Summer is finally here, and I’m excited to talk RUM! Rum may be a spirit typically associated with traveling in the Caribbean, but there are some fantastic rums being made right here in North Carolina.
I’m talking rum from Lassiter Distilling Company in Knightdale. In 2016, husband and wife Gentry and Rebecca Lassiter moved back to the Triangle from Chicago to open a distillery. They currently make three styles of rum all under their name: white, amber and their newest product, Rum Au Café, infused with coffee beans from Raleigh Coffee Company.
½ ounce simple syrup, equal parts sugar and water
½ ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice
2 ounces Lassiter’s North Carolina Rum
Shake with ice in cocktail shaker.
Strain into chilled coupe.
Worth a look is Lassiter’s North Carolina Rum, awarded a silver medal by the American Distilling Institute in 2017. The clear, white spirit is crafted entirely in-house as a single-run rum made from molasses and unrefined cane sugar. The company states that this combination imparts “unique floral and citrus flavors over a delicious molasses note.”
On the nose, this rum has a wonderful aroma of caramelized sugar and molasses, although it’s not as sweet of a nose as it sounds. There is clearly a yin and yang here of the distilled sugars and alcohol — the scent is a beautiful balancing act.
As you taste the rum, the caramel is the first thing you notice, and then it moves quickly to the alcohol. There is a mid-note that burns a bit, but it is an 80-proof rum. The best part of this spirit is by far is its finish – a long molasses note that lingers for minutes after swallowing. I am incredibly impressed with the finish of this rum. It immediately made me want to try it in all kinds of cocktails!
Since this is a white rum, I wanted to go with a more classic cocktail. There are so many great rum cocktails that work well this time of year, but the daiquiri is where it’s at. The classic non-frozen, non-high fructose corn syrup cocktail is easy. It’s also as gorgeous as it is refreshing. Three ingredients: rum, fresh lime juice and simple syrup. That’s it. Enjoy and cheers!
