Origins of black rum?

[mbanu]

A friend of mine told me that black rum was originally discovered when rum was aged in used molasses barrels, which gave them a sweeter taste and a much darker color than normal aged rums.

The story sounds reasonable, but my friend couldn't substantiate it. Anyone know if it's true?

I doubt that black rum is still made this way, considering that molasses for the most part isn't shipped in wooden barrels anymore... How exactly do they make it today?

[Ed Hamilton]

The origin of black rum doesn't seem to be too far from the truth, rum was probably being stored in barrels which had held molasses and the color of the rum was affected and the taste was smoother than the hot distillate.

Today black rum is made by adding caramel, burnt sugar, to the clear distillate. But this isn't just any burnt sugar, it has been carefully burnt in order to preserve the color, texture and character that makes it good. Just burning some sugar in a frying pan will make the rum taste, well, burnt.