Archive - Rum Wonk

Rum Additives - What Key Countries Allow

Rum additives are more complex than just sweetening. Discover why and explore the regulations of 24 rum-producing countries.

Jun 16 •

The Essential Tiki Rum Style That Disappeared

The meaning of “Martinique rum” completely changed between the 1950s and today. Martinique rhum agricole wasn’t readily available to consumers in the…

Jun 2 •

May 2025

When is a Column Still Not a Column Still?

Hybrid stills are often mislabeled as column stills, confusing consumers and competitions—true column stills enable continuous, not batch, distillation.

May 19 •

Good Places for Visitors to Buy Rum in the Caribbean - Part 2

In Part 1, I covered why Caribbean visitors may return home with less rum than hoped for. Here in Part 2, I provide tips for successful rum hunting.

May 12 •

Good Places for Visitors to Buy Rum in the Caribbean - Part 1

When rum geeks ask, "Where's the best place to buy rum in the Caribbean?" the answer is complicated. Part 1 of this two-part series is a deep dive on…

May 5 •

April 2025

Is Sorghum Rum a Thing?

Occasionally a sorghum "rum" pops into the news. Here's why sorghum can't be used to make rum.

Apr 2 •

March 2025

Solera Shouldn't Be a Dirty Word in Rum

Solera aging of rum is often demonized by enthusiasts, but a closer look reveals that the problem is misleading age representations, not solera. Also…

Mar 18 •

February 2025

It's Not All About Esters When It Comes to Rum

Many rums called high-ester may not be, and esters often play less of a role in a rum’s flavor profile than you might think.

Feb 21 •

January 2025

Dunder, Muck, and Acid - Demystifying Jamaica Rum's Secret Sauce

Jamaica rum's bold flavors stem from misunderstood fermentation components. Here, we'll examine dunder, muck and acid and learn how they create unique…

Jan 20 •

We Can Do Better Than Just “Overproof Rum" - Infographic

Rum’s incredible diversity causes its greatest challenge: ill-defined styles like "overproof." An infographic shows how diverse high ABV rums are and…

Jan 6 •

December 2024

Rum Wonk's 2024 Year in Review

It’s time for Rum Wonk's end-of-2024 recap! We’ll tick through some stats and most viewed posts momentarily, but first, some personal rum-related…

Dec 30, 2024 •

Why Is Rum Held to a Higher Global Standard Than Whiskey?

There is no truly global standard for distilled spirit, nor is rum the wild west of distilled spirits. It’s catchy, but wrong.

Dec 20, 2024 •

#nojs-banner { position: fixed; bottom: 0; left: 0; padding: 16px 16px 16px 32px; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; background: red; color: white; font-family: -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; } #nojs-banner a { color: inherit; text-decoration: underline; } This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. Please turn on JavaScript or unblock scripts