RUM ... talk to me, people

[Michae1 P0wers]

I'm really liking what Plantation is doing these days (and for awhile actually). The 3 Star is a great base rum for mixing at the price, but mostly I've been drinking the 5 year with Barritt's ginger beer and it makes a great simple summer cocktail. The single origins are good but I don't sip on rum by itself so it's not worth the price for me to buy them. Same with Foursquare, interesting and obviously good though.

[Poppy Davis]

We are on the verge of a rum emergency. We brought back a case of this stuff from the Bahamas. This is no Malibu Rum. It's a great sipping rum, best served on the rocks. It's replaced dessert for us and has made parenting manageable. Apparently, this stuff is not available in the US. We will certainly run out before we get back to the Bahamas. Does anyone have some good suggestions for a replacement? It doesn't have to be flavored, but it definitely has to be sweet.

[Adam Noble]

Poppy, the Zacapa solera is probably in the wheelhouse. It's definitely sweet and makes a nice rum sour, and a glass of it straight once empty smells like toasted marshmallow according to my 9 year old daughter.

[Poppy Davis]

Poppy, the Zacapa solera is probably in the wheelhouse. It's definitely sweet and makes a nice rum sour, and a glass of it straight once empty smells like toasted marshmallow according to my 9 year old daughter.

Thank you! I looked up the reviews and it's probably good for us. Lots of people saying it's a good "starter" rum. I'm not happy about the artificial color and flavor but will give it a try. I'm also open to other suggestions.

[Scott Sutherland]

El Dorado 12 is great. Not quite as sweet as the zacapa.

Ron abuelo 7 might be another good choice.

Not sure about coloring.

Scott

[alan weinberg]

Crush has a really interesting rum offering now. I’m curious what others think of it.

[S Haller]

Headed to Jamaica soon. Any Rums there to try/get that is not available in the US?

[NED VALOIS]

Just picked up a Flor de Cana 25 yr. Will try soon.

[Jim Brennan]

Binnys has Hamilton "Pot Still Cask Strength" Rum... anyone know about this? It's in the $50-65 range, which implies a quality product, but is no guarantee that I'll enjoy. Can't seem to find much out about them.

[John Osburn]

Hamilton is a label created by a rum enthusiast self-named the Minister of Rum, if you've heard of him; he works with different distilleries. They tend to be very funky, fogo-heavy rums and this one is no exception.

[Jim Brennan]

I'm going to plead stupidity... what does "fogo" mean in this context?

[Mike Maguire]

Poppy, the Zacapa solera is probably in the wheelhouse. It's definitely sweet and makes a nice rum sour, and a glass of it straight once empty smells like toasted marshmallow according to my 9 year old daughter.

Thank you! I looked up the reviews and it's probably good for us. Lots of people saying it's a good "starter" rum. I'm not happy about the artificial color and flavor but will give it a try. I'm also open to other suggestions.

Poppy’I think you would like the diplomatica Riserva, good stuff under$30

[jrozes]

I'm going to plead stupidity... what does "fogo" mean in this context?

He likely meant hogo, which comes from the French haut gout, used to refer to the (desirable) funky smell wild game can take on. It's just a fancy word for the weird, slightly-off-but-in-a-good-way character you'll find in certain rums. Smith & Cross is a widely available example.

You'll get a similar character in some cognacs and armagnacs, but then it's called rancio.

[John Osburn]

Oops yes, typo on my end.

[Kris Patten]

Worthy Park headed to shores thru Backbar if you like Jamaican pot still rum.

[Michae1 P0wers]

I've gotten more into rum the past year or so, drinking mainly Plantation 3 star for a cheap mixer, and 5 star for a step up. I've also tried a few Foursquare but find that while good they're not worth the price to me.

This weekend I had some drinks with Smith and Cross and Hamilton Pot Still, both much more on the hogo-heavy side than what I'm used to, and was massively impressed. Each had a pronounced funk to it, with the Hamilton probably stronger in that regard, but hard to say. Very good.

[Andrew Demaree]

I know next to nothing about rum but picked up a Ron Zacapa 23 yesterday on a whim, to give it a whirl. Might open it tonight. Any suggestions re: neat or on ice?

[Bill Buitenhuys]

I know next to nothing about rum but picked up a Ron Zacapa 23 yesterday on a whim, to give it a whirl. Might open it tonight. Any suggestions re: neat or on ice?

Zacapa 23 is fairly highly sugar dosed so an Old Fashioned (just add a dash of bitters, I use our Figgy Pudding bitters with sweeter rum) over ice is pretty tasty.

[D@vid Bu3ker]

Zacapa 23 is fairly highly sugar dosed so an Old Fashioned (just add a dash of bitters, I use our Figgy Pudding bitters with sweeter rum) over ice is pretty tasty.

Gosh...I wonder what to call that drink...

