By Kevin Wilkerson, PuClub.com Spirits Editor
World Rum Day, not be confused by National Rum Day (which is sometimes referred to as International Rum Day), is July 14.
It is a worldwide celebration of the sweet and intoxicating spirit. For a little more about it, this is from the event’s offical website, worldrumday.com:
“Founded in 2019, World Rum Day 2025 marks the 7th annual World Rum Day, hosted on the 2nd Saturday of July and established by spirits writer Paul Jackson in collaboration with rum bars, distilleries, rum brands and spirits writers across the world.
“World Rum Day is an independently organised global celebration of rum, aiming to highlight and support the richness and diversity of rums and distilleries across the world. Join rum producers and bars for events and promotions – from London to Sydney – or simply take the time to enjoy a rum at home with friends.”
I learned about it from a rum public relations pro, Huriu Guo, who contacted me about these three rums:
Kōloa Kauaʻi Coconut Rum (SRP: $32.99)
Kōloa Coconut Rum is distilled, blended, and bottled in Kalaheo, Kauaʻi, Hawaii using pure cane sugar, a vintage copper pot still, and filtered water from Mount Waiʻaleʻale.
It opens with bold coconut aromas and subtle notes of roasted coconut and piña colada. The taste is surprisingly dry at first (thanks to its 80 proof), followed by fresh young coconut, and finishes with hints of toasted coconut, lime zest, and a touch of caramelized pineapple.
Dos Maderas 5+3 Rum (SRP: $33.99)
Dos Maderas, meaning “Two Woods,” unites Caribbean and Spanish traditions. The rum starts in Barbados and Guyana, then is shipped to Jerez, Spain, where it’s aged in ex-Sherry casks using the traditional solera system and blended by Master Blender Paola Medina. Dos Maderas 5+3 is the world’s first rum to use a double cask aging process, resulting in a rich, smooth amber rum. It features notes of pecan, vanilla, smoky oak, and ripe fruit, with hints of tropical spice, sherry, and tobacco on the finish.
Don Q Oak Barrel Spiced (SRP: $41.99)
A sophisticated take on spiced rum, this blend is aged for at least 3 years in American white oak barrels and infused with natural spices. It features warm golden hues and a robust texture, with inviting aromas of vanilla, cinnamon, and caramel that give way to subtle oak and toasted coffee. Full-bodied yet balanced, it’s a spiced rum designed for sipping over ice or mixing into elevated cocktails.
The History Of Rum
Barbados is largely credited with being the birthplace of rum in the early 1600s because a Brazilian explorer named Richard Ligon had distillation expertise and was able to utilize the island’s abundant sugar cane crops. Although during a Don Papa rum tasting during Tiki Oasis in San Diego, a brand representive said rum was created in the Philippines.
So, as with any spirit (and cocktail for that matter) this history often comes down to what one believes to be true.
What is unquestioned is that the Caribbean was certainly the heartbeat of early rum production because it made its way to Europe, onto the ships of the British Navy, into the hands of pirates and eventually up to a new colony of England called the United States. It was pretty bad stuff, apparently, and was called Kill-devil.”
Rum was huge in the colonies of early America and several people in New England made their own rums. Legend has it that Paul Revere, as part of his famous midnight run, stopped at places to either have either a sip or several cups of what was then called Medford Rum.
It eventually kind of fell out favor but regained popularity in the USA during Probition. That’s because there was no prohibition in Cuba and masses of people went to Havana to drink rum-filled mojiots and daiquris. After World War II, it then became associated with the tropics as sailors returning from the Pacific brought back stories of exotic tropical drinks. Sensing a business opportunty, Ernest Raymond Beaunont Gantt – a.k.a. Don The Beachcomber – and Victor Jules Bergeron (Trader Vic) created Polynesian-style bars and drinks to match the setting. Each claims to have created the Mai Tai.
In the end, it really doesn’t matter where rum was invented and who created favorite cocktials like the Mai Tai. And today, we have special dates like World Rum Day to celebrate this fne spirit.
Waitress, get me two more boat drinks!
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