What Rum Do You Drink Neat?

[Ghoste]

Thanks Frodo, I wasn't aware of that.

[kbuzbee]

You should check out Pyrat XO. This stuff rocks. When I take a break from bourbon as a nightcap, this is what goes down the hatch. Vanilla, caramel smooth yumminess. Comes in handblown glass bottles. A Barcardi sales rep actually introduced me to it, saying he thought it was better than any Barcardi product he had ever tried.

I'm with you on this LeNell, I recently tried Pyrat XO in Florida and it is just wonderful. A few months ago I tried my first bottle of Zaya. It's terrific too but I think the Pyrat may take it. I need to do a head to head of these two. (how sad....)

Dane did anyone ever answer you on Pyrat XO vs Cask 23?? Like you, I can't imaging the difference being worth the price... but maybe....

Ken

[Joeluka]

Dane did anyone ever answer you on Pyrat XO vs Cask 23?? Like you, I can't imaging the difference being worth the price... but maybe....

I have both Pyrat's and I have to say that NO the Cask 23 isnt worth the $200 more than the XO. It is better, YES. The Cask 23 has a smoothness (is that a word) that puts most rums to shame. I drink XO as my everyday rum but I will replace my Cask 23 when its done. There is another Pyrat out there that is a little more than XO, that is worth buying when you can find it. IMHO its better than XO. Its call Pyrat Pistol. It comes in 375 bottles only but is worth the extra($17.95 a 375 bottle) compared to XO ($24.95). I hope this helps with Ken's question.

By the way Santa Teresa 1796 may be better than both Pyrat XO and Pistol.

[Vange]

I second the opinion on ST 1796. GREAT stuff.

I haven't tried the PC23 yet though.

[gr8erdane]

I brought Dawn (luv2hunt) a Pistol last year at the gazebo and didn't get to taste it much. Will have to try one of my own sometime soon.

[Frodo]

Santa Theresa 1796 is far and away the best rum I've ever had!

[Randy_Ricchi]

I just quickly cruised through this thread and didn't see any mention of the Pusser's Navy Rum.

I've never been able to get my hands on any,, until now.

It's a very nice pour (or should I say tot?). Very full bodied, a bit woody in the nose, rich, complex flavor, and not at all artificially sweet or molasses-ey.

Did I mention smooth?

Anyone else try this one?

[CrispyCritter]

I just quickly cruised through this thread and didn't see any mention of the Pusser's Navy Rum.

Sounds like something worth picking up - I've had Sailor Jerry (a Virgin Islands spiced navy rum), and liked it a lot. It'd be interesting to compare the two...

[Pharaoh]

Some very fine rums have been named here. The Ron Z 23 was mentioned a lot, that and the elusive Ron Z 25XO in decanter are certainly top notch rums.

I like Pyrat XO and Pistol a lot but I do believe the line is a bit of what one might describe as an acquired taste.

The Santa Teresa I have found to be hit and miss. It's always good, but I purchased one bottle that is noticeably hotter than the two I owned previously. Unfortunately I had the same issue with a bottle of Ron Pampero which I always loved to that point.

Another that is hardly discussed is Coyopa of Barbados. I've heard this described as just so-so, but the bottles I got I thought were exceptional.

Has anyone tried the old Florida produced Matusalem? I found it WAY superior to the new version, and much like the old Cuban 15 year old product.

[Paulbrad25]

Just been to a tasting of an Antiguan Rum called English Harbour,(or Cavalier as its known on its home soil). absolutely enchanting stuff, not quite a Ron Zacapa though.:grin:

[Vange]

I have amassed a few rums in recent months. I am doing a monster tasting in a few weeks with a good majority of them.

50 ml of BRNIR

Sea Wynde

Appleton Estate 21

Appleton Estate VX

Pusser's John Paul Jones decanter

Prichards Fine Rum

Prichards Crystal Rum

Ron Z 23

Ron Z 25XO

Goslings Old Rum

Cruzan Single Barrel

El Dorado 21

English Harbour Aged Antigua

Santa Teresa 1796

Pyrat Cask 23

Starr

I'll report my findings

[Gillman]

As it happens currently I am sampling one of my rum blends. It is very nice: rich and sweetish but with spicy overtones. It is an index of the brand proliferation in the rum world that, if I am not mistaken, not one of the rums in my blend is included in your list.

