Old Monk Rum

Old Monk is a dark Indian rum bottled at 40% ABV. The distributor's notes give it an age statement of seven years, but molasses and flavoring additions put it firmly in the dark rum category rather than among the lightly aged styles. It has been made since 1954 and is one of India's best-known rums. The profile is what makes it distinctive, and it's easy to place once you know the category. This product's own tasting notes aren't published, so what follows is what dark, molasses-forward rums of this type usually deliver. Expect a deep amber to mahogany color and an aroma of caramel, vanilla and toasted sugar, with dried fruit and a little oak underneath. The palate in styles like this tends to be round and fairly sweet, with brown sugar, molasses and light spice, and a short, warm finish. That sweetness explains the bottle's reputation. It is a rum people mix with cola, but it also holds up neat, particularly with a little water or a single large ice cube to slow the sweetness. As a mixer, the weight of a dark rum suits drinks built around richness. A Dark 'n' Stormy is a natural fit: pour 2 oz over ice in a highball, top with ginger beer, and add a squeeze of lime. The caramel notes sit well against the ginger's heat. A Rum Old Fashioned also works, with a bar spoon of demerara syrup (or even less, given the rum's own sweetness), two dashes of Angostura bitters and an orange peel, stirred over a large cube in a rocks glass. The classic rum and cola is the most common use, served tall over ice with a lime wedge. A Piña Colada made with a dark rum comes out deeper and more toasty than the usual white-rum version. For a Daiquiri or Mojito, which depend on a crisp, clean base, a white rum is the better tool, though a dark rum can make a richer, more rounded variation if you cut back on sugar. For serving, a rocks glass or Glencairn suits sipping at room temperature, with ice only if you want to soften the sweetness. Highball or Collins glasses suit long drinks. Because the rum is already sweet, taste a drink before adding any extra syrup. Food-wise, the caramel and spice character pairs well with grilled or tandoori meats, roasted nuts, dark chocolate and baked desserts such as bread pudding or spiced cake.