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If you thought rum was just for pirates and your Grandad, think again. Last weekend saw the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s (CTO) four-hour “Rum & Rhythm” fest come to Vinopolis, London.

Billed as ‘a rarely seen extravaganza of sensations for the ears, eyes and taste buds’ – boasting high-profile sponsors such as British Airways, the holiday resort Sandals and the Aruba Tourism Authority – it did not disappoint! With guest speakers and live performers, as well as mixology tutorials, servings of the Caribbean’s best culinary dishes, not to mention samplings of the finest rum’s “the world’s favourite sun-holiday region has to offer”, it really was quite an experience!

Authentic Caribbean rum is made in 15 territories around the Caribbean, from Antigua & Barbuda, to the Grenadines, being produced in many different distilleries. Each brand (and region) boasts its own distinct history, production process, style and flavour; unique attributes which are gained from the geographical region of where each rum is made. These unique attributes set each rum apart from their counterparts from other countries. To compliment the difference in taste, each island’s rum has its own distinct look and feel which matches the traditions of the island where it is made.

Rum, made from Molasses and sugarcane juice (both by-products of sugarcane), by a process of distillation, fermentation and blending, is usually aged in Oak barrels and was first created in the 17^th Century. The drink as we know it today was originally made on the plantations in the Caribbean, and was distilled from Molasses to create a very harsh, very strong spirit. As the plantations spread, so did the tradition of making rum. Plantations stretching from the Caribbean to Latin America each had their own different rum, but were united by the fact that the rum was extremely strong. In order to make the rum more ‘drinkable’ the distilleries would add their own unique ingredients to the recipes (including, herbs, spices and fruits), thus giving them their own distinct flavours.     Rum is an integral part of the culture in the Caribbean Islands and comes in a wide variety of blends; white, gold, dark, spiced and flavoured rums. These can be mixed with the likes of Coca-Cola and lemonade, put in punches, made into cocktails, drunk straight and even can be used in food (with rum cake being a popular Jamaican treat).

Rum & Rhythm was a lively, fun, bustling event. The Cuban dancers and the Reggae band provided the music and set the tone and an array of chefs (including TV personality, Chef Barrington Douglass) provided the mouth-watering dishes and each island presented an array of its best rums. This was a truly fantastic experience, much appreciated and greatly enjoyed…very highly recommended.

That’s it for this year’s Rum & Rhythm, but RumFest UK is on October 16^th &17^th in London (see link below for details).

Whether you’re a rum expert, an occasional drinker or even if you’re not into rum, give it a go. Miss it, miss out.

RumFest UK: http://rumfest.co.uk/