One Bottle of Rum

[stigmata]

Often you'll find crystals in open bottles of rum after a period especially at the bottom.

The structure and the taste changes dramatically.

I like rum but I can taste what's dramatically been enhanced and I really don't like products that have that too in taste.

It happened a few decades ago when rum producers started doing it to bust into the American market. Americans being perceived as sweet toothed.

It worked..!

[stigmata]

Some of the runs and their content of sugar are here

http://www.refinedvices.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=485&p=2515#p2515

You'll notice some very well known brands with a huge percentage of added sugar compared to Cubans who don't add much at all.

Also seems the more expensive the rum the more sugar...

It's a pretty well known fact many USA beers have corn syrup brought to you by companies like Monsanto... I keep away unless I know what's in my drink

Like I said I try to keep away from that particular taste of rum..

That's just sugar additive

[stigmata]

Northern European companies are pretty good at having what's in your product labeled.

USA not good.. Australia just as bad

Cheers

[stigmata]

Northern European countries are pretty good at having what's in your product labeled.

USA not good.. Australia just as bad

Cheers

[jani1976p]

A lot of very nice rums in this thread. But one that I think no one mentioned is Atlantico Private Cask, kind of sweet but balanced.If you haven't tried it, do it! ​

[cigarbigboy]

el dorado 25. expensive. hard to get. but kicks butt. incredible. like the finest cognac.

[Cubanlightrumandcigars]

IMHO if you're someone who smokes Cuban cigars and has never drank rum, I would begin by a Cuban light rum, perhaps with something that was not very old and allow you to appreciate the particularities of this type of distillate.

[Dijit]

Bacardi is alright as a mixer but not a true drinkable spirit. As a rum drinker since I was 3 (true story first taste) I have tried a pretty sizeable sample of different rums. Whites, Anejos, spiced, and all manner of in between. My current preference is dark or black rums. Beyond that the molasses or cane sugar rums have the best flavor. If youre on a budget then I I say Goslings black seal. If the price is less of an issue than taste I would say Zaya, Diplomatico, or Don Q Gran Anejo.

[Dijit]

A lot of very nice rums in this thread. But one that I think no one mentioned is Atlantico Private Cask, kind of sweet but balanced.If you haven't tried it, do it! ​

Dont know how I could have forgotten Atlantico. Very delicious choice that pairs very will with almost any light to medium flavor cigar.

[RWhiz]

Rum is 3rd or 4th in spirits for me. When I want to enjoy a rum straight or with ice I usually go with Ron Abuelo 7 Anos. Not as sweet to me as others, and very oak-y with some vanilla. Probably the best bargain in this class of spirits too.

[shortsqueeze]

I keep going on about this stuff but if you can find Ron Caney Anejo Centuria (Cuban), I think it's the best rum out there, especially for the price, $7.60 in Cuba, about 11 euros in Spain.

Best rum on the planet to my taste. Very hard to find.

[LutzSpearo]

Interesting article on rum: http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2012/01/guide-to-rum-basics-types-history-regions-terms-rum-cocktails.html

I prefer wine or beer, but when I'm in the mood for the hard stuff... rum neat is my choice. Last night I was out after our cigar club meeting, found a place with Havana Club 7. With a splash of water it was pretty good. Definitely drinkable. I have a headache this morning though lol.

[MIKA27]

Thanks Everyone for your input. I picked up these two today. Love the heavy bottle on the Zaya!

Would love the Zaya - Can't find it here in Australia. Anyone know where to get it from?

[Ken Gargett]

Would love the Zaya - Can't find it here in Australia. Anyone know where to get it from?

never see it.

[JohnS]

Would love the Zaya - Can't find it here in Australia. Anyone know where to get it from?

never see it.

Same here. I'd like to know if any retailers stock it in Australia too.

[Ken Gargett]

Same here. I'd like to know if any retailers stock it in Australia too.

i'll find out if they have a distributor here.

[ChampagneInHand]

I'm a big aged rum fan. I think Cruzan Single Cask and Santa Teresa are some of the driest. I usually have Plantation Grand Reserve from Barbados open at all times. It is made by a parent company that makes cognac do it sits in used cognac barrels for 5 years. Very inexpensive in the states. Others that are very good to great. Mount *** XO 1703. I have toured through this distillery though almost 18 years ago. It is the oldest continuously operating rum distillery in the world. It in Barbados as well and makes many different variations. The XO is really nice.

El Dorado from Guyana. The 12 years aged is more of a dessert rum where as the 15 years aged is more dry and smooth. Good stuff. While not a huge fan of Zaya, I did buy another Trinidad made Rum, Agnostra better known for their bitters. Very tropical with some vanilla and coconut coming through the aging process.

I just opened Zacapa Ron(Rum) from Guatemala. It's there 23 year sistema Solera. It is made from cane juice rather than molasses and they put barrels from 6-23years of age into a large Slera system up in the higher elevated mountains and this makes for a very smooth sipping rum. Very dark. About $50US and one of the better rums up with Mt. *** and Plantation Grand Reserve. Captain Morgan's Private Stick is decent too as is Nicaraguan Flor de Cana 7 anos.

As far as Bacardi I'm not a fan, though in mixed drinks it's acceptable. Plenty of craft rum/ron/Rhum on every Caribbean island as well as Coastal South America and in the United States, with some especially good stuff out of Whiskey country. Pritchard's that uses only table grade molasses in the mix.

The rum diaries and several other great blogs on this spirit. I've had several Cuban rums but nothing that stuck out. These were while traveling in the Caribbean. Jamaica has some great aged stuff. Appleton's, Blackwell. Myer's is large but again heavy black strap type molasses. Gosling's Black Seal rum from Bermuda is heavy with Vanilla. They make a very good Ginger Beer as well.

