Florida Rum

Florida Rum is a clear rum made from Gulf Coast food-grade molasses. It is double-distilled through a copper pot still at Timber Creek Distillery in Crestview, Florida. We use a lighter baking-grade molasses rather than blackstrap. That choice keeps the flavor profile clean and balanced rather than heavy and dark. The result is a bold yet smooth spirit that works well on its own. It also serves as the base for the Apple Pie, Coffee, and Barrel Aged expressions in the lineup.

What Makes This a Florida Rum?

This rum is defined by three things: the molasses, the water, and the climate. Each is specific to Florida, and each shapes the finished spirit in ways that mass-produced Caribbean rums cannot replicate.

The molasses comes from the Gulf Coast — the same sugarcane-growing region that feeds Florida’s agricultural economy. We use a food-grade baking molasses rather than blackstrap. Blackstrap molasses is the byproduct of maximum sugar extraction. It is dense, dark, and intensely bitter — producing the heavy, pungent character typical of dark Caribbean rum styles. Food-grade molasses retains more residual sugar and carries a lighter, cleaner flavor profile. That choice shapes everything downstream: fermentation, distillation character, and the finished rum’s behavior in cocktails.

The water is Florida limestone spring water, drawn locally. Limestone-filtered water has a distinct mineral profile that influences fermentation. Its calcium and magnesium content supports healthy yeast activity and contributes subtle mineral structure to the finished spirit. It is the same water source used across the entire Timber Creek lineup.

Florida’s warm, humid climate shapes the production environment year-round. While this rum is not barrel aged, the climate still affects fermentation. Warmer temperatures produce more ester development and aromatic complexity than the controlled low-temperature fermentations used in industrial production. For more on how rum is made from the ground up, see our authoritative guide to rum.

The Molasses Choice — Why It Matters

Most craft rum producers choose their molasses as carefully as bourbon distillers choose their grain. The molasses is the raw material that everything else derives from, and different grades produce fundamentally different rums.

Blackstrap molasses — the most commonly used grade in rum production — is the dark, viscous byproduct left after maximum sugar extraction from sugarcane juice. It is inexpensive and widely available. However, it carries strong sulfur notes, bitter compounds, and a heavy flavor profile that requires aggressive filtration or long aging to tame. Many commercial rums start with blackstrap and spend years in barrels to smooth the rough edges.

Food-grade baking molasses retains more residual sugar and far fewer bitter compounds than blackstrap. It is the grade used in baking, where molasses needs to taste good on its own rather than just provide fermentable sugar. Starting with cleaner raw material produces fewer unwanted congeners in fermentation. Distillation has less aggressive character to contend with. The finished rum has a naturally lighter, more approachable profile — without requiring heavy filtration or extended aging to achieve it.

That is why Florida Rum is clear and smooth rather than harsh and punishing. It also explains why the infused expressions work so well. Apple Pie Rum and Coffee Rum both rely on the clean base character to let their infused ingredients read clearly rather than competing with heavy molasses notes.

Double Distillation Through a Copper Pot Still

Florida Rum is distilled twice through a copper pot still. That double distillation process removes unwanted congeners while preserving the flavor-active compounds that give the rum its character. Copper reacts with sulfur compounds in the distillate and removes them. That is why copper stills are standard in quality spirits production across rum, whiskey, and brandy. Pot still shape retains more molasses-derived flavor compounds than a column still would — producing a rum with more presence and character than neutral-tasting industrial rums.

Running the spirit through twice achieves a cleaner, more refined distillate without stripping it of flavor. First, the spirit concentrates and sheds the bulk of undesirable compounds. Second, the run refines the distillate further and targets the hearts fraction — the cleanest, most flavorful portion — for the finished rum. What results is a spirit that is clean and balanced without being neutral.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Light molasses sweetness leads on the nose, followed by subtle tropical fruit notes and a mild vanilla undertone. The aromatics are clean and approachable — there is no harsh solvent character, no heavy sulfur, and no aggressive alcohol bite. The food-grade molasses choice keeps the nose in the lighter, cleaner range of clear rum character rather than the heavy, pungent range associated with dark rum production.

Palate

The entry is smooth and slightly sweet, with a light cane character carrying through from the molasses. Soft fruit notes and a subtle mineral quality — from the Florida limestone spring water — add texture without adding weight. Pot still distillation gives the rum more body than column-distilled spirits. It holds up in cocktails without disappearing behind other ingredients. The finish is clean and short, with a light warmth and no lingering bitterness.

Finish

Clean, brief, and smooth. The molasses sweetness fades quickly, leaving a light warmth and a subtle mineral note. There is no harsh heat, no bitter residue, and no heavy congener aftertaste. Because it is unfiltered, there is slightly more texture in the finish than most filtered clear rums.

Overall Character

It is a balanced, approachable clear rum that performs well both neat and in cocktails. It has more character than industrial column-still rums but stays clean enough for applications where the base spirit needs to blend rather than dominate. Gold Medal at both the Denver International Spirits Competition and The Fifty Best for White Rum.

