Virtuoso Life - March/April 2008 - (Page 62) TASTING NOTES Caribbean Treasure Go island hopping for the region’s best rum. BY ANTHONY DIAS BLUE PHOTOGRAPHY BY RUSTY HILL STYLING BY JONAS PARK P alm trees wafting in the trade winds, puffy white clouds billowing over dazzling aquamarine water, an occasional cooling shower of “liquid sunshine” (islandspeak for rain), the squawk of wild birds – all you need to complete this Caribbean picture are a beach chair, chic sunglasses, and an icy rum cocktail. Unlike legally protected spirits such as tequila, bourbon, and cognac, which can only come from specified geographic areas, rum can be made anywhere in the world, from locales as distant as australia, the Philippines, and napa Valley. But mention rum, and most people look to the Caribbean. Christopher Columbus first brought sugarcane to the region on his second voyage in 1493. since the advent of distillation not long afterward, rum has been made throughout the Caribbean. although some come from mainland countries such as Belize, Venezuela, and nicaragua, island rums really do Whether sipped slowly or swirled into a daiquiri, rum is the quintessential island cocktail. 62 V I RT U O S O L I F E
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