Rum

[Lew Barrett]

I can't say I've been a tea totaler all my life, but i've never been much of a drinker. In fact, I've never even known quite what to answer when people asked "What'll it be, sir?" Usually, I've replied "Gin and tonic." Usually that is, until this summer, when a friend offered me some especially nice rum. I started collecting some bottles then, and this weekend I realized....I'm a rummy!
Recently I reviewed the stash and was amazed to see I had amassed no fewer than ten different bottles and have a continuing interest in trying more.

My favorites so far:
Mount Gay Old
Pussers
Pampero Anniversario
Ron Barralito
Ron Zacapa Centenario

Very Good:
Pyrat XO
Goslings Black Seal

OK
Myers

Notable losers:
Ten Cane
Anything Bacardi

What are you guys thinking in this regard? PMJ; I know what you're thinking; you drank most of mine already!

[Dave Fleming]

As a one time RUM drinker...sigh

Best for sipping
Only one: ZAYA from Guatamala
There is no second.

Drinking mixed cold ( iced ) drinks

Myers or another of the Jamacian type rums

Drinking mixed hot drinks
ie: hot buttered rum
Goslings Black Seal or Myers

[skuthorp]

My dad said anything Jamaican kept the colds away, and it did from 1938 till 2005! He preferred Captain Morgan but the choices were limited here.

[The Bigfella]

What? No Bundy?

Bundaberg Rum mate - that's the go

[Rum_Pirate]

My favorites so far:
Mount Gay Old

Notable losers:
Anything Bacardi

I agree with you on the Mount Gay Old. it is at the top of my list and currently my favoured tipple. I pay US$20.00/litre here, but it is worth it.
I have been known (in my past) to really enjoy Cavalier (Antigua) rum.

Thare some good rums from Haiti eg Barboncourt http://www.barbancourt.net/

Barbancourt Reserve du Domain, Barbancourt 15 year


Barbancourt Special Reserve, Barbancourt Five Star
rum
Barbancourt Three Star
rum

rum


rum












I cannot remember which I preferred. I drank it straight on the rocks it was soooo smooth.


You might be interested in visiting this site

http://www.ministryofrum.com/

and no, I am not a founder (or other) member.

I also totally you on the Bacardi. It is at the bottom of my list.

[Lew Barrett]

As a one time RUM drinker...sigh

Best for sipping
Only one: ZAYA from Guatamala
There is no second.

I can't buy Zaya here in Washington. Although Zacapa is from the same distillery in Guatamala, it is a different product. I buy Zaya when I can find it when I am in California. Agreed; excellent stuff!
Pirate, The Mt. Gay Old is about $30 a fifth here when I can find it, and requires some effort to source.
What's remarkable to me about me () is how long it took me to find my muse. But what makes me really happy is that it's rum, the sailor's drink! It's probably well I've come to it late in life, given my propensity to overindulgance.

I've heard good about the Barbencourt bottlings.
I've never seen Budaberg here, Ian.

[Backfin]

I'll just wait for Joe to tell us what is in fact the actual best, "none better" rum.

[The Bigfella]

Complete with photo of Joe

[Rum_Pirate]

Complete with photo of Joe

Before or after drinking a bottle of rum??

[David G]

I'm no rum expert, but I've sampled many of those mentioned above. My personal favorite was called Havana Club. I was told it was Cuban, and not sold in the U.S. May just have been the place, the mood, the company. Lew, you could nip over the border a have a nip in Victoria, eh? Please let us know what conclusions you come to overall.

"Don't tell me about British Naval Tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy, and the lash" -- Winston Churchill

[Stiletto]

Yep, nothing wrong with Bundy, as far as I can recall, that is.

[StevenBauer]

Do you guys drink Dark And Stormies out there on the left coast, Lew? It's gotta be Goslings for Dark And Stormies.


Steven

[Vince Brennan]

I'll just wait for Joe to tell us what is in fact the actual best, "none better" rum.

You mean, "Bwa-Ha-Wha" rum is best?

"Nelson's Blood" (Demarara)... 'twill put hair on yer chest and preserve yer corpse.


