Landmark Arapaima Study in Guyana’s Rupununi Launches

Landmark Arapaima Study in Guyana’s Rupununi Launches

When you think rum, you might immediately conjure up images of brightly colored tropical drinks and tacky umbrellas and a keen anticipation of a bad headache the next day. Lo – behold the El Dorado Manhattan… a drink so “Dark, leathery and rich” that the cocktail editor at Playboy (that’s right, Playboy) said the concoction “made me rethink everything I knew about cocktails.”

I would wager that when most people think about rum, they imagine tropical cocktails—Daiquiris, Mojitos, Piña Coladas, all manner of big, fruit-forward drinks in the Tiki tradition. And there’s nothing wrong with that. I mean, who doesn’t love a Mai Tai? But rum has so much untapped potential beyond your standard-issue island fare.

My rum epiphany came courtesy of Bastian Heuser, one of Germany’s most celebrated bartenders. (I know, I know, a man from a completely landlocked country; it makes no sense at all.) I first met him in 2008 at the Berlin Bar Convention and became a fan of his work almost immediately. His cocktails are rooted in classic methodology, but with a forward-thinking philosophy that only a skilled modern palate could pull off. Case in point—his Guyana Manhattan, which made me rethink everything I knew about cocktails.

Unlike whiskey and brandy, rum doesn’t come with a lot of rules. It can be made pretty much anywhere, anyhow, as long as it’s made from sugar cane. Some islands favor fresh sugar cane juice, like the rhum agricole style of Rhum Clement from Martinique. The majority, however, use the main byproduct from the sugar manufacturing process, molasses. Other rums, most notably Jamaican, are made in copper pot stills, resulting in a fuller, richer spirit such asMyers’s and Smith & Cross. Yet others are made in column stills, resulting in a lighter, cleaner spirit such as Bacardi from Puerto Rico. In addition, many rums are aged in used bourbon barrels, which brings a lot of those darker barrel notes to the party: vanilla, caramel, coconut, and oak tannins.

All of which brings me back to my original point—rums from Guyana. They’re typically made from Demerara sugar and distilled in pot stills; as such, they’re among the richer varietals out there, making them ideal for spirit-driven cocktails such as Bastian’s version of the Manhattan.

His specific rum of choice is Guyana’s El Dorado 12 Year. Dark, leathery and rich, the rum tastes more like an XO Cognac than anything you would associate with the Caribbean. Put it up against a full-bodied sweet vermouth and some aromatic bitters, and you’ve got yourself a cocktail worthy of sipping while the weather is still cool. In other words, there’s no need to wait for tropical sunshine. It’s perfectly appropriate for this upcoming half-winter/half-spring weekend.

Guyana Manhattan
Adapted from a recipe by Bastian Heuser
1 ½ oz. El Dorado 12 Year rum
½ oz. Carpano Antica Formula sweet vermouth
2 dashes Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters
1 dash Angostura bitters

Stir ingredients with ice until well chilled and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

Jeffrey Morgenthaler is the bar manager at Pépé le Moko and Clyde Common, the acclaimed gastropub at the Ace Hotel in Portland, Oregon. Read more of his Playboy columns here.

This article was originally published on Playboy for iPhone. For more exclusive content and the best articles from the latest issue of Playboy, download the app in the iTunes Store.

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Kim Chong

Accounts Assistant

Get in Touch with Kim Chong
Kim Chong
Accounts Assistant
Kim Chong
Kim is an accounts assistant working for WE in our Georgetown office. With a passion for adventure, she loves exploring nature and observing wildlife, which fuels her enthusiasm for the industry. Though she has been in the tourism sector for less than a year, Kim is eager to immerse herself fully in this dynamic field. Her dedication to her work and her love for travel inspire her to contribute meaningfully to the company’s mission of creating unforgettable experiences for travelers.
Kim Chong

Accounts Assistant

Get in Touch with Kim Chong