Types of Rum

Though rum-producing countries have their own standards for defining rum—and different distilleries impart different characteristics to the finished product—all rum can be categorized based on whether molasses-based or made from cane juice, in which case it’s called rhum agricole.

Rums made from molasses are typically made in the English- and Spanish-speaking regions of the Caribbean. These rums are split into light rums, gold rums, and dark rums. In general, the darker a rum, the more expensive it is.

Molasses-based light rum (also called silver rum or white rum) is relatively flavorless, which makes it the most popular type of rum for use in mixed cocktails. It is also usually colorless, since it’s typically aged for only a year or less, in stainless steel containers. Notable producers of light rum include Bacardi (the originator of light rum), Captain Morgan, Don Q, and Ronrico (all from Puerto Rico); Appleton Estate (Jamaica); Cruzan (Virgin Islands); and Flor de Caña (Nicaragua). One of the most prominent producers of premium light rum is Mount Gay (Barbados).

Light rums infused with tropical fruit, flavored rums also tend to be on the inexpensive side. Most producers of light rums offer flavored rums; Cruzan leads the pack with nine choices: banana, black cherry, citrus, coconut, mango, orange, pineapple, raspberry, and vanilla. Bacardi markets seven flavored rums, while Captain Morgan makes four.

Medium-bodied gold rum (also called amber rum) is flavorful enough to be enjoyed on its own, either neat or on the rocks. Gold rum’s color comes from aging in charred white-oak barrels—usually for three years and often in barrels previously used for bourbon. Producers include Bacardi, Palo Viejo (Puerto Rico), Ronrico, and Pyrat (Anguilla).

Spiced rums are usually based on gold rums (though a few spiced rums are inexpensive light rums simply flavored with caramel). The leading brand is Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, flavored with spices, fruit, and vanilla. Other manufacturers of spiced rum include Castillo (Puerto Rico), Foursquare (Barbados), Voodoo (Virgin Islands), and Whaler’s (Hawaii).

Dark rums (also labeled as black rum or añejo) are aged for three to twelve years and augmented by the addition of caramel, which results in a rum that is fuller-bodied, more aromatic, and stronger in flavor. Dark rums can add flavor and heft to cocktails, but most rum-drinkers follow this rule of thumb: the older (and pricier) the rum, the more reason to savor its complexity—which means drinking it neat, ideally from a brandy snifter.

Among the molasses-based dark rums to enjoy either neat or in cocktails are various selections from Appleton Estate, Cruzan, El Dorado (Guyana), Myers’s, and Whaler’s. Ultra-premium (and pricey) dark rums best savored on their own include certain releases from Goslings (Bermuda), Mount Gay, and Sea Wynde (Jamaica/Guyana).

The rhum agricole of Martinique, Haiti, and other French-speaking islands in the Caribbean is made from freshly pressed sugarcane juice rather than molasses. Rhum agricole comes in three types—blanc (white), ambré (amber), and vieux (old)—which are roughly equivalent to the light, gold, and dark molasses-based rums. All varieties of rhum agricole tend to be more expensive than molasses-based rums, however, and they also taste more strongly of the sugar cane from which they’re made. Notable producers of rhum agricole include:

Cane juice rums are also produced in Brazil, Trinidad, and Hawaii.