One of the world's oldest and best selling spirits, often misunderstood, steeped in tradition and with a colorful though not always honorable past. This is the first comprehensive, illustrated book to cover rum's history, production and full range of flavors. The pure rums are detailed by their island or country of origin, with an explanation of the climatic differences and productions methods that provides each with unique character. A guide to tasting and evaluating the full range of rums by style and class is provided along with a section on spiced and blended rums and how they are made and marketed. The book concludes with a directory of 180 of the world's most notable rums complete with statistics, tasting notes, label photos and a rating from one to five stars. Beverage managers and bartenders both professional and at home, will find this an essential buying guide and very entertaining reading.