Make Your Own Spiced Rum!

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Make Your Own Spiced Rum!

As fall rapidly approaches, we all naturally change our mindset from light, refreshing scents and flavors to those classic autumn spices…..cinnamon, nutmeg, clove…. I find myself doing this not only with the candles I burn in my house but also the cocktails I want to make and imbibe.

I also believe that many people change the SPIRITS they drink with the seasons, and that always makes me think about spiced rum. There are of course the first brands that come to mind, Captain Morgan, Kraken, Cruzan, Bacardi Oakheart--- but there are others out there as well that you may not see at every basic liquor store.

Pusser’s makes a great spiced rum, with flavors of ginger, cinnamon, orange peel, nutmeg and allspice. Maggie’s Farm from Pittsburgh makes a wonderful spiced rum, which includes flavors of Tahitian vanilla, orange zest, nutmeg, and allspice, which to me all tastes like my grandmother’s Gingerbread!

Chairman’s Reserve spiced rum is one of my favorites, with all of the expected baking spices AND vanilla, plus orange and lemon zest.

As you know, rum is a vast category of different styles and regions around the world and it all depends on your palate and what you prefer. I am a huge fan of making my own infusions, however, and this is one of the easiest to do. First you must choose the style of rum you want. I would certainly use an aged rum, but you need to determine if you want a mellow one like Mt. Gay Eclipse, a bold one like Ron Zacapa 23, or something funky like Rhum J.M. I have included my personal infusion recipe below, but remember that it is YOURS and you should add the flavors you most prefer.

An article from me wouldn’t be complete without a cocktail recipe and a little history lesson, so I want to introduce you to a favorite of mine, the Cable Car. The Cable Car is a twist on the classic Sidecar (Cognac, Cointreau, Lemon) and was created by Tony Abou-Ganim in 1996 at the Starlight Room in San Francisco at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel. The hotel is a landmark, and is located alongside the very famous Nob Hill cable car tracks. The Cable Car cocktail calls specifically for Captain Morgan (but you could use your own spiced rum infusion as well), Orange Curacao, and fresh lemon sour. It also uses a cinnamon/sugar rim, which is a lovely addition to the spices in the rum.

-Article written by Cris Dehlavi, Muse of Mixology- 

My name is Cris Dehlavi and I am a native of Arizona, but have lived in Columbus, Ohio for the past 13 years with my daughter, Desi. I have been running the bar program at “M”, of the Cameron Mitchell Restaurant group since 2005. I am currently the President of Columbus USBG as well as a consultant for bars and restaurants nationally. In 2013, I attended the rigorous B.A.R. 5 Day Spirits Certification and have been recognized as one of the top mixologists in the U.S.A. I am one of the senior managers of the prestigious apprentice program at Tales of the Cocktail and work as a mentor to many bar tenders around Ohio. My contribution to "Got Rum?" magazine will include everything from reviews of national cocktail events, articles on mixology, garnish trends, recipes and techniques, to interviews with some of the leading bartenders in the industry.