Picture a street in Mexico, where horchata is sold ice-cold from big glass jars - rice, cinnamon and sugar stirred together into something creamy and cool. Carry that feeling all the way to Wisconsin, where dairy cattle stand shoulder to shoulder and cream is the state's pride. Mix the two with rum from the Caribbean, and you're roughly where RumChata was born.
Expert description
RumChata Liqueur is an American Cream liqueur based on rum, made with Caribbean rum and fresh Wisconsin cream, bottled at 15%.
The idea came from Tom Maas, who had spent many years in the spirits industry, including at Jim Beam. He came across horchata, the creamy, cinnamon-driven drink found across much of Latin America, and built a liqueur around it. The result began rolling out of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, in 2009. The rum base is distilled five times and chosen to be light and smooth rather than heavy and molasses-like. It's homogenised together with real dairy cream so it won't separate, and spiced with vanilla, cinnamon, sugar and the house's own blend. The label states 38% rum and 22% cream in the finished liqueur. The bottling is imported into Europe by Mack & Schühle AG in Germany.
Taste
The nose offers warm cinnamon, almost bakery-like, with vanilla, condensed milk and a hint of ripe banana behind it, while the rum stays discreetly in the background. On the palate, RumChata Liqueur is soft and full without becoming heavy - cinnamon spreads immediately, followed by cream caramel, vanilla and a light sweetness, while the finish is creamy with a warm, spiced close where the rum finally steps forward.
Specifications
Name: RumChata Liqueur
Producer: RumChata (Tom Maas)
Region/Country: Pewaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Type: Cream liqueur based on rum
Main ingredients: Caribbean rum, dairy cream, vanilla, cinnamon, sugar
ABV: 15%
Size: 70 CL
EAN no.: 4260240370332
Shelf life after opening: About 6 months according to the producer, store at room temperature
Allergens: Milk and soy, may contain traces of gluten and egg
Serving suggestion: A splash in coffee or hot chocolate - also works as a cream substitute in a White Russian, Espresso Martini or Piña Colada
Flavour profile
Cinnamon-sweet · Creamy · Vanilla-forward · Rum-warm
Did you know?
In the US, RumChata quickly grew to become the second best-selling cream liqueur after Baileys, and the bottle can be stored in the kitchen cupboard instead of the fridge because the cream is homogenised.
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