Rum is a liquor distilled from sugar cane byproducts, typically sugarcane juice, sugar cane syrup, or molasses. The process of making rum involves the following steps:

1. Creating molasses from the sugar cane: The juices are squeezed from the sugar cane to create a by-product called molasses.
2. Fermentation: Yeast and water are added to the molasses to create alcohol. The yeast is carefully chosen to ensure the right taste profile and aroma of the final rum.
3. Distillation: The fermented liquid is heated and condensed in column stills.
4. Maturation: Some of this liquid will then get its rich color and flavor by being aged in charred white oak barrels.
5. Blending: To create the smooth taste, some of the finest Caribbean rums are carefully blended.

Most rum is produced from molasses, which is made from sugarcane. The quality of the rum depends on the quality and variety of the sugar cane that was used to create it. The sugar canes quality depends on the soil type and climate that it was grown in.

There are different types of rum, including white rum, golden rum, and dark rum. White rum is clear and is most commonly used for mixing cocktails. It is lighter than golden or dark rums and most are sold at 80 proof or 40% alcohol by volume. Most white rum is aged in either stainless steel barrels or aged in wood barrels and filtered to remove any color. Golden rum is aged for a longer period than white rum, giving it a golden color and a more complex flavor. Dark rums are aged even longer, in heavily charred barrels, giving them much stronger flavors than either light or gold rums, and hints of spices can be detected, along with a strong molasses or caramel overtone.