Rum»

Why Rum?

Rum stands for alcohol. I can see moralistic eyebrows rising at the end of some terminals. Let me make one point very clear, this website is not intended to promote alcohol. Like any malayalee, I have also got a smattering of acquaintances who have succumbed to booze, survived by their helpless children and traumatized wives.

 So what is the solution?

Many countries have tried prohibition but failed to bottle the menace. You can’t scotch a practice which is almost as old as man’s belief in God. The next possible step is to promote good, healthy drinking habits among people. That is one of the reasons I am here.

 This site is not a resort for those hard drinkers who drown themselves and their families, in drink, tears and blood. This is not a haven for people who can’t hold their drink and life steady. This site is not a political party to enroll those who get violent and beat their wives every evening as a ritual.

 But this is for those men who understand that the length of two pegs is the three hours of an occasional hangout with their friends. This is for those who in midchat, go silent, close their eyes and slosh the amber liquid over their taste buds again and again to pin down a precise molecule of an evasive tang which suddenly brought a rush of childhood memories to their mouth, a second back.

You tell me your feelings I will put a name to the ingredient which gave you that rush of nostalgia. I will tell you about the elaborate procedures to create such a subtle flavour, which a majority of the drinkers miss.

 This is for those who love to hold their glasses against the silver light from the counter and wonder about the long and winding path the liquid has traversed. Before the next sip, I will take them for a journey through the winding corridors of history, murky corners of culture and tradition, terrifying rituals, and fascinating stories  which all added flavours to that drink you hold in your hand.

With the next sip I will help them taste the terroir – the soil of an exotic land, its climate, the sunlight, the rain, the oak barrels, the dampness in the cellar, the long meditation inside – all bottled, and now ladled into their crystal glasses.

With such awareness comes moderation. Most of my friends scaled down their rate of drinking to once in a week, once in a month, once in 6 months when they decided to imbibe only drinks that have a pedigree and a history to tell.

This site is also for all teetotalers who love to sit by me and listen to some fascinating stories.

 There are four rooms in the bar. The first section, ‘Tipplewise’ will tell you about the basics of a drink. The second, ‘The Giants’ will take you deep into the secrets of celebrity drinks. The third, ‘Etiquettes and Culture’ is self-explanatory. The fourth and the last,‘Tipsy Tales’ is packed with exciting stories behind the drinks.

 Cheers. So hop in for the Rum.

About Manu Remakant

Manu has written 297 stories in Rum, Road & Ravings. You can read all posts by Manu here.