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"There's naught, no doubt, so much the spirit calms as rum and true religion." - Lord Byron "The chief fudling they make in the island is Rumbullion, alias Kill-Devil, and this is made of sugar canes distilled, a hot, hellish and terrible liquor." - John Lingon, an English settler in Barbados  Rum Sweet nectar of the cane. Rum is the world's most varied spirit, and perhaps the world's most poorly-understood. All spirits have some sort of customary and legal requirements, which are more or less stringent. Bourbon, on the one hand, is definitely more. Gin is less. Rum is much, much less. To be labeled "rum" – in the United States at least – all that is required is that the spirit be derived from the sugarcane, a tall, fibrous species of grass originally from South and Southeast Asia. The sweet juice is pressed from the cane, and then either fermented directly or processed to produce molasses, which is then itself fermented. The production of molasses also yields an unimportant byproduct. After the appropriate fermentation, this sweet, beerish liquid is distilled, filtered, possibly aged in wood, and then bottled for sale. The entire process is up to the discretion of the distiller, from the base material (French-speaking islands and Brazil like the juice, most everyone else does molasses), the fermenting agent (Cuban-style rums tend to use faster-acting, cleaner-tasting yeast, while Jamaicans employ a sort of sour mash process, using the old, slow-acting yeast from the last batch to get those rich funky flavors – in Indonesia they start fermenting their batavia arrack with some old rice cakes), to the sort of still (both pot stills and patent stills are used), to the distillation proof, to the length of aging and the sort of barrels, to the bottling proof. All of these variables and more combine to produce an almost infinite variety in rum styles and flavor profiles, to the point that it's essentially impossible to say what rum tastes like (besides delicious).  So how do you know what to drink? There's no one satisfactory system. I used to think of rum in terms of dark, gold, and light, which is actually a hilariously incomplete and misleading organizational system. You also need to know whether it is cane juice or molasses rum (also known as rhum agricole and rhum industriel respectively). The sort of still is significant, since a pot still will retain more of the flavor of the base ingredients than will a patent/column/Coffey still. And of course age is important, since it has an impact on the mellowness and roundness of a spirit. Rums will usually list some, but rarely all, of this information on their label. There is one crucial piece of information which is pretty much always readily available though: the region in which the rum is produced. While regional styles aren't quite as well-defined as they were, say, 70 years ago (a global market has somewhat flattened and homogenized rum production, especially high-volume rums), they're still the best key to having a reasonable estimate of what you'll be drinking. The broadest-possible division is one of language. Spanish-speaking regions generally use molasses and tend to use patent stills and short fermentation times for a clean, crisp flavor. Light rums from these regions tend to be floral and a bit sweet, with some being almost flavorless. Gold rums get a fair amount of flavor from the barrels – which tend to be used bourbon barrels, like the rest of the spirits industry uses – including oak, char, vanilla, and some spiciness. The older, darker rums get mellow and smooth, with some rich, velvety vanilla and brown sugar notes. English-speaking regions use molasses, have a more lengthy fermentation, and are more likely to use pot stills (although a good number do use patent stills). The rums tend to be darker, and range in flavor from toasted coconut and caramelized pears (more of a Barbados style or Trinidadian style) to thick, molassesy, and sulfuric, sometimes with a gunpowdery flavor (Jamaica and Guyana). The clear rums will have that funk about them, with some sweetness, but less brown sugar. French-speaking regions tend to use pure cane juice, rather than molasses. They may use column or pot stills, and are frequently aged in oak. The whole cane juice gives these rums more of a grassy or fresh-wood flavor than is found in other styles, and they sometimes have a twang that is reminiscent of agave. Older rums have a bit more sweetness, along with toffee and caramel notes, as well as some darker leather and tobacco character. Estate rums are bottled by their distiller. Some independent bottlings are region-specific (the Plantation series has a number of regional rums), while others are blends (Denizen is Jamaica and Trinidad – and spectacular – while Banks 5 Island is Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados, Guyana, and Java). Still, the blends tend to list the origins of their rums on the bottle, since it's such important information for the consumer.  