The alcohol world (especially hard alcohol) is extremely complicated and can sometimes seem a bit overwhelming. I absolutely get it. I’ve been writing about whiskey, vodka, tequila, gin, rum, and other forms of alcohol for almost twenty years, and I still learn new information about distilling, aging, and other liquor-related techniques and facts every single day. That said, today is a good time to learn a little about not only one specific type of alcohol but a subset of said type of alcohol. Today is all about unlocking the secrets of dark rum. What it is, how it’s made, and of course, how to enjoy it. Keep scrolling as we dive into the caramel-colored, multi-layered, complex, and exciting world of dark rum.
What is rum and how is it made?
Popular in the Caribbea, but made in all corners of the globe, rum is a distilled spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice or sugarcane molasses. First, the sugarcane is harvested. It’s then crushed to extract sugarcane juice. Yeast and water are mixed with the juice which creates a chemical reaction where yeast and the sugars create ethanol and carbon dioxide. The liquid is then distilled and bottled immediately, aged in wood barrels for weeks, months, or years, and/or blended with other rums.
What is dark rum?
There are a variety of different types of rum including white rum, gold rums, spiced rum, and beyond. Today, as we mentioned earlier, we’re most interested in dark rum. In the most basic terms, dark rum is a type of rum that was matured for months or years in charred oak barrels. This creates an amber to a caramel colored spirit based on how long it spends aging. Just like whiskey, wood aging adds a variety of aromas and flavors. The longer it ages, the more pronounced and complex the aromas and flavors will be.
“To produce dark, golden, or black rum, producers age the rum before filtering and bottling. The rum’s darker color and bolder flavor come from the wooden or charred oak barrels used in the aging process,” says Pusser’s Rum.
How is dark rum aged?
Obviously, in order to be referred to as dark rum, the spirit must be aged in wooden barrels. You might be surprised to learn that the most often used vessel is American oak ex-bourbon barrels. But there are other creative barrels used by rum distillers to add unique aromas and flavor. These include ex-cognac, sherry, port, madeira, wine, and even beer barrels. Depending on the brand and expression, dark rums might be matured for years or even decades to truly enhance and elevate the liquid to new heights.
What does dark rum taste like?
If you’re a whiskey drinker, you’re going to likely skip all of the rum varieties and head straight for dark rum. Wood barrel aging (depending on the barrel type used) adds seemingly countless aromas and flavors. These include charred oak, caramelized sugar, coffee beans, molasses candy, toasted coconut, vanilla beans, and island spices. Other potential aromas and flavors include fruit esters, grassy funk, cinnamon, cloves, and even subtle smoke.
How do you drink dark rum?
I’m not here to scold about the way you drink your alcohol. I’m in the “to each his or her own” mentality. If you want to imbibe dark rum in shot form or add it to a long list of ingredients in a sugary, tropical cocktail, that’s your prerogative. But, if you really want to make your dark rum shine in a cocktail, it’s best when paired with complimentary spirit in a balanced, flavorful cocktail.
While I love a dark rum as the base for a classic rum cocktail or a twist on a drink that primarily uses whiskey as its base, we enjoy drinking dark rum neat, on the rocks, or with a splash or two of water the same way we would a well-made, multi-layered single malt Scotch whisky, bourbon, rye, Irish whiskey, or any other noteworthy whiskey.
Bottom line
If you weren’t previously a rum drinke, but you enjoy whiskey, I hope the above information has opened your eyes to this nuanced, complex spirit. If you enjoy the aromas and flavors of a long-aged whiskey, it will behoove you to peruse internet retailers or visit your local liquor retailer (and ask a knowledgeable employee) to purchase a few bottles to add to your home bar. The next time you want to crack open a bottle of your favorite bourbon, give a dark rum a try instead. One sip, and you’ll be entering a whole new world of sipping. Trust me, I’ve been doing this for a while.
