Rum
Also known as: cane spirit
In short
Rum is the spirit of sugarcane: mostly distilled from molasses, at home in the Caribbean. We explain the styles from white to dark, the navy story and why the name is still disputed.
In depth
What is rum?
Rum is distilled from sugarcane, mostly from molasses, the dark syrup left over from sugar production. Its classic home is the Caribbean, today rum is produced around the world. The French variety rhum agricole is made from fresh cane juice instead.
A name full of theories
Where the word rum comes from is not clearly documented. Two theories circulate: the English "rumbullion", an old expression for a brawl, and the Latin "saccharum" for sugar. Whether either is true cannot be proven, so neither counts as evidence.
From the navy to grog
The British navy kept a daily rum ration for centuries, and it was only abolished in 1970. The name grog is said to go back to the British admiral Edward Vernon, who was called Old Grog because of his grogram coat. You may already know this story from our nog entry.
Styles at a glance
- White rum: young or filtered, light and fresh
- Gold rum: aged in casks, softer
- Dark rum: longer aging, strong and deep
- Overproof: high proof, classic for tiki drinks
- Rhum agricole: made from fresh cane juice, at home in the French Caribbean
Classics with rum
Daiquiri, mojito and mai tai. The daiquiri follows the sour formula: "The sour is the formula, the fizz the sparkle, the Collins the length."
Remember this one
"Gin brings the juniper, rum the sugarcane, whisky the cask, vodka the purity, tequila the agave."
At our lounge
Rum is a classic with us: neat on the rocks or in a drink. Ask us for a recommendation, the world of rum is big.