Of course, there's a good deal of variation within this. Barbados rums and Jamaican rums taste totally different, even though they're both English-speaking regions. However, this should get you in the ballpark when approaching a new rum, and luckily, rum tends to be significantly less expensive than most other spirits (though some agricultural rums can get drat pricy). "So I've found some rums to try – what's the best way to drink them?" Like any premium spirit, fine aged rums can be enjoyed neat to great effect. While some of these fine spirits start at $40/fifth+, there are also some truly excellent sippers available for as little as $12, though sometimes you have to get lucky. These can be enjoyed as is, or with a bit of ice or water to your taste. One thing to remember with rums is that they age faster than almost any other spirit – tropical temperatures can do to a rum in 2 or 3 years what would take 6 years for bourbon or 10 years for Scotch. Of course, some rums (particularly 3rd-party bottlings) are aged in Europe or America, but generally even lightly aged rums are quite mellow. There are also a number of simple cocktails that show off a new rum to great effect. Aged rums respond well to the Old Fashioned treatment – rum, sugar (I like a rich turbinado syrup), and bitters are particularly good at showing off the nicer qualities of the more aggressive Jamaican, Guyanese, and Martinique rums. The Daiquiri is probably the most famous rum drink – lime, sugar, and ice do something amazing with literally every rum I've tried. A nice long drink is variously called a Caribeño or a rum coco or just rum and coconut water – somewhere along 3 parts coconut water (no added sugar) to 1 part rum, a dash of lime if you like, and ice. Of course if you've got cachaça you should treat yourself to a caipirinha and if you've got a nice Martinique, a Ti Punch is always welcome. You can also explore elaborate Tiki drinks, but that's another thread.  So where to go from here? Normally I'd recommend searching out a good bar, but rum bars tend to be few and far between – in the States at least. If you're lucky enough to live in the San Francisco Bay Area I'd recommend checking out Smuggler's Cove, which probably has the finest rum collection of any bar in the States. If you know of an old Tiki bar in your area have a look – even if their cocktails are syrupy and awful (and sadly many venerable old Tiki palaces are are mere shades of their former selves) their rum selection should still be better than average, and you can begin tasting it yourself. If your bar scene seems bare, at least you can take comfort in the fact that it's easier on your wallet to explore rum than it is to explore Scotch or cognac or even rye. In the next post I'll give some guidance on bottles to start with. I hope you'll give it a shot. Rum has a bad rap as being cheap, sweet, and wretched, thanks in large part to horrible spiced rums and flavorless Bacardi swill. In truth I suspect there's no spirit as likely to surprise and delight as a fine rum, a liquid envoy from some faraway place, guaranteed to lift your tired spirit, and transport you to a world of flavor and ease. Cheers. 
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May 29, 2013 07:37
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Building your rum collection I think a good rum collection ought to show off the variety available in the world of rum. There's so much out there, it's hard to get by with only one or two. What follows is a good, all-purpose guide to growing your rum cabinet, for people interested in mixing as well as sipping. If you prefer certain flavor styles – spicy, fruity, funky – or know that you'll be sipping, rather than shaking up Hurricanes and Zombies, I can offer other guidance. 1. Light Cuban-style rum. I like Flor de Caña Extra Dry (from Nicaragua), but Cruzan (US Virgin Islands) is also a decent choice. Havana Club is great if the US-Cuba embargo doesn't inconvenience you. Sweet, floral (jasmine), dry finish 2. Dark Jamaican rum. I am a big, big proponent of Coruba. I think it's more sophisticated than Meyer's, and more Jamaican-tasting than Appleton Estate (which to me is too Bourbon-y). Plus it's cheap. Still, those are both decent choices if that's all you've got. Molasses or brown sugar, sulfur, maybe some oak, long twangy finish 3. Gold Barbados rum. I love Plantation Barbados, but have enjoyed Mt. Gay Eclipse as well. If you wanna drop some coin on an XO Cognac-like rum, Mt. Gay Extra Old is one of the most well-known premiums. Some toffee, floral (roses and lilies), roasted stone fruit, coconut, medium sweet finish 4. Barbancourt 5 Star. There's a reason this is one of the most well-regarded rums around. Smooth, cognac-like, and refined. Makes an amazing Old Fashioned. Tiny bit of brown sugar, tobacco, leather, wet earth, and wood shavings. Long dry finish 5. Demerara rum. El Dorado 5-year is a great