Rum varieties

Sylvia Simm | 27. February 2024

Rum is very diverse. From well-known rums such as Bacardi, Captain Morgan and Havana to high-quality, expensive varieties such as Zacapa and Imperial, there is the right rum for every connoisseur. Produced in countless countries and available on the market in countless varieties, it is difficult to provide an overview. We try!

Inhaltsverzeichnis

What is rum?

In general, rum is a spirit made from sugar cane with a minimum alcohol content of 37.5%! Overall, rum is not as strictly regulated as whisky. It can therefore be unaged, coloured or blended, for example. It is mainly produced in the Caribbean and can be categorised according to different criteria. If you consider the many possibilities, you can assume that the majority of rums are blended rums. As a long-standing whisky shop, we would like to point out that blended whisky is therefore not comparable with the quality standard of blended rum.

With a blended rum, you receive a representative spirit from the rum range

Our rum range

Trois Rivières Cuvée de L'Ocean Rhum Blanc Agricole
Trois Rivières Cuvée de L'Ocean Rhum Blanc Agricole
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum - 1 litre!
Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum - 1 litre!
1/ l · incl.  VAT
Doorly's Barbados Rum (B-Goods) 12 Years
Doorly's Barbados Rum (B-Goods) 12 Years
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Plantation Rum Guatemala - Bélize Gran Anejo (B-Ware)
Plantation Rum Guatemala - Bélize Gran Anejo (B-Ware)
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Flor de Caña Centenario Rum (B-Ware) 12 Years
Flor de Caña Centenario Rum (B-Ware) 12 Years
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Eminente Ron de Cuba Reserva Rum 7 Years
Eminente Ron de Cuba Reserva Rum 7 Years
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Langs Mango & Ginger Spiced Rum
Langs Mango & Ginger Spiced Rum
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Old Bert Winter Spiced Rum
Old Bert Winter Spiced Rum
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Clément Vieux VSOP Rhum (B-Goods)
Clément Vieux VSOP Rhum (B-Goods)
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Ron Zacapa 23 Solera Rum (B-Goods)
Ron Zacapa 23 Solera Rum (B-Goods)
1/ l · incl.  VAT
J.Bally Ambré Rhum
J.Bally Ambré Rhum
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Navy Island Tawny Port Cask Finish XO Rum (B-Ware) /2023
Navy Island Tawny Port Cask Finish XO Rum (B-Ware) /2023
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT

The most important rum varieties

Rum is an interesting and very diverse spirit that can be categorised according to a wide variety of criteria.

Raw material

The raw material for rum is sugar cane. A distinction is made between the part of the sugar cane from which the rum is made, molasses, sugar cane juice or syrup. This results in the different categories of molasses rum and sugar cane rum. In addition, a variety of flavours is created by the so-called flavoured or spiced rums, which are supplemented with additional flavours from spices, fruit or sugar.

Production method

Rum can be distilled in both column stills and pot stills. Its fermentation time varies considerably. A particularly long fermentation produces a high ester rum. And indeed, Demerara Distillers still has a producing wooden pot still at the Diamond Distillery and the Botucal is distilled on a batch kettle in addition to pot stills and column stills.

Country of origin

Rum has its origins in the Caribbean and even today over 80 per cent of rum still comes from these countries, such as Cuba, Jamaica, Barbados, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Nowadays, rum is produced in all parts of the world. This results in a variety of rum styles, as each country has its own methods.

In our shop you will find a categorisation of rums by style as well as by country!

Storage and age

The ageing time of rum is calculated according to the time in the barrel, but also after further ageing in the bottle, and varies enormously between a few months and many years. It is matured both in barrels and in stainless steel containers. The barrels used previously contained whisky or wine, both of which impart certain flavours to the rum.

Terms that indicate the age:

- Reserva: at least 36 months, of which 12 months in the barrel, the rest in the bottle
- Gran Reserva: at least 60 months, of which 18 months in the barrel, the rest in the bottle
- Anejo: means old, without specifying a particular age
- VO: Very Old, at least 3 years in oak barrels
- VSOP: Very Superior Old Pale, at least 4 years in oak barrels
- XO: Extra Old, at least 6 years in oak barrels
- Rum hors d'age at least 10 years
- Premiumrum, 10 to 20 year old rum

Colour of the rum

There is white (colourless) rum and brown rum in various shades of golden brown to dark brown, almost black.

