Great show! I love a good quality rum to sip on with some being equal in quality and enjoyment of a good Cognac. Speaking of Cognac, a Cognac tasting show would be a great idea too!
Love this! I actually just purchased Foursquare 2009 release on Friday. Absolutely dynamite. Quality rum is just so much more available and affordable than bourbon right now, and it’s really opened my eyes to how great the spirit can be. Wouldn’t mind more rum journey videos from you all in the future. Cheers, gents!
Yes! ! I have that 2009 as well. 120 proof and delicious. Happy to see these guys have open minds about rum. I love rum and have an open mind about bourbons.
I'm so tempted to try an actual Fullsail release, but I can't justify $169 for the privilege. That said, Im a huge fan of probitas and RL Seale, so I can only imagine how good they must be.
Glad to see the expansion. I drink almost every spirit out and I think rums have great value, you can get a 25 year old rum for 70 bucks at the moment. Some of the best runs I’ve had are Plantation XO, Don Q Gran Añejo, Dos Maderas 5+5 PX, Ron de Barrilito 3 star, Flor de Caña 18, and Zacapa 23. The dos maderas is out of this world
Bear in mind that a lot of rums have misleading age statements. That Zacapa 23, for example, is a blend of rums aged 6 to 23 years. The age statement on rums is often a maximum age rather than a minimum age of the blend.
@@xiamengbaby This is very true, although Ron Zacapa 23 doesn’t say it’s 23 years on it anywhere it just has the number 23 on it. And even then you get a bourbon with up to 15 year bourbon in it like some Very Olde St Nick and they want 240 bucks for it. As far as value its still there in rum because it’s not as popular or hasn’t experienced a boom like bourbon or tequila has. But you do bring up a valid point about how they utilize the age numbers.
@MartiniPapi if you look it up, the Zacapa used to say 23 años. I don't know if they got in trouble for a bogus age statement and just removed the "años" or if it used to be actually 23 years but no longer is (though tgey say it still has 23 year rum in it, probably a few drops). But the 23 definitely did represent an age statement. So it's misleading having the "23" still on the bottle. Also, Zacapa and some other rums have added sugar to make it sweeter. Bourbon cannot have an age statement on the bottle unless that's the minimum age of what is in the bottle. If it's a straight bourbon it must be minimum 2 years aged in oak. If it's less than a minimum 4 years, it must have an age statement. Bourbon cannot have added flavorings or artificial coloring.
Yeah, Zacapa just says Solera 23, there might still be some older bottles circulating around. They got in trouble for the misleading label. Flor de Caña is the same way, now for the 18 it just says 18 ‘slow aged’ which really doesn’t mean anything lol. The number is misleading for those who do not understand rum and what they can/can’t do, if you’re well aware that the solera 23 contains up to 23 years or the flor de caña contains up to 18 years it’s not really misleading but for those who don’t know or just getting into it it’s definitely misleading. Bourbon and scotch are on the same boat as far as age statements, they have to go based off minimum legally but I was referencing Very Olde St Nick because on the back of the bottle it says up to 15 year bourbon on it and that asking price for that is well above 200 and Barrel bourbon blends normally are 6 to up to 16 years and they start at $90. In rums you can get up to older and it’ll still be on the lower side of the dollar range like the Appleton Estate 21 year that’s a minimum of 21 year for about $100 and add no sugar.
I like rum, and I recently upgraded my collection to include some that have significant barrel age. A rum with a lot of barrel influence is likely to appeal to bourbon drinkers, as it will have some flavor profiles similar to bourbon. I have sometimes wondered if rum might be the next big thing. People might eventually get tired of the hunt for allocated bourbon and start looking for something else. I hope we don't start having problems with allocated rum in the future. I'm not an expert, but I have learned some of the basics. Here is a brief summary. This information is general in nature, and rum is a highly varied spirit, so there are plenty of exceptions to most of what I state here. Rum is made all over the world, but the primary region is the Caribbean and nearby parts of Central and South America. Some are made from sugar cane juice, while others are made from molasses. Some have sugar added to sweeten the spirit before bottling, but others don't. This practice is prohibited in some countries. Styles and aging procedures vary from country to country, but there are some general characteristics that many countries have in common, and they track roughly with the former or current European colonial power - there are distinctive English, French, and Spanish styles, and Brazil has its own version of rum: cachaça. English style rums are usually molasses based, and they are the ones most likely to have that rum funk, especially the Jamaican ones. Age statements work as we expect from whisky - the age indicated on the bottle should be the minimum age, though there might be exceptions. I'm not familiar with every country's rum regulations. French style rums, primarily from Haiti and Martinique, are usually agricole style, made from cane juice. They are generally more subtle and elegant than the funky rums of the former British territories, and well aged ones can be quite nice. Age statements should also work as we expect from whisky. Spanish style rums are typically made from molasses, but they don't usually have so much of the funk and are generally very approachable. In the United States, this style seems to be the most popular, so when people here think of rum, they are likely thinking of Spanish style rum. Age statements work differently here, as many of these rums use the solera system, which mixes young and old spirit. Age statements may therefore seem suspiciously long, but the solera method is a perfectly valid aging technique - it is just different from what whisky drinkers expect. This isn't universal - some Spanish style rums are aged like typical whisky. The Brazilian style, like the French style, is based on cane juice. I haven't encountered much aged cachaça, and I don't know what Brazil's rules are regarding age statements. Young cachaça is light and refreshing, and it is a wonderful mixer. The caipirinha is one of my favorite cocktails. Here are a few of my favorites. Diplomatico 2005 vintage, from Venezuela, is aged 12 years in used whisky barrels and then finished 1 year in sherry barrels. Unlike many rums from former Spanish colonies, it is not solera aged. This one would likely appeal to bourbon drinkers, as the barrel influence is quite evident. If the 2005 disappears from stores, hopefully others like it will appear in the future. Barbancourt 15 is a great example of well aged rhum agricole, and the 8-year is good too. For Jamaican funk, I like Smith & Cross navy strength. It provides a lot of funk, and it is high ABV. It doesn't have a lot of age, which is fine since the funk is the point here. For cachaça, I like Leblon. It has a pleasant sugar cane flavor, and it is a great mixer.
@@slbdrinks It is good. I have a bottle of Novo Fogo with a 2-year age statement. If you see that one, I recommend it. Other versions are probably worth trying too.