My rums include (in this blend): Barbancourt from Haiti, both the regular dark (4 years old) and 8 year old, 21 and 23 year old Jamaican pot still landed and aged in Bristol, England; Havana Club (one of every every age expression including their Anejo); Gosling (the regular one); Cabot Tower (a Demerara sold in Canada); regular Appleton, Cockspur Old Gold; regular Mount Gay; Bacardi 8 years old; rum from St. Thomas that had a banana-like scent; some other Demeraras I can't recall.

The mingling is very good. My wife just tried it (it is good to have a "fresh" approach to its taste since she doesn't drink rum very often). She says it is flavourful, raisiny, fruity, mild, balanced and with pear-like tones. She says the nose is delicate and doesn't "assault". She says it is perfect to sample neat without ice or mix.

This is the result of good blending.

Not to say those Pyrat and other rarity rums aren't very good, but you can get great results from judicious blending and each bottle of the blend does not need to cost an arm and a leg.

Gary

[gr8erdane]

Not to say those Pyrat and other rarity rums aren't very good, but you can get great results from judicious blending and each bottle of the blend does not need to cost an arm and a leg.

Now correct me if I'm wrong Gary, but you listed at the least 12 different rums in your vatting. Even if the average price were say 20 dollars, you'd be looking at a cash outlay of at least 240 dollars to be able to assemble that blend. I could actually buy a bottle of Pyrat Cask 23 for about that and be able to enjoy it immediately straight from the bottle and have plenty of room on the shelf for 11 more bottles of bourbon....:cool: :stickpoke: :slappin:

[Gillman]

Dane that is very true but I bought my bottles over a long period and I still have many of them, the blending is made with only parts of each and is added to/adjusted over time. In effect they are a kind of solera. In fact I just bought a Matuselem (spelling may be a little off) 10 year old rum ($24 CAN approx.). That is specifically made according to the solera principle (where you keep adding new-made sherry to older to produce a complex blend that offers good flavor and consistency). Did someone say in this thread the Matuselem 10 is not as good as when made in Florida (the one I bought is made in Dominican Republic)? I don't know about that but the Dominican Republic one is very good. The mingling from the solera system allows good complexity to come through. It reminds me (in style more than taste as such) of the Havana Club Anejo which may also be made in a kind of solera way. There is a Glenfiddich whisky made in that way too. Bourbon used to be also, in the days when "vatting" was popular and modern batching methods may be a kind of version of that.

On cost, of all the ones I bought only the Jamaican pot stills were expensive and frankly I think at this point there is little of them in the blend, I really did not need to use them. So for the same $240 U.S., you can get ten bottles not one, make an "equivalent" to the one costing circa $200 and have nine bottles left over to do as you will with!

Gary

[Paulbrad25]

Dont know if you guys can get it, but a friend of mine brought over a bottle of Matusalem rum over to a poker night we were having,the stuff is fantastic! Lovely white rum that has a nice crisp clean finish with nothing to overpowering, the stuff is easily (maybe too easily) drinkable straight. I recommend this stuff highly for any rum drinkers out there.

Where are you Empire? Come down to my bar, Ocean and Collins, I've got the Matusalem you are talking about as my pouring house white and also the 10yr Clasico and the 15yr Gran Centenario on the back. They're solero rums so they're very light and flavoursome and mix really well. I'll shout you your first Mai Tai.:grin: ( I got a couple of bottles of Wild Turkey Rye as well, if you want one I can order it C.O.D. for you)

[TNbourbon]

There were several rums available for tasting at the just-past WhiskyFest in Chicago, including the Santa Teresa 1796, Pyrat X.O. and a new Pyrat solera-ized product, Cask 1623 (with rum aged as long as 40 years, at $400+:bigeyes:).

I found both Santa Teresa offerings (including a new premium one not yet released) very nice, but a tad on the oaky side for me, as rums go. The Pyrats (I also tasted the X.O. at Dane's en route to Chicago) were exceptional, reminding me immediately of Juicy Fruit gum on both the nose and palate.

All that said, I'll stick with the Angostura dark 5yo I can get for under $16 locally, and I didn't think is far off any of the above. Certainly lesser, but not by the factor reflected in the prices, and still very good.

