India, March 28 -- "Why is the rum always gone?" In Pirates of the Caribbean, Captain Jack Sparrow laments, horrified to discover his precious crate of rum has been used to start a fire.

The Captain's passion reflects the romance sailors once had with liquor on the tropical seas, especially during summertime. In the 18th century, rum was a daily ration in the British Navy, and by the 1790s lime juice was added to sailors' diets to help prevent scurvy. The pairing would later become inseparable in maritime lore-sharp citrus cutting through dark spirit beneath a punishing sun.

Ice, however, came much later. It was not until the early 19th century that blocks carved from frozen lakes in New England were shipped to the Caribbean, a marvel ...