originated in the Caribbean in the early 1600s, particularly around Barbados and Jamaica,
Rum
Rum is a distilled spirit made primarily from sugarcane byproducts, such as molasses or sugarcane juice, and aged in oak barrels. It originated in the Caribbean in the early 1600s, particularly around Barbados and Jamaica, where sugar plantations created a surplus of molasses. Distillation turned this waste product into what we now know as rum.
The base material (molasses or fresh juice), the distillation method (pot still or column still), and the aging process all influence the final flavor. Rum ranges from light and grassy to dark, spicy, and rich, depending on the region and style.
Globally, rum is incredibly diverse, with key producing regions including Jamaica, Barbados, Cuba, Guyana, Martinique, Réunion, Puerto Rico, and increasingly, the Philippines, India, and Central/South America.
Historically, rum was a major part of the triangular trade and the naval tradition of the British Empire, where it became both currency and ration. Today, it’s appreciated for its versatility—equally suited to mixing, sipping, or aging like fine whisky or cognac.