Walk down the rum aisle and you'll see two very different personalities staring back at you: crystal-clear white rum and deep, moody dark rum. Here's how to tell them apart and know exactly when to reach for each.

White Rum: Light, Crisp, Mixable

White rum is typically aged for a shorter period, often filtered after ageing to strip out colour, leaving a clean, light spirit with subtle sweetness. It's built to disappear into a cocktail without fighting the other ingredients, which is exactly why it's the backbone of a proper mojito or daiquiri.

Dark Rum: Rich, Bold, Sippable

Dark rum spends more time in charred or previously used barrels, sometimes with a touch of caramel colouring added, picking up deep notes of molasses, dried fruit, toffee, and baking spice. It stands up well on its own, over ice, or in cocktails designed to showcase its richness rather than hide it.

How They're Made Differently

Both start life the same way, distilled from sugarcane juice or molasses. The real difference comes down to barrel time and filtration. Longer ageing plus less filtering equals darker colour and bigger flavour, while shorter ageing plus filtering keeps things light and neutral.

Best Uses for Each

White rum shines in citrus-forward, refreshing cocktails where you want the rum to play a supporting role. Dark rum is the star of drinks like a Dark 'n' Stormy or a good old rum and coke, and it's fantastic sipped neat after dinner.

Our Pick

Whichever camp you're in, our Cargo Rum lineup has you covered. Not sure where to start? Our Mexican Mule recipe (yes, it works beautifully with rum too) is a great way to put a bottle to good use this week.