What is rum?Sugarcane, the Caribbean and the Navy — and the rums at Fiena, King's Cross

Rum is made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The spirit starts out clear and is often aged in barrels. It was born in the Caribbean in the 17th century, likely first made by enslaved people on sugar plantations, who found that molasses, a by-product of refining sugar, could be fermented and distilled. Today it's made in nearly every major sugar-producing region of the world.

Nobody is quite sure where the word comes from. The most popular theory links it to rumbullion, a drink made from boiled sugarcane stalks; both words appear in English around the 1650s. A 1651 document from Barbados called the island's spirit "Rumbullion, alias Kill-Divil". Background from Wikipedia's rum page.

Rum's link with the Royal Navy began in 1655, when a Navy fleet captured Jamaica and the sailors' daily liquor ration switched from French brandy to rum. Admiral Edward Vernon later had the ration watered down, a mix that became known as grog. The Navy kept giving sailors a daily rum ration, the "tot", until it was abolished on 31 July 1970.

Rums come in many styles. Light rums are mostly used in cocktails such as the Mojito and Daiquiri, while aged or dark rums have deeper flavour and are often sipped neat or over ice. One of the best-known names, Havana Club, is a Cuban brand created in 1934. Background from Wikipedia's Havana Club page.

Our spirits are poured in 25ml measures, and the rum shelf has five bottles:

• Bacardi
• Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva
• Havana Club 7 Year Old
• Eminente
• Ron Santiago

If you like brown spirits, see our posts on whisky, bourbon and tequila and Cognac. Not drinking? The mocktail list includes a Virgin mojito with fresh mint, lime juice, sugar and lemonade; see alcohol-free drinks.

A rum after dinner goes well with something rich from the dessert menu: the warm Chocolate brownie with ice cream, the Souffle al cioccolato or an Affogato. See our brownies and the chocolate soufflé.

Guests rate the bar as well as the kitchen. One wrote: The drinks were also really good. (Google review) And Fanghan: My friend had a juice and I ordered a mojito — both were really good. (Fanghan, Google review)

“Lovely setting, great food and very friendly and attentive service.”

Craig, Google reviews, 2026