Rum is a distilled spirit made from sugarcane molasses or fresh sugarcane juice. Its flavor ranges from light and mildly sweet to rich, warm, and caramel-like, with a smooth, thin liquid texture. In international cooking, it is used to flavor cakes, puddings, sauces, marinades, and flambéed dishes. Closely associated with the Caribbean, rum has a long history tied to the region’s sugarcane industry and culinary traditions.