As I understand it  Ferment grains and you get beer. Distill that beer and you get whiskey. Ferment grapes and you get wine. Distill that wine and you get brandy. Ferment sugar you get ???. Distill that and you get rum. Ferment honey and you get mead. Distill that and you get ???.  What are the names of the ??? pieces above? If they don't exist, why not? 
The interim step in rum making is called 'Wash', which unlike beer or wine isn't sold separately. I don't know exactly why, but I suspect it's because it doesn't taste good. The same is true of just about every spirit, including brandy and whiskey, you don't want to drink the first stage product. To be a little bit technical, the first stage of whiskey making is an ale, or very similar to an ale. However, the fermented product that is made in whiskey making isn't a product you'd bottle and drink, again because it doesn't taste very good. Whiskey makers use different yeasts and encourage bacterial growth to add character to the end product after it's distilled, I'm told it's sour, unpleasant and very strong. Brandy is made from wine (not always grapes, you have apple brandy, apricot brandy and others), however what makes a good table wine doesn't make good brandy. Special wine is produced for brandy that isn't bottled for consumption because it's acidic and not sweet. 