Who doesn’t favor a nice glass of rum with a dash of water or ice? Its sweet and earthy flavors swirling around your palate make you feel as if you’re in the Caribbean. But what if we tell you that there is a more gratifying way to enjoy this spirit? Certain foods help in accentuating the taste of rum, giving you an enhanced overall experience. Read our guide to the best food pairings with rum to see how you can take your rum-tasting journey to the next level.
How To Pair Rum With Food
Ask any rum connoisseur and they’ll tell you about the varieties of this special liquid you’ll find in the market. One type of rum will fare better than the other when they’re paired with a portion of certain foods. That’s why you need to understand the flavor profile of different types of rums before pairing. Here’s a complete breakdown of how to approach different rums and pair them with foods that bring out their overall flavors.
Light Rum
Also known as silver or white rum, light rum has an extremely subtle taste profile. It’s not overpowering in any manner, and it’s also the most preferred type of rum for those with a sweet tooth. This type of spirit is produced by preserving it in stainless steel tanks for about a year and then undergoing a filtering process before bottling. This gives the spirit its light and clean flavor that people really enjoy.
Best Foods To Pair With Light Rum
Since light rum has a sweet and smooth aftertaste, we recommend you pair it with fruits. Apples, pineapples, bananas, oranges, and mangoes will be your best pairing options with this type of rum. You could also make a fruit salad and combine all the flavors so that it adds that extra zing to your rum-tasting venture. If you can’t get enough of the sweetness, you could pair light rum with lemon cake or vanilla cookies to satisfy the gourmand in you.
Also Read: How To Pair Beer With Food
Gold Rum
We can consider gold rum, known as amber rum too, as a stronger variant of light rum. What gives this rum its golden attributes is the bold, savory, and caramelized tones that immediately dishes out a serotonin overdose once you sip it. You get such a flavor profile due to the congeners (additives) that are added during production and the oak barrels in which the rum is preserved.
Best Foods To Pair With Gold Rum
Steak would be the apt pairing as its piquant taste complements the sweet and caramel-y tone of the rum. Grilled fruit goes well with gold rum too although it might come as an odd pair. The smokey nature of the fruit cuts through the savory taste of the rum, making it a functional couple with different personalities. Grilled coconut, peaches, and pineapples are good areas to begin with.
Also Read: 7 Best Snacks To Pair With Whiskey
Black Rum And Dark Rum
Black rum and dark rum have similar food pairings although both rums have different taste profiles. Dark rum has a complex tinge to it as it’s aged for about three to five years. On the other hand, black rum is preserved for approximately three years but gets its dark color from the molasses that are added. When you sip a dark rum, you’ll notice that it’s more towards the dryer side with a hint of sweetness. Black rum has a bit more of a smoky flavor as compared to other rums with a subtle sweetness that completes the flavor.
Best Foods To Pair With Black Rum And Dark Rum
Cheddar cheese accompanies the intricate flavors of black and dark rum like John Lennon to Paul McCartney. It provides the right amount of saltiness that balances the overall flavor of both the rums together. Another type of cheese you can include is gouda since it bursts with nutty and sweet tones. Vanilla also fits the glove when it comes to food pairings with black and dark rum. While you take small nips of your rum, vanilla ice cream or vanilla cake will add that extra oomph!
Also Read: The Best Foods To Pair With Red Wine
Spiced Rum
Want to add some spice to your life? How about you try some spiced rum that’s rich in vanilla, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon? That’s the main selling point of this rum: it’s full of flavors! Practically, the possibilities are endless when it comes to food pairing with spiced rum.
Best Foods To Pair With Spiced Rum
Since the production of rum has its early roots in the Caribbean, many Caribbean dishes can be accompanied by different types of rum. To give your taste buds a little something to revel in, try pairing spiced rum with Jerk Chicken. The spiciness of the dish will be a good contrast to the strong flavor of the rum. You could also use dark chocolate as a food pairing as it complements the spices in the rum. If you’re feeling adventurous, you could use Chilli chocolate to give you that overt hit of flavor in your mouth.
Candied nuts are also a good pairing with this type of rum. The nutty taste of the snack very well amplifies the spicy nature and the rum’s sugarcane ethnicity making it one of the best food pairings with rum.
Also Read: 6 Rum Cocktail Recipes To Keep You Warm This Winter
Summing Up
Rum has nuanced flavors and specific foods enhance the subtleties of this spirit. Whether you’re at a party or having a drinking session by yourself, try these best food pairings with rum. Be experimental, and enjoy exposing yourself to new drinking innovations. Have fun!
FAQs
What Foods Pair Well With Rum?
Fruits, chocolate, cheese, and meats are some of the best food pairings with rum. There are different types of rum and each rum goes well with certain foods. That’s why it’s important to select your variety of rum first before pairing it with any food.
What Is The Best Way To Drink Rum?
You can have this Caribbean spirit on the rocks, with a splash of water, or with a lime wedge. If you want to truly indulge in the flavors, sip your rum neat.
How Many Shots Of Rum Get You Drunk?
Usually, three to four shots of rum are enough to put you in good spirits. But how quickly you get drunk depends on the tolerance limit of the person.
Is Rum Stronger Than Vodka?
Rum and vodka nearly have the same alcohol content. Rum has an ABV of 40% whereas vodka has a rough quantity of 35% ABV. But, there are some varieties of rum that have an ABV level as huge as 50%.
What Are The 4 Types Of Rum?
The four types of rum include dark rum, aged rum, spiced rum, and light rum.
What Is The Most Popular Rum In The World?
Bacardi Rum is the most popular and recognized brand in the world which was founded by Don Facundo Bacardi Masso in 1862.
What Do You Mix With Rum?
You can mix rum with club soda, tonic water, pineapple juice, cola, ginger beer, and the list goes on.
