Rum Forum

[Alphanumeric]

Just opened a bottle of Habitation St. Etienne Tres Vieux rhum the other night and I've been acquainting myself with it since.

This is a rhum I picked at rhum central (aka Paris) at the recommendation of one of Lavinia's employees. Pricey, at €50. Not sure it was worth it, especially with my relatively limited rum background. However, I'm inclined to say it was right now.

Nice tropical fruit (coconut as described by the employee; I would agree), bit of spice, fairly dry, well-aged and clear bourbon barrel influence. Good body which doesn't get too thick (makes sense for a rhum) and complexity to keep things interesting. Quite an agreeable pour, and one I enjoy the more I sip it.

[WhiskyToWhiskey]

Sounds like a good rhum Alphanumeric. I have never tried an agricole rhum before. Hoping one day it will be available in my area.

[compliance]

I've unhappy with El Dorado 15 in cocktails. I had been using it since that is the only "good" rum I have, but I went back to the other selections and my dark and stormy is much better (Koloa, Goslings, maybe the Kraken although I don't have any of that right now to try again). I think I like the sweeter ones, the koloa in particular is like drinking half molasses and it just works better. El Dorado is more satisfying neat. Is there a key to matching the rum to the drink?

[sailor22]

Matching the Rum to the cocktail is very important for sure. For mixing perhaps its best to stick to the juice designed for the job. Spiced Rums and white Rums are typically designed to be mixers. The younger El Dos, like the 5 yr are good mixers too.

Some that come to mind as being on the fence being usable as sippers and great for making cocktails. Scarlet Ibis, Smith and Cross, Pussers Blue label, Zafra 21yr, Cruzan Single Barrel, Matuzalem 15yr, Barbancourt 3 and 4 star, Mount Gay XO and Cubany 15.

[WhiskyToWhiskey]

I find that Mount Gay Eclipse is a pretty good mixer. It's close to the cheapest rum in my cabinet that I enjoy mixing or sipping neat.

[tanstaafl2]

Matching the Rum to the cocktail is very important for sure. For mixing perhaps its best to stick to the juice designed for the job. Spiced Rums and white Rums are typically designed to be mixers. The younger El Dos, like the 5 yr are good mixers too.

Some that come to mind as being on the fence being usable as sippers and great for making cocktails. Scarlet Ibis, Smith and Cross, Pussers Blue label, Zafra 21yr, Cruzan Single Barrel, Matuzalem 15yr, Barbancourt 3 and 4 star, Mount Gay XO and Cubany 15.

Scarlet Ibis and Smith and Cross were created primarily with the idea of mixing for cocktails. Which is not to say that can't be sipped or that they are perfect in every cocktail. They still need to be used for the right cocktails and that really comes down to ones own palate I suppose. Banks, both white and gold fall into that category as well.

I find a few occasions where ED15 works in a cocktail but it certainly isn't the best choice as a primary mixer. When you want to feature the rum then it works well. When it must work with other strong ingredients it becomes a bit more tricky.

I find that for my dark and stormy the deliberately heavy molasses influenced rums like Cruzan Blackstrap or Goslings Black Seal work best for me. Not a drink where I would choose to use what I would consider a good sipping rum like ED15.

If you want more character than a white rum typically brings I find the Jamaican (like Appleton) and Barbadian (like Mount Gay or Doorlys) gold rums help provide that but they are certainly not the only ones available.

[michaelturtle1]

Does anybody know anything about Ron Bacardi Gold Reserve? Looks like it was discontinued in '97 but that is all i found via google. Came across a tax stamped 750 of it and didnt know if it was worth picking up?

[squire]

Tax stamp is a good sign, for me choice would depend on price.

[tanstaafl2]

Does anybody know anything about Ron Bacardi Gold Reserve? Looks like it was discontinued in '97 but that is all i found via google. Came across a tax stamped 750 of it and didnt know if it was worth picking up?

[sailor22]

There is a Bacardi release called Ron Casa Bacardi Reserva Especial Importado, El Primier Gran Ron Del Mundo that is definitely worth looking for. The label is all in spanish but the bottle (a really handsome decanter actually) is a 750, so the best guess is it is something from a military PX or perhaps the gift shop at the distillery. It doesn't look like it was ever imported. It's the best sipper from Bacardi I have found.

