Simpson, married to his childhood sweetheart for almost 19 years, had walked out on his wife and kids and into the arms of a younger woman. The breakup surprised his wife, his friends and even Simpson himself. Looking back, he says, it was a classic midlife crisis.
In that we have already provided the definitive answer to this question elsewhere (relying on rum extract), we assume your follow-up is seeking a non-alcoholic substitute for rum (as extracts can be as alcoholic as or more alcoholic than the spirits they replace).
Generally, vanilla beans are preferred to vanilla extract for making vanilla rum. This is because vanilla extract can be quite potent and is often known to change the color of the rum. If such a color change is not desired, it may be best to use vanilla beans.