I love that you did a rum show. I have been acquiring more rum bottles over the past few years, although I still don't often sip them neat. This provides a lot of inspiration!
I generally enjoy rum, especially rum cocktails are a personal go to during the summer months,but my biggest issue with rum is that there is no "rum standard." A lot of the mainstream budget rums I don't feel have much sophistication behind them (talking to you, bacardi lol), so then I need to jump my price point up and there are just so many options that the cost becomes a barrier of entry. Bourbon on the other hand I can find a ton in that 20-30 range that I absolutely love and only need to splurge financially for some special occasions. Tequila is in a similar realm for me as rum, for me, bourbon even at the slightly elevated prices is the best value pour for everyday drinking
I actually started with Rum before moving to various Whiskey/Whisky for sipping and still enjoy a sip from time to time. I also enjoy mixing rum with tea (Appleton Estate Rum).
Great video guys! I kinda started my journey with sipping Rums and then expanded to Whiskey. Some Rums I recommend to try is El Dorado 12 year, Diplomatico Reserva, Foursquare Isonomy and my favorite Dos Madeira 5+5
I’m much more of a rum head than bourbon drinker but started trying to develop a palate for bourbon since my kids drink it. I really like Mount Gay XO. I bought liter bottles for $40 in Barbados. Here it’s about $70 for 750 ml. One of my favorites is Doorly’s 12 at $28 for 750 ml. It’s like Buffalo Trace while Four Square is like Pappy Vanwinkel price wise. Another of my favorites is Appleton Estates 12. Four Square (and Doorly’s) is definitely the most similar to bourbons. RL Seals 10 is also excellent at $28 for 750 ml. I think excellent rums are way less expensive to bourbons.
Kurt, my wife and I went to Costa Rica recently and drank a ton of Flor de Caña. Highly recommend giving it a try. The 7 year makes a great cocktail. The 12 year and up are fantastic.
I bought a bottle of the 18 year for my son in law for Christmas and we did a side by side with a bunch of others we have and it was our favorite - and vs a couple that were more expensive.
I grew up around Nicaraguan friend and that’s all they drank, I didn’t care for it until I got one of them the Añejo as a gift and we downed the bottle. It’s 8-12 years I think but it was super good
The ultimate beginner rum is El Dorado 15 year. It's cheaper than all of my sipping whiskeys at $45 in my area, plus it makes a great old fashioned (see also Punch's winning rum old fashioned recipe, where I've subbed out the El Dorado for the Mount Gay when I didn't have it). Smith & Cross is worth trying to see what makes Jamaican rums so distinct. Holmes Cay makes some more premium rums, but for $40 in Queens, NY, their Fiji rum is a must have for sipping and cocktails if you're looking for a single bottle of rum and you like mojitos and daiquiris. For cocktails, my go to is plantation 3 year, it's basically the same price as bacardi and is exponentially better. Like, it's not even close. And if you want to try something really interesting, very different from any non-rum, Wrey and Nephew is an over proofed Jamaican rum that has some pretty wild flavors.
I was just in Virginia and happened upon a Myers's single barrel rum that was aged in Sazerac barrels...I haven't cracked it yet but it was the first time seeing it....I like that you guys do all spirits and not just bourbon...Cheers!
Coming from bourbon myself, I've really started to love what rum has to offer. I've been listening to the Rumcast podcast which has helped me learn so much more about rum
Love seeing a rum lineup! A big funk Jamaican rum would be a significant departure from these 5 and worth trying. Plantation has some nice bottlings with whiskey cask finishes. Hamilton is also nice but on the more grassy/vegetal side.
Great show guys!!! I started collecting the foursquare several years ago and have every bottle except 1998 and it wasn’t imported to the US its been challenging to find but Barbados wouldn’t be a bad place to go looking! 🥃
I just subscribed due to this video. I’m primarily a rum and coke drinker. I got into bourbons with friends this past year but have been holding out for rum to be “a thing”. It only makes sense with the way bourbon prices are going. I have a few on my list to get but the ones I have now are Myers Dark which is very easy to find and is even used by many chefs in their cooking. Pyrat rum is what my friends want a pour of when they come over and are disappointed in my lack of bourbon. Santa Teresa 1796 is a new one for me I got from a friend. It’s good too. Bacardi Gold is my rum n coke standard just because of familiarity. Hopefully you’ll do more rum shows. Now I have to do some more shopping!
You should try Ron Del Barrilito rum. 3 Star is blend of 6 - 10 yr in vintage American white oak sherry barrels. Cost $40 - $45. Developed specific for sipping. From Puerto Rico. They also make a 2 star which is around $28 and aged at least 3 years.
@@wynnmatthews1858 Prior to discovering 3 star while on a business trip to the island I had never considered rum as a sipping beverage, only for mixed drinks. One evening we opened a bottle of 3 star and we enjoyed. A real eye opener for me. On my many trips to PR I always brought back a suitcase filled with cheap rum and coffee. On one trip a bottle of rum broke but the coffee absorbed it. I had great coffee every morning for weeks.
Not sure if this has been mentioned, but unlike Bourbon, rum age statement means the OLDEST rum in the blend is what's listed, therefore a 12 year old rum can have younger rum blended into the final product.
I acquired a couple of bottles of Havana Club (Cuban) 7 year rum while in Mexico when bringing to the US was still OK, I didn't pay more than $30 per bottle. A quick search revealed that the Seleccion can be purchased in Mexico for an average price of $49 (price range $38 to $64). In addition to the Cuban Havana Club, my bar has Havana Club from Puerto Rico (to someday compare with the Cuban), Flor de Cana 18 year, Diplomatico Reserva Exclusivo, Mount Gay Black Barrel, and The Kraken. If you want to make a rum cocktail I suggest the Canchanchara.
Glad to see folks giving rum its due. Lots of comments mention the Zacapa 23, and it’s really good, as is the Kaniche XO. My favorite right now is Ron Cartavio XO from Peru. It’s spectacular
My knowledge of rum begins and ends with Bacardi. I have always liked the rum flavor in rum and coke, rum cake, etc. Thanks for the insight on some top quality sipping rums to try.
Bacardi 4, 8, and 10 are all good. The aged Bacardi products are affordable and available. Single Barrel, Reserve, and Anejo rums are also good, affordable, and available.