The dusty Bacardi that is a keeper is Bacardi Superior Black. It is an old looking label with a bright red triangle with the bar logo in it forming the lower left pert. All the bottles I have are from the late 80's and early 90's and they are great mixers and acceptable sippers.

[tanstaafl2]

The Bacardi Reserva Limitada was one of the exceptions I was trying to think of. I have never had it and it seems a bit overpriced if you can find it. But it is relatively new, at least in the US, rather than a true dusty.

[Clavius]

Finally found El Dorado 12 and 15 in my area. Picked up a bottle of the 12 to give it a try. Might go back for the 15 later. The 12 is definitely good, though. Just tried a sip of it.

[sob0728]

Finally found El Dorado 12 and 15 in my area. Picked up a bottle of the 12 to give it a try. Might go back for the 15 later. The 12 is definitely good, though. Just tried a sip of it.

I just bought a bottle of the El Dorado 12 as well. It is a nice dessert sipper.

[Balcones Winston]

Winston do you guys make rum?

[squire]

Thanks . . . . . . . . . .

[KySalesRep]

I will have to say that I haven't tried too much rum, and bought even less in my day, but I did pick up a Flor de Cana 7 yr today for $12. It was marked for half price on a clearance table, so I thought, why not? It may not be any good, but I can always buy a Coke Zero to pair it with if nothing else.

[tanstaafl2]

I will have to say that I haven't tried too much rum, and bought even less in my day, but I did pick up a Flor de Cana 7 yr today for $12. It was marked for half price on a clearance table, so I thought, why not? It may not be any good, but I can always buy a Coke Zero to pair it with if nothing else.

Its a very serviceable aged rum for mixing drinks and at that price a pretty good deal! An excellent choice in many tiki type drinks and rum punches.

[KySalesRep]

Its a very serviceable aged rum for mixing drinks and at that price a pretty good deal! An excellent choice in many tiki type drinks and rum punches.

Thanks for the feedback! I am looking forward to trying it in the next few days.

[Bmac]

After much experimentation, I found Pepsi a better match for Rum than Coke. In fact if you can get the one made with sugar cane instead of HF-Corn Syrup it is much better.

[Clavius]

A little El Dorado 12 year old after dinner tonight. This stuff is really growing on me. It's such a perfect balance between the oak and sweetness. Now I'm really curious about the 15 year.

[squire]

The 15 is a different style, not just an older version of the 12. The 15 is dryer, less sweet but no less rich, more cognac in character to use a less than precise comparison. Both are top of the line and a bargain compared to a comparable Scotch or Bourbon.

[Clavius]

The 15 is a different style, not just an older version of the 12. The 15 is dryer, less sweet but no less rich, more cognac in character to use a less than precise comparison. Both are top of the line and a bargain compared to a comparable Scotch or Bourbon.

Thanks for the info, squire. Certainly sounds tasty.

[tanstaafl2]

The 15 is a different style, not just an older version of the 12. The 15 is dryer, less sweet but no less rich, more cognac in character to use a less than precise comparison. Both are top of the line and a bargain compared to a comparable Scotch or Bourbon.

[ChainWhip]

There are a few out there by independent bottlers but I don't see them in the States much.

Do you guys have some independent bottler recommendations? I saw a Samaroli Rum the other day but held off due to lack of info at the time.

Back to the El Dorado topic - this has probably already been posted but this blog entry has fascinating info about the stills as well:

http://www.amountainofcrushedice.com/?p=15890

[tanstaafl2]

Do you guys have some independent bottler recommendations? I saw a Samaroli Rum the other day but held off due to lack of info at the time.

Back to the El Dorado topic - this has probably already been posted but this blog entry has fascinating info about the stills as well:

http://www.amountainofcrushedice.com/?p=15890

Yes, Tiare has a bit of an ED crush (as do I admittedly!). I linked her site once before in this forum as I think it provides some very useful info in one location. You have seen it before!