Rum

Rum is a liquor made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, initially a clear liquid, is often aged in barrels. Rum originated in the Caribbean in the 17th century, where it was likely first created by enslaved people on sugar plantations, but has come to be produced in nearly every major sugar-producing region of the world. Rums are produced in various styles. Light rums are commonly used in cocktails like the Mojito and Daiquiri, while "aged" or "dark" rums offer deeper flavor profiles and are often drunk straight (U.S. English) or neat (Commonwealth English), iced ("on the rocks"), or used in cooking. Historically, rum has served as a medium of economic exchange, playing a role in the triangular trade, slave trade, and colonial economies of the West Indies and British colonies. It has deep cultural associations with the Royal Navy and maritime history, and has been used to fund enterprises such as organized crime, and military insurgencies such as the American Revolution and the Australian Rum Rebellion.