OnTap Magazine

that we in South Africa have is access to barrels that were previously used in South Africa by wine, brandy, or whiskey producers,” comments Trevor Bruns, which gives SA not only a unique geographical terroir but also a unique ageing agent in contrast to the rest of the world which uses bourbon casks. Andrew Rall, who founded Distillery 031 in Durban in 2008, expounds that one of the great catalysts to any revolution is education. “For rum to explode in South Africa it needs people to know how to drink it,” he says. “ ere is no default G&T-type serve and unless the public are educated they won’t buy rum”. Woollatt goes on to describe the biggest challenge that the industry faces, adding that it is, happily, on its way out. “ e assumption of a dark, heavy and strong drink that makes you smell the next morning and gives you bad hangovers is changing,” he says. James Copeland, veteran electronic musician, life-long rum fan and founder of Copeland Rum in Cape Town hankers to rum’s glorious past, “It's about restoring the image and dignity of rum,” he says, noting that rum’s seemingly endless variety is what will pique the public’s interest. Beer lovers who have been enjoying their revolution over the last ve years will attest to variety being synonymous with their journey. PROBLEMS AND PERSONALITIES Is rum the new Gin? Well Gin certainly has some advantages due to its appeal to the female audience and its use in iconic cocktails. Gin can also be bottled straight o the still and is appealing to the foreign market as it can utilise sought-after and unique local botanicals. Rum on the other hand needs to be aged to be at its best. is takes time, good resources and a lot of space to store the barrels. Some unnamed rum producers are producing “ avoured ethanol” which is “not rum” according to Bruns. It is common consensus amongst the distillers I spoke to that these poor quality “rums” are the single biggest challenge to the industry’s growth, quickly followed by the fact that local rum cannot compete on price with international pouring rums. Andrew Rall believes South Africa should rather look to compete on aged rum, which will take time, “ e brandy industry has got this right and South African pot still brandy holds its own against French Cognacs,” he says. Robert Greaves, of Mhoba Rum, an estate distillery in Mpumalanga is full of optimism, “In South Africa we are starting to make some really good rum. We do not have the pedigree and history that the traditional rum producing territories have but we have some pretty resourceful people here in South Africa and we are learning fast”. One thing that stands out amongst this new generation of rum runners is that they are driven by passion and this really comes through strongly in the way they speak of rum and the challenges they face. James Copeland sums it up: “One thing that stands out is what an amazing bunch of roguish individuals we all are. It's very much personality-driven with quite a few di erent takes on the subject, which is brilliant.” e South African rumbullion might take longer to catch on than the gin craze but like most things in life, good things come to those who wait and I for one am looking forward to sipping on local aged rums, just as soon as they’re out of the barrel. WHISTLER DARK RUM A sipping dessert rum using only African ingredients. The flavour profile is all dark chocolate, toasted toffee and nuts. DISTILLERY 031 AGUA ZULU CACHAÇA This Brazilian-style rum, which uses fresh sugar cane juice, somewhat flamboyantly shows off fresh, grassy notes followed by beautifully balanced citrus, then finishes with hints of butterscotch and vanilla. Try it in a Caipirinha. TAPANGA WHITE RUM This single-estate rum is delicate and soft on the palate, with an aroma of tropical botanicals that lends itself well to mixed drinks. MHOBA SELECT AGRICOLE GLASS CASK SUGARCANE RUM Expect ripe fruit and a long-lasting, rich smoky tobacco finish on this rum which goes through a unique ageing process using a 'glass cask' and charred wooden staves. COPELAND PENINSULA RUM Fermented with tropical yeast strains to maximise fruity esters of pineapple and litchi, it also displays notes of cacao and toasted coconut. AGAINST THE GRAIN 36 | Spring 2018 | ontapmag.co.za