489 Making A Cocktail With Calwise Spirits And Where Is Uruguay?

Calwise

orange, pineappel, falernum rums, orange, lemon, cinnamon syrup

Discussed on this episode: Demerara rum is what happens when sugarcane grows up, gets sophisticated, and develops opinions. It comes from Guyana (chatgpt://generic-entity?number=0), specifically the fertile banks of the Demerara River (chatgpt://generic-entity?number=1). Historically, that region cranked out absurd amounts of sugar, which meant one obvious thing: serious rum. Dark, brooding, and absolutely not here to be mixed into something shy.

What makes Demerara rum special (a.k.a. why it thinks it’s better than other rums):

    •    Demerara sugar → deeper, molasses-heavy flavor before distillation even starts

    •    Ancient wooden stills (yes, wood) → flavors you simply cannot fake

    •    Big, unapologetic profile → burnt sugar, toffee, smoke, dried fruit, spice

    •    Structure → it doesn’t disappear in cocktails; it dominates politely

In modern times, most true Demerara rum comes from one distillery (Diamond Distillery, via El Dorado), because history consolidated and capitalism did its thing. The upside: the legacy is preserved. The downside: fewer weird unhinged experiments—though what survives is excellent.

How it behaves in drinks

    •    Makes Mai Tais stand up straight

    •    Turns simple cocktails into lectures

    •    Works beautifully in small doses, because it knows it’s intense

Demerara rum is dark, rich, historically important, and mildly judgmental. It’s the rum equivalent of someone who casually mentions they summered somewhere formative—and somehow you’re okay with it.