Rum 101: what is vintage rum?

July 15, 11:28 PMRum ExaminerRobert A. & Robert V. Burr

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While most rums sold in the U.S. are blended from multiple sources before bottling, some unique rums are bottled from specific vintage years of production.

Plantation's 1992 Vintage
from Venezuela is a
collector's item.
Photo by Robert Burr.
 

Vintage rums are most often seen from the French islands, where the growing and processing season is short. In some cases, private label rum brands purchase a large bulk of rum from a single production year, age the product and bottle it when maturity is peaking.

Like in the production of fine wines, in some years the harvest is bountiful, while others are not as abundant. The amount of sugar contained in the raw cane might vary each year due to changes in rainfall and other environmental factors. The resulting differences are noted by the master distiller and the maturing process is monitored to achieve the ideal flavor profile for that vintage year.

Vintage rums are labeled with the year they were distilled and the location of their origin. Examples are Rhum J.M. 1997 Vintage from Martinique, Plantation Venezuela 1992 and the 1998 Vintage from Foursquare Rum Distillery in Barbados.

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Robert Burr
National Rum Examiner
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