White Rum Vs. Dark Rum | Differences & Similarities

Rum is a type of liquor that originated in the Caribbean. It’s produced by taking the juices from sugarcane, turning them into molasses, and then taking that mixture and fermenting and distilling it into rum. The rum is then aged in casks before it’s bottled.

When distilled, rum has an alcohol percentage (ABV) of 40% (80 proof) or higher.

Of the different kinds of rum, white and dark rum are two of the most popular. These two types of rum differ in their taste, color, the aging process, and how they’re consumed.

White Rum

White rum, also known as silver rum or light rum, tends to have a clean, sweet taste which makes it the backbone of many rum cocktails. It’s rarely consumed straight and is likely used in mixed drinks like a mojito, pina colada, or daiquiri.

White rum gets its clear look because distillers age it in stainless steel tanks for up to a year and then filter it before bottling. The filtration process takes away any coloring it might’ve picked up during the aging process.

White rum is often produced and most popular in Spanish-speaking countries. Bacardi, which is made in Mexico and Puerto Rico, is one of the most popular white rum brands available today. Other white rum brands are made in Cuba, Venezuela, and Panama.

Dark Rum

Dark rum, also known as black rum, has a fuller, more caramel taste. It keeps a greater amount of molasses in its final product, so it has a smokier, spicier flavor than white rum. 

Dark rum is often aged in charred oak barrels for two years or more. Caramel can also be added to give the rum a dark color.

Dark rum is most popular in English-speaking countries but it’s often produced in Bermuda, Trinidad, Tobago, Barbados, Martinique, and Jamaica. Captain Morgan, one of the more iconic brands of dark rum, is made in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Dark rum is consumed straight or put in certain cocktails like rum punch. It’s also used a lot in cooking

Differences Between White & Dark Rum

White and dark rum are similar but have differences that include:

Aging Process

Where dark rum is aged for two or more years, white rum is aged for a year at most. This gives dark rum a much more complex flavor profile. 

Additionally, white rum is aged in stainless steel barrels while dark rum is aged in charred oak casks.

Taste

Speaking of flavors, the taste of white rum and dark rum are also dramatically different. White rum has a much cleaner, sweeter taste while dark rum is stronger, spicier, and has more caramel undertones. Caramel can also be added to dark rum to enhance the color and flavor.

Color

White rum is crystal clear. You may almost mistake it for vodka or tequila when you look at it. 

Dark rum is a deep, dark amber or brown color. This is due to the molasses and the long aging process. White rum is specifically filtered to take away any color that is added during the aging process.

Drinking

White rum is almost never consumed straight; it’s mixed in a cocktail. Dark rum, on the other hand, is consumed straight and sipped on its own. It can also be mixed into cocktails but it’s not as common. 

Similarities Between White & Dark Rum

White rum and dark rum have plenty of differences but they also have a few similarities as well.

Process

White rum and dark rum both go through a similar process to be made. Sugarcane juice is turned into molasses which is then put through fermentation, distillation, and then aging. 

The only difference besides the aging process is that white rum is filtered before bottling and dark rum may get an extra shot of caramel.

Ingredients

The starting ingredients of both white rum and dark rum are the same. 

They both begin with sugarcane, water, and yeast. It’s the vessels used, the time they’re aged, and the filtering process that makes them into two distinct alcoholic beverages. But at the start, they’re made with the same ingredients.

Effects On The Body

Since white rum and dark rum are both alcoholic drinks, they have similar effects on the body when consumed in excessive amounts. Heavy drinking and binge drinking can increase the risk of adverse effects like alcohol poisoning, memory loss, impaired judgment, and addiction.

If you or a loved one struggles with alcohol abuse, please call our helpline today.