A local shop here has about 30 dusty bottles of the Foursquare 2008. I have one opened and 3 bunkered. He gave me a great deal since they haven’t been selling. Definitely a favorite!
Shout to Vine and table, this is exactly where I bought my Foursquare 2008 a few years ago too. One of my favorite bottles ever made of any type of distilled spirits! Cheers guys!
Loved the rum show! :-) My fav is from Nicaragua; Flor De Cana. I use the 4-year old for cocktails and the 7 for sipping. They sell older versions (12, 25 and 30-year old, that I know of), but I've never tried them. Give Flor De Cana a taste! :-)
I had the 25 year old Flora de Cana in Costa Rica several years ago. It was amazingly nuanced almost more like Cognac more than most rums. The Secco (white) is wonderful in cocktails.
Hello Fellahs! I love what you guys do over there at SLB! I’ve learned a great deal in the past year. I just purchased the Foursquare release here in PA for 104.00. Looking forward to tasting it. Keep up the fun & educational “work” you’re doing! Thanks, Mel from Jenkintown, PA
Have had a lot of different rums over the years. I really appreciate the Papa Pilars Rum originating in Key West FL. The distillery tour down there is awesome, along with some cocktail/tasting classes round out the experience. I really feel like they know what they are doing. For sipping, the 24 Dark Rum, as well as the 24 Dark Rum aged in sherry casks are pretty amazing, less sweet with complex flavors. Have to admit, the Key West experience contributes to my overall experience and bias, but still my favorite rum...
I really like Papas Pilar Marquesas Blend, which is a Florida blend of Caribbean, U.S. and Central American rums at 86 proof and finished in used #4 char bourbon barrels. It has grest flavor.
Always fun seeing what you all have to show! Holmes Cay is another rum I’ve found to love. Their founder Eric Kaye sources rum from all over the world and some of my favorite ones are from Fiji, Jamaica, and South Africa. Definitely pricier for a rum but worth a try!
I am a rum enthusiast id love to see you guys have a taste test with Ron Zacappa, Flora De Cana 12 yr, diplomatico, Appleton Estate, and Plantation XO all of them are great but would love to see your reactions
Before whiskey all I drank was rum, but never ventured out into the "good stuff". Absolutely love rum but whiskey took off for me after I tried my first truly premium bottle. I'm wondering how I'd feel after some top shelf rum. It's been a thought in the back of my head.
Takamaka Rum from the Seychelles is the best rum I’ve ever had. Like drinking liquid butterscotch and it’s only 20.00. You can buy it from European sellers. Worth the purchase.
@michaeljohnson6201 I have doorlys and it's pretty good, especially for the price . Here in Miami price just went up to 30$. Used to be 26. Also abv on 12 year went up to 43% instead of 40%. And it's not "funky" like Appleton.
I reallyvenjoy your videos. I turned my dad and a few buddies on to it it. I like Bumbu regular, Kraken, & Ron Zacapa 23 solera. Bumbu is middle priced and everyone who I've had try it loves it.
You guys need to let us know what you think about the 15 year El Dorado rum if you ever get a bottle of it. Its a Demerara rum, so the sugarcane is grown only by the Demerara river in Guyana. I have tried the 12 year and it is excellent. I am a bourbon guy like you all, but I have gotten more into rums the last couple years because of the price difference in sippers. Rum is starting to be alot more affordable than the premium sipping bourbons. The best part about El Dorado is that they do not add sugar to their barrels after fermentation anymore like they used to. The newer bottles have black stamped labels instead of the red. Go and check it out. A lot of Barbados Foursquare distillery brands get their molasses sourced from Guyana. I almost consider FourSquare to be the Rum industry's version of Buffalo Trace. They are a distillery that own several other brands of Rums.
Important to also separate the lightly aged rums from the aged higher-end rums. Bacardi is a solid distillery, but they make a lot of briefly aged rum that is intended for cocktails (although they make some longer-aged stuff that is much more complex), Cruzan is another solid distillery aiming for lots of good quality cocktail mixer rum. Please don't assume the $15-25 bottles are intended to be sippers, sure there are probably a few in that price bracket that are enjoyable neat or on the rocks but rum isn't exactly a "cheap" option for a complex neat pour IMHO. Yes, less chased after than bourbon and probably less of the hype-tax but I wouldn't classify it as cheap. A great example is the Ron del Barrilito distillery (San Juan, PR), it was purchased several years back and now the cost of their rum is probably 2x what it used to be even locally in San Juan.
For a higher proof,moderately priced rum, I really love Smith and Cross navy strength Jamaican rum. Funky, almost perfume aroma of banana, sharp baking spices and some oak. The flavor is in your face but also what makes it my favorite for cocktails. Dark and Stormy’s are way better with this than sickly sweet Goslings IMO.
Picked up a bottle of Foursquare Detente (not the 2008) after watching this video and it’s absolutely killer. It’s finished in ex bourbon and port barrels and you can really taste the bourbon influence in it. It has a huge vanilla cream note it it. Delicious.
You get Cuban rum by traveling out of the US. You can legally bring in cigars and alcohol provided they meet the quantity limitation on importation. Heinemann Frankfurt airport in Germany is one of the more reasonable priced duty free shops. I have several bottles of the Groupo de Maestro Selection. Good stuff. Zacapa is great as well. Great video. Thank you!
All of those are very good rums! Rum is my favorite liquor. I’d say Hampden is my favorite distillery as well as Foursquare. So much variety and different flavors/profiles in the rum world.
Big fan of the additional content and branching out. Had a 116 proof rum I found made in balese the other day that wasn't too bad. I tried it straight like a bourbon and it was very interesting.
Nice twist fellas! Love this one. I have not had rum in a long time, but I remember that I once liked it I favored the dark rums. You may have piqued my curiosity enough to splurge on a bottle.
Great to see this! Would love your opinion on some of my favorite rums, and where they would fit in with your lineup. I lean towards the not sweet types. Santa Teresa 1796. Barbados Plantation XO 20th Anniversary. Rolling Fork single cask Barbados cask strength. Abuelo anejo 12. Thx!
Do try RON SUPERIOR PUERTO RICO. A pure un blended , un filtered, un diluted extraction proof rum...Aged in Kentucky and ex cognac barrels and finished in an ex cognac vat ... A unique un repeatable edition. A unique single batch rum from the Caribbean....
