Cocktail
The Rise of Cane
A chic new class of
rums from Brazil and
the Caribbean is
storming U.S. shores.
This summer, simply
add a touch of lime,
sugar and spice to
make everything nice
BY JOSH KRIST
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE TAFT
The fact that you can’t spell summer without the letters in rum
may prove that there’s poetic justice in this world. Rum has
long been the mixer of choice for summer cocktails, but these
days there are two new kids in town: high-end cachaça from
Brazil and rhum agricole, rums mainly from the French Caribbean island of Martinique.
These kindred spirits are made straight from sugar cane—
not from molasses, like most rums. As James Meehan, bar
general manager at New York City’s PDT, says, “Great spirits
have an origin. The water, climate in which the base product is
grown, fermentation and distillation methods all determine
the character of the liquid pouring out of the still. For me, rhum
agricole is one of those great spirits.”
It might take repeated tasting to appreciate the flavors of pure
cane alcohol. It has an earthy, angular flavor, and depending on
