Before it became a “people’s currency” and the foundation for trendy cocktails, strong rum made from sugarcane was shunned by aristocrats for its harsh taste and was considered a cheap drink. Now, this fermented and distilled product is celebrated annually on World Rum Day, observed on the second Saturday of July, uniting a vast community of enthusiasts, distillers, and bartenders worldwide. What transformations has this intriguing beverage undergone, how should it be enjoyed, and what should accompany it? Let’s explore these questions through research and recipes from HouseWife.
What is Rum?
For those who can’t tell rum from whiskey, it’s important to know that these are two distinct spirits, although both are born from fermentation and distillation and aged in barrels. Light rum is typically aged for just a few months, while dark and golden rums can be aged for up to 15 years, whereas premium whiskey can be aged for 30 to 50 years. The alcohol content in whiskey usually ranges from 37% to 75%, while in rum, it varies from 30% to 80%. If we consider the standard strength of rum, it is generally around 40%. The differences lie in the raw materials, production techniques, and flavor profiles, which are determined by the ingredients used to make rum.
Unlike whiskey, which is made from grains, rum is produced from the juice and molasses of sugarcane. The spectrum of flavor nuances is defined by the composition of the rum. While whiskey is dominated by notes of malt, smoke, nuts, or spices, rum can feature spicy, fruity, or caramel flavors. During barrel aging, tannins, aromatic compounds, and coloring agents are absorbed by the spirit, giving rum its fiery taste, brown color with golden hues, and a clear consistency free of sediment. Thus, each type of rum possesses unique characteristics that have earned these popular beverages global recognition.
The Main Nonsense
Alcoholic beverages made from fermented sugarcane juice have been known to humanity for thousands of years. However, the ancient predecessors of rum did not undergo distillation—the essential part of the process that defines what we call rum today. The first example of a distilled drink from sugarcane is considered to be Brazilian cachaça, which dates back to the 1520s. A historical document from Barbados in 1651 referred to a drink called “rumbullion” or “kill-devil” as “the main nonsense produced on the island of Nevis”—”a hot, hellish, and terrible alcohol made from distilled sugarcane.”
Historians believe that rum was invented in the Caribbean in the 17th century when enslaved people on sugarcane plantations discovered how to distill alcohol from fermented molasses, a byproduct of sugar refining. From there, the knowledge of rum production spread to colonial North America: the first rum distillery in the Thirteen Colonies was established in 1664 on Staten Island, followed by another three years later in Boston. By the end of the 17th century, rum had replaced French brandy as the preferred trading alcohol.
Rum Production Diagram
Equated to Gold
Rum production became the largest industry in colonial New England—thanks to abundant timber, technical capabilities, and skills in cooperage and metalworking, it gained status as a distilling center. The rum produced there resembled whiskey and was lighter than the particularly strong Caribbean drink, which was equated to gold and used as currency in the slave trade. Rum was used as a medium of exchange: four gallons of rum were exchanged for one African slave. For a time, Rhode Island rum was an accepted currency in Europe.
Estimates of rum consumption before the American Revolutionary War suggest that each resident of the American colonies drank an average of 14 liters of rum per year. The first U.S. president, George Washington, served a barrel of Barbadian rum at his inauguration in 1789. From then on, rum began to influence the political system: candidates sought to win over voters with it. People compared their generosity and preferred politicians who drank with the people, viewing them as “true republicans.” The popularity of rum in North America declined in favor of whiskey due to subsequent restrictions on sugar imports from the British West Indies.
Naval Past
Rum became associated with piracy when some English privateers, who traded valuable goods, turned into sea robbers. Their love for rum was famously depicted by Robert Louis Stevenson in his bestseller “Treasure Island.” After the Royal Navy captured Jamaica in 1655, rum became linked with English sailors: the British replaced French brandy with domestic rum in their sailors’ rations. The strongest alcohol from the West Indies was supplied to the fleet. A notable feature of naval rum was its alcohol content. The drink supplied to the British fleet had a strength of 100 proof.
Before the invention of the hydrometer, the strength of alcohol was tested using gunpowder, and the maximum proof that could be verified was 57% alcohol by volume, which is why this figure was marked on bottles of naval rum. The British have a term for such spirits: “naval strength.” The daily ration of rum, known as a tot or totty, was issued on Royal Navy ships until July 31, 1970. Even after the tradition of taking pure alcohol to sea was abolished (as sailors used it to treat illnesses and infections), this practice continues in special cases to this day.
