Rum: Distillate from sugar cane, barrel-aged

Rum is a spirit distilled from fermented molasses, sugar cane syrup, or fresh sugar cane juice, with a minimum alcohol content of 37.5% ABV. Its home is the Caribbean, where sugar cane has been cultivated for centuries. Here you will find aged rum, spiced rum, a rum liqueur, and a small tasting set—rum that acquires its unique character in Hamburg and on the Moselle.

Rum, Spiced Rum, Rum Liqueur: what lies behind the names

EU Spirit Drink Regulation 2019/787 precisely governs what may be labeled as "rum." The distillate must be derived from sugar cane and distilled at below 96% ABV to preserve the typical character of rum. Added alcohol and flavorings are prohibited, caramel coloring is permitted only for color adjustment, and a maximum of 20g of sugar per liter is allowed for rounding off.

This leads to two further classifications. A spiced rum is infused with spices such as cinnamon, clove, or vanilla and is therefore legally considered a rum-based spirit. A rum liqueur is significantly sweeter: as a liqueur, it requires at least 100g of sugar per liter and a minimum of 15% ABV. HELMUT's rum liqueur is slightly above this limit with 103g of residual sugar and well above the minimum with 35% ABV.

White, brown, and aged rum

The color reveals much about the variety. White rum is light and clear, usually stored for a short time, and often intended for cocktails. Brown and aged rum gain color and depth from the wooden barrel: vanilla, caramel, and dried fruit come from the oak; the longer the storage, the rounder the rum. A finish in a second barrel that previously held bourbon, sherry, or wine adds a final, distinct accent.

Our rum producers

Helmut Wermut from Hamburg is actually known for vermouth and uses their own vermouth barrels for rum. The Caribbean rum comes from the Dominican Republic and is aged for eight years in American oak, followed by six months in an ex-bourbon barrel. Our best-seller is the HELMUT Rum Liqueur: smooth with vanilla, caramel, and red berries, rounded off with a touch of HELMUT vermouth. The HELMUT Rum Vermouth Finish spends an additional three months in a vermouth barrel and, at 40% ABV, presents itself with spicy notes of herbs, wood, chamomile, and caramel. For those who want to sample first, reach for the HELMUT Rum Tasting Box with three 50ml bottles: Rum Barrel Aged with apricot and vanilla, Vermouth Finish, and Rum Liqueur side by side.

Wajos from Dohr on the Moselle flavors rum for the cold season. The amber-colored Santas Spiced Rum gets cinnamon, star anise, and spiced plums, while the Christmas Spiced Rum made from rum from Barbados and Jamaica relies on cinnamon and clove, plus plum and aronia. Both have 37.8% ABV and are robust, smooth, and spicy.

Rum in the bar and winter kitchen

Aged rum like the Vermouth Finish belongs neat in a nosing glass or in a Rum Old Fashioned; the rum liqueur is best neat or in a Rum Sour. Spiced rum is suitable in winter in hot apple juice with a cinnamon stick or in white mulled wine, and in summer as a long drink with ginger beer. In the kitchen, a dash of Christmas Spiced Rum gives baked apple sauce and red cabbage a warm note, while bottled rum flavors "Rumtopf," raisins for stollen, or a cream sauce for dessert.

Buying rum: what to look for

• Designation: "Rum" on the label means pure sugar cane distillate without added flavorings; "spiced rum" and "rum liqueur" are spiced or sweetened, respectively.
• Maturation period: Age indications refer to the time stored in the barrel; HELMUT indicates eight years plus the finish.
• Alcohol content: Rum has at least 37.5% ABV, our rum liqueur has 35% ABV.
• Storage: upright, in a dark place at room temperature. Rum does not continue to age in the bottle and remains shelf-stable even after opening.

More from the spirits shelf

Rum is part of our Spirits category. You can find the vermouth whose barrels are used for the Vermouth Finish under Vermouth; other sweet companions ranging from hazelnut to egg liqueur can be found under Liqueurs.

Order rum online

Whether aged rum for the home bar or spiced rum for the winter kitchen: you can order rum online at Leni & Hans, and your package will be with you in 1–3 days. Sales are restricted to persons 18 years and older.