Interesting: Lew noted as a notable loser, "anything Bacardi". This is SO true. I lived across the bay from the Bacardi distilleries in Cataño, Puerto Rico for some years. Despite Bacardi being made right there in San Juan, the vast majority of "Puertoriqueños" drank "Don Q", a particularly noxious dark cane product that resembled the leavings of the digestive system of a Coqui frog. Bacardi (which I'm sure has a bat for it's symbol for more than one reason) was exclusively a "Turista" drink. I'd not use either to clean up cosmoline.

[Lew Barrett]

Nelson's Blood is excellent. I have the least bit of a hip flask left, sent from a true friend (John Teetsle) who presented me with this lovely offering when David passed. It's the real deal. As you know I'm sure, it's called Nelson's Blood because as the story goes, the Admiral was put up in a barrel (of Pusser's) to preserve his body for the trip home. The sailors tapped the keg regardless and drank of Nelson's Blood.
Vince, when I was in Puerto Rico, a friend gave me a bottle of Barrilito Three Star, and we bought a few more, average price about $7.00 a fifth, but more like $25 here when available. I'm down to the last bottle, and it is very nice, especially considering the price, thereby distilling the myth that there are no good Puerto Rican rums.

[Vince Brennan]

thereby distilling the myth that there are no good Puerto Rican rums.

Good 'un, there!

No, there certainly are some wonderful PR rums, Barrelito being one of them, but the majority of the hoi-polloi there have the tastebuds of a corpse.

Ahhh, Pussers. Yum.

[botebum]

When I get in a rare rum mood it's either Mount Gay or Pussers.

Doug

[Lew Barrett]

Do you guys drink Dark And Stormies out there on the left coast, Lew? It's gotta be Goslings for Dark And Stormies.


Steven

Goslings is what I'd classify as a good regular rum. As Dave Fleming can tell you, liquor is expensive in Wa state as you have to buy it at the state store. I generally drink rum neat, so it puts some pressure on the quality of what you sip. I keep a bottle of Goslings here and though it's not my very favorite, I consider it a bargain. I'd share a Dark & Stormy with you anytime, though I rarely add more than ice at the most. In this case, I'd make an exception; consider the ingredients:

1½ oz Gosling's Black Seal Rum
Barritts Ginger Beer

They might as well have named it after me! I haven't noticed that people drink Dark & Stormies here, by the way.

Added: Dave, I'll let you know what I find above the 48th next time I'm there, should we be able to afford any of the vices once we get there!

[Paul Pless]

As Dave Fleming can tell you, liquor is expensive in Wa state as you have to buy it at the state store.

What's a fifth of Goslings run out there?

We have state stores and package stores here in Alabama (ABC stores actually, Alcohol Beverage Control) but liquor is cheaper at a state store than it is a package store here. Less variety though.

[oldsub86]

Lemon Hart 151. Used to bring it in from North Dakota as I can't buy it here in Manitoba. Unfortunately, the duty free shop seems to have stopped keeping it. Maybe I was the only one who liked it.

Randy

[Dave Fleming]

As Dave Fleming can tell you, liquor is expensive in Wa state

Lew, what happened to the Reservation Stores?
We used to frequent the one near La Conner.

The Indians kept a CB lookout for the State Revinooors. The store had a loudspeaker setup and, would advise the customers on what was the safe road to take off the Reservation.

No State Tax on booze, wine or smokes.

[Peter Eikenberry]

Try Appleton's http://www.appletonrum.com/ It is really good stuff!

Also Whaler's made in Hawaii http://www.whalersrum.com/ I like their Great White and their Dark rums. I don't care much for the others.

Usually I drink Myers, or Appletons. But I have tried many different rums. There are a lot of good ones out there. Just keep trying them. I only drink Bacardi when nothing else is available.

Malibu in Barbardos makes a lot of flavored rums. I like the mango but I haven't tried any of the others. http://www.malibu-rum.com/malibu/site/

[Rum_Pirate]

Try Appleton's http://www.appletonrum.com/ It is really good stuff!

Some are better than others (just like anything else) , to me the 12 year old estate tastes better than the 15.

I only drink Bacardi when nothing else is available.

prefer to have water.

Malibu in Barbardos makes a lot of flavored rums.

Not keen on the flavoured rums eg Brindkley in St.Kitts.
But each to their own.

[Lew Barrett]

What's a fifth of Goslings run out there?

