I do not remember when or where my rum journey began, … but then again, I drink.
Technically, I must have gotten started with rum somewhere in the 1990s, but I was a hapless plebe stumbling around in a dark age. I know Bacardi Silver, Myers’s, and Mount Gay Eclipse were involved.
I do remember sitting with Dr. Cocktail in his furnished rental in Metairie back in 2003, and complaining that I didn’t understand rum (true). He poured me some Cruzan Single Barrel (it was somewhat more rustic back then) and gave me some pointers. I don’t remember which pointers.
Somewhere around then—maybe shortly thereafter—I met Ed Hamilton. Julie Reiner was gracious to invite me to a little event at Flatiron to introduce Ed to the NYC cocktail cognoscenti, such as it was at the time. Ed and I hit it off, and I finally began to really learn about rum.
It’s definitely an ongoing process. I have far more rums at home than any other category of spirit. As it should be. I could easily have more, but I have also a wife.