Rum with a Bitter Aftertaste, and Not Necessarily a Cheerful One
Rummmm: we love it! Admit it, it makes summer more summery and winter, erm, bearable. But however festive a rum cocktail may be, it’s not all fun and games when you delve a little deeper into rum’s history…
Perhaps it’s something you’d rather not think about when you pour yourself a classic like a rum and cola at the end of the day, or when you’re just planning to batch a large supply of Dark & Stormy cocktails for a party or picnic. But the fact remains that rum has traditionally been a product from plantations where enslaved people once worked for the men whose names and images now feature on various bottles.
Pirate or Nobleman
Captain Morgan, for example, is one of those brands whose namesake, displayed on the label like some kind of comic-book hero, doesn’t put everyone in a celebratory mood. The infamous Henry Morgan most likely began his career as a raider in the Caribbean and Central America aboard ships belonging to other ‘private’ pirates (or privateers; pirates who were allowed by the Crown to keep part of their plunder and were therefore regarded as somewhat less criminal than ‘real’ pirates). Before long, he was leading brutal attacks and raids in the region with his own ships, and because the proceeds were lucrative for the British treasury, he was not prosecuted but knighted instead.
By the end of his life, he owned plantations with many enslaved people (including young children), and he died an alcoholic. He sued for libel over a publication in which someone who had travelled with him on a ship revealed that Morgan was guilty of widespread torture and other abuses. Morgan won the case, but the image of him portrayed by the writer Alexandre Exquemelin dealt a serious blow to his reputation.
In ‘Good’ Company
Not that Captain Morgan is the only rum brand named after someone with at least a questionable background. The less well-known rums in the Netherlands from Admiral Rodney and Père LaBat (both available online) are also named after men whose reputations in terms of nepotism and human kindness are not exactly sterling.
Who Drinks Any Less Because of It?
Should this story spoil your enjoyment of drinking rum? No, not in our opinion. But as food writers, we believe it can never hurt to pause and consider the background of what we eat and drink. And perhaps, in keeping with the spirit of the times, it would be wise for some brands to take another close look at exactly who and what is being elevated as iconic, emblematic or heroic.
Read also:
- Do you love Rum and Limoncello? Then you definitely need to try this drink with Moretta and Fiorito
- The most delicious rum cocktails to make at home
- Do you know which cocktail belongs in which glass?
