Luxebook December 2021

Craft rum makers eye a new generation of rum-drinkers Move over gin, it’s time for rum to make itself heard in the homegrown spirits business BY RUHI GILDER A s one of the top producers of sugarcane in the world, it was only a matter of time before India jumped into the resurgence of rum. A spirit with a complicated and controversial history, rum has been linked to colonialism, slavery and piracy. From the Caribbean context of slave sugar plantations, the acceptance of the spirit as currency by African slave traders, to the British setting up the famous Kasauli distillery in India, rum has had a shadowed past. In 1855, Edward Abraham Dyer opened a brewery in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh to supply cheap beer to the British soldiers. Cut to two years post- independence and the company was acquired by Narendra Nath Mohan and was renamed ‘Mohan Meakin Breweries.’ This distillery soon gained notoriety for producing a liquor that almost every Indian has fond memories associated with, a special dark rum called Old Monk. Introduced in December 1954, this rum was created after the founder’s visit to Europe where he was impressed by Benedictine monks and the liquors they produced. It was matured in oak vats for seven years, infused with spices, and named Old Monk as a tribute to them. A leader in the minds and hearts of consumers, this spirit has long been a synonym for rum in India. A new renaissance The genre of premium Indian rums has been undergoing a renaissance of sorts, making way for craft brands. As the Director of Business Development of Fullarton Distilleries, Aman Thadani said, “It is so difficult for one style of spirit and one product to describe an entire genre.” Kasturi Banerjee, Founder & Director, Stilldistilling Spirits, said of the crowd favourite spirit, “I don’t think you can erase anybody’s memories of Old Monk, it is just about catering to a certain palate.” Emboldened by the response of the market to premium craft gin, rum makers too have been busy at work, perfecting their blends. Homegrown brands like Segredo Aldeia, Maka Zai, Amrut Distilleries, Wild Tiger Rum and Gladius Rum have been striking a chord with the younger, more adventurous consumer. The attention towards well-stocked bars at home have ensured a variety of white, gold, spiced, flavoured and dark rums make their way to display cabinets everywhere. A good reception Amrut’s Two Indies rum was one of the first brands to ride on the D E C E MB E R 2 0 2 1 | L U X E B O O K | 25 MADE-IN-I N DIA 24| L U X E B O O K | D E C E MB E R 2 0 2 1