choice that's become pretty available Stateside lately. I haven't had the Lemon Hart 80, which I suspect is somewhat different. Tasting notes are for the El Dorado. It's a bit sweet on its own, but makes a memorable Daiquiri. Toffee. Caramel. Burnt sugar. Brittle. Brown butter. Dark confections. Really sweet, but not (quite) syrupy 6. Smith and Cross. This is a rum that has to be tasted to be believed. It's as close as you get to the sort of stuff they were tossing back 200 years ago. Dark, rich, with an insanely long finish and a thick mouthfeel. It makes a better punch than any other spirit I've tried. It's a bit rough on its own (bottled at 115 proof), but in an Old Fashioned it's pretty much unparalleled. Brown sugar, sulfer, huge twang, thick texture, long sticky mouthfeel Those 6 will get you started drat well. At its peak my rum collection also included the Flor de Caña 4-year gold (spicy, caramel, vanilla, long oaky finish), J. Wray and Nephew Overproof Jamaican (buttery nose, heavy twang, sweet finish), Batavia Arrack van Oosten (mossy, wet stone, jungle undergrowth), and Lemon Hart Demerara 151 (thick brown sugar, gunpowder, sulfur, hot hot finish) – the best 151 there is. I've been hankering after a nice aged Martinique rum for a while, but those are a bit pricey, so that Rhum JM VSOP will have to wait a bit more. There are also some more sipping-oriented rums out there to try. In addition to Mt. Gay Extra Old, which I've already mentioned, there's Ron Zacapa 23 (the winningest rum at international tastings), Zaya 12 (and 18), and Angostura 1919. These are all velvety and lovely, and will impress pretty much anyone who tries. I'm in a bit of a dry spell right now (some unexpected car repairs, plus a couple birthdays and a graduation have tapped me out), but I plan on rebuilding my rum cabinet as soon as possible. I'll post tasting notes for new stuff I try, and look forward to hearing your experience. Have fun exploring! 
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May 29, 2013 07:37
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silvergoose posted:Thanks for posting this! I tried some of the Mount Gay extra old a while back (my Dad was at a conference in Barbados and brought a bottle back) and loved it, so I got a bottle for myself. On the other hand, that's basically the only rum I've had other than some Eclipse once, so this will be excellently helpful in figuring out what other types/bottles I might want to get when I'm not filling out my Scotch and bourbon shelf. I love a good Dark 'n' Stormy, especially with homemade ginger beer. When using the homemade stuff I'll often go with Cruzan Black Strap, which is just loaded with vanilla and spice notes, which is a nice complement to the spicy ginger. When I want it a bit less sweet I tend to use Coruba. Gosling's is fine, but not my favorite. Also Gosling's is pretty obnoxious in that they trademarked the name "Dark and Stormy" and have been known to pursue legal action against bars which sell Dark and Stormies using some other rum. Oh, and w/r/t the whole layering thing Gameko described, I usually drink my Dark and Stormies with a straw, so if I wanted the layered effect I'd do it backwards. The premiums can be nice in cocktails, but they're so mellow it's easy to lose them in the mix if you're not careful. Something like the Honey Fitz is a good move, but I typically just drink them neat. bunnyofdoom posted:So, I'm planning on picking up a bottle tonight at my local LCBO. I personally love good cocktails, especially martini varients (Like Manhattans.) Would it be with dry or sweet vermouth? And would a light rum or a dark rum be better? For interesting Manhattan-like rum drinks I'd either go with something earthy and woody, like the Barbancourt 5 Star, or sweet and rich, like the Plantation Barbados Grande Reserve. Either one would make a great Manhattan. For a Martini I wouldn't use a Spanish-style rum, since they're too light in flavor. Something like a white Martinique rum or a cachaça would me my go-to for that. I've not spent much time infusing rum, but I think dried orange peels would be a nice addition to various different rums, and also perhaps some herbs like rosemary, if you wanted something different (depending on the rum, of course). An easy answer is cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, and allspice, which will give you a fairly standard spiced rum flavor profile. BlueGrot posted:We have a limited choice of rums in I'm really sorry about your liquor prices, by the way. In any case, I'd start with the Plantation Barbados Grande Reserve, which is a nice balance between approachable, sophisticated, and affordable. If you're interested in a very special bottle, the Mt. Gay Extra Old, Pampero Anniversario, and Zacapa Centenario 23 are sure to please, and you'll pay for the pleasure. In any case, that's actually not a bad rum selection as they go. You can explore most of the rum categories I've mentioned from that list.
