by amaizing » Fri Jun 15, 2012 9:56 am
Common ingredients:
Vanilla Bean.
Far and away the most common additive we use is the Vanilla Bean, and the fresher the better. Of course, the freshest and much less expensive vanilla beans are available in Caribbean open air markets, but those available in the states will do as well. They just take a little while longer to work their magic. For a rum that needs a little smoothing, try dropping one half of a fresh vanilla bean in. Slice a vanilla bean crosswise then split the bean lengthwise down the center to open it up and fully expose the inside of the bean to the rum. (Reserve the other half of the bean for future use.) Let the rum sit for 2-3 days with a fresh bean, or 5-7 days if the bean is dry. Try a small sip of the rum, and remove the bean when the rum is flavored to your liking. Substitute pure Vanilla extract liquid if you cannot find a Vanilla bean, but we don’t recommend it, and for sure stay away from the imitation stuff.
Cinnamon.
The next level up is to use a cinnamon stick inserted into the rum bottle. Just drop the stick in and let it sit. Check for flavor daily. The cinnamon imparts much of its flavor in the first several minutes; deeper flavors can be developed with prolonged emulsion. You can even leave the stick in the bottle until the rum is gone, as the cinnamon will eventually release all of its flavor. One note of caution on cinnamon is that it can dominate all other flavors, so use it smartly.
Clove.
Cloves are a rapid, powerful way to spice a rum. Be careful, because just one little clove will impart a terrific amount of spice to a bottle full of rum. Taste the rum within one day of inserting a clove, then remove the clove or leave it in for longer, depending on your taste and what you are trying to achieve with the spicing.
Star Anise.
Star anise is commonly used in spiced rums. It imparts a black licorice flavor to rum. Though not commonly used alone a few star anise fruits can really add alot to a spiced rum recipe. Star anise is the industrial source of shikimic acid, a primary ingredient used to create the anti-flu drug Tamiflu. Tamiflu is regarded as the most promising drug to mitigate the severity of bird flu (H5N1). So add some star anise and drink to your health!
Nutmeg and Mace.
Ah, the little nutmeg, signature spice of Grenada, the perfect topping for any rum punch or eggnog. Add a little pinch of fresh ground nutmeg to put character and spice into a bland rum, or to add another dimension to hot alcoholic-tasting rums. Mace, the red skin covering the nutmeg shell, also adds an interesting flavor. Both fresh nutmeg and mace are widely available throughout the Caribbean. But be warned: a little goes a long way.
Allspiceand Allspice Leaves
Allspice is a spice which is the dried unripe fruit of the Pimenta dioica plant. The name "allspice" was coined by the English, who thought it combined the flavor of several spices, such as cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Columbus discovered allspice in the Caribbean and brought it back to Spain. The dried fruit are ground up or stored whole. Fresh leaves are also used and are similar in texture to bay leaves but should be used fresh as it looses flavor when dried.