In the bustling port towns of early America, no drink was more cherished than rum. You could even say to the American colonies that rum was king. It filled the tavern mugs of Boston merchants and fueled the booming economy of New England distilleries. It was currency, commerce, and culture all poured into a single bottle.
For decades, rum flowed through the arteries of the colonies, but Britain saw the colonies' booming rum industry as a threat to its control. In short -- it was an economic powerhouse, funding businesses, building infrastructure, and shaping the American way of life.