Around the World in Rum at Mojo

Confidential readers gathered at Mojo last night (Tuesday 11 May) to learn about and sample some of the finest rums from around the globe.

Andrew Scutts from the Boutique Bar Show and Simon, Mojo's cocktail expert, talked us through 11 different rums, varying in age, colour, production methods and, most importantly, flavour.

It happened in the bar's fittingly named Rhum Room. It's the spirit they stock the most varieties of at Mojo, and as there's also a Mojo in Barbados, it's one they know a fair bit about.

Andrew Scutts from the Boutique Bar Show and Simon, Mojo's cocktail expert, talked us through 11 different rums, varying in age, colour, production methods and, most importantly, flavour. We went from light to gold to dark. And from Spanish to French to British. The rums varied in richness, sweetness and alcohol content. One of them, a Trois Rivieres from Martinique, hit 50 per cent proof. It was the perfect rum for a Hemingway Daiquiri.

Some other favourites included a smooth Appleton Reserve eight-year, sampled in a Mai Tai (Polynesian for 'out of this world'), a Goslings Black Seal from Bermuda, and a 10-year-old Diplomatico Reserva from Venezuela.

The evening was topped off with a lesson in rum cocktail-making – Dark & Stormy, Daiquiri and a traditional rum punch all went down well.

For those of you who want to mix your own rum cocktails at home, the rum punch couldn't be simpler: the key is 1 measure of sour, 2 of sweet, 3 strong, 4 weak and 5 spice. We used 1 measure of lime juice, 2 of grenadine, 3 shots of rum, 4 fruit juice and 5 bitters. Perfect for a summer party punch bowl.

The evening was organised in association with The Boutique Bar Show, which takes place on Thursday 13 May at the Town Hall. It's a trade show by day, showcasing the best of the world's drinks brands and a selection of Manchester's finest bars. But come the evening, anyone can join in and learn about cocktails, beers and spirits.

Tickets cost just £10 and include a free cocktail on arrival, drinks samples throughout the evening and entry to the after show party at The Black Dog Ballroom. Click here to get yours.