Collection: Norfolk Rum
Discover rum made and crafted in Norfolk by independent producers across the county – from smooth golden and dark rums to contemporary spiced and flavoured expressions.
Norfolk might be a long way from the sugar-cane fields traditionally associated with rum, but that hasn't stopped the county's independent spirit makers putting their own stamp on one of the world's great spirits.
The result is a diverse selection of Norfolk rums made for sipping, mixing and cocktails, with individual producers bringing their own approach to ageing, blending, spices and flavour.
What is rum made from?
Rum begins with sugar cane, usually in the form of molasses or sugar-cane juice.
That's quite different from whisky, which begins with grain, or gin, where a neutral spirit is flavoured through distillation with juniper and other botanicals.
Fermentation and distillation create the base rum before subsequent ageing, blending and flavouring help determine its final character.
How can rum be made in Norfolk if sugar cane doesn't grow here?
It's a reasonable question.
Describing a spirit as Norfolk rum doesn't necessarily mean that every ingredient originated in Norfolk. Sugar cane requires a very different climate from ours.
The Norfolk connection instead comes from what the individual producer does here – which can include distilling, blending, ageing, spicing, flavouring or finishing, depending upon the particular rum.
That's why we believe provenance is important. Rather than assuming every bottle has been produced in exactly the same way, look at the individual rum and the story of the Norfolk producer behind it.
What's the difference between white, golden and dark rum?
Colour can provide a useful starting point, although it doesn't tell you everything about how a rum will taste.
White rum is generally lighter in colour and often has a cleaner, fresher character, making it particularly popular for cocktails.
Golden or amber rum typically has more colour and complexity, often developing vanilla, caramel and spice characteristics.
Dark rum tends towards richer flavours, which can include treacle, caramel, dried fruit, vanilla, oak and warming spice.
Ageing, cask choice, blending and production methods can all influence the finished spirit, so two rums of the same colour can still taste remarkably different.