Hemingway and Rum: A Literary Connection

Ernest Hemingway once wrote, "Don't bother with churches, government buildings or city squares. If you want to know about a culture, spend a night in its bars." For Hemingway, rum wasn't just a drink—it was a character in his stories, a companion in his writing process, and a cultural bridge to the maritime worlds he loved to explore.

Hemingway's Rum Legacy

Hemingway's relationship with rum is legendary. During his years in Cuba, he perfected his own version of the daiquiri at El Floridita bar—a double measure of rum, grapefruit juice, and maraschino liqueur that became known as the "Papa Doble." His home in Havana, Finca Vigía, was stocked with bottles of rum that fueled both his imagination and his infamous drinking habits.

In novels like "Islands in the Stream" and "To Have and Have Not," rum flows as freely as the dialogue. These works capture the essence of the Caribbean in the Prohibition era, where rum runners, fishermen, and exiles created a unique cultural tapestry with rum at its center. Hemingway's protagonist in "Islands in the Stream," Thomas Hudson, reflects on how rum "changed him" and was "a better drink than whiskey for the tropics."

The Sensory Experience: Reading Like a Rum Taster

Hemingway's approach to writing—direct, unadorned, yet revealing depths beneath the surface—mirrors the experience of tasting a fine aged rum. Consider his famous "iceberg theory" where he wrote that "the dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one-eighth of it being above water." Like a complex rum that reveals itself gradually, Hemingway's prose suggests more than it states.

• First impression: Like Hemingway's opening lines, the initial nosing of a rum sets expectations and draws you in
• Complexity: Both develop with time, revealing layers not immediately apparent
• Authenticity: Quality rum, like Hemingway's prose, values honesty and clarity over embellishment
• Lingering finish: The impact remains long after the immediate experience ends

Hemingway and Rum Pairings

For the ultimate Hemingway reading experience, consider this pairing:

• Hemingway's "Islands in the Stream" with a classic Cuban rum—perhaps Havana Club 7 Year, a style Hemingway himself might have enjoyed

As Hemingway might have advised, the best way to understand literature and rum is to experience them together—preferably on a veranda overlooking the sea, with the rhythm of waves providing the soundtrack to your reading adventure.