Rum

The Layman’s Bar Guide to the Six Base Liquors You Actually Need to Know If you understand brandy, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, and whiskey, you understand the bar.

Rum gets a bad rap sometimes — pirate jokes, college shots, or overly sweet spiced stuff that tastes like candy. But real rum is one of the most versatile spirits out there: tropical, sweet-to-dry, caramel-vanilla notes, sometimes funky or smoky.