By Royal Permission
Initially, the alcohol ration was consumed neat or mixed with lime juice. In 1740, Admiral Edward Vernon began diluting the 100-proof drink with water and adding hot tea, lemon juice, and spices to create a mixture known as “grog” to reduce sailors’ intoxication. Today, only members of the royal family can order a tot (i.e., neat rum) on a ship. For example, the Queen, as Commander-in-Chief, issued such an order to the Royal Canadian Navy on June 29, 2010, during their centennial celebrations.
On special occasions (such as anniversaries, royal weddings, or birthdays), the admiralty allows the crew to “splice the mainbrace” (which once meant a double ration). Specifically, the Royal Canadian Navy issues rum from the commander’s fund, with a strength of “150 proof,” or 75%. The last naval force to provide sailors with a daily free ration of neat rum was the Royal New Zealand Navy. The experience of rum consumption in British colonies in Australia has a unique history.
The Rum Rebellion
In colonial Australia, the value of rum was based on the lack of coins among the population and the ability of alcohol to ease people’s conditions under restrictions. Specifically, rum could be used to incentivize convicted settlers to work the lands of officers from the New South Wales Corps. The remoteness of Australia from Britain led to the penal colony established here in 1788 facing severe food shortages. Instead, barrels of Bengal rum (which was stronger and less sweet than Jamaican rum) were supplied from India on nearly every ship.
When William Bligh became governor, he attempted to solve the problem of alcoholism in the colony by prohibiting the use of rum as a medium of exchange, but he faced fierce resistance from the rebels. In 1808, the New South Wales Corps arrested the initiator of the changes and controlled the colony for two years until a new governor was appointed, one who would be more lenient towards rum. The only military takeover of the Australian government is known as the Rum Rebellion. Many British merchants in India became wealthy from the renewed supply of rum to Australian drinkers.
Nelson’s Blood
The connection between naval rum and British hero Admiral Horatio Nelson (the lover of the famous courtesan Lady Hamilton) is told through a rather macabre legend, the authenticity of which is questionable. In Britain, it is well-known that after Nelson’s death in the naval battle of Trafalgar, his body was preserved in a barrel of rum before being transported from the cape on the Spanish Atlantic coast. When the barrel was opened upon arrival in England to retrieve the body, there was no rum left inside. Instead, it was said that the bottom of the barrel had been drilled out.
According to this legend, sailors drank all the rum on the way using a straw inserted into the hole. Since then, the British have used the expression “to tap the admiral” to describe the secret sipping of alcohol from a barrel through a straw, and they refer to rum as “Nelson’s blood.” Whether such rumors can be believed and what actually happened remains a topic of various theories among researchers. The English do not insist that the barrel contained rum, as it could have just as easily been French brandy: according to official records, Horatio Nelson’s body was preserved in “fine alcohol.”
How to Mix Rum
Over time, the former American moonshine evolved into a respectable alcoholic beverage that appealed to the palates of aristocrats. The developer of premium rum varieties in the 1860s was a Spaniard named Facundo Bacardi, who settled in Cuba. Premium rum belongs to a special market category (on par with elite cognac and whiskey)—typically, these are boutique brand products. Aged rum is meant to be sipped neat as a digestif (a category of drinks served after a meal, rather than before it, like an aperitif). Elite varieties of rum are consumed without mixing or dilution.
Mixed rums can and should be diluted. They are a traditional component of cocktails. When deciding what to mix with rum, it’s essential to consider the characteristics of the combinations. Rum pairs harmoniously with various fruit juices (especially lemon juice) and coconut milk. Successful combinations include rum with blue Curacao liqueur or Grenadine syrup. Light rum serves as the base for cocktails like “Mojito” and “Cuba Libre.” Dark rum is enjoyed hot in grog, combined with hot water, lemon juice, cinnamon, and sugar.
Ingredients of Rum
The main ingredients of the strong alcoholic beverage, produced through the fermentation and distillation of molasses (in industrial production) or sugarcane syrup (in agricultural production), are fermented sugarcane juice or molasses, water, yeast, and optional spices and caramel (not mandatory) for color and flavor enhancement. Added components (such as cinnamon and vanilla) may only be present in certain types of rum—golden and dark rums. The composition of rum drinks is more diverse compared to rum itself.
If rum is made from natural products without added sugar, then rum drinks, which usually have a lower alcohol content, often contain sweet additives. For example, the trend of recent years is pink rum (which has “Pink” in its name), a rum drink that is actually white rum flavored and colored pink with the addition of berries. In addition to the typically clear white rum used in cocktails, there is also golden rum—characterized by a richer composition, color, and flavor. Golden rums (or so-called “amber” rums) are an intermediate category between light and dark varieties.
