Alcohol-Free Rum Cocktails
for the Mindful Pirate in you…
Ahoy there, Healthy Hedonists. Get ready to sail on the good ship wellness because this week we talk about rum… can you tell we’re excited?!
First, a bit of history: of all the spirits rum has an especially rich and global past, not to be romanticised due to its inextricable ties with the slave trade across the West Indies and other key sugar producing regions. Usually made from molasses, the sticky (and delicious!) black substance remaining after sugar has been crystallised from sugar cane juice, through the magic of distillation rum has won the taste-buds of many a nation and in the modern day is a proud expression of the heart and spirit (no pun intended!) of many Caribbean & American countries. That said, rum has been and unfortunately is still very reliant on black labour and we would like to see more inclusion and equal rights to celebrate and embrace this beautiful product.
From dark to white to spiced, we believe there’s a style of rum for everyone! It’s soooo delicious that sailors in the British Navy used to be paid in a daily rum ‘tot’ (measure), however this was abolished in 1970 due to concerns about unsteady hands & heavy machinery… understandably! At La Maison Wellness, we want to challenge these associations of drunkenness and rowdy sailors when someone shouts “yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum” and would love to see some lower alcohol or alcohol-free rum expressions on the horizon, from the countries that have gifted us with this deliciousness… The character of the sugar cane, the story of its producers: all of these things combine to make a truly great “rum.” Who says there can be no such thing as a mindful pirate… sipping on one of our delicious non-alcoholic rum cocktails, while navigating the high seas- we imagine there would be a lot less fighting!
If you’re a rum lover, who fancies less seasickness and more sailing, we highly endorse trying the following rum substitutes:
1. Clean R - CleanCo
CleanCo Clean R is distilled in exactly the same way as traditional golden spiced rum but has over 30 times less alcohol content. It delivers delicious undertones of caramel and cayenne pepper, with no added sugar or sweeteners.
2. Rumish - ish spirits
After completing the 100 day alcohol-free challenge, Morten Sørensen wanted to “turn the tables on the social norms of ‘drinking’ and create a rum for ‘those who can tear up the dance floor completely sober, and those who simply want to wake up with a clear head on Sunday morning.’”
Made with the spices found in traditional rum (madagascan vanilla, nutmeg), Rumish also has a hint of chilli for that pseudo-alcoholic ‘punch’ and an ‘adult’ flavour.
3. Dark Cane Spirit - Lyre’s
Full flavoured with notes of caramel, fudge, fig and toasted nuts and enhanced by a long finish of maple and vanilla: this unique spirit has been impossibly crafted to capture the essence of an elegant dark rum. Lyre's spirits don't just mimic… they have their own distinction as a premium, non-alcoholic beverage.
4. White Cane - Lyre’s
This bottling, also from Lyre’s, captures the essence of a gently aged white rum with flavours like marzipan, orange and coconut. Lyre’s white cane spirit is somehow both reassuringly traditional, distinct and contemporary. Great stuff!
5. Spiced Cane Spirit - Lyre’s
Everything there is to love about a balanced and rich spiced rum… with high notes of caramel, molasses and toasted nuts (yum!)
Mindful Cocktails
Now to the fun part… mindful Cocktails!
Rum has had a huge impact on cocktail culture… and this is where the fun really starts! Many of the most popular and well-known classic cocktails (mojito, daiquiri, pina colada… anyone?) are rum-based and most of us have had a fun rum-based tiki-style drink, served in an outlandish vessel, that brings the holiday flavour wherever you are sipping. We reckon everyone could use a smile, or to be whisked away to a tropical land with their flavours… so why not try these delicious mindful rum cocktails from La Maison Wellness?