These are in my stash as well as a large 1.75L of Sailor Jerry's in the liquor cabinet as some Pyrat, which I like on the rocks. I keep the aged stuff in my room because it's more pricy and meant for sipping.

Rum is good stuff. I like it more than Bourbon, Scotch or most Cognac these days. In Miami it is the new Bourbon. It's nice to be far away and yet have such good selections here in NY.

What shall we have? An '82 Margaux! Is it any good? Good....?, It will make you believe in God!

[MIKA27]

Same here. I'd like to know if any retailers stock it in Australia too.

i'll find out if they have a distributor here.

On both accounts yes. I like the profile of this Rum from what I have read and it is pretty inexpensive overseas.

I looked for it about 12 months ago but quickly gave up as everything I found was a dead end by way of shipping etc.

[joeruby]

Ron Zacapa 23 on the rocks, or straight up. I haven't had the pleasure of trying the XO, I'm sure it would be sensational.

[ChampagneInHand]

Appleton 20 years aged is getting pricy as is Clarke's 7 or 12 years aged. However I am stocking up different aged rum/ron/rheum as it is very reasonable when compared with bourbon, scotch or cognac. I have a good sized wine cellar. Why not try grabbing a different bottle that you have enjoyed and sock them away with the cognac for enjoyment down the road when prices skyrocket with boutique rum coming out every other day.

I reread the thread and it was nice to see the Hawaiian mentioned. Agricola from sugar cane juice, is similar to Brazilian liquor from refined sugar but the Brazilian isn't rum and can be very harsh without juice in it.

Every island in the Caribbean and country in SA has different styles. Before prohibition hit the United States, the continental United States was the biggest producer of Rum as it was the 3rd leg of the original slave trade. Sugar and molasses came up from the West Indies and Atlantic Island plantations to be made into Rum, which was shipped back to Europe along with textiles of cotton, and the cycle went unchanged up until the civil war. Still Texas makes some great boutique rum off Galveston as does small batch stuff in NYC and even in upstate NY, where I live. However small town from Rochester, is made from Brown Sugar and honey which is an unusual method. I've even distilled from Molasses and Brown Sugar and aged the proceeds in toasted French oak chips and a few vanilla beans. Just in the name of research.

Buy good rum now, before the prices double, then double again. Like small batch gin is once again hip with the younger hipster crowd, many have already begun stockpiling and going on distillery tours as well as tasting in flights paired with food and cigars. It really is the native distilled spirit of the Americas, from North, Central and South with all of the islands n between. Tequila is fading X pet in Mexico and the SW, but Sotol is taking hold with mescal in Texas and New Mexico.

Rum is very inexpensive comparatively. Small batch gin, tequila, mescal mad Sotol will run you a fortune. Rum is ripe now. Like Habanos.

"What should we start with?"

"An '82 Margaux."

"Is it good?"

"Good? It will make you believe in God!"

[Ken Gargett]

"What should we start with?"

"An '82 Margaux."

"Is it good?"

"Good? It will make you believe in God!"

just had a 66 margaux at lunch. by chance, whilst we agreed that this was a godless universe blah blah blah, the fact that you can get such beauty does make one wonder where it comes from. too good for man.

mind you, it was outshone by the DRC and epecially the 01 yquem.

[ChampagneInHand]

DRC and d'Yquem can be mind blowing. I've only had one '96 la Tache and one 1990 Richebourg courtesy of somebody else's generosity.

I love Tokaji Essencia and Z-H SGNs are mind blowing at a reasonable cost. Of course it's all relative. I've had stellar 5 puttonyos Tokaji for $20 as well.

What shall we have? An '82 Margaux! Is it any good? Good....?, It will make you believe in God!

[Ken Gargett]

DRC and d'Yquem can be mind blowing. I've only had one '96 la Tache and one 1990 Richebourg courtesy of somebody else's generosity.

I love Tokaji Essencia and Z-H SGNs are mind blowing at a reasonable cost. Of course it's all relative. I've had stellar 5 puttonyos Tokaji for $20 as well.

What shall we have? An '82 Margaux! Is it any good? Good....?, It will make you believe in God!

yes, the somebody else's generosity is key. thanks to that, have tried far more DRC's than would be my allocated share. visited the place a couple of times. wonderful. the last time had wines like the 75 romanee-conti (truly amazing for a lesser year), 66 richebourg and the 88 montrachet, which might actually make on believe.

though nothing matches the 71 romanee-conti.

the 'someone else's generosity' has allowed me to try the 78 la tache more times than i can recall. what a wine!

[Kbb]

i'll find out if they have a distributor here.

Zaya was bought out by Angustora around 2008. Did not know if that info might help you track down distribution.

[martinr]

Ill direct you people to the ron santiago de cuba extra 12 AGAIN

uherm

if you havent tried it....... trust me

Let me know.......best rum pound for pound ever made i reckon.

Kills the Zacapa and Diplomatico lines.

Aussies youll find it at Dan's. Bargain!

Make sure its the Extra 12 you get.

.. i reckon youll thank me.

Does anyone know whats the difference between the Extra 12 and the normal one for the ron santiago de cuba ? apart from the 12 years thing....

Im not a big drinker, that is to say i really dont normally enjoy drinks neat.... i find them too strong or quite harsh.

So mix them. that being said though, ive never had an exensive drink neat.....i bought the normal one and neat it is harsh/strong, is the 12 alot smoother than the normal one, or the difference is marginal, better, but marginal ?

im just trying to work out if i just dont enjoy spirits neat, or if its just that cheaper ones arent meant to be drank this way...? or should i be having it with ice ?