We have state stores and package stores here in Alabama (ABC stores actually, Alcohol Beverage Control) but liquor is cheaper at a state store than it is a package store here. Less variety though.

Twenty bucks. Variety is the problem, as you note. If they run a sale, sometimes the good stuff can be quite competitive.

[Lew Barrett]

Lew, what happened to the Reservation Stores?
We used to frequent the one near La Conner.

The Indians kept a CB lookout for the State Revinooors. The store had a loudspeaker setup and, would advise the customers on what was the safe road to take off the Reservation.

No State Tax on booze, wine or smokes.

They cracked down on 'em. But you know, it's a two hour drive to LaConner. You do the math! When I come to California, I stock up, depending on who's got what. All things considered, we're better off!

[Popeye]

Lemon Hart 151. Used to bring it in from North Dakota as I can't buy it here in Manitoba. Unfortunately, the duty free shop seems to have stopped keeping it. Maybe I was the only one who liked it.

thats the stuff , and another one .. 'london dock' .. you can pour a little into a spoon and light it with a match , burns with a nice cool blue flame

the rum runners would pick it up in St Pierre et Miquelon , amongst other things

[bob winter]

I was never a big rum drinker and when I did drink it it was with Coke. However, the price of scotch in Barbados is out of sight and one of my Bajan business associates suggested that I try Mount Gay Extra Old. I did and I find Extra Old with soda to be just as good as scotch and soda. The stuff costs about $ 15 a litre in Barbados but it costs something like $ 30 for a 750ml bottle in Canada. Simple solution is to dring scotch here and extra old there. Another great drink in Barbados is rum punch.

[martin schulz]

I really wonder why this is asked again and again...

You all know that there is just one rum!

[Popeye]

which rum tastes the most like pussers? , i like pussers the best, now-a-days i can find every gd rum-like-thing on the shelf .. except pussers

[Mrleft8]

I don't drink much rum, but when I do, it's either Old Oak dark, or Old Oak spiced.
There is one other rum that I really enjoy.... More than any other drink that I can think of.....And that's Jack Iron. I don't drink it, but I LOVE to watch other people drink it! 2 regular sized shots will put most trained professionals in another world. The funny part is.....They know they were there, they know they were involved in some manner, but they have no idea of where "there" was, or when "there" happened! Oh.....And reportedly no hangovers.... So people tend to do this more than just once....

[John of Phoenix]

Oh Lew, what have I done??
I led that poor lamb right to the wolf's own door.
That Demon Rum's done got him now.
He's gone, he's GONE!
Oh, sorrowful day.

Yeah, that Pusser's is fine stuff.
Three fingers of rum with a splash of tonic to keep the malaria under control and a wedge of lime to chase the scurvy away. That's the only way to take your medicine.

[Lew Barrett]

John, I was standing up and heading for the exit long before you pushed me out the door! I'm only ever grateful.

[boylesboats]

My dad said anything Jamaican kept the colds away, and it did from 1938 till 2005! He preferred Captain Morgan but the choices were limited here.

Yes, I like Captain Morgan very much

[riggertroy]

Appletons or Mount Gay, very very nice, and if you are into mixing rum with something else, try L&P, after that a rum and coke tastes very plain.

[Lew Barrett]

A fine thread if I do say so myself.

[stevebaby]

I'm no rum expert, but I've sampled many of those mentioned above. My personal favorite was called Havana Club. I was told it was Cuban, and not sold in the U.S. May just have been the place, the mood, the company. Lew, you could nip over the border a have a nip in Victoria, eh? Please let us know what conclusions you come to overall.

"Don't tell me about British Naval Tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy, and the lash" -- Winston Churchill

Sacrifices had to be made during WWll. Then it was rum,bum and gramophone records.

[SamSam]

.....

[Peter Eikenberry]

Anyone here tried CockSpur 12 rum? This stuff is really good. I think I could get hooked on it.

[botebum]

Anyone here tried CockSpur 12 rum? This stuff is really good. I think I could get hooked on it.

It's too late to start drinkin' tonight.

Doug

[David Tabor (sailordave)]

Goslings for me! And I've been surprised that I like Capt. Morgan spiced rum. Thought it would be crappy touristy drink stuff.

