The spirit of mayhem: Rum

God caused men to raise themselves up onto their feet; rum sees to it that they fall over again.

- Jamaican proverb

No other spirit is as tied to human suffering as rum. Even its name makes a reference to mayhem: from an archaic English dialect, rumbullion means "kill devil; a hot, hellish liquor."

Rum's troubles began in the 15th century, when sugar cane from East Asia made its way to the West Indies (about the same time as our favorite imperialist, Cristóforo Colombo hit the scene). What followed over the next 400 years - the sugar trade and the discovery of rum - led to the enslavement of millions of people.

But rum has made great strides in the cocktail world, despite its dark past. Nowadays, most suffering associated with the liquor is self-inflicted by the imbiber.

Distilled from molasses, rum is made in every tropical region that grows sugar cane. Cuba is to rum as Cognac is to brandy.

Because of climatic and geographical differences, rums produced on different islands or countries have completely different qualities once they have been aged and bottled. Therefore, rum is classed by the country where it originated.

Sugar cane consists of 90 percent pulp, only about 20 percent of which is made into refined sugar. The byproduct of refinement is molasses, which has a great deal of usable sugars. Before fermentation can occur, the molasses must be thinned with water and mixed with the skimmings of the pulp and the dregs of a previous rum distillation.

Because no yeast is present in cane sap, distillers add their own. Many rum makers consider the yeast their secret ingredient. Other flavorings, such as raisins or vanilla, may be added at this stage to give additional aroma and flavor to the rum.

The fermentation process greatly affects a rum's taste. Some of the lighter-bodied rums, such as those produced in Puerto Rico or Cuba, ferment quickly, in about 20 to 30 hours. Others, such as a heavy-bodied Jamaican rum like Myers's or a flavorful French-styled rum from Martinique, are fermented more slowly and are seethed up to 12 days. The longer the fermentation, the more intense the rum's flavor.

After fermentation, the mash is distilled and made into aguardiente (or burning water). Heavy-bodied rums are distilled in copper alembic or pot stills much like brandy. This method, with its rustic apparatus, gives the distillers less control over what is collected in the pot and enhances the rum with unique qualities. For more neutral, lighter-bodied rums, distillers use continuous column stills. By utilizing various columns, the rum can be collected at various temperatures and pressures to dictate what impurities will be included with the alcohol. In both methods, rum is distilled at proofs ranging from 150 to 160.

Once distillation is complete, the rum must be aged or else it will remain the fiery and, for many people, unpalatable aguardiente (though that happens to be a favorite of many South Americans). At this stage, all rums are virtually colorless. Their final coloring is determined by whether they are aged in oak or stainless steel vats.

As you probably guessed, brown rums are aged in oak. The very dark brown rums like Myers's have had molasses added for color and flavor. In the case of lighter Cuban rums, they are often aged in oak to mellow their taste and are then filtered to lighten their color. A typical brown rum is Mt. Gay Eclipse, from Barbados.

After aging the rum, the maestro de ron, or master blender, dictates the final qualities of the liquor. The master blender mixes the rum from different batches, which may have been aged from three years to six years. This process creates the most palatable rum.

When tasting rums, don't be fooled by their color. White rums, which originated in former French colonies, are often quite aromatic and are rarely a good addition to a cocktail. If a spirit is too strong in flavor, the cocktail will not taste good. So for making a cocktail like the Daiquiri, choose a good white rum. You'll want the most neutral rum possible for a refreshing taste. But unlike whiskey, a subtle amber hue signifies a mellow-flavored rum that would be perfect for your next Sidecar.