This famous spirit is made from the distillation of sugar cane. This distillate can be more or less aged and therefore the colour can change. Young ones or white ones have a light or transparent colour, while aged ones, such as Don Papa or Diplomatico, have a yellow to brown colour. Caramel is also sometimes added to give the distillate a darker colour.

It can also be industrial or agricultural. The difference between the two lies in the production method. The industrial one is distilled from molasses and the agricultural one from pure sugar cane juice.

What is Rum?

This distillate is produced in more than 80 countries. Every distillery uses different methods, types of distillation, blending styles, ageing techniques and fermentation. For this reason there are different kinds, that can be divided in Clear or White Rum, Dark and Spiced, which are the most common. There are also many other varieties, such as, Gold or Pale, Black, Navy, Premium Aged, Vintage, Overproof Rum, etc.

Examples of famous White ones are Ron de Venezuela Extra Añejo DOC Planas Diplomatico, Martinique AOC Rhum Blanc Agricole Clément. Spiced Rum examples are The Black Spiced Kraken Rum, a caribbean black spiced rum, Ron de Venezuela DOC Diplomático Ambassador Selection Cask Stenght Finished, Gran Reserva 15 Years Matusalem and Original Spiced Gold Rum Captain Morgan. Last but not least, examples of Dark Rum can be Baroko Don Papa, Ron Dominicano Gran Reserva 1888 Doblemente Añejado Brugal and Ron de Venezuela DOC Distillery Collection N° 1 Batch Kettle Rum Diplomatico.

Rum is also used as a mixer in cocktails. There are many Rum cocktails recipes and topped off with lime wedges. The most famous rum drinks are:

Hot Buttered Rum

Dark and Stormy

Classic Daiquiri

Classic Piña Colada

Caribbean Rum Punch

Mai Tai

How is Rum made?

It is a spirit, generally made from sugar cane, which is a plant that originated in Indonesia but spread widely in the Caribbean with colonisation. This is why we have imported rum from the Caribbean.

The sugar cane is harvested during the driest season, from February to July. It can be collected by machine harvesting or by sugarcane machete cutters. Most of the sugar concentration is found in the part of the plant near the ground.

Following the harvest, the sugar cane is cleaned, sliced into small parts and pressed in order to extract the water and sugar juice.

The molasses is diluted with water to start the sugars fermentation, which turn into alcohol. Fermentation can be spontaneous or induced, depending on the production philosophy.

Fermentation can best be controlled by inducing exotic fruit maceration or by yeasts, such as those from pineapple in the case of the ones from Guatemala or coconut rum. In Jamaica, dunder is preferred, i.e. a liquid left in a boiler of the rum from previous distillations.

This fermented spirit, with a final alcohol content ranging between 7% and 13% vol., is finally distilled according to various methods and with different stills.

Heavy ones are obtained by a pot still or single distillation, while Light Rums are obtained by multiple-column still distillation.

After filtration, with cardboard or activated charcoal filters, we move on to the ageing stage. It usually rests at least a few weeks in inert containers so that esterification and the formation of primary aromas (e.g. herbaceous, floral or fruity) can take place.

The finest rums age many years in wooden barrels. There are distillates aged for at least 7 years or even for 12 years.

The choice of wood is decisive for the development of the secondary aromas (vanilla, dark chocolate, dehydrated fruit, etc.). Oak or more or less toasted white oak barrels are used, but also barrels previously used by American whiskey distilleries. For Spanish-style rums, are used barrels that have contained dry sherries or very sweet wines such as Pedro Ximénez.

Buy Rum online

On our catalogue you will find a top selection. You can find your favourite one or even try a new taste. Whether it is for yourself or to give as a gift, our online wine shop allows you to choose any product by origin, taste and combination.