Dark and Stormys. Yum. Still remember one of the races I did to Bermuda where the lovely ladies came down to give us a drink before we'd even stepped off the boat! And most bartenders don't know what the hell is in one, even here on the East (right) coast.

[Memphis Mike]

Martin's right. You guys haven't drank any of this stuff and I guarentee you it will knock your dicks in the dirt. Jamaican Rum is a killer.

[img]

I was always happy with Old Bayrum.

[MiddleAgesMan]

There is a little known (and relatively inexpensive) Cuban rum, Ron Metusalem, now made in several locations around the Caribbean (including Florida!) so it can be sold in the US. I stumbled on it in the Abacos when my bar went dry. I bought the bottle from a dock-side vendor since it was all he had except for Bacardi so I wasn't expecting much. It really opened my eyes to what rum was supposed to be--namely smooth. I've never found it here in Savannah but used to pick up a bottle on Hilton Head every now and then when I commuted there for work. There is a clear version but I always stuck with the medium dark variety I first found in the Bahamas. That first bottle was distilled in Cuba IIRC but the stuff made in Florida that I bought later was no different, IMO.

A high-end brand I never found anywhere but in a certain liquor store in St. Augustine was a little better but not enough to justify the 200% price difference, again IMO. The name of that one escapes me but it should be along shortly.

Lemon Hart (thanks oldsub). That's the one except I believe the stuff they had in St. Augustine was 80 or maybe 90 proof, not 150.

[MiddleAgesMan]

Three fingers of rum with a splash of tonic...

So I'm not the only one who mixes it with tonic. Down here it's Rum 'n Coke and I can't count the times I've had to send it back because the waitress doesn't hear anything after Rum 'n.... You need something strong like Coke to kill the taste of Bacardi but you certainly don't want to mess up a GOOD rum with that stuff. Besides, it wouldn't be medicinal, then.

[Ron Carter]

Goslings is the drink of choice here, due to limited selection locally. Fifth is $15. My sampling of various brands is smaller than Lew's but of those I've tried his ranking is spot on.

[Mrleft8]

I got to try a couple of new ones recently, and was fairly impressed with "Clarke's Court Special Dark" from Grenada.

[Bill Lowe]

My favorite is Umzumbe Dew hand made in a beautiful copper still at a secret location on the Wild Coast of South Africa

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

I'll just wait for Joe to tell us what is in fact the actual best, "none better" rum.

As with many things in life it's not only what is best it's Where you have what is best. Im sure you can have the best rum ever made but if your sipping it right before you go to the electric chair is gonna have a lil after taste of copper.

For that same reason my pick for best rum is

Havana Club neat while sitting in the splended bar of the Rui Palace Hotel in Playa De Carmen Mexico while enjoying a good cigar.



Or a Gosling Black Seal and Sarinac ginger beer and limes while sailing with someone special like this.



Ahhhhhhh RUM



Location, Location, Location

[Lew Barrett]

I have a couple more to add to the list, but SamSam's picture of Cruzan Single Barrel calls out a fine rum.

Joe, the point's well made and taken. I like it no place better than at home, though I will take more pleasure in the future when I get to "the tropics" again.

MAM, Matusalem Grand Reserva is the One to get in that line.

[Bill Lowe]

Now that I have been thinking of rum all morning another comes to mind. Green Island ( suoerior light) Rum from Mauritius

[Darren McClelland]

I agree with the Mount gay I still have a bottle hid on an Island some were in the north channel and Around here we drink alot of lambs navy rum with pepsi I also like appletons About the bacardi I was never a fan until last year I went on a cuise and we stopped in san jaun at the barcardi rum factory and I bought a bottle of the reserva !5 years old I think , good to sip with ice, tho I might try the splash of tonic and lime

Any rums better then no rum

[MiddleAgesMan]

A site for very serious rummies:

http://www.beachbumberry.com/bumonrum/

Lemon Hart isn't at the top of his list but it's right near the top in the "hard to find" section, whatever that may imply. It's apparently from Guyana as I just learned when I searched on Demerara. (Now I don't know if I spelled THAT right.)

I also found some doofus who said he was disappointed in it because it is made in Great Britain (it isn't) and because he expected it to have a lemon or spicy flavor (it doesn't).