Endorsed by the Caribbean rum industry

Endorsed by WIRSPA, the West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers' Association, and the Authentic Caribbean Rum (ACR) marque. UK CPD certified.

Deep, not shallow

A 200-page digital book covering 47 distilleries in 22 countries, plus 14 classic cocktails and pairings with cigars, food and chocolate.

Built for busy people

Self-paced online learning with short video lessons, chapter quizzes and a 50-question final exam. Study on any device, in your own time.

About the course

Rum is the most varied spirit on earth: grassy rhum agricole from Martinique, funky high-ester rums from Jamaica, smooth Spanish-style rums from Cuba and Puerto Rico. This course shows you why. Follow rum from the sugarcane field to your glass: how it is fermented, distilled and matured, what the rules on the label really mean, and how to taste, serve and pair it with confidence. You'll get 16 chapters of video lessons presented by Christian Esser and rum expert Ben Shipman, the complete digital book, chapter quizzes and a 50-question final exam (70% to pass). Built for bartenders, servers, sommeliers, hotel and restaurant teams, retail staff and every rum lover who wants to understand what's in the glass.

Your instructor: Christian Esser

Christian Esser is the founder of the Academy of Wine & Spirits in the Cayman Islands and of Rum Ambassador. The Academy trains hospitality professionals across the Caribbean, in the classroom, on Zoom and online, and won Best Luxury Beverage Education Provider 2026 and the Hospitality Training Excellence Award 2026 (LUXlife Hospitality Awards, Caribbean & USA).

Curriculum

16 Chapters · 86 Lessons

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Welcome & how this course works

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Meet your rum guide

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Your digital book (download)

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Caribbean distilleries: a diverse range

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Heritage and people

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      The roots of rum

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Quiz 1: Where Is Rum Made?

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Origin of rum

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      The magical process of rum making

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Quiz 2: Worth the Wait

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      The journey of rum: from cane to cask

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      The alchemy of sugar

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Quiz 3: From Cane to Sugar

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Fermentation in rum production

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Elements of rum production

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Dunder and muck

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Quiz 4: Fermentation, Dunder & Muck

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Understanding rum distillation

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Pot stills and retorts

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Column stills

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Quiz 5: Distillation

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Post-distillation processes

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Maturation and the solera system

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Climate, techniques and oak maturation

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      The complexity of rum blending

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Quiz 6: After the Still

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Caramel colouring

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Carbon filtration

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      The spectrum of sweetness

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Additives and flavours

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Rum ABV percentages

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Quiz 7: Colour, Clarity, Sweetness & Strength

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Styles of rum

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Caribbean rum and the evolution of styles

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      The roles of ageing and maturation

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Quiz 8: Styles of Rum

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      The Authentic Caribbean Rum (ACR) marque

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Rum regulations and geographical indications

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Regional rum production standards

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Quiz 9: The ACR Marque & Defining Rum

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Introduction to the distilleries

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Antigua

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Barbados

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Belize

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Cayman Islands

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Costa Rica

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      Cuba

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Dominican Republic

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      Grenada

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      Guadeloupe

    11. (Included in full purchase)

      Guatemala

    12. (Included in full purchase)

      Guyana

    13. (Included in full purchase)

      Haiti

    14. (Included in full purchase)

      Jamaica

    15. (Included in full purchase)

      Martinique

    16. (Included in full purchase)

      Nicaragua

    17. (Included in full purchase)

      Panama

    18. (Included in full purchase)

      Puerto Rico

    19. (Included in full purchase)

      Saint Lucia

    20. (Included in full purchase)

      St Vincent

    21. (Included in full purchase)

      Suriname

    22. (Included in full purchase)

      Trinidad & Tobago

    23. (Included in full purchase)

      Venezuela

    24. (Included in full purchase)

      Quiz 10: The Distilleries

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Rum production across various countries

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Rum regulations around the world

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Bonus (not examined): more rum countries

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Quiz 11: Rum Around the World

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      How to taste rum

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      The rum tasting grid

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      The rum aroma wheel

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Tasting note sheets (download)

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Quiz 12: How to Taste Rum

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Enjoying rum

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Rum consumption methods

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Cocktails: Rum Punch, Ti' Punch, Cuba Libre, Piña Colada

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Cocktails: Rum Manhattan, Rum Old Fashioned, Mojito, Mai Tai, Daiquiri

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Cocktails: Jungle Bird, Painkiller, Hot Buttered Rum, Cable Car, El Presidente

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Quiz 13: Enjoying Rum & Classic Cocktails

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Rum and cigars

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Rum and food: cheeses, meats and nuts

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Rum and chocolate

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Chocolate and rum recipes

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Quiz 14: Pairing Rum with Cigars, Food & Chocolate

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Thank you, Rum Ambassador

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Final Exam

Become a Certified Rum Ambassador™

The rum certification endorsed by the people who make Caribbean rum. Training a team? Ask about group pricing: WhatsApp +1 (345) 938 0458 or [email protected].

$195.00

Enroll now