Great list! I'm going to add that Grander to rums I'm looking for. Foursquare Exceptional Casks are really hard to beat. Rum has been experiencing its only mini boom with a lot of american rum now being produced. Maybe in a couple years we'll see y'all do an American Rum lineup! As for other spirit types I'd love to see either a brandy or a mezcal review, though I imagine good versions of both of those are hard to find in Indiana.
It's very popular in London. It's hard to get some of the rums because they are purchased in the same manner as bourbon in the US. I only have one that I enjoy for sipping (La Hechicera)
It would be cool to see you guys do more rum tastings! I would say the rum industry has a ton of variety and options and there's definitely a lot of competition out there.
Y'all should definitely look at El Dorado 12 year for a sipping rum. Has a lot of the complexities of Bourbon, but with a very pronounced caramel taste!
So. Rum "has no rules". A lot of times, you can't really take an age statement at face value because it only accounts for the average age of the rums in the blend. There are some brands that take rum very seriously and treat it more like whiskey. That would be Four Square and Privateer. Privateer actually make Bottled in Bond rums.
I got into Rum about 3 years ago, so I am relatively new to the spirt myself. It is an underrated/misunderstood spirit. I want more people to embrace the spirit, but not to the point where demand forces the price too high. I am a huge fan of El Dorado 15.
Hi guys, look at all the comments coming from your followers...goes to show how many of us bourbon lovers, enjoy a good-great sipping rum. By the way, the Havana Club, Selecion runs about $50. Enjoy your rum experience.
My wife drinks rum. We are a bourbon and rum house! Good run is easy to find and bourbons are great in availability as long as you don’t try to find the heavily allocated stuff!!! Enjoy both!
Great show, as always. If you continue the rum exploration, try Ron Zacapa 23 Year Rum (about $45) from Guatemala, Appleton Estate Reserve ($25) or 12 year ($50) from Jamaica.
I find there's a big difference between rums I like for sipping vs what I like for mixing. In my area there's not a large selection of rum, so I'm looking forward to seeing your selection of sippers. For mixing I've landed on Wray & Nephew because it's got plenty of proof and a bunch of funk that don't get lost in the mix.
If you ever find any of these I definitely recommend you guys try these out for the next rum video. Bacardi Reserva 8 Rye Cask Bacardi 16 Gran Reserva Bumbu original Don Q Gran Reaerva Añejo XO Ron del Barrilito 3 stars Flor de Caña 25
Privateer new England rum is fantastic. The navy yard is aged in new oak and if you can find a store pick even better. The 1 we have is 4.5yr in new oak and its 114 proof. It's so much like bourbon it's crazy
@@clingman71 ya I have a feeling this will probably happen which will be good for them but make it harder to get in the long run unless they planned ahead.
I’ve decided I’m done with trying to get hard to find bourbons. It’s just too annoying.
I’ve enjoyed learning about and trying different tequilas
Tequila is great
There is so much good stuff that’s easy to get and pretty reasonable. Why spend the time and money chasing stuff.
You want “hard to find” bourbons to be easy to find?
@@bourbonschool100 definitely. 100%.
Don't let the secret out! I love my rum prices as is
Too late. This is what channels like this do.
Great show! I love a good quality rum to sip on with some being equal in quality and enjoyment of a good Cognac. Speaking of Cognac, a Cognac tasting show would be a great idea too!
Love this! I actually just purchased Foursquare 2009 release on Friday. Absolutely dynamite. Quality rum is just so much more available and affordable than bourbon right now, and it’s really opened my eyes to how great the spirit can be. Wouldn’t mind more rum journey videos from you all in the future. Cheers, gents!
Yes! ! I have that 2009 as well. 120 proof and delicious. Happy to see these guys have open minds about rum. I love rum and have an open mind about bourbons.
I'm so tempted to try an actual Fullsail release, but I can't justify $169 for the privilege. That said, Im a huge fan of probitas and RL Seale, so I can only imagine how good they must be.
Glad to see the expansion. I drink almost every spirit out and I think rums have great value, you can get a 25 year old rum for 70 bucks at the moment. Some of the best runs I’ve had are Plantation XO, Don Q Gran Añejo, Dos Maderas 5+5 PX, Ron de Barrilito 3 star, Flor de Caña 18, and Zacapa 23. The dos maderas is out of this world
Big yes to the Dos Maderas 5+5. But shhh...don't tell anyone.
Bear in mind that a lot of rums have misleading age statements. That Zacapa 23, for example, is a blend of rums aged 6 to 23 years. The age statement on rums is often a maximum age rather than a minimum age of the blend.
@@xiamengbaby This is very true, although Ron Zacapa 23 doesn’t say it’s 23 years on it anywhere it just has the number 23 on it. And even then you get a bourbon with up to 15 year bourbon in it like some Very Olde St Nick and they want 240 bucks for it. As far as value its still there in rum because it’s not as popular or hasn’t experienced a boom like bourbon or tequila has. But you do bring up a valid point about how they utilize the age numbers.
@MartiniPapi if you look it up, the Zacapa used to say 23 años. I don't know if they got in trouble for a bogus age statement and just removed the "años" or if it used to be actually 23 years but no longer is (though tgey say it still has 23 year rum in it, probably a few drops). But the 23 definitely did represent an age statement. So it's misleading having the "23" still on the bottle.
Also, Zacapa and some other rums have added sugar to make it sweeter.
Bourbon cannot have an age statement on the bottle unless that's the minimum age of what is in the bottle. If it's a straight bourbon it must be minimum 2 years aged in oak. If it's less than a minimum 4 years, it must have an age statement. Bourbon cannot have added flavorings or artificial coloring.
Yeah, Zacapa just says Solera 23, there might still be some older bottles circulating around. They got in trouble for the misleading label. Flor de Caña is the same way, now for the 18 it just says 18 ‘slow aged’ which really doesn’t mean anything lol. The number is misleading for those who do not understand rum and what they can/can’t do, if you’re well aware that the solera 23 contains up to 23 years or the flor de caña contains up to 18 years it’s not really misleading but for those who don’t know or just getting into it it’s definitely misleading.