White rum:

It is clear and generally mild in flavour. Here you will find rums that are mainly used for mixing cocktails. They are stored for between one and four years and then filtered to remove the colour.

Brown rum:

Ageing in barrels gives it a golden colour, which is why it is sometimes referred to as golden rum. It becomes stronger in flavour through barrel ageing. Ideally, brown rum is enjoyed neat and is very suitable for mixing stronger rum cocktails.

Black rum:

The rich caramel flavour of the molasses is already emphasised during production. Burnt caramel is also used to achieve a particularly dark colour. These rums are often used in the confectionery and baking industry due to their pronounced caramel flavour, as they provide good sweetness.

Style direction

There is the so-called English, Spanish or French style of rum production. The styles are characterised by the respective former colonial rulers of the respective islands and countries.

Spanish style rum:

Spanish-style rums are made from molasses and are usually mild, smooth and sweet. They are mainly produced in column stills and are often bottled using the solera method. The flavour is round and complex, ranging from light to oily depending on age. Fermentation takes place with cultivated yeasts. The most popular Spanish-style rums come from Cuba, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

Rum in the English style:

This type is also traditionally made from molasses and usually matures for several years in barrels. It is usually a classic, aromatic, spicy, dark rum, often with a higher percentage. The English style uses wild yeasts for fermentation. It is often distilled in batches in pot stills. The most popular English rums are produced in Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Mauritius.

French style rum:

French-style rum is made from sugar cane juice and is also known as "rhum agricole". Agricole" also includes agricultural production as opposed to industrial production. French rum differs significantly from Spanish or English-style rum. The style is characterised by fruitiness and is often described as elegant. The most popular French-style rums can be found in Haiti, Martinique and Guadeloupe.

In the following, we will present the rum varieties in the order in which you will find them in our shop.

The variety most commonly found on the market is rum distilled from molasses, the by-product of sugar production. It is also called traditional rum. It may be made from sugar cane from different plantations and may have been produced within a distillery using different processes. It is often first aged in bourbon barrels and wine barrels, and there are various after-ages. All this is possible with molasses rum, without one already being able to speak of a blended rum.

There are, among others, the categories Cuba Rum, a particularly light and mostly white or golden rum, in which the molasses is specially processed. High Ester Rum or Jamaica-style rum is particularly worth mentioning. It is characterised by a very high proportion of ester. This comes about through a particularly long fermentation period. This chemical compound is characterised by expressive aromas and fragrances, which makes the rum aromatic and heavy.

Product selection molasses rum

MacNairs Exploration Jamaica Rum - Peated
MacNairs Exploration Jamaica Rum - Peated
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Ron Abuelo Tawny Port Cask Finish 15 Years
Ron Abuelo Tawny Port Cask Finish 15 Years
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Rum Nation Panama Rum 10 Years
Rum Nation Panama Rum 10 Years
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Santa Teresa 1796 Speyside Cask Rum incl. free pocket bottle
Santa Teresa 1796 Speyside Cask Rum incl. free pocket bottle
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Botucal - Planas Blanco incl. free Botucal lunch box
Botucal - Planas Blanco incl. free Botucal lunch box
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
MacNairs Exploration Jamaica Rum
MacNairs Exploration Jamaica Rum
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Ron Millonario 10 Aniversario Reserva
Ron Millonario 10 Aniversario Reserva
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Bristol Rum Column Still Fiji 2010/2022
Bristol Rum Column Still Fiji 2010/2022
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Gold of Mauritius Solera 5 Rum
Gold of Mauritius Solera 5 Rum
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
English Harbour Rum (B-Goods) 5 Years
English Harbour Rum (B-Goods) 5 Years
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Ron Canuto Ecuador Rum 7 Years
Ron Canuto Ecuador Rum 7 Years
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Don Q Rum Reserva Anejo 7 Years
Don Q Rum Reserva Anejo 7 Years
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT

This rum is made from the juice of the sugar cane. For this purpose, the sugar cane must be crushed and squeezed. This includes the varieties of Rhum Agricole made from fresh sugar cane juice.