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May 29, 2013 22:41
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breakfall87 posted:I first became a rum fan while on vacation in Jamaica. My family and I were in an Appleton Estate run gift shop. They asked us which we would like to sample, to which we replied, "We don't know." This turned out to be the correct answer, and they poured us each a shot of every single rum they offer. If you haven't tried Pusser's you should give it a shot – it's a Barbados rum but it's got a bit of that funky twang that the best Jamaicans show in spades. Makes a drat good punch. That's not a huge rum selection, but almost all of those are fair-to-excellent rums. It could be worse – this could be your rum shelf. Mr. Maltose posted:So, would you consider Kraken to be a lovely rum? It's my rum of choice, but I'm in probably the worst place to build up a collection of good rum samples. I've yet to try a spiced rum that brings flavors to the table that couldn't be gotten from a (better) non-spiced rum. Kraken is fine, but it's mostly vanilla and a bit of sweetness. Cruzan Black Strap is better if you want that sort of profile, while something like El Dorado 5 gets you better with the brown confection, and some of the gold Spanish-style rums do better on the warmer spices. I can imagine an effective spiced rum, I just haven't run across one yet.
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May 30, 2013 02:58
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I've heard that if you're dying for some coconut rum Cruzan is the most reasonable. In terms of making your own coconut rum, I'd recommend melting some fancy, unrefined coconut oil, heating it slightly to liquify, and then shaking it in with a jar of delicate white rum. Let it cool, fat-wash it, and repeat as necessary. gently caress, I think I'm gonna try that now.
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May 30, 2013 09:01
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breakfall87 posted:Oh no, the rums I listed are ones I have on my personal shelf, our liquor stores look just like the one you posted Oh...oh I'm sorry. BlueGrot posted:Our booze is expensive, but a bottle of CM spiced gold and Mount Gay cost exactly the same. Will check them out. The Mount Gay (I assume its similar to Eclipse) is the same price, but the Extra Old is almost twice as much (totally worth it though). Still, a decent selection.
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May 30, 2013 23:59
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Chuck Biscuits posted:We asked for rum knowledge and you dropped it on us hard. Probably my favorite use of Smith and Cross is in an Old Fashioned – 1.5 oz Smith and Cross, 1 tsp 2:1 turbinado syrup, 2 dashes bitters. I let it sit on the ice for a while to dilute and get very cold. I'd also recommend trying a Clyde River Punch. In terms of rum affinities, there are a few combinations I always try out when I'm riffing. White Cuban-style and gold Barbados work together very nicely. Dark Jamaican and gold Cuban are also quite complimentary. A bit of demerara rum can find its way into almost any combination and do good as well.
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May 31, 2013 19:37
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Zaya is super good. It's one of those utterly inoffensive, entirely delicious rums. I doubt anyone would turn it down.Chuck Biscuits posted:I just ordered Lemon Hart 151 and Batavia Arrack. Gonna make some Swedish Punsch! Do you have a good punsch recipe? You could make a Death in the Pacific! As I recall it's something like 1.5 oz. Lemon Hart 151, 1 oz. lime juice, 1/2 oz. grenadine, and 1/2 oz. maraschino. I may be somewhat off, I don't know where my Beach Bum Berry Remixed is at. In any case it's delicious. Also try it in an Old Fashioned. Sip slowly, and let the ice melt. A lot. Also congratulations in getting so deep into the rum – it will carry you through good and bad times.
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Jun 6, 2013 10:12
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Musings of the Id posted:I would highly recommend the Flor de Cana line of rum from Nicaragua if you can get it. Very inexpensive for very tasty, drinkable rum. The dry white makes a great mixer, and the darker anejo rums are great either for sipping or mixing. They have mostly replaced Appleton's in my home bar. I love Flor de Cana, and I agree with everything you said. My dad was in Nicaragua in the early 90s and drank Flor de Cana, but was never able to find it in the States. I got him a bottle of the 12-year for Christmas a couple years ago and totally made his day 
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Jun 8, 2013 10:32
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Of course, I don't really see the need for one rum to replace another rum.
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Jun 8, 2013 10:37
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Musings of the Id posted:84 bottles takes up a lot of room. In order to make room for more rums, I would have to cut back somewhere else. Holy poo poo man take a picture of your stash.
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Jun 9, 2013 00:33
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You'd probably enjoy the Plantation Barbados Grande Reserve. Where do you live, btw? There are some states where it's legal to ship liquor, but in most it's not.
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Jun 9, 2013 05:54
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I don't think Meyers is that hot – I strongly prefer Coruba. Might be worthwhile to mix up an Old Fashioned with Meyers to see if it mellows out the final harshness and lets you just enjoy the aromas and the molasses.
