. For centuries, the region was a major producer of sugar, the raw material used for making rum. Different islands in the Caribbean developed production methods that gave rise to rums with unique properties.
To get a better sense of exactly what these properties were and how they relate to each place's history and cultural identity, I spoke with Ian Burrell, a self-described "Global Rum Ambassador" whose life has been steeped in rum for decades. "Rum is going to be different in each region of the Caribbean and that's why it's important to distinguish rum by geography," Burrell told me. Burrell, who has Jamaican roots and was a bartender before becoming one of the world's foremost experts on rum, told me that in Caribbean culture, rum isn't just a drink, it's "a spirit that is part of a way of life.
" He called rum "eau de vie," French for "water of life." He also just came out with a new book, , which serves as for anyone who's curious to learn more about the liquor's rich history. Jamaican rum It's hard to overstate just how embedded rum is in Jamaican culture.
Ian Burrell, who has Jamaican roots, told me he had his first sip of rum when he was just four days old, which I gather is not altogether uncommon on the island. "It's part of a way of life," he said. Unlike many other Caribbean islands, Jamaica has a geographical indicator, meaning there are certain regulations that distilleries must follow in order to call their product Jamaican rum.
"You have to use water from a cer.