How Florida Rum Performs in Cocktails

Clear rum is one of the most cocktail-versatile spirits produced. Florida Rum works across classic rum applications and holds its own in more spirit-forward drinks where lesser rums would disappear.

Classic Rum Cocktails

Daiquiri, Mojito, and Rum and Coke are the three classic applications where clear rum lives or dies on its own quality. The clean molasses profile and pot still body make it a better daiquiri rum than most commodity clear rums. That additional character shows up even in a simple three-ingredient classic. A Mojito benefits from the rum’s light tropical fruit notes, which complement fresh lime and mint without competing with them.

On the Rocks or Neat

Florida Rum is approachable neat because of the food-grade molasses base and double distillation. Poured over a large ice cube, the slight dilution opens the nose and rounds the palate. Neat at room temperature, it drinks more richly than most clear rums of comparable proof. It is a useful demonstration that white rum can be worth sipping rather than just mixing.

As a Base for Infused Expressions

This rum is the foundation for three other expressions in the lineup. The Apple Pie Rum infuses the base with apple juice concentrate, Saigon cinnamon, Madagascar vanilla, raisins, and lemon. Our Coffee Rum builds on the same base in a completely different direction. Our Barrel Aged Rum takes the same base spirit and develops it through time in used Missouri oak whiskey barrels. Each of those expressions owes its foundation to this rum’s clean character.

Production Standards

Every batch at Timber Creek meets the following standards to carry the Florida Rum designation:

• Distilled from 100% local Gulf Coast molasses
• Uses only Florida limestone spring water
• Distilled on-site in Crestview, Florida
• Bottled unfiltered to preserve natural flavor and texture

These standards keep the production process transparent and the finished spirit honest. No artificial flavoring, no added sugar, no aggressive filtration. It tastes the way it does because of raw materials and process — not because of additives designed to compensate for low-quality ingredients.

Awards & Recognition

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This expression has earned recognition at two of the most respected independent spirits competitions. For the full award history across all Timber Creek expressions, see the Awards page.

Frequently Asked Questions About Florida Rum

What is Florida Rum made from?

Florida Rum is made from Gulf Coast food-grade (baking-grade) molasses mixed with Florida limestone spring water. The molasses is fermented, then double-distilled through a copper pot still. No additives, no added sugar, and no artificial flavoring at any stage.

What is the difference between food-grade molasses and blackstrap molasses?

Blackstrap molasses is the darkest, most bitter grade — the residual byproduct after maximum sugar extraction. Food-grade baking molasses retains more residual sugar and fewer bitter compounds. Starting with food-grade molasses produces a cleaner, lighter rum that requires less filtration and less aging to achieve balance. Most industrial rum producers use blackstrap because it is cheaper. Timber Creek uses food-grade because the finished rum tastes better from the start.

Is Florida Rum filtered?

No. Florida Rum is bottled unfiltered. Filtration removes some of the naturally occurring oils, esters, and fatty acids that contribute to mouthfeel and flavor complexity. Skipping filtration preserves the full character of the double-distilled molasses spirit. The trade-off is a very slight haze at cold temperatures. That is normal for an unfiltered spirit, not a defect.

What cocktails work best with Florida Rum?

It works well in any application where a clear rum is called for. Daiquiri, Mojito, Rum and Coke, Dark and Stormy, and Rum Punch all suit it well. The pot still character and clean molasses profile also make it worth sipping neat or on ice, where the flavor is more perceptible than in a blended cocktail.

How is Florida Rum different from Caribbean rum?

Most Caribbean rum is produced at industrial scale on column stills from blackstrap molasses. Years of barrel aging follow, smoothing those rough edges. It is made on a copper pot still from food-grade molasses. It is double-distilled for refinement rather than relying on barrel aging to fix production flaws. The result has more intrinsic character than industrial column-still rums. No years of aging are needed — the base spirit is already clean and balanced.

Where can I taste Florida Rum?

It is available for tasting at Timber Creek Distillery in Crestview, Florida. The Distillery Tour and Tasting includes the rum lineup, where you can compare the clear Florida Rum against the Apple Pie, Coffee, and Barrel Aged expressions to see how each one builds on the same base spirit in a different direction.

What is the proof of Florida Rum?

Proof information is on the spec sheet. Download the Florida Rum Spec Sheet (PDF) for full technical specifications.

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Farm-to-Bottle PureBlend® Process

At Timber Creek, we take a natural, sustainable approach to crafting our spirits through our proprietary PureBlend® process. This method carefully brings out the rich, authentic flavors of each ingredient, honoring its natural character. After distillation, we develop and blend these elements to create bold, balanced, and pure flavor profiles — a true farm-to-bottle experience.

Explore the Rum Lineup

• Apple Pie Rum — Clear rum base infused with a family Blue Ribbon apple pie recipe, no added sugar
• Florida Coffee Rum — Same base spirit, real coffee infusion
• Barrel Aged Florida Rum — The same base rum developed through time in used Missouri oak whiskey barrels
• What Is Rum? An Authoritative Guide

Spec Sheet