August 16 is National Rum Day in the United States. I'm not sure how or when it originated. Most likely this is some commercial ploy to sell booze. Regardless, I am already a fan of rum and happily support this silly celebration. To commemorate the occasion, I am proudly sporting a
Flor de Caña t-shirt in honor of my favorite rum. It is a critically acclaimed rum, one of if not THE best in the world, made in the lovely land of Nicaragua. My mother's country knows how to make an excellent rum and I proudly salute their craft.
I bought this shirt the last time I was visiting Nicaragua, the summer of 2012. Bottles of Flor de Caña seemed readily available at every corner. It is practically part of the iconography of the country. It's logo graces every wall of bars, stores and restaurants. My crazy uncles kept a constant supply. I noticed my family kept referring to it as
guaro, though I wasn't sure what that meant. My cousins would joking caution about "
los tíos y el guaro." I survived the trip getting by with my fill of their delicious
guaro even if I wasn't always exactly sure what they were saying. I understood enough that I should enjoy the Flor de Caña while it was so abundant. The little Nicaraguan guidebook that I recently discovered simply translates
guaro to liquor. It was almost disappointing realizing how basic a word it was. Things just always sound more interesting in Spanish. There is more romance, magic and mystery
en el idioma de los latinos.
So, not to be too much of a commercial and appear as if under the influence of corporate sponsorship, but if you do plan on observing National Rum Day today, when getting your
guaro be sure to consider trying,
el mejor ron de mundo, Flor de Caña and enjoy this gem of Nicaragua.
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