A variation is rum made from sugar cane honey. Here, the juice is concentrated again.

Rhum Agricole

The difference to 'normal' rum or Rhum traditionnel is the raw material. It is rum made from fresh sugar cane juice, whereby the term 'Agricole' expresses that it is agriculturally and not industrially produced rum. The H in Rhum comes from the fact that Rhum Agricole is mainly produced on former French islands, the French Antilles. The islands of Guadeloupe, Martinique and La Reunion have made a name for themselves with Rhum Agricole. In the meantime, it is also produced in Brazil and the USA, for example.

Rhum Agricole is a protected term, whereby the rum must be produced according to regulations set by the countries of origin.

Only the French Antilles produce according to the AOC regulations! The AOC regulations, Appellation d'Origine Controlée, stand for a controlled designation of origin. It is monitored from France.

Sugarcane Honey or rum made from sugar cane honey

And then there is Sugarcane rum. Here, liquid is extracted from the sugar cane juice so that it becomes viscous and very concentrated.

Product selection sugar cane rum

Saint James Rhum (B-Goods) 12 Years
Saint James Rhum (B-Goods) 12 Years
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Flor de Caña Centenario Rum 12 Years
Flor de Caña Centenario Rum 12 Years
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Rhum J.M X.O (B-Ware) /2022
Rhum J.M X.O (B-Ware) /2022
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Renegade Études Pearls Rum 2021/2022
Renegade Études Pearls Rum 2021/2022
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Dictador Rum with glass 10 Years
Dictador Rum with glass 10 Years
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Saint James Rhum Imperial Blanc
Saint James Rhum Imperial Blanc
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
J.Bally Ambré Rhum
J.Bally Ambré Rhum
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Barceló Imperial Maple Cask Rum
Barceló Imperial Maple Cask Rum
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Clément Vieux VSOP Rhum
Clément Vieux VSOP Rhum
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Flor de Caña Centenario Rum with 2 glasses (B-goods) 12 Years
Flor de Caña Centenario Rum with 2 glasses (B-goods) 12 Years
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Appleton Estate Hearts Collection Rum 20Y-2002/2022
Appleton Estate Hearts Collection Rum 20Y-2002/2022
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Arehucas Anejo Reserva Rum 12 Years
Arehucas Anejo Reserva Rum 12 Years
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT

Blending means mixing, and in the case of rum, very diverse blending is permitted and carried out. Rums from different distilleries as well as from different countries can be combined. Blends are also used when different raw materials - e.g. sugar cane juice and molasses - are distilled or the sugar cane comes from different plantations. The age and different production methods can also make a blended rum. Rum from the same distillery with a different distillation process is also blended, or from different barrels with, for example, subsequent ageing in bourbon, sherry or cognac barrels.

An example of the art of blending rum is Dos Maderas Seleccion Rum. Here, rums from two countries were blended in different sherry casks. Or Bank's Rum, which was created from 23 different rums distilled in eight distilleries and seven different countries.

The counter-development to this is the "Single Estate Rum", where the focus is on something special: only from one plantation, only from one growing area, etc. The aim is to emphasise the terroir. It is important to emphasise the terroir. The term "single origin rum" is also commonly used.

Product selection Blended Rum

Botucal Mantuano Rum with Miniature Reserva Exklusiva (B-Ware)
Botucal Mantuano Rum with Miniature Reserva Exklusiva (B-Ware)
0,75/ l · incl.  VAT
Plantation Black Cask Barbados - Cuba
Plantation Black Cask Barbados - Cuba
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Appleton Estate Rare Casks Rum 12 Years
Appleton Estate Rare Casks Rum 12 Years
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Chairman's Reserve "The Forgotten Casks" (B-Ware)
Chairman's Reserve "The Forgotten Casks" (B-Ware)
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Botucal Mantuano Rum - Traditional Range (B-Goods)
Botucal Mantuano Rum - Traditional Range (B-Goods)
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Plantation Rum Sealander
Plantation Rum Sealander
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Plantation Rum Guatemala - Bélize Gran Anejo (B-Ware)
Plantation Rum Guatemala - Bélize Gran Anejo (B-Ware)
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Appleton Estate Signature Rum
Appleton Estate Signature Rum
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Botucal Mantuano Rum - Traditional Range incl. free Botucal lunch box
Botucal Mantuano Rum - Traditional Range incl. free Botucal lunch box
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Mount Gay Black Barrel
Mount Gay Black Barrel
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Botucal Reserva Exclusiva Rum with glass
Botucal Reserva Exclusiva Rum with glass 14%
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Botucal Rum - Selección de Familia (B-Goods)
Botucal Rum - Selección de Familia (B-Goods)
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT

