums from Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Costa Rica, the Caribbean, Guatemala, Grenada, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, countries in which the word Rum is translated as Ron. These rums are generally aged using the Sherry method known as the Solera, but can also be aged in casks that have already been used for other spirits or wines. In general, these rums have a pronounced sweetness, allowing novices to the world of rums to find their first reference point, with its sweetness and roasted notes (caramel, cocoa, coffee).

Gold of Mauritius Dark Rum Rhum Ile Maurice is a molasses rum. Molasses rum is also known as industrial rum or sugar mill rum. The difference with an agricultural rum lies in the way in which the raw material, sugar from sugar cane, is used and in what form. Cane molasses is the by-product of the cane sugar crystallisation process. It is very thick, sticky and dark brown in colour. Industrial or traditional rum bears this name because it is the result of the industrial sugar production process. The molasses from the sugar cane (which still contains 50% of the sugar not extracted by centrifuging) is liquefied, fermented for 48 to 72 hours and then distilled. However, this does not mean that molasses rums are average quality rums. You will find some fabulous molasses rums, and it is extremely difficult to trace the source of the sugar (vésou or molasses) when tasting certain rums. The quality of rum cannot stop at the source of the sugar during fermentation; it also owes a great deal to the mastery of distillation and ageing. Traditional Hispanic and British rums are usually made in whole or in part from cane sugar molasses. Sugar cane honey, which you will find under the name of sugar cane syrup, is the 3rd way of using sugar to make rum, the first 2 being molasses and vesou . This honey comes from sugar cane, the cane juice is obtained by grinding, it is filtered and cooked in clarifiers. The result of this cooking is put into evaporators to continue the concentration process, with the aim of obtaining a thick, liquid golden colour that resembles honey, hence the name cane honey. If required, this cane honey can be extended with pure water and then fermented with yeasts specific to each distillery before distillation.

This rum is an amber rum. Amber rums are rums that have been aged in wooden casks, resulting in evaporation, concentration of flavours and an amber colour. Each distillery's cellar master secretly guards his or her own production process, which gives each cuvée its distinctive flavour and colour. An amber rum may also have been spiced.

This rum comes from Mauritius. Mauritius has a long tradition of sugar production, and so naturally a rum-making tradition that has lasted since the 19th century. The tropical climate and its light, well-drained soils are perfect for fine sugar cane production. Since the beginning of the 21st century, there has been a revival of rum production in Mauritius, with a return to cane rums, although the bulk of production remains focused on traditional rums made from molasses or cane honey, and bourbon vanilla-based rums.