Bourbon and scotch are on the same boat as far as age statements, they have to go based off minimum legally but I was referencing Very Olde St Nick because on the back of the bottle it says up to 15 year bourbon on it and that asking price for that is well above 200 and Barrel bourbon blends normally are 6 to up to 16 years and they start at $90. In rums you can get up to older and it’ll still be on the lower side of the dollar range like the Appleton Estate 21 year that’s a minimum of 21 year for about $100 and add no sugar.
Love the change of pace and recently started dabbling in rum (aside from cocktails).
So thankful for this video...being from Pennsylvania our selection of whiskey and bourbon is very limited and I've been trying to get into rum lately.
I like rum, and I recently upgraded my collection to include some that have significant barrel age. A rum with a lot of barrel influence is likely to appeal to bourbon drinkers, as it will have some flavor profiles similar to bourbon. I have sometimes wondered if rum might be the next big thing. People might eventually get tired of the hunt for allocated bourbon and start looking for something else. I hope we don't start having problems with allocated rum in the future.
I'm not an expert, but I have learned some of the basics. Here is a brief summary. This information is general in nature, and rum is a highly varied spirit, so there are plenty of exceptions to most of what I state here. Rum is made all over the world, but the primary region is the Caribbean and nearby parts of Central and South America. Some are made from sugar cane juice, while others are made from molasses. Some have sugar added to sweeten the spirit before bottling, but others don't. This practice is prohibited in some countries. Styles and aging procedures vary from country to country, but there are some general characteristics that many countries have in common, and they track roughly with the former or current European colonial power - there are distinctive English, French, and Spanish styles, and Brazil has its own version of rum: cachaça. English style rums are usually molasses based, and they are the ones most likely to have that rum funk, especially the Jamaican ones. Age statements work as we expect from whisky - the age indicated on the bottle should be the minimum age, though there might be exceptions. I'm not familiar with every country's rum regulations. French style rums, primarily from Haiti and Martinique, are usually agricole style, made from cane juice. They are generally more subtle and elegant than the funky rums of the former British territories, and well aged ones can be quite nice. Age statements should also work as we expect from whisky. Spanish style rums are typically made from molasses, but they don't usually have so much of the funk and are generally very approachable. In the United States, this style seems to be the most popular, so when people here think of rum, they are likely thinking of Spanish style rum. Age statements work differently here, as many of these rums use the solera system, which mixes young and old spirit. Age statements may therefore seem suspiciously long, but the solera method is a perfectly valid aging technique - it is just different from what whisky drinkers expect. This isn't universal - some Spanish style rums are aged like typical whisky. The Brazilian style, like the French style, is based on cane juice. I haven't encountered much aged cachaça, and I don't know what Brazil's rules are regarding age statements. Young cachaça is light and refreshing, and it is a wonderful mixer. The caipirinha is one of my favorite cocktails.
Here are a few of my favorites. Diplomatico 2005 vintage, from Venezuela, is aged 12 years in used whisky barrels and then finished 1 year in sherry barrels. Unlike many rums from former Spanish colonies, it is not solera aged. This one would likely appeal to bourbon drinkers, as the barrel influence is quite evident. If the 2005 disappears from stores, hopefully others like it will appear in the future. Barbancourt 15 is a great example of well aged rhum agricole, and the 8-year is good too. For Jamaican funk, I like Smith & Cross navy strength. It provides a lot of funk, and it is high ABV. It doesn't have a lot of age, which is fine since the funk is the point here. For cachaça, I like Leblon. It has a pleasant sugar cane flavor, and it is a great mixer.
Thank you for taking the time to share this info! What do you think of Novo Fogo cachaca? That’s about the only brand I can find up here.
@@slbdrinks It is good. I have a bottle of Novo Fogo with a 2-year age statement. If you see that one, I recommend it. Other versions are probably worth trying too.
I love that you did a rum show. I have been acquiring more rum bottles over the past few years, although I still don't often sip them neat. This provides a lot of inspiration!
Great video. I hope rum, tequila and mescal keep increasing in popularity. Then there hopefully should be more allocated bottles to go around.
I generally enjoy rum, especially rum cocktails are a personal go to during the summer months,but my biggest issue with rum is that there is no "rum standard." A lot of the mainstream budget rums I don't feel have much sophistication behind them (talking to you, bacardi lol), so then I need to jump my price point up and there are just so many options that the cost becomes a barrier of entry. Bourbon on the other hand I can find a ton in that 20-30 range that I absolutely love and only need to splurge financially for some special occasions. Tequila is in a similar realm for me as rum, for me, bourbon even at the slightly elevated prices is the best value pour for everyday drinking
I actually started with Rum before moving to various Whiskey/Whisky for sipping and still enjoy a sip from time to time. I also enjoy mixing rum with tea (Appleton Estate Rum).
Great video guys! I kinda started my journey with sipping Rums and then expanded to Whiskey. Some Rums I recommend to try is El Dorado 12 year, Diplomatico Reserva, Foursquare Isonomy and my favorite Dos Madeira 5+5
I’m much more of a rum head than bourbon drinker but started trying to develop a palate for bourbon since my kids drink it. I really like Mount Gay XO. I bought liter bottles for $40 in Barbados. Here it’s about $70 for 750 ml. One of my favorites is Doorly’s 12 at $28 for 750 ml. It’s like Buffalo Trace while Four Square is like Pappy Vanwinkel price wise. Another of my favorites is Appleton Estates 12. Four Square (and Doorly’s) is definitely the most similar to bourbons. RL Seals 10 is also excellent at $28 for 750 ml. I think excellent rums are way less expensive to bourbons.
Upvote on how good MG XO is.
Started getting into rum after visiting Papas Pillar in Key West. This helped to get me pointed in good directions.
Kurt, my wife and I went to Costa Rica recently and drank a ton of Flor de Caña. Highly recommend giving it a try. The 7 year makes a great cocktail. The 12 year and up are fantastic.
Flor de Caña is an awesome Rum. However it’s distilled in Nicaragua. You can find it in US liquor stores.
I bought a bottle of the 18 year for my son in law for Christmas and we did a side by side with a bunch of others we have and it was our favorite - and vs a couple that were more expensive.
Flor de caña is actually really misleading with the labeling, the numbers aren't actually an age statement. The same is true for zacapa 23
I grew up around Nicaraguan friend and that’s all they drank, I didn’t care for it until I got one of them the Añejo as a gift and we downed the bottle. It’s 8-12 years I think but it was super good
the 18yr is incredible!!
Zacapa No. 23 Centenario Rum is almost like bourbon !!
My favorite is Zacapa 23. Most excellent!!
Papas pillar sherry cask is my go to rum for a neat sip. Works on the rocks to
I traveled to Guatemala a couple years back and was introduced to the sipping rum, Ron Zacapa Centenario XO! Fabulous! I had to bring some home!
The ultimate beginner rum is El Dorado 15 year. It's cheaper than all of my sipping whiskeys at $45 in my area, plus it makes a great old fashioned (see also Punch's winning rum old fashioned recipe, where I've subbed out the El Dorado for the Mount Gay when I didn't have it). Smith & Cross is worth trying to see what makes Jamaican rums so distinct. Holmes Cay makes some more premium rums, but for $40 in Queens, NY, their Fiji rum is a must have for sipping and cocktails if you're looking for a single bottle of rum and you like mojitos and daiquiris. For cocktails, my go to is plantation 3 year, it's basically the same price as bacardi and is exponentially better. Like, it's not even close. And if you want to try something really interesting, very different from any non-rum, Wrey and Nephew is an over proofed Jamaican rum that has some pretty wild flavors.
I got into Pilar on a trip to Key West and it has become a fave. I especially like the dark and sherry cask versions.
You NEED to try smith & cross overproof! amazing quality, and "quintessential" Jamaican rum
It’s def quite funky! Trent would have fun with that one 😂
I was just in Virginia and happened upon a Myers's single barrel rum that was aged in Sazerac barrels...I haven't cracked it yet but it was the first time seeing it....I like that you guys do all spirits and not just bourbon...Cheers!
Coming from bourbon myself, I've really started to love what rum has to offer. I've been listening to the Rumcast podcast which has helped me learn so much more about rum
Appleton Estate 12 yr. old from Jamaica is another great rum.
Love seeing a rum lineup!
A big funk Jamaican rum would be a significant departure from these 5 and worth trying.
Plantation has some nice bottlings with whiskey cask finishes. Hamilton is also nice but on the more grassy/vegetal side.
Came here to say this haha. The limited release 15yr Jamaica from plantation was super good. The Panama in the single barrel series is also delicious.
@@4HorsemanRacing I haven't tried the 15 yr one yet, but I've had their Panama 2012 and it's delish!
Great show guys!!! I started collecting the foursquare several years ago and have every bottle except 1998 and it wasn’t imported to the US its been challenging to find but Barbados wouldn’t be a bad place to go looking! 🥃
Wow fantastic collection!
Thanks for the review. Nice to see something different, might have to look for some bourbon aged rum.
I just subscribed due to this video. I’m primarily a rum and coke drinker. I got into bourbons with friends this past year but have been holding out for rum to be “a thing”. It only makes sense with the way bourbon prices are going. I have a few on my list to get but the ones I have now are Myers Dark which is very easy to find and is even used by many chefs in their cooking. Pyrat rum is what my friends want a pour of when they come over and are disappointed in my lack of bourbon. Santa Teresa 1796 is a new one for me I got from a friend. It’s good too. Bacardi Gold is my rum n coke standard just because of familiarity. Hopefully you’ll do more rum shows. Now I have to do some more shopping!
Thank you and welcome!
Keep in mind if the Solera Method is used in blending, an age statement can be misleading as the actual age of the rum in the bottle will vary.
You should try Ron Del Barrilito rum. 3 Star is blend of 6 - 10 yr in vintage American white oak sherry barrels. Cost $40 - $45. Developed specific for sipping. From Puerto Rico. They also make a 2 star which is around $28 and aged at least 3 years.
@@wynnmatthews1858 Prior to discovering 3 star while on a business trip to the island I had never considered rum as a sipping beverage, only for mixed drinks. One evening we opened a bottle of 3 star and we enjoyed. A real eye opener for me. On my many trips to PR I always brought back a suitcase filled with cheap rum and coffee. On one trip a bottle of rum broke but the coffee absorbed it. I had great coffee every morning for weeks.
Not sure if this has been mentioned, but unlike Bourbon, rum age statement means the OLDEST rum in the blend is what's listed, therefore a 12 year old rum can have younger rum blended into the final product.
I acquired a couple of bottles of Havana Club (Cuban) 7 year rum while in Mexico when bringing to the US was still OK, I didn't pay more than $30 per bottle. A quick search revealed that the Seleccion can be purchased in Mexico for an average price of $49 (price range $38 to $64).
In addition to the Cuban Havana Club, my bar has Havana Club from Puerto Rico (to someday compare with the Cuban), Flor de Cana 18 year, Diplomatico Reserva Exclusivo, Mount Gay Black Barrel, and The Kraken. If you want to make a rum cocktail I suggest the Canchanchara.
Glad to see folks giving rum its due. Lots of comments mention the Zacapa 23, and it’s really good, as is the Kaniche XO. My favorite right now is Ron Cartavio XO from Peru. It’s spectacular
I can tell you are a bourbon man at heart. A lot of people who like whiskey don't appreciate the lighter styles or younger aged rums.
My knowledge of rum begins and ends with Bacardi. I have always liked the rum flavor in rum and coke, rum cake, etc. Thanks for the insight on some top quality sipping rums to try.
Bacardi 4, 8, and 10 are all good. The aged Bacardi products are affordable and available. Single Barrel, Reserve, and Anejo rums are also good, affordable, and available.
A local shop here has about 30 dusty bottles of the Foursquare 2008. I have one opened and 3 bunkered. He gave me a great deal since they haven’t been selling. Definitely a favorite!
And where might that be? Lmao I'd be happy to help him get rid of some more.
What is the name of the store and in what city? They are just hard to find. Thx
Shout to Vine and table, this is exactly where I bought my Foursquare 2008 a few years ago too. One of my favorite bottles ever made of any type of distilled spirits! Cheers guys!
I loved the spiced rum I got when I went to St Lucia. It had real herbs and spices in the bottle. It was wonderful.
Loved the rum show! :-) My fav is from Nicaragua; Flor De Cana. I use the 4-year old for cocktails and the 7 for sipping. They sell older versions (12, 25 and 30-year old, that I know of), but I've never tried them. Give Flor De Cana a taste! :-)
I had the 25 year old Flora de Cana in Costa Rica several years ago. It was amazingly nuanced almost more like Cognac more than most rums. The Secco (white) is wonderful in cocktails.
Hello Fellahs!
I love what you guys do over there at SLB! I’ve learned a great deal in the past year. I just purchased the Foursquare release here in PA for 104.00. Looking forward to tasting it. Keep up the fun & educational “work” you’re doing!
Thanks,
Mel from Jenkintown, PA
Have had a lot of different rums over the years. I really appreciate the Papa Pilars Rum originating in Key West FL. The distillery tour down there is awesome, along with some cocktail/tasting classes round out the experience. I really feel like they know what they are doing. For sipping, the 24 Dark Rum, as well as the 24 Dark Rum aged in sherry casks are pretty amazing, less sweet with complex flavors. Have to admit, the Key West experience contributes to my overall experience and bias, but still my favorite rum...
I really like Papas Pilar Marquesas Blend, which is a Florida blend of Caribbean, U.S. and Central American rums at 86 proof and finished in used #4 char bourbon barrels. It has grest flavor.
Love that Marquesas, just can't find any more of it!
Always fun seeing what you all have to show! Holmes Cay is another rum I’ve found to love. Their founder Eric Kaye sources rum from all over the world and some of my favorite ones are from Fiji, Jamaica, and South Africa. Definitely pricier for a rum but worth a try!
Ron Zacapa Ventenario Solera No. 23 Rum is really nice for an aged rum. The Ron Zacapa Centenario XO Rum is delicious.
I recommend Brugal XV, Brugal Legenda, Brugal 1888, Zacapa 23, Zacapa Edición Negra. Dominican Republic and Guatemalan Rum. You will love it!
I am a rum enthusiast id love to see you guys have a taste test with Ron Zacappa, Flora De Cana 12 yr, diplomatico, Appleton Estate, and Plantation XO all of them are great but would love to see your reactions
Wildy good choices
Before whiskey all I drank was rum, but never ventured out into the "good stuff". Absolutely love rum but whiskey took off for me after I tried my first truly premium bottle. I'm wondering how I'd feel after some top shelf rum. It's been a thought in the back of my head.
Takamaka Rum from the Seychelles is the best rum I’ve ever had. Like drinking liquid butterscotch and it’s only 20.00. You can buy it from European sellers. Worth the purchase.
Try Papa Pilar. The dark rum is excellent for sipping! If you can get Santiago de Cuba is excellent, but it’s from Cuba.
I think Kurt has a Papa's Pilar Sherry finish on the top shelf over his shoulder... ;)
I do! I debated putting that on the list in place of the Seales bottle 🤷🏼♂️
Please try Papa's Pilar Rum. I'm not tried many rums but this is the best yet! Thanks for your videos.
Appleton 12. No sugar added. DELICIOUS. Also, El Dorado line of rums 12 and 15 stopped adding sugar few years ago.
Bought a bottle of Appleton 12 year Rare Casks, and I guess my palate does not enjoy it. Worst thing I have ever drank.
@michaeljohnson6201 Haha it's an aquired taste. Try El dorado 12 or 15 totally different, and you'll probably like it.
@@alekseymel7852 thanks! I’ll be sure to! Also seeing Doorlys as well?
@michaeljohnson6201 I have doorlys and it's pretty good, especially for the price . Here in Miami price just went up to 30$. Used to be 26. Also abv on 12 year went up to 43% instead of 40%. And it's not "funky" like Appleton.
Two really good sipping rums are Diplomatico ( green frosted bottle) and Dos Maduros.
I reallyvenjoy your videos. I turned my dad and a few buddies on to it it. I like Bumbu regular, Kraken, & Ron Zacapa 23 solera. Bumbu is middle priced and everyone who I've had try it loves it.
My wife and I recently discovered Bumbu as a sipper, and really love it. Was introduced to it a few months back at the The Rum Bar down in Key West.
Bumbu was one of my first rums purchased. Bottle has since been emptied lol. Time for another!
Beautiful banana notes.
Doorly's 12 year is my go to rum for sipping on ice. Also works really well as a rum old fashioned
You guys need to let us know what you think about the 15 year El Dorado rum if you ever get a bottle of it. Its a Demerara rum, so the sugarcane is grown only by the Demerara river in Guyana. I have tried the 12 year and it is excellent. I am a bourbon guy like you all, but I have gotten more into rums the last couple years because of the price difference in sippers. Rum is starting to be alot more affordable than the premium sipping bourbons. The best part about El Dorado is that they do not add sugar to their barrels after fermentation anymore like they used to. The newer bottles have black stamped labels instead of the red. Go and check it out. A lot of Barbados Foursquare distillery brands get their molasses sourced from Guyana. I almost consider FourSquare to be the Rum industry's version of Buffalo Trace. They are a distillery that own several other brands of Rums.
Important to also separate the lightly aged rums from the aged higher-end rums. Bacardi is a solid distillery, but they make a lot of briefly aged rum that is intended for cocktails (although they make some longer-aged stuff that is much more complex), Cruzan is another solid distillery aiming for lots of good quality cocktail mixer rum. Please don't assume the $15-25 bottles are intended to be sippers, sure there are probably a few in that price bracket that are enjoyable neat or on the rocks but rum isn't exactly a "cheap" option for a complex neat pour IMHO. Yes, less chased after than bourbon and probably less of the hype-tax but I wouldn't classify it as cheap. A great example is the Ron del Barrilito distillery (San Juan, PR), it was purchased several years back and now the cost of their rum is probably 2x what it used to be even locally in San Juan.
Awesome episode!! Never had rum before. Now I may have to venture out . Great job guys!!
For a higher proof,moderately priced rum, I really love Smith and Cross navy strength Jamaican rum. Funky, almost perfume aroma of banana, sharp baking spices and some oak. The flavor is in your face but also what makes it my favorite for cocktails. Dark and Stormy’s are way better with this than sickly sweet Goslings IMO.
Picked up a bottle of Foursquare Detente (not the 2008) after watching this video and it’s absolutely killer. It’s finished in ex bourbon and port barrels and you can really taste the bourbon influence in it. It has a huge vanilla cream note it it. Delicious.
You get Cuban rum by traveling out of the US. You can legally bring in cigars and alcohol provided they meet the quantity limitation on importation. Heinemann Frankfurt airport in Germany is one of the more reasonable priced duty free shops. I have several bottles of the Groupo de Maestro Selection. Good stuff. Zacapa is great as well. Great video. Thank you!
All of those are very good rums! Rum is my favorite liquor. I’d say Hampden is my favorite distillery as well as Foursquare. So much variety and different flavors/profiles in the rum world.
Awesome video.. My top rums are Brugal 1888 and Leyenda, Flor de Cana 18yr, Ron Barcelo Imperial, Havana Club maestro selecion, Diplomatico reserve.
Botran 18 yr, Mount Gay XO, Flor de Caña 18 yr, Eminente 7 yr (Cuban rum) are my favorites
Any Foursquare rum is truly exceptional. As well as other brands in their portfolio. Like Real McCoy, Doorly’s etc. Best rums for bourbon drinkers.
Big fan of the additional content and branching out. Had a 116 proof rum I found made in balese the other day that wasn't too bad. I tried it straight like a bourbon and it was very interesting.
We did the FourSquare run distillery tour in Barbados a few years ago. We were the only ones there. Great tour! Really good rums!
Nice twist fellas! Love this one. I have not had rum in a long time, but I remember that I once liked it I favored the dark rums. You may have piqued my curiosity enough to splurge on a bottle.
Great to see this! Would love your opinion on some of my favorite rums, and where they would fit in with your lineup. I lean towards the not sweet types. Santa Teresa 1796. Barbados Plantation XO 20th Anniversary. Rolling Fork single cask Barbados cask strength. Abuelo anejo 12. Thx!
Plantation mostly doused with sugar including 20th xo
Wow, some on your list I have never heard of.
Do try RON SUPERIOR PUERTO RICO.
A pure un blended , un filtered, un diluted extraction proof rum...Aged in Kentucky and ex cognac barrels and finished in an ex cognac vat ...
A unique un repeatable edition.
A unique single batch rum from the Caribbean....
Great list! I'm going to add that Grander to rums I'm looking for. Foursquare Exceptional Casks are really hard to beat. Rum has been experiencing its only mini boom with a lot of american rum now being produced. Maybe in a couple years we'll see y'all do an American Rum lineup! As for other spirit types I'd love to see either a brandy or a mezcal review, though I imagine good versions of both of those are hard to find in Indiana.
I do have a small few good Mezcal bottles but only one brandy that I would consider to be good.
Love the switch up of the content! Great transition, I can see adding rum into the rotation more now. Used to love dark and stormy’s!
It's very popular in London. It's hard to get some of the rums because they are purchased in the same manner as bourbon in the US. I only have one that I enjoy for sipping (La Hechicera)
It would be cool to see you guys do more rum tastings! I would say the rum industry has a ton of variety and options and there's definitely a lot of competition out there.
I was like Trenton…little to no knowledge of rum other than in a daiquiri or with Coke. Very interesting and enlightening show guys!
Try Hemingway’s Papa’s Pilar. As a bourbon drinker, I found this very appealing!
Y'all should definitely look at El Dorado 12 year for a sipping rum. Has a lot of the complexities of Bourbon, but with a very pronounced caramel taste!
So. Rum "has no rules". A lot of times, you can't really take an age statement at face value because it only accounts for the average age of the rums in the blend. There are some brands that take rum very seriously and treat it more like whiskey. That would be Four Square and Privateer. Privateer actually make Bottled in Bond rums.
I got into Rum about 3 years ago, so I am relatively new to the spirt myself. It is an underrated/misunderstood spirit. I want more people to embrace the spirit, but not to the point where demand forces the price too high. I am a huge fan of El Dorado 15.
Hi guys, look at all the comments coming from your followers...goes to show how many of us bourbon lovers, enjoy a good-great sipping rum. By the way, the Havana Club, Selecion runs about $50. Enjoy your rum experience.
Four Square is phenomenal! Insonomy and 2010 are my favorites. If you can find the Fuji rum, I recommend ot
Thank you for doing this one. Now I have some to try besides Bumbu! 😂
My wife drinks rum. We are a bourbon and rum house! Good run is easy to find and bourbons are great in availability as long as you don’t try to find the heavily allocated stuff!!! Enjoy both!
Dos Maderas 5+5 has a nice chocolate note.
Great show, as always. If you continue the rum exploration, try Ron Zacapa 23 Year Rum (about $45) from Guatemala, Appleton Estate Reserve ($25) or 12 year ($50) from Jamaica.
Thanks for the Intel on the rum. I found that Appleton estates is pretty decent for a Jamaican rum..
Great video! Thanks for putting it together. I enjoy Rumson Grand Reserve as well as Papa's Pillar.
Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva is an excellent rum that in my area (NW North Carolina) sells for around $45-$50 a bottle. Love your show!!!
The Foursquare is fantastic. 🥃 Papaya, mango, pineapple, and tropical fruits with pecan-caramel. ;)
Great show guys. I would recommend giving Dos Maderas 5+5 a go it is a really good rum IMO..
Don’t step in the bullshit. I hate scammers.
Nice change of pace! I occasionally have Foursquare indelible 90.00 and Dos Maderas 30.00
Rum is my jam. Favorite bottle is desert diamond distillery in Kingman, AZ they have an agave rum that is amazing. They make a bourbon also.
151 Bacardi is the only rum I was ever acquainted with. Not for sipping.
I find there's a big difference between rums I like for sipping vs what I like for mixing. In my area there's not a large selection of rum, so I'm looking forward to seeing your selection of sippers. For mixing I've landed on Wray & Nephew because it's got plenty of proof and a bunch of funk that don't get lost in the mix.
Another great show
Outstanding! I have barely dabbled in rum just a tad, but like what i have tasted so far. Good show!
What limited experience I have with rum, I do enjoy the Papa's Pilar sherry cask.
If you ever find any of these I definitely recommend you guys try these out for the next rum video.
Bacardi Reserva 8 Rye Cask
Bacardi 16 Gran Reserva
Bumbu original
Don Q Gran Reaerva Añejo XO
Ron del Barrilito 3 stars
Flor de Caña 25
Privateer new England rum is fantastic. The navy yard is aged in new oak and if you can find a store pick even better. The 1 we have is 4.5yr in new oak and its 114 proof. It's so much like bourbon it's crazy
I’m worried that Privateer is going to get “found out” and become more difficult to get.
@@clingman71 ya I have a feeling this will probably happen which will be good for them but make it harder to get in the long run unless they planned ahead.