Tafia is a kind of cheap rum made from sugarcane juice.

The history of rum dates back to the 17th century on vast sugarcane plantations established in the West Indies. In the colonial era rum trade became very lucrative along the existing trade routes of the time and rum production also became a component of slavery.

In the making of rum the juice from sugarcane is boiled down to syrup. This syrup is briskly stirred until crystals form. When the crystal layer is removed, the remainder - molasses - is boiled again and water and yeast are added to the molasses and water mixture. Then the resulting mixture is distilled. The distilled product is colorless until it is aged in wooden barrels and other natural ingredients like caramel are added.