HOW TO PROPERLY TASTE RUM
THEORY OF SIPPING
Rum sipping and tasting is first based on the degree of sweetness followed by the balance of spiciness, bitterness and acidity. Although, tasting differs amongst individuals, there exist common flavors that all tasters can identify. Sipping entails separating the nuances first before narrowing down to the actual flavors methodically. For instance, one may identify the taste sweetness resembling a fruit and further try to identify the fruit itself or its family.
PREPARATION BEFORE TASTING
Before tasting rum, one has to clean the mouth properly to otherwise identify the taste with high precision. Palate cleaners or rinsers include unsalted crackers or bread. Other mouth cleaners include water, chocolate, coffee, sorbet or cocoa. However, most experts prefer the use of bread and avoidance of cocoa, coffee or chocolate since they might interfere with the tasting process. Before drinking and in between different brand rum tasting requires cleaning of the palate.
Additionally, rum tasters must note the last meal they had or drink since it influences tasting. Aromas and tasting is influenced by the variety of substances and individual has come across in the past. For instance, one cannot detect the smell of vanilla or molasses taste if they have neither tasted nor smelled them in the past. History and experience of diverse aromas and tastes informs and makes rum tasting more interesting.
CHOICE OF GLASS AND VIEW
The color of rum influences on its taste since it prepares the brain on what to expect. Color ranges from clear, cloudy, light, dark to golden. One can note the possible addition of food coloring agents especially when fully aware of the details. Choosing a glass that allows for viewing and smelling.
One can use either a wine glass or a sherry glass, and then tilt it against a white backdrop or sunlight. Assessing the edges of the sherry glass at the point the rum meets glass for color. Color will appear as a ring with the degree of green color from light to dark translates to the age of the rum. Tilting or straightening the glass back allows tasters to determine the rum’s viscosity.
The process of rum running down after straightening is termed as legs. The thicker the legs the slower it moves and hence means it has a high alcohol content. Moreover, thick rum legs translate to higher viscosity. Fully bodied rums present with thinner legs.
AROMAS AND NOSING
Sniffing of rum is referred to as nosing and is best carried out through short but quick sniffs. Additionally short sniffs enable tasters of rum capture the diverse aromas. The process involves sniffing via both nostrils and experts recommend sniffing immediately after opening the bottle. Furthermore, the process occurs under seven seconds before the nose loses sensation of the aromas.
Experts in rum tasting advise tasters to swirl the glass with the rum and smell deeper to capture subtle aromas. Additionally, tasters achieve nose resetting via smelling the back of their wrists. However, the taster should avoid aftershave or perfumes since they might interfere with sniffing and resetting.
TASTING PROCESS
Preferably, the first taste shocks the tongue and thus should be small to capture the flavors. Tasters should take the second sip slower and allow it to float inside the mouth so that flavours evaporate to the nose to capture more aromas. Initial impressions identify sweetness, bitterness, acidity and spiciness. The third sip captures consistency of the rum in terms of viscosity or flavor intensity.
Consistency measures syrupy, light, smoothness or flavor intensity. Taking further sips allows the taster to identify more flavors and aromas. Popular methods such as rum with ice allows taster identify subtle aromas and flavors since it decreases the stronger characteristics.