Spiced rum is starting to appear everywhere we look, so it seemed like a good time to take a closer look at this tasty tipple and talk about some of the best ways to enjoy it. So what is it? Well, spiced rum is essentially rum with the addition of cinnamon (or other spices) to the normal fermentation of sugar cane or molasses. There are an increasing number of brands and grades for you to choose from and some of them are pretty darn good.
Before you rush out to buy a bottle though, here is our first tip for enjoying spiced rum – make it yourself! You simply need to add your favourite mix of spices to a bottle of rum and leave it for three or four days, remembering that the longer you leave it, the stronger the flavour will become. We recommend using a reasonably soft rum and there is no need to buy top of the range either, just go with what you like – that’s the beauty of making your own. Start gradually and keep tasting until you have the flavour you are after. One spice mix you might like to try is a couple of cloves, a cinnamon stick, a vanilla pod (split open), some fresh ginger and a generous serving of lemon zest.
As you would expect, you can drink decent spiced rum straight up or on the rocks, but there is no doubt it also works beautifully in a cocktail. What about a spiced rum banana hammock? Simply mix spiced rum and equal parts banana syrup and fresh lime juice with a dash of angostura bitters, and add a dusting of caramelised sugar for a garnish.
Spiced rum makes a fantastic addition to your baking too. Add spiced rum to a basic rum ball recipe for a fantastic, adult-only treat. Crush up two packets of plain biscuits and add a quarter cup of cocoa, a quarter cup of spiced rum and a can of condensed milk. Mix together with some dried fruit, roll into balls and coat in coconut to see what we are talking about!
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