The Fringe faithful are wading through the rubbish from the strike… we though take to the water, it’s Bajan Auld Rummie in Edinburgh.
The Union Canal in the West End of Edinburgh is bathed in sunshine and the office buildings are reflecting off the water.
OK, it’s not Bridgetown.
But we’re with a true Bajan, Shane, and we’re drinking Barbados rum and cocktails.
And filling ourselves with our favourite drink and filling up on Scottish links with the Bajan rum story.
All with the help of Jamie and the two-hour Summerhall Drinks Lab Rum Cruise.
Labbing it up
Now you remember how gin had its hour with juniper (and more of that later) the tipple du jour of the Twentyteens.
Well, now that’s rum and hence why Summerhall Drinks Lab have added a rum tour to their popular gin cruise.
And why where Dark Matter in Banchory, Aberdeenshire, started pouring in 2015, a raft (well we are on a boat cruise) of rum distilleries followed.
And a shout-out here to my work colleague Michael.
His Jacobite Spirits business and their new spiced rum Charlie’s Chopper Clean Cut.
For the day and the company that’s in it we’re on the Bajan rum.
Well it is the birthplace of rom.
All roads lead to rom
And that means kicking off with Cockspur Old Gold which we taste.
As a sample to warm our palates and throats, a la a whisky or bourbon.
And if you’re getting that bourbon hit then it’ll be because one-use bourbon barrels get repurposed for rum.
For those who like their rum in mixers we’re treated to the daddy of them all the Mount Gay Black Barrel.
And the new kids on the block, St Nicholas Abbey and their white rum.
And a couple of sips and I’m right back.
In the verdant courtyard after our steam train journey and old plantation visit from June’s Barbados Celtic Festival trip.
Rum’s a Ting or Hing
Jamie is a font of wisdom on Bajan rum and how Scottish craft and guile was at its heart.
And he has even adapted the staple Rum Ting cocktail.
With a Scottish version the Rum Hing with local grapefruit juice and lime.
Limin’ is of course the daily Bajan rhythm of life.
And we lime our way throughrums, samples and cocktails…
And the lychee-based beaker particularly hits the spot.
All before we arrive back at Leamington Lift Bridge and toast Shane and Jamie with a Doorly’s 14-year-old from Foursquare rum distillery.
Juniper Mac and Cheese
There’s time enough in the evening to carry on the party in true Bajan style.
And we taxi to Juniper on Princes Street.
And we avoid the garbage which has revived references to the Scottish capital’s old nickname of Auld Reekie.
Juniper offers a relaxed library to lime.
With mini-saucepans of Mac and Cheese, a particular Bajan fave, my pick from its menu.
Do like the rumans do
With Mount Gay kindly providing us with rum punch which is, of course, water to Bajans but strong water at that.
Talk, of course, turns to absent friends.
And old pal Marc who represented the island so well over eight years in the UK.
But who has understandably returned home.
And he has now set up a rum tour business with distilleries, rum shops and the magic ingredient, Bajans at hand.
We’ll meet again, and hopefully soon but for now I’m keeping my end up here…
A Bajan Auld Rummie in Edinburgh.