French Rum: A History 1639-1902

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The long-awaited second book from our beloved Rum Historian is finally here.  This time, Marco Pierini collaborated with his son, Claudio, to bring us yet another fact-filled volume about the amazing history of rum.  French Rum: A History 1639-1902 explores the conditions leading up to the French settlements in the Caribbean, from an alcohol-production perspective.  Did the French “borrow” rum-making expertise and techniques from British settlers or did they learn the craft elsewhere?  What about the quality of the alcohol produced during those days, was it sublime and exquisite or quite the opposite?

The authors then take us on a journey of discovery and re-assessment of facts, written in a very approachable and engaging manner, just like in American Rum.

There are numerous modern articles ostensibly devoted to the history of French rum, but many are, unfortunately, echoes of incomplete or altogether incorrect information.  Marco and Claudio Pierini go the extra mile, to validate the information from the original sources, often painting a much different picture of what our past really looked like.I particularly enjoyed the research done regarding the Medical School of Salerno and the journey of distillates “from the Apothekary to the tavern.”  A special bonus is the comprehensive bibliography included at the end of the book, which will serve well to future scholars as they set out to explore this wonderful area of history, testing new hypothesis and -hopefully- filling even more gaps.

Thank you Marco and Claudio, for the countless hours researching and formatting this book.  Our gratitude also goes to Grazia Maria Niccolaioni for the excellent English translation.

Luis Ayala

“Got Rum?” EditorThe Rum University, President