Rum

Rum is a distilled beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses and sugarcane juice by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak and other casks. While there are rum producers in places such as Australia, India, Reunion Island, and elsewhere around the world, the majority of rum production occurs in and around the Caribbean and along the Demerara river in South America. Some major rum brands include Bacardi, Stroh, Mount Gay, Bundaberg, Myers, and Pusser's.

Origins of the name

The origin of the word rum is unclear.

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A common claim is that the name was derived from rumbullion meaning "a great tumult or uproar". {{inote|Pacult - RUM'S ANCIENT PEDIGREE}}

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Another claim is the name is from the large drinking glasses used by Dutch seamen known as rummers, from the Dutch word roemer, a drinking glass.{{inote|Blue p. 72-73}}

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Other options include contractions of the words saccharum, Latin for sugar, or arôme, French for aroma.

Related Topics:
Latin - French

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Regardless of the original source, the name had come into common use by May 1657 when the General Court of Massachusetts made illegal the sale of strong liquor "whether knowne by the name of rumme, strong water, wine, brandy, etc., etc."{{inote|Blue p. 73}}

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In current usage, the name used for a rum is often based on the rum's place of origin. For rums from Spanish-speaking locales the word ron is used. A ron añejo indicates a rum that has been significantly aged and is often used for premium products. Rhum is the term used for rums from French-speaking locales, while rhum vieux is an aged French rum that meets several other requirements.

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Some of the many other names for rum are Rumbullion, Rumbustion, Barbados water, Rumscullion, Devil's Death, Nelson's Blood, and Rumbo. A version of rum from Newfoundland is referred to by the name Screech, while some low-grade West Indies rums are called tafia.

Related Topics:
Newfoundland - West Indies - Tafia

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