Rum · Style · Short entry
Rum (EU legal category)
The EU spirit-drink category 1: a spirit distilled only from sugar-cane products, at least 37.5 % vol., with tightly limited additions. Registered geographical indications may add 'traditional' or 'agricultural'.
Method
Alcoholic fermentation and distillation at less than 96 % vol. No added alcohol, no flavouring; caramel only for colour; sweetening up to 20 g/l as invert sugar.
What the regulation requires
Under Regulation (EU) 2019/787, rum is made exclusively by distilling the fermented product of molasses or syrup from cane-sugar manufacture, or of sugar-cane juice itself, at less than 96 % vol., so that it keeps the character of rum. The minimum strength is 37.5 % vol. No alcohol may be added and rum may not be flavoured; caramel is allowed only to adjust colour, and sweetening, to round off the taste, is capped at 20 g/l expressed as invert sugar.
For registered geographical indications the name may carry "traditional" (traditionnel, tradicional): distilled below 90 % vol. from local raw materials, at least 225 g of volatile substances per hectolitre of pure alcohol, and not sweetened. "Agricultural" adds the requirement of fermented cane juice only, and is reserved for GIs of a French overseas department or Madeira, such as Martinique and Guadeloupe.
How it connects
Continue exploring
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- IngredientSugarcaneSaccharum officinarum (and hybrids with S. spontaneum and other wild Saccharum)
- StyleCachaçaProtected name
- StyleRhum agricoleProtected name
- IngredientMolasses
- RegionGuadeloupeGuadeloupe, GP
- MethodColumn still (Coffey still)Distillation
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- RegionBarbadosBarbados
- RegionMartiniqueMartinique, MQ