Rum was born in Barbados, not Cuba
As a former high commissioner for Barbados to the United Kingdom, I need to address the assertion in your article that 'rum as we know it was invented in Cuba in 1862' (Over a barrel: lack of sugar throws Cuba's rum industry into crisis, 30 May). There are many things I commend Cuba for: its public health system and medical technologies, a strong sports culture, cigars and an overall resilience and innovativeness, as exemplified in the vintage American cars that cruise the streets of Havana.
However, while Cuba, along with Barbados, Guatemala, Guyana and Haiti are the few countries where I imbibe 'Nelson's blood' due to a discerning palate, Barbados singularly deserves credit as the birthplace of rum. This tiny, most-easterly island in the Caribbean is the home of rum, made from molasses, the sweet, tar-like byproduct of sugar cane production, which was initially considered waste. A document from 1651 identifies 'rumbullion' as a pre-eminently Bajan product. Mount Gay rum, established in 1703 by Sir John Gay Alleyne, is the world's oldest continuously operating rum distillery.
It is noteworthy that the smooth, velvety texture for which good rum is renowned is part of an evolutionary process. Before double distillation became standard, it had a harsh taste and carried the name 'Kill-devil' as its high alcohol content was considered devilish, able to easily overwhelm the drinker. That remains a possibility for the unwise or unsuspecting.
As well as being the home of the oldest rum, Barbados also produces some of the best. The International Wine and Spirit Competition honoured the Barbados-brand RL Seale Distilling's Foursquare 14-year-old Equipoise rum with the 2024 rum trophy, recognising it as the world's finest rum. Guy HewittBrixton, London
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Reporter's Notebook: Remembering courage on the 81st anniversary of D-Day
I've covered many anniversaries of D-Day, and they never lose their power to move. We were at the 81st anniversary at the stunning American cemetery in Normandy near Omaha Beach on Friday. American and other allied forces landed on that and other beaches, as well as parachuting from the skies, to go on to defeat Nazi Germany in World War II. World War Ii Veterans Travel To Normandy For Emotional D-day Commemoration Some 75,000 U.S. troops were involved. 2,500 were killed. 5,000 injured. Just on that day itself. One of those who made it across Omaha Beach is the still-very spry 102-year-old Minnesota-born Jake Larson. He declared to us jubilantly, "Not only did I make it through six battles … I made it without a scratch! Somebody 'upstairs' loves me." World War Ii Veterans Travel To Normandy For Emotional D-day Commemoration Read On The Fox News App Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke at the ceremony marking the day and met with the dwindling number of World War II veterans. He told us that alliances were important on D-Day and still could be important in these troubled times. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Reveals Why Military Recruitment Has Soared Under Trump " America first' hasn't meant and doesn't mean 'America alone,'" he added. "Working with our allies and partners, there's a lot we can accomplish now with gathering threats in the world." Still, some of those who saw action in Normandy and around the globe in World War II are not sure the message has gotten through. Two centenarian combat veterans and native New Yorkers, brought to France by the Greatest Generations Foundation, have their own thoughts. Flushing-born Ray Sweeney asked rhetorically, "What did we learn? I don't think we learned much. We gave up a lot of bodies. We had a lot of bodies." And Brooklyn-born Harold Radish noted, "War is heroic in the movies. But in real life, it's killing. It's not getting along with somebody." Still, the crowds who came Friday to the now-peaceful French beaches were steady and large. A strong sign that sacrifices have been remembered. And maybe some lessons article source: Reporter's Notebook: Remembering courage on the 81st anniversary of D-Day
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
How Air-Conditioning Built Our Reality
The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. This is an edition of The Wonder Reader, a newsletter in which our editors recommend a set of stories to spark your curiosity and fill you with delight. Sign up here to get it every Saturday morning. Before the air conditioner was invented, human beings were at a loss for how to cool themselves. Some of the ideas were arguably doomed from the start: In the 19th century, as Derek Thompson noted in a 2017 article, New England companies shipped huge ice cubes insulated with sawdust around the country. 'There were even shortages during mild winters—'ice famines,'' he wrote. The air conditioner was not only a brilliant innovation; it changed the course of human life. In the U.S., it allowed people to migrate to the Sun Belt, to Atlanta and Phoenix, altering the country's demographics and politics. Globally, it allowed people in countries with excruciating heat to work more, leading to new sites of productivity and wealth. Today's newsletter explores how the air conditioner has already shaped our world, and how it continues to change our lives for better and for worse. On Air-Conditioning Your Air Conditioner Is Lying to You By Daniel Engber How does money-saver mode make sense? Read the article. How Air-Conditioning Invented the Modern World By Derek Thompson A new book by the economist Tim Harford on history's greatest breakthroughs explains why barbed wire was a revolution, paper money was an accident, and HVACs were a productivity booster. (From 2017) Read the article. The Moral History of Air-Conditioning By Shane Cashman Cooling the air was once seen as sinful. Maybe the idea wasn't entirely wrong. An Object Lesson. Read the article. Still Curious? America the air-conditioned: Cooling technology has become an American necessity—but an expensive one, Lora Kelley wrote last year. America's doublethink on working through the heat: Heat can be deadly; no federal rules currently exist to protect workers against that danger, Zoë Schlanger wrote last year. Other Diversions What the fastest-growing Christian group reveals about America Why Wittgenstein was right about silence 'What Hula taught me' P.S. I recently asked readers to share a photo of something that sparks their sense of awe in the world. Diego Gutierrez, 63, sent a photo of Mohonk Preserve in New York. I'll continue to feature your responses in the coming weeks. — Isabel Article originally published at The Atlantic
Atlantic
5 hours ago
- Atlantic
How Air-Conditioning Built Our Reality
This is an edition of The Wonder Reader, a newsletter in which our editors recommend a set of stories to spark your curiosity and fill you with delight. Sign up here to get it every Saturday morning. Before the air conditioner was invented, human beings were at a loss for how to cool themselves. Some of the ideas were arguably doomed from the start: In the 19th century, as Derek Thompson noted in a 2017 article, New England companies shipped huge ice cubes insulated with sawdust around the country. 'There were even shortages during mild winters—'ice famines,'' he wrote. The air conditioner was not only a brilliant innovation; it changed the course of human life. In the U.S., it allowed people to migrate to the Sun Belt, to Atlanta and Phoenix, altering the country's demographics and politics. Globally, it allowed people in countries with excruciating heat to work more, leading to new sites of productivity and wealth. Today's newsletter explores how the air conditioner has already shaped our world, and how it continues to change our lives for better and for worse. On Air-Conditioning Your Air Conditioner Is Lying to You By Daniel Engber How does money-saver mode make sense? Read the article. How Air-Conditioning Invented the Modern World By Derek Thompson A new book by the economist Tim Harford on history's greatest breakthroughs explains why barbed wire was a revolution, paper money was an accident, and HVACs were a productivity booster. (From 2017) Read the article. The Moral History of Air-Conditioning By Shane Cashman Cooling the air was once seen as sinful. Maybe the idea wasn't entirely wrong. An Object Lesson. Still Curious? America the air-conditioned: Cooling technology has become an American necessity—but an expensive one, Lora Kelley wrote last year. America's doublethink on working through the heat: Heat can be deadly; no federal rules currently exist to protect workers against that danger, Zoë Schlanger wrote last year. Other Diversions P.S. I recently asked readers to share a photo of something that sparks their sense of awe in the world. Diego Gutierrez, 63, sent a photo of Mohonk Preserve in New York.
