Are you curious about the difference between white rum and spiced rum? Well, you aren’t alone on that question. It can get confusing fast With all the different types of rum out there. Today, we are here to help you understand easily and quickly the difference between these two rums.
White rum and spiced rum are pretty different in flavor, so it is essential to consider that when picking the proper rum for your next cocktail. If you are making a spiced rum drink, you want to use spiced rum. My first piece of advice is to pay close attention to the type of rum the recipe calls for and decide from there.
White Rum vs Spiced Rum
Spiced rum is robust in flavor, and you will likely taste the rum in your cocktail. When considering the difference between spiced rum and white rum, I think that spiced rum has a strong cinnamon, clove and nutmeg flavor. Spiced rum is also caramel in color and much darker looking than white rum. Spiced rum is also sweet so if you taste that sweet flavor it doesn’t mean that your spiced rum has gone bad.
White rum is a clear rum known for being slightly sweet and crisp. White rum is very adaptable and works well in many fruity cocktails such as Mojitos and Daiquiris. White rum won’t overpower the cocktail.
The difference in taste
White rum has a sweet and light taste to it. You will taste hints of vanilla and coconut and a bit of citrus. It tends to have a smooth taste and mixes well in cocktails because the flavor isn’t overpowering.
Spiced rum has a far more complex flavor than white rum. Just as the name suggests, it is spicy and will have a bit of heat to it. This spicy flavor comes from the cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and other rich spices used to flavor it.
The differences in how they are made
The main difference between how white rum and spiced rum are made is that white rum is generally not aged, and spiced rum is aged. White rum is made from sugarcane with the sugar extracted, and then it is fermented and distilled. After it is distilled, it is filtered to remove any impurities. After it is filtered, it is bottled and ready.
White rum isn’t aged because rum aged in barrels turns into gold or black rum, depending on how long it is aged. Sometimes brands age white rum for an abridged length to enhance the flavor, but it is rare.
Spiced rum is made from either golden rum or white rum. Once white rum has been distilled, spices will be added. This is an infusing process; how long the rum is infused with the spices is a brand secret and varies. Once the rum is infused, it is filtered to remove the spices and impurities.
An important thing to know about spiced rum is that it can be artificially colored to achieve that caramel color that spiced rum is famous for. I prefer a spiced rum that has been aged and is not artificially colored.
When you are in the liquor store, you can read the label, and it will tell you if it has artificial coloring or not.
The bottom line
Between the two rums, there will not be any mistaking the differences. White rum is clear, and spiced rum is darker in color. Spiced rum will taste dramatically different from white rum. Learn even more about rum by learning about spiced rum vs dark rum.
