A Guide to Rum: White, Gold, Dark, and Spiced

The main rum styles, how they're made, and which cocktails show off each one best.

How rum is made

Rum is distilled from sugarcane juice or molasses, then typically aged in oak barrels — the aging (or lack of it) is what defines most of its style differences.

White (light) rum

Unaged or lightly filtered after aging to remove color, white rum has a clean, light profile that lets other ingredients shine. It's the backbone of the Daiquiri and Mojito.

Gold and dark rum

Aged longer in oak, gold and dark rums pick up caramel, vanilla, and spice notes from the barrel. They add depth to drinks like the Dark 'n' Stormy or a Rum Punch.

Spiced and flavored rum

Spiced rum has cinnamon, vanilla, or other spices added after distillation. It's popular in tiki-style drinks but can overpower more delicate recipes, so use it where its flavor is meant to stand out.

Regional styles

Jamaican rums tend to be funkier and more intense, Cuban-style rums lighter and drier, and agricole rums from Martinique are made from fresh sugarcane juice rather than molasses, giving them a grassy, vegetal note.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between white and dark rum?

White rum is unaged or lightly filtered after aging to remove color, giving it a clean, light profile that's the backbone of the Daiquiri and Mojito. Dark rum is aged longer in oak, picking up caramel, vanilla, and spice notes that add depth to drinks like the Dark 'n' Stormy.

What makes agricole rum different?

Agricole rums from Martinique are made from fresh sugarcane juice rather than molasses, giving them a grassy, vegetal note that sets them apart from Jamaican (funkier, more intense) and Cuban-style (lighter, drier) rums.