Banana-flavoured rum is technically what’s known as a ‘spirit drink’. The base spirit in this case being rum which is fermented from sugar cane.
Banana-flavoured rum is a broad church encompassing cheaper spirits which are flavoured with banana essence to versions which are produced by steeping leftover banana peel in rum like Discarded Banana Peel Rum. Everything from fairly neutral white rums to cask-aged darker versions are used as the base spirit.
Bananas and rum have a natural affinity. Indeed some rums, particularly those from Jamaica, have a distinct taste of banana hence the success of Langs which is made from aged and unaged Jamaican rum infused with natural banana.
The classic cocktail for banana-flavoured rum is the Banana Daiquiri but it’s brilliant in all kinds of cocktails from an Old Fashioned to a Piña Colada.