The rum diaries

So you've ordered a rum cocktail and tried to lighten things up with a bad pirate joke. Crickets. We've all been there. Recover fast with these trivia tidbits.

Unlike spirits such as bourbon and Cognac, rum is a rogue agent. There aren't any regulations about rum, other than that it needs to be made from sugar cane juice or molasses. It can be sweetened, spiced and even flavoured, but the purists often scoff at these "enhancements".

There are two types of rum. Rhum industriel, is made from molasses and rhum agricole from fresh cane juice - same-same, but different. A colourful character this Rum - it is the only liquor that's available in clear, amber and dark incarnations - the colour depends greatly on long it's been barrel aged. Distilleries started ageing rum in wood during the 1600s. On long sea voyages, it was stored in large barrels. Folks noticed the flavour wasn't as harsh and the hue was more appealing - hello sailor! (amirite)

How to spice your own rum:

(Because buying ready-made spiced rum is for amateurs.)

• Mix 1 1/2 cups of good quality aged dark rum with 3 allspice berries, 3 cloves, 1 cardamom pod, 1 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 1/2 vanilla pod and 1 strip orange peel. Place in a jar, seal tightly and allow to infuse for 2 days. Strain through cheesecloth and store in the rum bottle.
• Mix 4T spiced rum, 2 T fresh lime juice and 2 T almond liqueur. Add ice, if you like, and garnish with a slice of lime.

Discover more do-it-yourself drinks here.