[Bill Buitenhuys]

Gosh...I wonder what to call that drink...

Delicious?

[Ed Steinway]

I am not sure if this is new, or a re-branding, but found Appleton's 12 year at Coscto yesterday for $32. The bottle and label are different from previous versions and the label says '12 Years Rare Casks'. 86 Proof and quite smooth.

Ed

[Tran Bronstein]

After a very long absence, I have so gotten back onto the high-end Rum bandwagon this past month! I've picked up the Flor de Cana 18, the Royal Centenario 20, the El Dorado 21, the Kirk & Sweeney 23 and am eyeing the Bumbu XO 18, Le Hechicera 21, Matusalem 23 and the Zacapa Edicion Negra. My previous Rum Berserkerdom consisted of the Zacapa 23 and the Dos Maderas 5+5 PX which were pretty sweet for rums and as you can see from my new choices I am starting to lean towards drier ones now.

I must say that I am surprised by the posts here mentioning that Zacapa adds both sugar and artificial coloring and flavoring. I never suspected. I did find out that the Diplomatico Riserva doses its rum to a whopping 46 g/L which was enough to get me to trade it back in without even opening it. I mean, I'm known for my sweet tooth and I definitely love me some Spanish Solera Brandy de Jerez myself which is pretty sweet due to the PX barrel aging and even the sweetest ones I've had have never had that much sugar content in them. Zacapa seems downright restrained in comparison at a mere 25 g/L.

[Dave T]

El Dorado 15 makes a very nice Old Fashion
good balance

[alan weinberg]

sneaked this home from Cuba. Actually my wife did but she didn’t know she was my mule. Anyone know this one?

[David Ab.]

My favorite for sipping is Havana Club Seleccion de Maestros (not available in US but easily found for $40 at duty free almost anywhere). Its incredibly sipping rum and pairs exceptionally well with a cigar (shocking I know)! For cocktails, it really depends on what you are trying to make, as each rum style can be incredibly different and substituting them doesn't always work.

For those of you who are just getting into rum or want to learn more about it, it's a very interesting beast. Not really governed by a lot of rules or laws so it's really broad when you talk stylistically about rum. As some of you have come to realize there are a lot of additives in certain rums (mostly sugar, sometimes coloring etc.) which really alter the taste of what you think the 'spirit' itself is. Most of the ones we see on shelves here commonly (Zacapa, Plantation, El Dorado, Diplomatico etc.) usually have a good amount of sugar in them. Notice a theme? They are all from Central America. Painting in BROAD strokes, Central American rums with have additives (Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica are the big 3). Like other spirits the raw ingredients then the type of still makes a big difference. Molasses based rums will be generally more round, and cane based rums more grassy. Pot still will have more flavor and sometimes more funk, column stills will be more clean. Like Scotch, location has a big influence on the style of rum being produced there. The biggest producers Cuba (Clean), Jamaica (Funky), Barbados (Round), French Indies (Grassy), Central America (Rich & Sweet), Brazil (Cachaca) all have their own styles. There are exceptions to the rules but just things to think about.

[Gautier Roussille]

Ok, I don't know what's available in the US from the following list but:

-Foursquare: best QPR in the rum world currently, just the vintage line is great but obviously the Velier too. The later line is much more expensive but the Destino is unbelievable (probably impossible to find now)
-Depaz, is good QPR, personal favorite include 2002 and the port cask, the cask strength is great too for a higher price.
-Some bottling of Monymusk especially the Velier (1995 Paradisio is one of the best rum I ever tried but impossible to find) if you like the Jamaican funk
-JM vintage
-Neisson even though I have a feeling that the latest bottling are a little dry (oak management?), the 2005 and 2004 are amazing!!
-Trois rivières vintage cask strength (2006)
-Clement, cuvée Homere
-Damoiseau tends to have an acetic note but the 2008 "subprime" is wonderful, one of my favorite easy to drink bottle
-Savanna, funky but if you don't mind, the 10yo chai guide is great

Please note that I'm more of an "agricole" style drinker, the "ron" style (i.e. zacapa, etc.) doesn't do it for me.

[David Ab.]

-Foursquare: best QPR in the rum world currently, just the vintage line is great but obviously the Velier too. The later line is much more expensive but the Destino is unbelievable (probably impossible to find now)

Agree with this 100%, however I don't think its something people would "appreciate" straight off the bat unless you are a big bourbon drinker. Feel like most people who down the rum rabbit hole end up at foursquare it just takes a little exploration to get there!

[Tran Bronstein]

I ended up adding the Kirk and Sweeney 18, Matusalem 23, the Zafra 21, and Dictador 20 to the collection. I ended up passing on the Bumbu XO for now but will keep an eye on it. Not thrilled with the Zacapa brand's high sugar dosage or the "Solera" shenanigans regarding the aging, but I'm sure many other makers do the same thing.