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Jun 9, 2013 23:06
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Sri Lankan arrack is begging to be made into a punch. Obviously the best thing to do is get a silverplate bowl and an antique ladle and a dozen sherry glasses and have a party. If you'd rather, ah, try it out first, here's a scale rendering of Wondrich's Bombay Presidency Punch. I guess you could call it Mumbai Municipal Punch 3 oz. arrack 3/4 oz. lime juice 1 oz. syrup* 3.5 oz. water spice of choice† Pour everything into a 16 oz. cooler glass. If you're totally rad, use 2 Tovalo King Cubes for chill. Drink with a straw. *Use either a 1:1 syrup of turbinado sugar, or if you wanna get hella exotic, jaggery/gur. Make sure to fine-strain your jaggery. Also it might take a touch more syrup if using jaggery. †Nutmeg is the most common spice. If using, grate it fresh over the top of the glass. However, for this punch I'd encourage you to consider rosewater. Start with one or two drops, and adjust from there.
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Jun 10, 2013 21:56
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That's super awesome. Definitely go for the palm sugar. Other spices that would be appropriate to top the punch would be cloves, cinnamon, coriander, and cardamom, all fresh-ground. Be very sparing, of course, especially the cloves and cinnamon.
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Jun 11, 2013 05:54
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I know very little of cachaça, but would love to know more. Please discuss your findings here, because I consider it a rum, even if the good people of Brazil stick to their regional nomenclature.DjErichB posted:Is there a good way to use Wray and Nephew Overproof? I've had a lot of medium to good rums (Zacapa 23, Zaya 12, Flor de Cana 7 and 4, Appleton estate white and VX, Pussers, Barbancourt, etc), but i just cant get over the FUNK of the overproof. It manages to overpower the flavor of anything i've ever mixed it with, and not in a good way. Is there a way to tame that rum? If you can get your hands on some Ting, which is a grapefruit soda, you could make Wray and Ting, which is how most of it is consumed in Jamaica. Personally, I usually make make falernum with it or mix it 1:1 with either Flor de Cana 4, Appleton VX, or Mount Gay Eclipse when I need a funky Jamaican for a bowl of punch and can't afford 2 bottles of Smith and Cross. It's pretty serious stuff on its own – try making an Atomic Daiquiri, which is what I call a Daiquiri made with 1 oz of the old J. Wray. You could also do 1.5 oz. if you're in a hurry to not get anywhere.
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Jun 11, 2013 09:59
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Holy poo poo I wish I wasn't out of Green Chartreuse right now that's an awesome idea.
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Jun 11, 2013 20:52
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Honestly, unless they rep it as a <region>-style rum there's not a lot to go on. If they're using a pot still and a molasses base you can probably bet it'll be a bit twangy and Jamaican-ish. But really, rum is so variable it could taste like almost anything. If I were an artisnal distiller interested in rum, I'd produce something with a bit of sulfur, a thick mouthfeel, some rich brown sugar, and a long finish. The problem is that I just described Smith and Cross, and no doubt the distillery in question has tasted it while they were learning about rum profiles. May I ask which distillery it is? If I read their promotional material for the rum I can probably hazard a better guess.
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Jun 14, 2013 06:31
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Okay, cool, so the fact that they're using charred new oak means that there will be quite a lot of barrel flavor – more than you get in most rums, which almost universally buy used bourbon barrels for aging. Irrespective of spirit, new charred barrels tend to contribute flavors of charcoal, vanilla, spice, honey, caramel, and obviously oak. A long molasses fermentation can produce lots of different flavors, so I'd trust their copy on that, but it will almost certainly reinforce the oak's caramel and vanilla contributions with the sweet brown sugar character of the molasses. Let us know if it's any good! I hope someday to be sufficiently financially comfortable to expand my rum collection into esoterica like that.
