Spiced rum made in Louisiana is the perfect accompaniment to your end-of-year meals, with vanilla and cinnamon flavours that go perfectly with Christmas desserts.
In our last issue, we devoted our Distillery Focus section to the Bayou distillery (Louisiana-USA). We couldn’t resist highlighting their spiced rum, Bayou Spiced, in this issue. But first, a quick reminder of how Bayou rums are produced.
The distillery (located in Lacassine, 300 kilometres from New Orleans since 2011) itself has no cane fields, so it sources 100% local molasses from a single operator (in business since 1825!), located an hour’s drive away.
Once it arrives at Bayou’s premises, the molasses is pasteurised and then placed in 4,000-litre vats, where the temperature is raised to 70° and then lowered to 32°. Fermentation then begins using controlled yeasts in the vats. For the first 24 hours, the temperature remains at 32°, and for the next four days it drops further to 18° to give it time. The result is a molasses wine with an alcohol content of 12%.
Distillation then takes place in a 100% copper pot still. From the wash still comes a crude rum with an alcohol content of 40-45%, which then goes through the spirit still. The end result is a light, round rum with an alcohol content of 85-90%.
A tasting Spiced for Christmas
Bayou’s core range is made up of rums that are best drunk neat (or on the rocks, like a whisky or bourbon). Bayou Spiced is no exception, and can be enjoyed neat or on the rocks. But it’s also perfect in cocktails or long drinks, where its spicy yet mild flavour adds structure and character.
For example, you can mix it with cola or Dr Pepper, or make a spicy Palmer cocktail with Gator Bite Satsuma®, tea, lemonade and ice. The idea behind this product is to celebrate the culture of the Cajun inhabitants of Louisiana.
Bayou rum is infused with a complex yet delicate blend of spices inspired by the Creole culture of Louisiana, including natural vanilla, cinnamon and sweet figs. An interesting pairing to try: serve Bayou Spiced neat (or on the rocks) with a Christmas cake or pudding.
Bayou Spiced: Rum infused with Cajun spices for 60 days. Cinnamon, banana, maple syrup, pepper, vanilla and cloves are the main notes of this pretty spiced rum.
70 cl – 40% – around €30