[Vange]

So, are you saying this Pyrat Cask 1623 is a different product than the Pyrat Cask 23?

[TNbourbon]

So, are you saying this Pyrat Cask 1623 is a different product than the Pyrat Cask 23?

I suspect the number is simply an identifier (they did not offer a 'Cask 23'), so yes -- probably each cask is somewhat different, as in, say, a single-barrel bourbon. But, since I've only had the one sample, I can't empirically prove that.

[Joeluka]

All that said, I'll stick with the Angostura dark 5yo I can get for under $16 locally, and I didn't think is far off any of the above. Certainly lesser, but not by the factor reflected in the prices, and still very good.

IMHO the Angostura Dark 5 yo doesnt hold a candle to either the Angostura 1919 ($25) or the Angostura 1824 ($48). And none of those measure up to the Pyrat line or ST 1796.

Do you drink rum often and have you tasted all the different kinds out there? There are so many different types of rum its hard to just pick one type to favor IMHO. I have about 40 different rums and just like with whisk(e)y different days call for different tastes.

Also is there a diffenece between the Cask 23 and Cask 1623

[TNbourbon]

IMHO the Angostura Dark 5 yo doesnt hold a candle to either the Angostura 1919 ($25) or the Angostura 1824 ($48). And none of those measure up to the Pyrat line or ST 1796.

Do you drink rum often and have you bothered to taste all the different kinds out there? There are so many different types of rum its hard to just pick one type to favor IMHO. I have about 40 different rums and just like with whisk(e)y different days call for different tastes.

Also is there a diffenece between the Cask 23 and Cask 1623

Well, Joe, okay. Personally, I don't care for the Angostura 1919, which I purchased with great expectation after enjoying the 5yo dark rum. I don't like it in the same way I don't like a too-woody bourbon. It has an oaky astringency in the finish. Thereafter, I didn't bother to spend the money on the 1824.

No, I don't drink rum often (or anything else, besides bourbon), so it isn't worth it for me to learn about 40 or so different styles that I'm not going to buy anyway. One or two I can count on to enjoy is enough for me.

[Joeluka]

Your missing out though. There are so many great rums out there. After whiskey I spend a good amount of time on rum and I love it.

They get $400 for Pyrat Cask in Tenn???

[Gillman]

All this is a question of personal taste. I too do not like markedly tannic products. Some older/luxury rums tend to be a little woody, it is part of the "rhum vieux" palate. El Dorado 12 years old is a luxury drink but wood notes are evident and also it is sweetish in taste - good for after dinner but I don't have a drink after dinner too often now. I like rum as a pre-dinner drink and it should be not too sweet and not too dry - just my taste. Pyrat XO is good but (and this is just my opinion) I feel I can get a good blended taste from mingling rums that cost less than that. My "go to" would be Appleton (some Appelton is pot still and the next age bracket up from the regular one only costs a few dollars more here) (Jamaican rum), Mount Gay (Barbados), El Dorado 5 years (Guyana), Havana Club Anejo (no age statement but not an oaky dram, maybe solera of different ages). And the Matusalem 10 is very good. I am not saying the luxury rums are not very good but I think they are rich and barrel-toned and intended for after-dinner, in general. Also, as any product will, they will reflect a house taste, a certain profile, which will please some but not all.

Gary

[kbuzbee]

...and have you bothered to taste all the different kinds out there?

Gee, Joe, that's kinda rude... We're all friends here....

Ken

[kbuzbee]

All this is a question of personal taste. I too do not like markedly tannic products. Some older/luxury rums tend to be a little woody, it is part of the "rhum vieux" palate...

Gary, I'm always impressed with your analysis (AWA many others here, of course). I respect your Rum vatting, but for me, rum is a 'when I'm not in the mood for Bourbon or Rye drink and I like to keep it simple. So, for me, Pyrat XO fills that bill nicely. It is kinda sweet but I think that's what makes it a nice change of pace. Liquid candy for adults.... It's yummy.

Ken

[Gillman]

Ken, hi, and thanks. I don't disagree - and Pyrat (any of them) is very good (by the way it is a blend of rums, is my understanding). But if one is willing to lay in a stock of rums I feel one can devise a blend as good in quality (although the taste will differ). I am currently putting the final touches on one I will bring to Gazebo.

Gary