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Jun 14, 2013 07:00
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fins posted:Grenadian rum post This is totally awesome man. Why are/were you in Grenada? I take it from your post that Grenadian rums are super funky – that sounds awesome. You don't hear much about rums from Grenada – now I wanna try some next time I go to Smuggler's. By the way, does anybody in this thread live in the Bay Area? I'd love to have someone to go nerd out over rum with at the old Cove. colonel_korn posted:I just got a bottle of Appleton 12 year old this week and I definitely notice a difference from what I have been drinking (usually Old Sam, a local Newfoundland one, and sometimes Gosling's). Anyways, yeah, the 12 year old is really good as far as my novice palate is concerned. It's not just you – Appleton is one of the favorite distillers among aficionados of rum, and their spirits really are very good. It's been some time since I've bought an Appleton rum and I feel like it's time for me to return, seeing that my palate for rum has developed quite a bit in the interim. Halloween Jack posted:What do the rum experts recommend for a mixing white rum? My handle of Cruzan Aged Light will reach the end of its life soon. I mostly just use white rum to make daiquiris. (By which I mean white rum, lime, and simple syrup.) Cruzan is fine, but sort of boring. I usually mix with Flor de Cana 4 year extra dry. Havana Club is supposed to be excellent, but I've never had it since I live in the US and we've got a silly embargo. Some rum enthusiasts recently did a Daiquiri bracket tournament that resulted in Oronoco getting the top spot for the perfect Daiquiri rum, though when I had an Oronoco Daiquiri at Smuggler's it was totally good, but not some outrageous, incredibly perfect drink. My favorite Daiquiri rum is Denizen, which is floral and lightly sweet, with just enough of funk from the Jamaican rums in their blend to add that perfect savor to a classic Daiquiri #1, and especially to a Daiquiri #3 (which is rum, lime, white grapefruit juice, some syrup, and a dash of maraschino).
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Jun 17, 2013 10:25
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Also! I decided to bring a bottle of rum to share at my sister's graduation this weekend, so I picked up something I've been eying for a while – Plantation Barbados 20th Anniversary Extra Old. Thought I'd share some notes: Color: Coppery, darker than the 5 year Grande Reserve. Reminiscent of bourbon. Bouquet: Vanilla custard, some brown sugar, banana bread, and a vague sense of coconut around the edges. The second nosing revealed a bit of cinnamon. Quite a bit, actually. Palate: Starts with some creamy vanilla, develops into some spice and oak with a very subdued heat, finishes with a good touch of char and a return of the vanilla, with some mild coconut underlying it. Nice rich texture. Sweet, not too cloying, but definitely a dessert-y rum. Verdict: Nice, a good after dinner rum. I wish I had some of the Grande Reserve lying around to do a side-by-side, but I feel like the 5 year might be more complex than the Extra Old, actually. I feel like all the extra time in the barrels somewhat flattened the characteristic aromatics of Barbados rum, and substituted the more common vanilla and oak barrel flavors. Don't get me wrong – this is a very enjoyable rum. However, I don't think I'll buy it again, considering the price point. Definitely gonna pick up a bottle of the 5 year to compare though.
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Jun 17, 2013 10:46
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From everything I've heard about liquor in Pennsylvania, don't bet your life on it. You could also try to find Brugal Especial, I've heard good things about that one.
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Jun 17, 2013 20:02
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The Goons With Spoons Guide to the Rums of the World This post will compile a list of all rums discussed in this thread which are described in a meaningful way (i.e. tasting notes, reviews, recommendations in cocktails, etc.). Rums which are mentioned but not described will not be included. The links are in chronological order of posts with meaningful content. For ease of reference, rums are listed in alphabetical order. In cases where distilleries have multiple expressions of different ages, the youngest rums are higher on the list. The name of the rum is followed links to posts in the thread, the letter E or I (to indicate an estate or independent bottling), and the provenance of the rum/s in question. If an age statement is available, it follows the region. Appleton Estate Extra, 1, 2, E, Jamaica, 12 years Barbancourt 5 Star, 1, 2, E, Haiti, 8 years Barbancourt Estate Reserve, 1, E, Haiti, 15 years Batavia Arrack van Oosten, 1, I, Indonesia Coruba, 1, 2, 3, E, Jamaica Don Q. Cristal, 1, E, Puerto Rico El Dorado 5-Year, 1, 2, 3, E, Guyana, 5 years Flor de Caña Extra Dry, 1, 2, 3, E, Nicaragua, 4 years Flor de Caña Gold, 1, 2, 3, 4, E, Nicaragua, 4 years J. Wray and Nephew Overproof, 1, 2, 3, 4, E, Jamaica Lemon Hart Demerara 151, 1, 2, E, Guyana Plantation Barbados Grande Reserve, 1, 2, 3, I, Barbados, 5 years Plantation Barbados 20th Anniverary Extra Old, 1, I, Barbados Smith and Cross, 1, 2, 3, 4, I, Jamaica e: accidentally posted this too soon. I'll bring it current with the thread soon. Kenning fucked around with this message at 07:17 on Jul 21, 2013 |
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Jun 18, 2013 21:43
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Reserved.
