To complement the exciting release of the Aroma Academy Rum Aroma Kit, we have decided to feature one of the signature aroma notes in many rums – Molasses - as our Aroma of the Week.
The tale of molasses is a simple one but the underlying chemistry of the aroma production is one of the most complex in the spirits drinks industry.
The sugar-rich juice from sugar cane is boiled to concentrate it and to allow the familiar sugar to appear as crystals after cooling. This is the first syrup or first molasses stage. The more viscous and more deeply brown coloured sticky liquid after a second boiling is called second molasses. And a third boiling yields the flavoursome viscous dark sticky liquid called blackstrap molasses.
Creating the full and rich aroma of blackstrap – from scratch – in a laboratory is demanding and requires a deep insight into the underlying complex aroma chemistry. It was one of the many challenges for Dr George Dodd in the development of our Rum Aroma Kit.
All of the various molasses have a sweet burnt sugar aroma along with bewildering variety of secondary notes. These secondary notes play a key role in the very aromatic black molasses. This note is similar to, but much deeper and richer than, the aroma of Muscovado – a type of brown sugar – which is also a featured aroma in the Rum Aroma Kit.
See our Rum Aroma Kit for more information.