How a Rum Infusion Works
Many people are familiar with the idea of vodka infusions, and the process works just the same with rum. Mixing the spirit with fruit, vegetables, herbs, and/or whole spices imparts the flavors of those ingredients into the alcohol without overwhelming it. We love the way that infusions give you more control over the final flavor—you can strain the ingredients sooner or let them sit longer depending on your desired result.
Rum Infusion Do’s and Don’ts
We’ve been making infusions at Montanya for over a decade, and our founder has been using them in co*cktails since her 20s. Here are a few helpful hints for keeping it simple and enjoying the end result:
Choose the Right Rum
This might sound obvious, but go for the rums that aren’t already flavored or spiced, and be sure to select a rum you like. While infusing changes the flavor profile, it’s not going to cover up the original rum and it definitely won’t turn a low quality rum into a delicious one. The rum will still shine through, so you want to love it!
Light rums are more likely to absorb and express the flavors of an infusion, but even dark rums work. Most of the time, you’ll want to begin with a white rum that’s light and clean to really showcase the flavors you’re infusing rather than overwhelming them. We make most of our infusions with Montanya Platino. That said, when you’re making something like a spiced rum, you may want to choose a dark rum so it can stand up to the intensity of the flavors. We use Montanya Oro, for example, in our Topsider Infusion, which includes cinnamon, vanilla and orange.
Choose Complementary Flavors
Remember that an infused rum doesn’t need to carry the entire co*cktail. When coming up with a new infusion, we think about what we envision pairing it with. Fresh citrus and herbs, or cinnamon and cloves? Light or rich? We often pair our cucumber infusion, for example, with fresh mint in the Teocalli and the Caldera, and our Pineapple Habanero infusion with cilantro in co*cktails like the Señorita.
Use whole SPICES
We often chop or blend vegetables before adding them to an infusion, but spices are a different story. Cinnamon perhaps offers the best illustration why. When you’re satisfied with the flavor, simply pull out the cinnamon sticks. No guess work about how much ground cinnamon to use, no impact on the texture of the rum, and a lot harder to overdo it. Ground cinnamon can often make infusions and co*cktail ingredients taste a little slimy, too, so we always start with whole bark.
Don’t Infuse Too Long
Some ingredients, like whole vanilla beans, can infuse indefinitely. Others, however—especially fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables—can either spoil or spoil the flavor of the rum. Basil-infused rum (which we use in the Basil Paradisi) is a great example. Leave the basil in too long and the rum can acquire a grassy taste.
Don’t Feel Pressured to Infuse a Whole Bottle
We tend to forget this one when we’re making infusions at home because we’re so used to making them in batches at the Tasting Room (we once, in fact, published a recipe calling for four bottles of rum, which is great for a large party but maybe not your average Friday evening co*cktail. 😆) While there is something to be said for making a larger batch since you’re already doing the work (infusions have a long shelf life), it’s perfectly legit to halve the recipe and see how you like it. If you go this route, glass jars work great for smaller infusions. (We don’t recommend infusing in plastic because alcohol acts as a solvent on the plastic and may contribute unpleasant flavors, even when it’s food grade.)
Plan Ahead (Just a bit!)
Most of our infusions sit for a total of three to five days. So not long at all, but it does mean you’re not going to run out to the store today and be ready to drink the infusion by tomorrow. If you tend to prefer quicker gratification, consider starting with something like the Topsider Infusion, which sits for only three days. And if you need something right away, try muddling fresh herbs or spices into your shaker when you make a co*cktail for a pop of instant flavor, or try our flavored co*cktail bitters.
Start with Recipes
Sure, we know a lot of bartenders who are perfectly comfortable heading into the kitchen and experimenting with infusions. But not everyone is so adventurous, especially when you’re working with a whole bottle of rum at once. So to avoid being disappointed if you don’t like the results, recipes are a great way to get a feel for the flavor profiles you like best and the right ratio of ingredients.
How Long Infused Rum Lasts
When you make an infusion following one of our recipes, the high alcohol level of the rum acts as a preservative. Once you remove the infusion ingredients, the infused rum lasts indefinitely. (It is worth noting that if you branch out from our recipes and add an excess amount of sugar or other ingredients and bring down the alcohol by volume, that could cause a shelf-life issue.)
Our Favorite Infused Rum Recipes
We’ve compiled a list of our favorite rum infusions here, including basil, cucumber and pineapple habanero (we love a good kick!). You’ll also find two versions of spiced rum: Dr. Bob’s Snake Oil and our Topsider Infusion. (We also have to use this opportunity to highlight a particularly bold infusion choice in a recent media article featuring Montanya: banana, made with Platino. We know it’s a flavor people tend to love or hate, but we recognize a kindred spirit in the maker, who uses house-made infusions. And we definitely want to try that co*cktail!)
