Difference Between Rum and Whiskey

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between rum and whiskey? Most people prefer one over the other, but don’t really know why. Let’s break down your favorite spirits with their similarities and differences. 

What is Rum?

Rum is a distilled alcoholic drink made from sugarcane bioproducts, including molasses and sugarcane juice. Although the origins of rum are unknown, the spirit is primarily manufactured in the caribbean due to the tropical climate helping in the production of sugarcane. But there are many wonderful rum distilleries right here in Pennsylvania. 

Rum is made by mixing yeast with the sugarcane juice or molasses. Then the processes of fermentation and distillation are controlled to achieve a desired taste and flavor. Although there are white rums, it’s typically aged in oak barrels to produce a golden or dark rum. There are also spiced rums which are popular for cocktails and mixed drinks.

What is Whiskey?

Whiskey is also a distilled beverage, but instead of sugarcane, whiskey is made from a mash of grains. Whiskey is made from a variety of grains, including corn, rye, barley, and wheat. The mash of grains is fermented and distilled and aged in oak barrels, similar to rum. Depending on the type of whiskey, the oak barrels and time needed to age can differ, but typically whiskey is aged longer than rum. 

Whiskey is made all around the world, with each region specializing in whiskey made from specific grains. The southern United States specialize in bourbon, which is whiskey made from corn. Pennsylvania distilleries are known for rye whiskey production and Scotland and Ireland are known for whiskey from barley and wheat.

What are the similarities between rum and whiskey?

The main similarity between whiskey and rum is that they are both distilled beverages that are aged in barrels. 

Both whiskey and rum also have certain classifications. Whiskey is classified by the country: Scotch whiskey, Irish whiskey, American whiskey. It is also classified in types of whiskey, like straight bourbon, straight rye whiskey, single malt, blended whiskey,and others. Rum is also classified into white, golden, dark, and spiced or flavored. 

Both rum and whiskey are great spirits for cocktails. There are countless cocktails that can be made from both spirits. 

Finally, the alcohol content for rum and whiskey is the same. Both are bottled at 40% ABV. 

What are the differences between rum and whiskey?

The primary difference between rum and whiskey is the original product it is made from: sugarcane vs. grain of mash. These differences produce very different tasting spirits. Because whiskey is made from a variety of grains, the flavor of different whiskeys can vary, however rum is undoubtedly sweeter than most whiskeys due to the sugarcane. 

Rum’s color is either white or dark, but whiskey is made in a variety of colors arriving from the various barrels and sometimes from artificial colorings. 

Finally, one major difference is the popularity of the two spirits. Whiskey is far more popular than rum, with worldwide sales far exceeding those of rum. 

No matter which spirit you prefer, keep an open mind. Now that you know the difference between the spirits it may be fun to try new and interesting cocktails from both spirits. 

Cheers!

At Eight Oaks we don’t just make whiskey, we make a difference. 

Tell us what you want to see in future blog posts and we’ll work it into the queue, and for those topics we select we’ll make sure to send you a fun prize pack.
Send your feedback to Josh at jvandenberg@eightoaksdistillery.com.