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Jun 19, 2013 21:35
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I don't know anything about those rums (other than the Plantation Barbados, obv.), so I can't be of any help. Buy one and report back! I went to Smuggler's Cove the other night and started in on their Rumbustion Society, which means tasting my way through all sort of rums. The first one (the only one I tried that night) was Don Q. Cristal, a clear rum from Puerto Rico. It...was pretty much vodka. The bartender, somewhat apologetically, says that it's one of the rums that's on the list to give a sense of style, not because it's particularly good. He says it's best in a daiquiri, which I can imagine. As I said, the flavor and aroma were so light as to basically not exist. Ah well.
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Jun 22, 2013 20:10
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I got my roommate hooked on Barbancourt 5 star, so when I saw the 15 year Estate Reserve at my local specialty liquor place I was able to talk him into splitting a bottle with me. This is a wonderful rum. Spiffy box too. Color: Pale golden brown, not dissimilar to the 5 star. Attractive, but not remarkable. Bouquet: Leads with dark leathery tobacco notes, supported by light brown sugar and vanilla around the edges. A second nosing brought up a bit of dried orange peel and wet earth overlaid with light cinnamon. Palate: Flavor starts with some sweet brown sugar, giving way almost immediately to leather, rubber, and fresh-cut oak. Finish is long and oaky, very long, with some spices making themselves known partway through. Medium bodied, not super thick, but pleasant and full. Verdict: Barbancourt rums are pretty great, and this is no exception. It makes me want more, certainly. A side-by-side with the 5 star is in order, but from what I can recall I feel like this rum stretches out the experience, with flavors arriving more subtly and slowly, but lasting for days. I'll get it again.
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Jun 26, 2013 00:36
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That is a beautiful selection of rums, you and your guests are in for a treat. If you have some 2:1 simple syrup I like an Old Fashioned with 2 oz. liquor, 1 tsp (or so, to taste) of the syrup, 2 dashes of bitters, and a twist. Barbancourt responds particularly well to this treatment. If you have 1:1 syrup use about 1/4 oz. (i.e. 1.5 tsp). If no syrup, use a tsp of sugar and dissolve it with a small splash of water.
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Jul 2, 2013 05:34
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You must live near some spectacular bars if they're stocking Zacapa XO.
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Jul 4, 2013 08:47
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I've seen Zacapa 23 at a few places, and Zaya 12, along with the usual suspects of Meyers, Cruzan, and maybe 10 Cane a few places, but that's usually the spread of things. Most place I know save their premium shelf space for Scotch, bourbon, and tequila.
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Jul 4, 2013 21:22
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There's certainly a lot more action in the spirits game lately. Hell, I was in this loving dive in Oakland tonight and they had Denizen on their shelf. It was next to a lot of bullshit, but Denizen! That is a fantastic rum.
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Jul 5, 2013 10:33
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Yeah Barbancourt and Zaya are definitely on different poles of the rum spectrum. I get why Zaya's so popular, and it's a respectable rum, but I'd probably only buy it on a steep discount because it's a little bit too sweet and too vanilla for me. It's a great thing to use on people who either don't like spirits at all, or who you're trying to wean off of lovely spiced rums. Very affordable for the quality, too. Also, where do you live? Are you in some state liquor monopoly hell? Shbobdb posted:Which dive was this? If you don't mind sharing. The Layover at 15th and Franklin. My buddy was playing a set there. They may have also had some Smith and Cross on the shelf – that's been popping up in some unexpected places as well. Of course if you're in Oakland Smuggler's Cove is just across the Bay. I was there last night and I witnessed a guy ask for "rum on the rocks." The bartender responded that he had over 400 rums, and the dude said, "Whatever you recommend." The bartender ended up giving him their house special reserve, which is a blend of El Dorado rums, but it was pretty funny. Hypation posted:Have to say Dark 'n Stormies is a fantastic drink: The key is to add spices to the Ginger beer .... You can use any rum you want if you are going to add your own spice mix. Otherwise you want something old and dark. eg Ron Zacapa. Otherwise you could go for a non-traditional choice and go a white rum of which the best one I've ever had is Oronoco. I've heard soooo much good about Green Dot Inner Circle but I guess you just can't find it anywhere, huh? I would be super into trying some. Kenning fucked around with this message at 22:34 on Jul 11, 2013 |
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Jul 11, 2013 22:30
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IGotMine posted:I'm really curious to try Smith and Cross - I saw a bottle of it for $30ish at the local liquor warehouse and I can't wait to lay my hands on it when I go back. Man go get the Smith and Cross immediately. If you were that into Coruba (and that's totally appropriate, since Coruba rules) you will be over the moon about Smitty. The Polish Pirate posted:We did a blind taste with the following: This sounds like a blast. Your theme was "Barbados and Venezuela, plus El Dordado" which isn't actually a bad theme. You could also call this theme "Mellow and rich, plus Pusser's" which is another good theme. slingshot effect posted:I've got a bottle of Pussers here that's been gathering dust for five years; I don't really know what to do with it though. I don't want to open it and then be unable to drink it. You know that it won't go bad if you open it. Also if you know anyone who is even vaguely into rum you can give them that Pusser's and they will be super grateful. Pusser's makes a great Old Fashioned, and is nice with fresh coconut water as well. The Painkiller, which is a classic Pusser's drink, calls for coconut cream, orange juice, and pineapple juice, along with a dusting of fresh-grated nutmeg on top. That's a great one, but it requires a blender and some fiddly juices.
