FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I find out more information about Arehucas?

Simply visit Destilerias Arehucas, S.A. www.arehucas.es

Who distributes Arehucas in the Czech Republic?

www.canariastrade.com, is the only Official Distributor in Czech Republic, offering these Quality Canary Island’s products. To find out more, look up About Us.

How do I order Arehucas products?

Simply Contac Us to obtain further details.

How old do I have to be to order?

Strictly reserved to 18 years old or over only.

What are the benefits of Becoming a Partner and who is this for?

Become a Partner now and enjoy the benefits of distributing or simply selling Arehucas products on our behalf.
Terms & Conditions apply.

What is Sensibly Drinking?

At canariastrade.com, we highly promote Sensible Drinking.

Rum and other related terminology

Rum is a distilled beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses and sugarcane juice following a process called fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is usually aged in oak and other barrels.

1. Sugar Cane

Rum distinguishes itself from other spirits by the plant from which it is made. In the US, rum is defined as a spirit distilled from the fermented juice of sugar cane, sugar cane syrup, sugar cane molasses or other sugar cane byproducts at less than 95% abv and bottled at least 40% alcohol by volume.

In the EU, rum can be distilled to up to 96% abv must retain the aroma and taste of rum. Sugar cane, a member of the grass family has its origins in Papau New Guinea but this hearty plant is grown in tropical climes around the world. The sweet juice of the mature plant is extracted by pressing the hard stalk in mechanical mills.

Some distilleries use this fresh juice while others use the by - product of the sugar refining process known as molasses as the raw material for the fermentation process.

2. Fermentation

The addition of yeast to the sugar cane juice or molasses converts the available sucrose to alcohol in a process called fermentation. Typically this takes about a day but some distilleries use yeast that takes as much as ten days. To make other spirits, the starches found in grains must be cooked and then enzymes are used to convert the glucose to sucrose which can be fermented. The resulting fermented wine contains only about 10% alcohol by volume.

3. Distillation

To concentrate the alcohol in the sugar cane wine, the wine is boiled while the vapor is collected and condensed.

The earliest pot stills resembled a tea kettle with a long spout and were capable of distilling only a few liters of alcohol at a time. Modern continuous stills are vertical columns about 10 meters high and are capable of distilling as much as 20,000 liters per day.

In the French islands, spirits made from sugar cane juice are typically distilled to a relatively low distillation purity resulting in a heavier tasting spirit. Since molasses contains higher amounts of sulphur than does sugar cane juice, spirits distilled from fermented molasses are generally distilled to a high distillation purity to reduce the congeners that have been concentrated in the molasses.

4. Aging

Immediately after distillation, the fresh or raw spirits contain small amounts of hydrogen sulfide gas formed during fermentation which can give the spirit a hot harsh taste. Although some connoisseurs prefer fresh rum, most consumers prefer the more elegant taste of an aged spirit. Today, almost all rum is aged in used oak barrels that once held whiskey or bourbon. Aging can last from one to thirty years or more, making rum one of the most varied of the distilled spirits. During the aging process the rum acquires a golden color that changes to a dark brown with time.

5. Blending and Bottling

Although some rum is bottled directly from the still, most rum is aged and then blended before it is bottled for consumption. Once the spirit is bottled the benefits of age are arrested and little change occurs.

6. Alcohol Content

The bottled strength of rum depends greatly on consumer preferences. While some rum is bottled at about 40% alcohol by volume, other rums are bottled at the strength at which it was distilled or aged.

(points 1-6) are quoted from - source: www.ministryofrum.com/rum101.php
Canariastrade.com cooperates with www.ministryofrum.com/index.php.

Where does Rum come from?

The origin of the word rum is generally unclear as well as where the word itself came from. What is certain and known is that it dates back to antiquity.

The canaries have served as a bridge in the development and expansion of the raw material of rum, "the sugar cane". Christopher Columbus, in one of his voyages to America, took some pieces of sugar cane from the canaries which he planted for the first time in Santo Domingo and other Caribbean islands.

As the story tells, it was from the Canary Islands that Columbus brought sugar cane shoots to the Caribbean in 1493 on his second voyage, reason for obtaining the well deserved slogan: Canary Islands… The Origin of Rum…

Why is Gran Canaria famously related to Rum?

Canary Islands: The Origin of Rum… For more info: Arehucas History & Tradition.

Where is the town Arucas? (the town where all happens…)

Arucas has a long history, not just because of the past Spanish colonialism evident in its many historic buildings, but also: outside Arucas, to the north is the Montana de Arucas, which is thought to be the area where Doramas, the Guanche leader was killed in 1481 by Pedro de Vera in the Battle of Arucas.

Arucas boomed with the demand for cochinilla (a beatle feeding off cactus pear, crushed to produce red dye) in the second half of the 19th century. Other crops producing wealth for Arucas and this region through the years include sugar cane (these days still used in Arehucas rums), although sugar cane like cochinilla boomed then went bust as competition came from the new world growing sugar cane and manmade dyes replaced cochinilla.

The boom and busts brought extreme hardship to local farmers, some of whom emigrated. Bananas are widely grown in and around Arucas today.

Arucas is very famous for the church - Iglesia de San Juan with an architectural style which clearly draws from Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona. Rum lovers will be in their element in the famous Arucas Rum Factory with plenty of opportunity for sampling the fine rum and liquor choices.

Where are Gran Canaria and the Canaries?

Gran Canaria is the third largest island of the Canary Islands Archipelago, which consists of seven main islands and six islets of volcanic origin. It is located in the Atlantic Ocean, which is around 100km off the west coast of North Africa and some 1,500 km from mainland Spain.

Gran Canaria is divided in twenty-one municipalities, having an estimate population of 807.049, white and almost all catholic (517 inhabitants/ km2) (2006, ISTAC), mainly located along the coast, and particularly in the north east of the island, where the capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is situated (377.056 inhabitants, 2006 ISTAC), being the cultural and commercial focus of the island.

Gran Canaria has a surface of 1,560 km2 with round shape, having a diameter of just about 50 km and its maximum altitude is 1,949 meters (Pico de Las Nieves).

The climate is very even all year around. This is the main reason for it being a famous holiday destination. The temperatures range from 17°C in February to up to 30°C or more in August. It is cooler in the north and warmer in the south coast, fact that explains the concentration of tourist resorts and development in this area.

The island’s main source of income is the tourism industry, linked with service industry, which includes restaurants and bars and other related ones. As well as this the construction industry also contributes to the income of the island, due to the ongoing development of both the tourist and private projects on the island.

The archipelago (cca. 7,500 km2) is part of Spain and it’s ruled by its own autonomous government and parliament, being one of the 17 Autonomous communities of Spain, having a population of 1,995.833 inhabitants (estimate from 2007).
The islands' original population, commonly called Guanches, is tall and of white skin.

In 1496 the islands became part of the Spanish kingdom, and the ships of Christopher Columbus stopped here on their travel to discover the New World.

The Canary Islands, surrounded by the cool blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean, show off all their magic in an archipelago unique in the world for its diversity and subtropical beauty; an entire universe that you can enjoy in a spring-like climate which lasts the whole year.

The Canary islands are well known worldwide for its culture and hospitality, exquisite cousin and amazing tropical whether, making them a tourist destination all year around.

The Canaries: Seven islands… seven worlds.