Many will recall this memorable scene from 2003

Photo courtesy of Privateer Rum
By Jody Kurash
Many will recall this memorable scene
from 2003 Disney blockbuster, “Pirates
of the Caribbean,” and Johnny Deep’s
pitiable query, “Why is the rum gone?”
Dating back centuries, it seems that
rum and pirates go hand-in-hand. From
rum’s earliest production in the 1600s in
Barbados, until Depp’s staggering rumdrenched portrayal of Jack Sparrow, the
two are tied together.
Today the shelves of liquors stores are
filled with brands of rum with piratethemed monikers. The most popular being
Captain Morgan, which accounts for about
one third of the premium rum market in
the US. Others include Blackheart, with a
sexy female pirate donned in knee-high
spiked boots which lauds itself as a “baud
and cutthroat” and Kraken, which takes its
name from the mythical sea beast, which
is said to have wreaked havoc on rumrunning vessels throughout history. So
what does this have to do with privateers?
Well, a new rum with a twist on the
piracy theme has hit the Washington area,
the super premium Privateer. This spirit
takes its name from real-life privateer
Andrew Cabot.
First let’s distinguish the difference
between pirates and privateers. According
C. Wayne Curtis, author of “And a bottle of
Rum, the History of the New World in Ten
Cocktails,” Privateers, unlike pirates, had
the official blessing of their government to
attack ships flying the flags of the enemy.
Privateers weren’t paid by the government
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but got to keep a generous percentage
of the spoils. England got an extended
navy without putting up any hard cash,
and the more rapacious privateers earned
far more than a sailor could hope to see
in the standing navy.
Many of the world’s most famous “pirates,”
were actually privateers. These include
Blackbeard, Captain William Kidd and
even Captain Henry Morgan.
With all the pirate brands of rum available
it seems only natural that Privateer rum
should emerge. Cabot (1750-1791), a
merchant and rum distiller, was one of
America’s most successful privateers. He
operated a fleet of more than twenty-five
ships including the Pilgrim, Revolution
and True American for which their rum
is named. The rum is produced in Essex
county, Massachusetts, by another Andrew
Cabot, a family member six generations
removed from the original.
While many rums are distilled in the
Caribbean, Privateer rum hails from what
seems like a unlikely place – north of
Boston. Massachusetts is famous for a
number of things – die-hard sports fans,
bad drivers, tea parties and patriots –
but not rum.
But this was not always the case. In
the 1700s before whiskey gained its
foothold as the all-American spirit, rum
was one of the first mass-market products
manufactured in America. According to
Curtis, by the time of the Revolution, local
distillers produced more than half the
rum consumed in the northern colonies.
Indeed, rum distilling was the second most
important manufacturing industry at the
time, trailing only shipbuilding. Boston had
at least twenty-five distilleries operating
and at least another ten distilleries were
producing rum in other settlements of
Massachusetts.
Rum distilling was so prolific, it’s a widely
held belief that Paul Revere drank rum at
the house of Captain Isaac Hall, a distiller
and head of the Medford minuteman,
partway into his famous ride.
Privateer is bringing the American spirit
back to rum. Their spirits consist of a Silver
Reserve and a True American Amber, which
has a rich flavor and complexity more
typically associated with fine whiskey.
The location of their distillery and its
maritime climate contribute to the spirit’s
layers of flavors.
While many associate rum with tropical
summer drinks, it’s only natural that
rum from New England would make an
excellent winter cocktail. My favorite is
the Winter Daiquiri, a delightful mixture
of True American Amber, lime juice and
cinnamon syrup. The Winter Daiquiri tastes
just like a Christmas drink should taste rich, spicy and flavorful, and the cinnamon
is reminiscent of homemade holiday
cookies. So, this season, add the spirit of the
American Revolution to your holiday soiree.
To learn more about Privateer Rum visit
www.privateerrum.com
FOR MORE PIX FROM THESE & OTHER EVENTS, VISIT THE
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Photo courtesy of Fan Forum
Jack Sparrow: [Wakes up and sees Elizabeth burning the rum]
No! Not good! Stop! Not good! What are you doing? You burned
all the food, the shade… the rum!
Elizabeth: Yes, the rum is gone.
Jack Sparrow: Why is the rum gone?
Elizabeth: One: because it is a vile drink that turns even the most
respectable men into complete scoundrels. Two: that signal is over
a thousand feet high. The entire royal navy is out looking for me,
do you think there is even the slightest chance they won’t see it?
Jack Sparrow: But why is the rum gone?
Wintery Rum Cocktails
Winter Dacquiri
Submitted by Privateer Spirits
• 2 oz. Privateer True American Amber
• 3/4 oz. Cinamon Syrup
• 3/4 oz. Fresh lime juice
• Lime wedge or cinnamon stick
Directions: Combine ingredients in a
shaker then strain into a glass. Garnish
with lime or cinnamon stick.
Merry Flippin Christmas
submitted by Andrew Kerris
of the Florida Beer Company
• 4 oz. Kelly’s Irish Raspberry Cider
• 1 oz. Spiced Rum (or bourbon)
• 1 oz. Fireball or cinnamon whiskey
• 3 Whole Cloves
• Splash grenadine
Directions: Combine ingredients, serve
over ice and garnish with cloves.
Granny’s Hotty Toddy
• 1 tsp. Butter
• 1 tsp. Brown sugar
• 1 oz. Dark rum
• 1/2 oz. Grand Marnier
• Pinch ground cinnamon
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• Orange wedge
• Cinnamon stick
• 1/2 Cup hot water
Directions: Combine ingredients in an
Irish coffee mug, top with hot water and
stir. Garnish with cinnamon, nutmeg,
orange wedge and cinnamon stick.
Old Ebbitt Grill hosted Oyster Riot for their 19th consecutive year, this
year featuring D.C. Brau.
PHOTOS BY SINIC STATON
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