Brown Rum

What is brown rum?

Rum is a spirit made from products of the sugarcane and has a minimum alcohol content of at least 37.5%. The term brown rum refers to the colour of the spirit. The two main types of rum are brown rum and white rum.

White vs. brown rum

After distillation, every rum is white - no matter whether it is produced from sugarcane juice or molasses. Through a long maturation, the usage of additives or the usage of special filters, the colour of the spirit changes.

Since a long maturation of the rum in wooden casks results in a darkening of the colour, many consumers assume that brown rum is always more valuable and better than white rum. Unfortunately, that’s a fallacy: Many producers of cheaper rums add caramel colour to their product, which can give white rum a golden or brown tint.

That’s why it’s important to not judge a rum by its colour. Instead, it’s crucial to get informed about the length of the maturation, the casks that are used and the usage of additives. If you can’t find any information about the length of maturation on the bottle, terms like anejo, reserva or gran reserva can be helpful. Anejo is used for matured rums, reserva for rums that matured for at least two years and gran reserva for rums with an age of at least five years.

How the “real” brown rum receives its colour

If no caramel colour is used, the real brown rum receives its colour through maturation in wooden casks – a process that usually takes several years. Often, casks are used that were previously filled with wine or spirits like bourbon. The maturation doesn’t only affect the colour of the rum, but also the aroma. A long matured rum usually is more individual, more balanced and richer. In order to achieve a full brown tone through maturation, the rum has to be stored for at least three years in oak casks. For an even darker tone and a more exclusive aroma, rums can, however, mature for up to 40 years.

How does brown rum taste?

The aroma of long matured brown rums is usually somewhere between sweet and spicy. Depending on the production and maturation, they can be mild or slightly hot. The most frequent notes for brown rums are vanilla, caramel, chocolate, toffee, nuts, oak, tobacco, pepper and butterscotch, which is why brown rum is often used as an ingredient for creating desserts and baked goods.

Popular brown rum brands 

The most popular rum brands which produce brown rums include Havana Club, Brugal, Plantation, Bacardi, Captain Morgan, Diplomático, Ron, A. H. Riise, Ron Zacapa and Dictador. 

Find other exciting rum brands in our shop and discover the world of brown rum!