Types of Rum
The deepest color and flavor are characteristic of dark rum, which is aged the longest in barrels. Dark rum can be red, brown, or black. All of them exhibit bright notes of molasses or caramel. For this reason, dark rum is the most sought after in cooking (the popular cake known as rum baba is typically made with dark rum). Spiced rum is labeled as Spiced. Spiced rum gains flavor from spices—cinnamon, rosemary, anise, pepper, clove, or cardamom. An example of this category is the spiced rum drink Lamb’s Spiced.
Another example is the dark spiced rum Black Mamba: rum with a black mamba snake is bottled in unique black bottles featuring a large image of the island’s treacherous inhabitant, Mauritius. The intense, explosive flavor of this strong alcohol has the effect of a dangerous snake bite. Flavored rums are infused with aromas of star fruit, lime, banana, orange, mango, pineapple, or coconut. Not everyone knows how to properly drink flavored rums: they can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or with tropical-themed drinks. There is also non-alcoholic rum available—it is distilled from sugarcane with the alcohol removed afterward.
What to Drink with White Rum
Light rums pair best with tart juices. They should be fresh and free of preservatives and additives that could affect the taste. White rum (also known as silver rum), like golden rum, can be mixed with lemon, orange, grapefruit, or apple juice. Here are some examples of using rum in refreshing drink recipes.
Rum and Cola (Recipe)
Ingredients: cola – 140 ml; white rum Cubana Cultura – 50 ml; lime juice – 10 ml; lime – 20 g; ice cubes – 180 g.
Fill a highball glass with ice cubes, pour in the white rum, and add the lime juice. Gently stir the ingredients with a cocktail spoon and garnish the drink with two lime slices.
Cold Tea with Rum
Ingredients: green or black tea – 1000 ml; light rum – 200 ml; lemon juice – 100 ml; milk (optional) – 150 ml.
Mix the white rum with lemon juice, add tea and milk, and serve the drink with ice cubes, garnished with a sprig of mint.
For consumption by children, alcohol is not added to this drink.
Ginger Punch
Ingredients: golden rum – 100 ml; dry white wine – 700 ml; grapefruit juice – 150 ml; orange juice – 300 ml; ginger ale – 700 ml; orange – 1 piece; lemon – 1 piece; strawberries – 200 g.
Pour the rum, wine, and juices into a large pitcher and chill for 1–2 hours. Add the ale and fruits just before serving.
Fruit Punch
This exquisite summer cold drink should be enhanced with crushed ice or frozen berries and fruits. Apples, pears, peaches, apricots, and oranges should be pitted and cut into pieces. Strawberries, wild strawberries, or cherries can be used whole.
Place the berries and fruits in a glass container for making summer drinks and sprinkle with sugar, which should dissolve completely. Cover the container with a lid and place it on ice.
Fill the container with chilled table wine at 8–10°C and chilled sparkling wine at 5–6°C (half a liter of each), add rum (to taste) for aroma, and serve the chilled drink along with the fruits, like a compote, using a large spoon or ladle. A leaf or sprig of mint will enhance the refreshing effect.
Snacks for Rum
The rule for pairing this alcohol with food is that the dish should not overpower the drink’s flavor but rather complement it. White rum pairs well with light snacks: fruits, cheeses, and seafood (such as shrimp). Golden rum goes well with desserts (especially chocolate). Spiced rum should be paired with nuts, dried fruits, or fresh fruits. Dark rum has a more pronounced flavor, making it harmonize with dark chocolate, blue cheeses, meat delicacies, and spicy snacks. The strong taste of dark rum can be softened with citrus pieces and cinnamon or white bread.
Fruits that can be served with rum include mango, coconut, orange, and pineapple. For cheeses, opt for soft and aged varieties, as well as blue cheeses. Seafood that pairs well with rum includes mussels, shrimp, and smoked or lightly salted fish. For meat snacks, consider prosciutto (Italian dry-cured ham from the pig’s thigh), smoked turkey, salami, and other meat delicacies. Dark chocolate pairs best with rum, while nuts like pecans, cashews, caramelized almonds, or walnuts are also great options. You can also combine rum with black coffee and white crackers. By experimenting with different combinations, you can discover flavors that you particularly enjoy.
P.S. Remember that excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health.