Rum Rundown: A Brief History of a Rum

A History of Rum

Like any spirit, rum has a deep history and cultural ties. However, the history of rum is more fraught than most, being strongly integrated into colonialism, slavery, and organized crime. As a result, rum had a large influence on the United States and the Americas in general from the early days to the modern world. 

Early History

Before rum came to be as we know it today, there were fermented sugarcane drinks used in ancient cultures. Around India and Southeast Asia, fermented sugarcane beverages were used both medicinally and in ritual practices. Fast forwarding to the 1600’s, the European discovery of Barbados became an important gateway to rum’s global expansion. This is often cited as the birthplace of modern rum and in turn becomes a dark part of rum’s history. Barbados and other Caribbean islands became home to a large number of sugar plantations worked by enslaved Africans. It was these enslaved workers that discovered that molasses, a byproduct of sugar refining, could be fermented and distilled to make alcohol. Some early names for rum in this time were “kill-devil” or “rumbullion”.

In short order, rum became a key part of the transatlantic triangular trade. Slaves were transported from Africa to the Caribbean to work on sugar plantations. Molasses and sugar were shipped from the Caribbean to the early New England colonies and rum was distilled in New England and shipped to Africa to purchase more slaves. Rum became a currency, a ration for sailors, and a tool of colonialism. This trade process led to flourishing rum distilleries in New England in the mid 1600’s. The rum industry in the area became so successful that rum was the most consumed spirit in Colonial America at the time. Rum’s decline in the early United States came during the American Revolution and due to British taxes and bans on importing rum. As a result, the United States began to focus more on whiskey production, which in turn slowed the growth of rum. The legal end of the trans-Atlantic slave trade in the early 1800’s and more industrial sugar refining in the Caribbean also changed how rum was produced and distributed. 

Rum & Prohibition

Rum saw another resurgence in the United States during the prohibition era that lasted from 1920-1933. The prohibition of the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol during this time led to rum running from the Caribbean to the United States. This is where rum gained deep ties to organized crime at the time, where a lot of smuggled alcohol originated from in the United States. Rum was popular with bartenders during the prohibition era as well due to its sweet and fruity flavor. The rise of cocktail culture during this period gave birth to some of the most well known classic rum-based cocktails like the Daiquiri, Mojito, and the Zombie. Later on after WWII, the popularity of tiki culture and exotic cocktails in the United States made rum trendy and further boosted its popularity in the country. 

Rum Today

In the modern day, there has been a surge in craft rum distilleries, especially in the Caribbean, Central America, and the United States. There has been a large focus on more artisanal rums and premium versions of the spirit. Modern rum connoisseurs often seek aged, single-origin, and pot-stilled rums and it has become valued in a similar fashion to whiskey and tequila. Some of the most valued and respected rum distilleries include Hampden, Saint Lucia Distillers, Foursquare, J.M., Neisson, and a wide variety of others. For an in-depth look at the different types of rum you can check out our other post here.

The history of rum is one of the most intriguing and murky. From its darker origins in the slave trade and colonial plantations, to its impact on the American Revolution and the underground alcohol scene in prohibition, rum has had an impact across the globe. Its legacy lasts through the modern era and today it has become a respected spirit in its own right both as a popular cocktail ingredient and as a drink worthy of connoisseurship and collection.