Madeira (Portugal)
The history of Madeira rum
The first recorded Engenho (sugar mill) in Madeira dates back to 1452. 13 other sugar mills followed until 1496 and there were at least 34 by the end of the 16th century. Later, beet sugar overshadowed cane sugar, but technical advances that improved yields and quality kept the industry afloat.
Aguardente de cana (cane brandy) did not appear immediately, as all the cane grown was destined for sugar production. While molasses rum had been distilled since the early 16th century (making Madeira one of the first, if not the first, producer of "modern" rum in history), the first agricultural rum seems to have been produced in 1649. It was initially distilled in traditional Portuguese stills, which were later replaced by stills imported from Cognac, then by columns. It was then mainly used to fortify Madeira wines.
The appearance of the local cocktail, the poncha (agricultural rum, cane honey, orange juice) helped popularise Madeira's agricultural rum. As the general public took hold of it and Madeira wine became very successful in the UK, aguardente de cana experienced a golden age in the mid 19th century, with no less than 13 distilleries smoking.
Then, little by little, and like everywhere else in the world, the sugar crisis passed through and production was concentrated in large factories, notably that of William Hinton, a true sugar giant. This factory, the last on the island, closed in 1986 and since then sugar cane cultivation has been dedicated solely to rum and cane honey.
Madeira rums
The cane is harvested from March to May, which corresponds to the annual distillation campaign. The juice is usually fermented for 48 hours, and distillation is done in traditional columns, much like in the West Indies. The big difference with the West Indies is the much milder climate, which results in a much lower share of angels for the old rums.
There are now 4 distilleries on the island:
The main one is called Engenhos Do Norte. Established in 1927, it produces a wide range of rums from white to old, including Branca and 970 rums.
Engenhos da Calheta also has a significant production, but more for the local market and for poncha.
The company from L'Engenho Novo arrived on the French market in 2017, after its first participation in the Rhum Fest Paris. It is the distillery of the former Hinton factory that has returned to service and offers a range of " William Hinton " aged rums that have benefited from various finishes (Port, Madeira, Sherry, Whisky, Brandy...).
The smallest structure is a family distillery that produces O Reizinho rum.
Independent bottlers have recently become interested in the island. The first bottlings were offered by Rum Nation(Ilha Da Madeira 50%) and by Ferroni with its Dame Jeanne n°4. Read less
