Mauritian Rum
It all started with arrack
On the isolated islands, only arrack would comfort the sailors and forget about their hard and lonely lives, travelling the remote seas. Initially, arrack was a brandy made out of sugar cane molasses in the East Indies or, more rarely, a palm or "latanier" leaves brew, simmered with some yeast made out of rice.
The ships and their sailors were originally supplied by the Dutch based in Mauritius. It all begun with Jan Harmansz, a Dutch settler who lived in Flacq. He started brewing Latanier sap, thanks to the high-tech machinery delivered by the Dutch East India Company.
When sugar cane was first introduced in 1639, arrack became the primary source of revenue of the island. 6000 litres were produced annually by the year 1680.
Long live the "Guildiveries"
The French settled in Mauritius in 1740. At that time, Mahé de Labourdonnais firmly believes in the island's opportunities and overall development. But the locals wanted their own rum. So begun the "guildiveries"; a rough way to manufacture arrack and rum. "Guildiverie", which literally means "kill devil" in English, comes from Bourbon Island and reveals the drink's poor quality. Besides, "kill devil" was the original given name for the cane spirits in the British West Indies.
Time for the "Tilambic"
This rum was not produced by the sole "guildiveries". By 1858, there are 22 of them in the island and in the families' backyards, will-fit "tilambics" would produce a dreadful drink, often with high hints of copper and lead. Hence the ideas to mask the hideous quality by adding fruits and spices and merrily compose some famous rum "arrangé".
Present day!!
Today there about 6 distilleries on the island with a greater number of local bottlers/blenders. With the success and the discovery of Mauritian rums since the early 2000, more rums of great quality are being produced locally and exported worldwide.