Tales of the Cocktail 2015

Rum’s history spans centuries, and its flavor and character have changed dramatically over the years. But what did rums of the past taste like—and more importantly, can we reverse-engineer those styles of spirits, and improve on them for today? This session will plunge through rum’s past—drawing inspiration from historic styles of the spirit, as well as from vintage menus, cocktail recipes, distillers’ notes and popular literature—and will demonstrate how contemporary rum producers are dissecting old spirits in order to reengineer rums that bear the taste of history. We’ll also explore the ways these new rums are created—from employing procedures borrowed from the manufacture of other styles of spirits, to utilizing 21st century tools and techniques—and discuss analogous projects such as the recreation of 19th century-style Cognac and liqueurs. As we ponder the possibilities (can we recreate the rum Trader Vic first used in a Mai Tai?), we’ll taste the components of such reengineered rums, and take the spirits for a test drive in historically inspired cocktails.