The history of Rum is the history of sugar. Its origins are in the islands of present-day Indonesia in the East Indies.

 Chinese traders spread its cultivation to Asia and on to India. Arabs brought it to the Middle East and North Africa where it came to the attention of Europeans during the crusades in the 11^th century.

 As the Spanish and Portuguese began to venture out into the Atlantic Ocean, they planted sugar cane in the Azores and Canary Islands and then Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Later it will spread all over Central America and South America.

 Locally, Rum was used as a cure-all for many of the aches and pains that afflicted those living in the tropics. The British navy adopted a daily ration of a half pint of 160 proof Rum by the 1730’s. This ration was subsequently modified by mixing it with an equal amount of water, to produce a drink call grog.

 Rum, and its fraternal twin, cane spirit, are made by distilling fermented sugar and water. This sugar comes from the sugar cane and is fermented from cane juice, or Molasses.

 Molasses is the sweet, sticky residue that remains after the sugar cane juice is boiled and the crystallized sugar is extracted.

 Most Rum is made from molasses, which is 50% sugar but also contains significant amounts of minerals and other trace elements.

 All Rums come out of still columns as clear, colorless spirit. Barrel aging and the use of added caramel determine their final color. Only natural coloring agents are used.

 Look out for Rhum Agricole produced on the French Islands, which must be distilled from fresh cane juice.

| White | Golden | Dark | Spiced | Aged |

 White Rums 

are generally light-bodied. They are usually clear and have a very subtle flavor profile. Aged in oak cask to create a smooth palate, they are usually filtered to remove any color. White rums are mostly used as mixers and blend particularly well with fruit flavors.

 Golden Rums,

also known as Amber Rums are generally medium-bodied. Most have spend several years aging in oak cask, which give them smooth mellow palate.

 Dark rums,

are traditionally full-bodied, rich, caramel-dominated Rums. The richest of these Rums are consumed straight up.

 Spiced Rums,

can be white, golden, or dark Rums, They are infused with spices or fruit flavors.

 Anejo, and Aged-dated Rums

are aged Rums from different vintage or batches that are mixed together to insure a continuity of flavors in brands of Rum.

| Barbados | Cuba | British Guiana | Jamaica | Martinique | Puerto Rico | Virgin_Islands | Haiti | Venezuela | Nicaragua | Australia | West Indies | Guatemala | Dominican Republic | India | Mauritius | Tahiti | Hawaii |

 Barbados  ▲

- The distillation is very fine and I class it as a brandy-type rum which can be used in light punches, cocktails, and daiquiris. The flavor is clear and it can be mixed in any type drink without too much of a rum bouquet.

Outstanding brands: Cockspur, Mount Gay, Gosling, Doorley’s.

 Cuba  ▲

- Only two islands in the Antilles distill in the same way—Cuba and Puerto Rico.

They distill chiefly sugar or juice, hence the very light, sweet flavor. By means of a fine yeast culture and careful distillation these people have made a very light and delightful liquor, unequaled for mild-flavored cocktails or highballs with soda or water.

Outstanding brands: Havana Club, Matusalem (USA), Varadero.

 British Guiana  ▲

(Demerara)- Demerara rum from Trinidad has its own class. It is similar in some respects to dark Jamaica, but it has a dry burned flavor along with the aromatic and pungent flavor of the Jamaican rum. It is to be noted that most of the Demerara rums are of higher proof than others, running as high as 160 proof. The makers of Demerara rums take great pride in obtaining distinctive flavor in their products and it is interesting to try to detect their flavoring agents. Some use fruit, but mostly juices of barks are used.

Outstanding brands: Angostura, Booker’s Demerara Liqueur Rum, El Dorado, Lamb’s, Lemon Hart, O.V.D, Wood’s 100.

 Jamaica  ▲

- The rums of Jamaica are produced in light and dark varieties are both strong and pungent in flavor. They owe their characteristics and qualities to four factors, the combination of which cannot be duplicate elsewhere:
(1) soil, climate, and water; (2) the use of the old pot still; (3) the ingredients of the wash and its slow fermentation; (4) aging solely by time and in white oak (puncheons, casks, wooden vats, or butts).The purity of Jamaica rum is safeguard by law and nothing can be used in the production of rum except the products of sugar cane, i.e., molasses, cane juice, and by-products of sugar manufacture. Even the coloring must be burned sugar or burned molasses- any other form of coloring is forbidden.

Jamaica rums have always been outstanding to rum connoisseurs; even candy and pastry makers have always looked to Jamaica for their spirits.

Outstanding brands: Appleton, Coruba, J. Wray & Nephew, Kelly’s, Lamb’s Jamaica, Lemon Hart Jamaica, Myer’s.

 Martinique  ▲

- Commonly known as French rums, they are usually heavy in body, coffee-colored, very similar to Jamaica rums, but in many cases has the dry burned flavor of the Demerara. This flavor, however, is very faint. The rum produced in Martinique is, in many cases, shipped to France, where is aged and reshipped as French rum.

Outstanding brands: Rhum St. James, Goslings Martinique, Rhum Negrita, J. Bally, Trois Rivieres, La Mauny, Clement.

 Puerto Rico  ▲

- The Puerto Ricans have distilled in the manner of the Cubans, making a very light and sweet-flavored rum, excellent for delicate drinks.

Outstanding brands: Bacardi, Don Q., Ron El Barrilito, Captain Morgan, Castillo.

 Virgin Islands  ▲

- The rum produced on these islands is strictly individual, neither heavy nor light in body, and with its own peculiar molasses flavor.

Outstanding brands: Cruzan, Pusser’s.

 Haiti  ▲

- The little republic of Haiti produces a delightful brandy-type rum.

Outstanding brands: Rhum Barbancourt, Westerhall.

 Venezuela  ▲

- This country produces a rum similar to Haitian or Virgin Island rums.

Outstanding brands: Cacique, Pampero Aniversario.

 Nicaragua  ▲

- Outstanding brands: Zaya, Flor de Cana

 Australia  ▲

- Outstanding brands: Inner Circle

 West Indies   ▲ (Anguilla)

 - Outstanding brands: Pyrat

 Guatemala  ▲

- Outstanding brands: Ron Zaya, Ron Zacapa, Seawynde.

 Dominican Republic  ▲

- Outstanding brands: Ron Barcelo, Brugal, Cubany.

 India  ▲

- Outstanding brands: Old Monk

 Mauritius  ▲

- Outstanding brands: Green Island.

 Tahiti  ▲

- Outstanding brands: Noa Noa.

 Hawaii  ▲

- Outstanding brands: Whaler’s

There are also some brands that produce rums in different countries, i.e,:

Plantation- Jamaica, Trinidad, Venezuela, Barbados, etc.

Cadenhead’s- Demerara, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados.