Phillys Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Plantation rums vary a lot depending on the origin. As you describe, Nicaraguan sound reminiscent of Flor de Cana. You may want to try some agricole rums if you're looking for more complexity and don't mind the wood character. I am not a fan of woody notes, so I shy away from any spirit that is very woody. I completely agree about plantation, also not only origin but the vintage will have a huge impact. I had the Plantation Grenada last week, ok rum, but the strong banana flavours threw me off. All in all Plantation makes some great and not so great rums. You just have to try them and find out which ones are the best. As for the agricole rums, I like That they are made from sugar cane vs molasses, cleaner taste, more complex (imo). A few years back I had an old rum agricole from Martinique that just blew me away, but I forget the name and have never seen that bottle again, sad because this is one of the best rums I have ever had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter1974 Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 I drink rum and diet coke almost exclusively. Its a very good, sweet drink that pairs well with CC's. My favorites are Zaya, Ron Zacapa, and Cruzan. My current favorite is a 50/50 mixture of Cruzan white and Zaya. A very nice combination with a coke and a CC. A fellow south alabama boy ? I still like scotch but rum is awesome just started drinking it with cigars and fell in love have not had any of these brands but I gotta tryem yes I started sailing with the captain then I tried KRAKKEN RUM way better now if this stuff is better and im sure it will be I WONT KNOW HOW TO ACT! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skarolla Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 Bit of a broken record but Zaya, Flor De Cana and El Dorado are my faves (and in that order) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onelove Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 http://therumhowlerblog.wordpress.com/rum-reviews/dark-rums/ron-millonario-xo-reserva-especial-rum/ Anyone tried this? Having tried nearly every rum I've ever come across, this one so far eludes me. The 15 is in the rotation but just can't find this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ethernomad Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Just one bottle to sip with a smoke? Sailor Jerry Love that stuff. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoHunter3 Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 Santa Teresa 1796 Ron Antiguo de Solera Rum this stuff was a hit over the holidays, even the wife liked it neat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celtmick1984 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Ya'll talked me into it . . . will pick up some Diplomatico Rum Reserva Exclusiva. Let you know how I fare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atlharp Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 There is one rum that tops them all. Ron Centanario XX anos. There is no substitute for this nectar of the gods. It is perfection bottled. I stumbled across it in Florida back about 8 years ago and there has been nothing to top it since. I love Zacapa 23 anos, Diplomatico Reserva, and Zara. Yet none of these can come close to the heights of pleasure of Centanario. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesmokebloke Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Great thread and lots of great suggestions. Nothing groundbreaking here, but my usual sippers are El Dorado 12 (an incredible demerara and better than the 15 IMHO), Zacapa (of course), Zaya (a great intro to sipping rum), Santa Teresa 1796 and Diplomatico RE. Enjoy any as you would a fine single malt. A good way to get into rum is via the sweeter, darker English-style: Goslings, Blackstrap and most of the above. Then venture into French-style Rhum Agricoles, distilled from sugarcane rather than molasses. These are less sweet, more complex on the palate and "green" tasting. Rhum JM and Clement VSOP (my top pick) will not let you down. Finally you have the Spanish-style rums, clear and minimally aged - good sippers exist (Havana Club 7, anyone?) but generally these are mixers. Not that that is a bad thing; some of the best cocktails play on the delightful intermarriage of different rums. For example, a mai tai calls for equal measures of an aged Jamaican and an Agricole, and the result is outstanding. I highly recommend any of Jeff Berry's books for anyone interested in mixing with rum. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puros Y Vino Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 Had to get all 3! They are all fabulous! So. Your thoughts on how Zacapa XO and Zacapa 23 compare. Which of the two is your favourite and why? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbuAmelia Posted April 25, 2015 Author Share Posted April 25, 2015 So. Your thoughts on how Zacapa XO and Zacapa 23 compare. Which of the two is your favourite and why? Forgot about this thread Frank. Between the XO and 23, I liked the XO better. It's more full and not as sweet. I actually liked the Zaya more than the Zacapa 23. Since this thread, and my trip to the Island, I've expanded my bottles, and I like HC7 the best for everyday rum drinking. It's got the bite I enjoy when drinking booze. I'm really a rum fan now and pretty much have put Scotch and Cognac to the side the last 6 months or so. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokenj Posted April 25, 2015 Share Posted April 25, 2015 As stated previously, I am a huge fan of Ron Zacapa, Diplomatico, and Zaya. Always neat or with whiskey stones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToroRph Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Zaya for the WIN! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stigmata Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Geeez I hate those artificially sweetened rums.. Zaya Zacapa Try a great no additives added demerara rum like pussers 15 sometime. You'll get some real taste into you. Some rums these days are like flavoured cigars. I don't know what the fuss is about.. Just sickly sweet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToroRph Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Geeez I hate those artificially sweetened rums.. Zaya Zacapa Try a great no additives added demerara rum like pussers 15 sometime. You'll get some real taste into you. Some rums these days are like flavoured cigars. I don't know what the fuss is about.. Just sickly sweet Interesting. I realize taste is subjective. What cigars do you like to pair with Pussers Rum? I'm willing to give it a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stigmata Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 I find it a very complex rum that's distilled minimum of fifteen year old blends in an ancient wooden distiller in Guyana and then aged in wood. If you don't like woodiness don't go near this masterpiece. I like to pair it with Romeo y Julieta Churchills, ryj e4 ,partagas d4 ,rass, partyb short.. partagas 898 .bolivas ..hupmann 46.. Basically anything slightly feral or cherry And even without a cigar it's insanely fantastic... I've tried most rums at a great deal of expense to my wallet and liver.. . I only stick to two now the Ron Santiago extra 12 and the pusser 15.(As far as aged runs are concerned) I'm a fan of the French rums Agricoles.. And stick to some fantastic scotches and brandy's / cognacs etc For me nothing else comes close to those two.( rums) Especially the sickly sweet diplomaticos, zaya and the zacapas. How much sugar additive do people want? They're basically a flavoured alcoholic drink. The buzz around them is incredible for what they are. Heavy marketing in my opinion... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesmokebloke Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 That's an interesting take, because Pussers 15, being an aged navy rum (not a demerara) has a flavor profile fairly closely related to your Diplomatico, Zaya and Zacapa. Yes, it delivers that wonderful trademark oakiness, but at the end of the day it is squarely in the same dark, sweet, English-style category. Not being contrarian here, it's just surprising that you enjoy one and not the others. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stigmata Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Oh Yes you're right. Pussers is a navy rum therefore a blend. But the Guyana influence in it is front and square in the overall structure of the rum. The El Dorado is artificially enhanced also.. I would say in flavour profile it is miles apart from the zacapa zaya diplomatico types. Do an experiment Next time you drink one of those keep a bit on the bottle for a couple of months. Then do the same with your next pusser 15 bottle Then finish off each and then tell me about how similar they are in structure. Pusser has a distinct oak and smoke with a rich mouthful The others are so obviously artificially enhanced that I fail to see how you believe they have similar taste profiles. The three you mention have similar artificially sweetened enhanced profile but they're all miles off the pussers profile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stigmata Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 It's all subjective though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesmokebloke Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Similarities & differences are a matter of perspective. When considering the vast scope of variety in rhum as this thread does, I still think those mentioned are not all that far removed. But in a side-by-side comparison, I am sure the differences become more pronounced. I'll admit there are easily a dozen dark rums on my shelf that I reach for before Pussers, and when I do it usually goes into a Painkiller. But I do love Pussers, and look forward to a fresh tasting. It sounds like a grueling experiment, but I'll do it in the name of science. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToroRph Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 No Pussers 15 at my local big box liquor store. Will keep an eye out on any travels. They were out of Zaya too, lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stigmata Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 That makes it difficult Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulF Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 ... For me nothing else comes close to those two.( rums) Especially the sickly sweet diplomaticos, zaya and the zacapas. How much sugar additive do people want? They're basically a flavoured alcoholic drink. The buzz around them is incredible for what they are. Heavy marketing in my opinion... What do you mean by artificially enhanced? As in they add sugar or flavours to them? I can understand something like say Bacardi Oakheart tastes artificially enhanced(obviously can't compare it to the bottles in this thread) but not sure about zacapa and diplomatico... Any links to were one can check what are those sugar additives you mention? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habana Mike Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Hard to believe I hadn't weighed in on this one earlier as I am a huge Rum fan. Many great suggestions here and agree with most opinions. For me Zaya Grand Reserva and Zafra Master Reserve 21 in the middle price point hit the spot. Ron Zacapa's always been a good go to though a touch sweeter. Miss the old fully straw wrapped version. Another I miss is the Anguilla small-batch version of Pyrat XO, went to hell when Patron/Diageo bought them out.... Flor de Cano makes some good to great rums, especially the 12, 18 and 21 Centenarios. Plantation also makes some really good rums and their Plantation Grande Réserve 5 years Barbados Rum is killer at the price point, around $20USD locally. Cruzan is good for a low cost and Brugal used to be quite a bargain as well but not so much anymore. Agree Havana Club is a bit overrated but a must have for a Mojito. The HC 15 I had chance to sample a few years back was memorable as was the 'real' Matusalem. Just returned from Grand Cayman and there's a small outfit there, Cayman Islands Distillery, making some pretty good niche Rum. They distill from locally sourced cane and then age underseas at 7 fathoms for 3 years in Bourbon barrels. It's a great idea as the movement of the sea provides sufficient agitation to ensure maximum contact with the wood (think Kelt XO shipped around the world before bottling) and as a bonus, evaporation (angel's share) is kept to a minimum, smart guys. Sure there's more I could mention but the above were top of mind. Rum and cigars, match made in heaven! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stigmata Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Unless you're in tune with what goes on in rum you might not know its totally unregulated. However in northern European countries they must be labeled with any additives. Most commercial rums have a heap of additives. After a while you can taste it. But a which search in Google will find countless articles and references Here is one http://www.alcademics.com/2014/01/how-much-sugar-is-added-to-your-rum.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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