Rum

Rum, a very particular history Rum is an eau-de-vie originating from the Americas. It is produced from sugar cane. Sugar cane belongs to the Poaceae family, just like bamboo or oat. Sugar cane comes to us from Asia. At first, cane wine was obtained by diluting sugar residues, molasses, with water.

Discovered thanks to the colonial conquests of the late 15th century, rum was initially the drink of sailors and slaves. Until the end of the 19th century, before the modernization of distillation processes, rum was considered the drink of the poor classes… Rum carries a very particular history and remains the common thread among the Caribbean islands and the countries of South America. Fermentation is a key step in the making of rum. Indeed, depending on its type of distillation and its years of aging, rum offers a diversity of aromatic profiles. It thus takes on a more or less dark amber coloration. Several types of rum currently exist, namely agricultural rum, white rum, amber rum, aged rum, straw rum and industrial rum. Rum is consumed neat or in cocktails. These cocktails are often made with spices or tropical fruits. Rum is also blended with other spirits, thus offering wonderful drinks. Today, sugar cane is grown on more than 20 million hectares worldwide, making it one of the leading agricultural crops on the planet. Even though rums cannot be characterized by their geographic origin, 3 major families are distinguished today. French rum, that is, agricultural rum from the Antilles. This offers a fine and complex eau-de-vie, both floral and fruity. English rum, or “heavy” rums, offer a spicy profile and an oily texture. Finally, Cuban rum, or Latin rum, corresponds to lighter eaux-de-vie with a less pronounced aromatic profile.

Rum and perfumery

Even though it is little used in perfumery, rum has lent its fragrances to great perfumes. One thing is certain: rum releases an undeniable aromatic complexity. It brings very different fragrances such as those of cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, hazelnut, honey or even burnished leather… In any case, all the aromas that rum releases are powerful aromas. Rum pairs with flowers, such as rose or violet. It is also found alongside white musk, cedarwood, vanilla, pepper or absinthe. Rum is found in perfumes for men and also for women, oriental, spicy, woody or chypre, such as Lolita Lempicka au masculin, collector 2006 by Lolita Lempicka, Now women by Azzaro or Guerlain homme intense by Guerlain.