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Jul 23, 2013 19:37
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Plantation Barbados 20th Anniversary is one of the sweetest rums I've tried (without it being actually sweetened bullshit). It's pretty expensive and fairly rare, but it's very nice. Other than that, El Dorado 5 Year is super rich and pretty sweet, probably at least on par with Zaya, perhaps sweeter. You should try an Old Fashioned with the Zaya also, if you want it to be sweeter.
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Aug 3, 2013 07:59
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Gosling's is canonical in Dark and Stormies, so no harm there. The typical ratio for long drinks (a class of which the Dark and Stormy is a member) is 2 oz. spirit, 6 oz. soda. I always squeeze in a bit of lime as well.Vegetable Melange posted:Got a flask of el barrelito that I took to the beach today, it's absolutely fantastic. A friend hand carried it from Puerto Rico, I don't know if it's distributed in the states. What's it like? I've never tried a Puerto Rico rum that was actually good.
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Aug 5, 2013 19:00
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Long drinks are typically a simple combination of spirits, usually a touch of citrus, and a lengthening ingredient, which is usually, but not always, carbonated. Besides the Dark and Stormy there's the Cuba Libre (light rum, lime, Coke), the Caribeño (gold rum – ideally Barbados – lime, and coconut water), Wray and Ting (Wray and Nephew and Ting grapefruit soda), and then onto stuff like a Gin and Tonic, a Tom Collins (which adds a bit of sugar), and so on and so forth. They're easy to through together, nice and long to sip, and cold on the ice.
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Aug 6, 2013 06:38
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Missing Name posted:What would y'all suggest for a real daiquiri? (No, none of that frozen fruit bullshit. What the gently caress is that anyway?) For a classic-style traditional daiquiri go for Flor de Cana 4 year extra dry, or even better, Havana Club (if you can get it). El Dorado 5 makes a memorable daiquiri, replete with toffee flavors. Honestly the safer list is one of rums that definitely should not go into a daiquiri and that list is mostly comprised of rums not worth drinking in the first place. edit: Also I would strongly recommend shaking your daiquiris and serving them up. That aeration is an important part of the daiquiri's texture.
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Aug 17, 2013 03:01
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The higher the rank, the ranker the rum.
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Aug 17, 2013 03:17
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Aaronicon posted:Hey goons, I'm not really much of a drinker but I am the extended family's ice cream maker - and one of them have requested a Rum and Raisin. Are there any good, cheap, and relatively available (I live in rural Australia, but I could probably source most things) crowd-pleasing rums that would make a nice dessert and a tipple afterwards? All the recipes I have state a 'dark rum' but beyond that I'm lost. Missed this earlier. If you can get Coruba it's a good call. Meyer's is pretty traditional for that application as well. In general when a baking recipe calls for "dark rum" the usually mean Jamaican. Lemon Hart demerara is a decent call as well.
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Aug 17, 2013 04:30
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bolo yeung posted:Rum lessons I learned this weekend: Don Q Cristal is vodka. So is Bacardi. They call themselves rums, but they could call themselves vodka if they wanted. Where did you get your Painkiller? Or did you make it yourself? Because it's the same thing as a Piña Colada, just with a more flavorful rum (Pussers/golden English instead of light Spanish) and a bit of orange juice, plus a grating of nutmeg.
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Sep 4, 2013 23:36
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| # ¿ Apr 28, 2024 23:19 |
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He's right though.
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Sep 8, 2013 10:17
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