This is rum to which flavouring has been added, mainly ingredients such as sugar, vanilla and spices of all kinds, such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger. This gives an idea of why spiced rum is well suited for winter mixed drinks. Characteristically, flavoured rum is usually wonderfully smooth and light, making it uncomplicated to drink. Spiced rum has a minimum alcohol strength of 37.5% vol.

Product selection Spiced Rum

Langs Mango & Ginger Spiced Rum
Langs Mango & Ginger Spiced Rum
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Botran Cobre Spiced Rum
Botran Cobre Spiced Rum
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
The Kraken Black Spiced Roast Coffee
The Kraken Black Spiced Roast Coffee
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
The Kraken Black Spiced Rum incl. highball glass
The Kraken Black Spiced Rum incl. highball glass
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Remedy Spiced Rum (B-Goods)
Remedy Spiced Rum (B-Goods)
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Hell or High Water Spiced Rum
Hell or High Water Spiced Rum
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Zaya Gran Reserva Spiced Rum
Zaya Gran Reserva Spiced Rum
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
BrewDog Duo Distilling Spiced Rum
BrewDog Duo Distilling Spiced Rum
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Islay Rum Peat Spiced Rum /2023
Islay Rum Peat Spiced Rum /2023
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
The Kraken Black Spiced Rum
The Kraken Black Spiced Rum
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Islay Rum Ùine Mhòr Rum
Islay Rum Ùine Mhòr Rum
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Old Bert Summer Spiced Rum
Old Bert Summer Spiced Rum
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT

According to recent EU regulations, a rum-based spirit is one with a sugar content of more than 20 g per litre. However, as with rum, the base must be sugar cane, either molasses or sugar cane juice. In addition, the addition of colouring is permitted here and an alcohol content of less than 37.5% vol. is allowed.

Product selection of rum-based spirits

A.H. Riise Christmas Edition XO Reserve Rum Spirit (B-Ware) /2023
A.H. Riise Christmas Edition XO Reserve Rum Spirit (B-Ware) /2023
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Pyrat XO Reserve Rum Spirit
Pyrat XO Reserve Rum Spirit
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Dos Maderas 5+5 Triple Aged PX rum spirit incl. miniature Selección (B-goods)
Dos Maderas 5+5 Triple Aged PX rum spirit incl. miniature Selección (B-goods)
0,75/ l · incl.  VAT
The Demon's Share rum spirit with 2 metal cans 6 Years
The Demon's Share rum spirit with 2 metal cans 6 Years
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
The Demon's Share Old Rodrigo's Reserve Rum Spirit (B-Goods) 9 Years
The Demon's Share Old Rodrigo's Reserve Rum Spirit (B-Goods) 9 Years
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Dos Maderas 5+5 Triple Aged PX rum spirit incl. glass
Dos Maderas 5+5 Triple Aged PX rum spirit incl. glass
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Don Papa Baroko rum spirit
Don Papa Baroko rum spirit
0,2/ l · incl.  VAT
Old Bert Winter Spiced Rum
Old Bert Winter Spiced Rum
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum - 1 litre!
Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum - 1 litre!
1/ l · incl.  VAT
Remedy Pineapple Rum Spirit
Remedy Pineapple Rum Spirit
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Dos Maderas 5+5 Triple Aged PX Rum Spirit (B-Ware)
Dos Maderas 5+5 Triple Aged PX Rum Spirit (B-Ware)
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
Dos Maderas 5+5 Triple Aged PX Rum Spirit
Dos Maderas 5+5 Triple Aged PX Rum Spirit
0,7/ l · incl.  VAT
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Sylvia Simm is an experienced employee of Whisky.de. After more than 20 years in online sales and service, she supports the company with her extensive whisky knowledge in marketing. As online editor and content manager, she is responsible for editing and updating the texts on the knowledge pages.

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