Down the barrel

Rum
Rum is believed to have existed
thousands of years prior in the
form of brum, a drink made by
the Malay people. In the 14th
century. The development of
the rum industry hosted from
the growth of sugar cane plantations
in the West Indies. In
the 16th century captains of
seafaring vessels that entered
the Caribbean regions, took advantage
of a cheaper and more
readily available source of liquid
sold by local sugar cane
plantations called ‘kil devil’ — a
foul tasting by-product of sugar
cane processing which later became
known as rum. Rum
quickly replaced beer rations
and became an official ration
on British Navy ships from
1655.
In the 17th century rum was involved
in the slave trade, as
slaves, molasses, and rum were
part of the triangular trade.
Today, almost all rum is aged in
used oak barrels that once held
whiskey or bourbon.




Cachaca
Cachaca is made from fresh
sugarcane juice that’s fermented
and distilled. The spirit was
first invented by Portuguese
settlers in Brazil, sometime
around 1550. Around 400 years
back, plantation owners began
serving this liquid to their
slaves after noticing that it
would increase vigour. In the
early days, cachaca was used
medicinally as well as providing
a special treat for slaves during
festivals. Over the years better
distilled cachaca was developed
and by the 1920s, it had
become a symbol of Brazilian
identity.
For centuries, cachaca was produced
almost exclusively for
slaves, natives, sailors and the
lower classes. Brazilian elite regarded
it as a poor man’s drink,
preferring instead imported
wines, whiskeys (scotches) and
cognacs. In recent years,
cachacarias (restaurant/bars
featuring numerous different
cachaca) have sprung up in
most larger Brazilian cities.