When is Rum Day in 2017?

The 2017 Rum Day is on Wednesday, August 16th.

What is Rum Day?

Rum Day is a beverage holiday that celebrates this popular cocktail ingredient. Rum distillers and distributors alike take full advantage of August 16 as a time to draw attention to brand name products like BACARDI and Cacique. Although rum and coke is one of the best known cocktails made with rum, this liquor is a key ingredient in many favorite drinks such as the mojito, the daiquiri, and the mai tai.

Rum was originally invented in the 17^th century in the Caribbean, where sugar cane was a major cash crop. Sugar cane was crushed and boiled to yield up its sugar. The molasses syrup left behind during the sugar purification process was considered a waste byproduct until slaves working the cane plantations decided to try fermenting and distilling it. Rum soon became an export that was shipped in bulk to the American colonies, where the drink was a favorite. It remains popular to this day, with more than 1 million gallons being imported into the U.S. per year.