Rum Forum

[unclebunk]

I was introduced to these Dark-N-Stormies by my BIL up in NJ last month. They are quite tasty. He made them with Gosling's ginger beer and rum. I feel like he added a splash of something else as well, maybe lime juice. I forget already...

My wife added Stirrings Simple Syrup as well as the Angostura Bitters, resulting in an exquisite drink!

[tanstaafl2]

I was introduced to these Dark-N-Stormies by my BIL up in NJ last month. They are quite tasty. He made them with Gosling's ginger beer and rum. I feel like he added a splash of something else as well, maybe lime juice. I forget already...

The Dark 'n Stormy (with that specific spelling) is a drink that Gosling's has trademarked and claims proprietary control over it which is why I tend to make a "Dark and Stormy" and use no Gosling's products at all. No cocktail should be trademarked in my opinion (The Painkiller is another in that category).

Their website claims the classic version is 4-5 oz of ginger beer over ice with 1.5 oz of Gosling's Black Seal rum and a lime wedge (whether you squeeze it in the drink or use it as mere decoration seems to be unspecified although the accompanying picture suggest it is largely decorative.

There are of course many variations and one of my favorite resources, Kindred Cocktail, suggests the lime wedge should be squeezed and dropped in (not to mention 2 oz of rum instead of 1.5!). As noted this is essentially a rum variation of the Moscow Mule know by the rather uninspired name of "Rum Mule" when not using the trademarked Gosling's ingredients.

[kjbeggs]

Picked up a bottle of Balcones Texas Rum a couple weeks ago on a whim.

I'm not typically a Rum drinker, usually thinking of it as an ingredient for Daiquiris.

After tasting the Balcones, which I found to be simply amazing, I'm thinking I need to up my Rum game.

[tanstaafl2]

Picked up a bottle of Balcones Texas Rum a couple weeks ago on a whim.

I'm not typically a Rum drinker, usually thinking of it as an ingredient for Daiquiris.

After tasting the Balcones, which I found to be simply amazing, I'm thinking I need to up my Rum game.

Have and like the Balcones Rumble Cask Strength which is a quasi-rummish concoction of honey, turbinado sugar and figs, but never had the Balcones Rum which is apparently made with the more traditional molasses base. Is this a relatively new product?

[kjbeggs]

I think there have been prior releases, but this is the first time it's been semi-easy to find.

[dcbt]

Picked up a bottle of Balcones Texas Rum a couple weeks ago on a whim.

I'm not typically a Rum drinker, usually thinking of it as an ingredient for Daiquiris.

After tasting the Balcones, which I found to be simply amazing, I'm thinking I need to up my Rum game.

This is precisely why I hesitate to try to really embrace any non-bourbon via a neat pour or whatnot. I'm terrified of the rabbit hole that could come of it, and I couldn't handle any more on top of bourbon hah.

[tanstaafl2]

I think there have been prior releases, but this is the first time it's been semi-easy to find.

Would be interesting to know if this is aged in their own used small casks and for how long. Rum certainly isn't the most innovative thing to make but it is presumably relatively cheap and easy to make. Hopefully it is not colored or otherwise doctored like most rums are. That would be very un-Balcones like.

Of course if it is good I suppose it doesn't matter how it is made!

I know that is true because Diageo (and others) keep telling me it is so...

[dcbt]

I actually made some rum punch this weekend. Granted, I am not picky on rum since I only use it in said punch, but I went with Railean Texas white rum (which, from what I can decipher, is actually distilled in Texas, and the only rum I currently own.) 1 part sour, 2 parts sweet, 3 parts strong, 4 parts weak: lime juice; Grenadine; Railean; OJ and pineapple juices. It was mighty fine while floating on the raft in the pool.

[tanstaafl2]

Of course if it is good I suppose it doesn't matter how it is made!

I know that is true because Diageo (and others) keep telling me it is so...

On second thought maybe that should be:

It doesn't matter how we made it, it's really, really good. No, seriously, you don't need to try it first, just trust us. We promise! So good in fact it should cost more than the stuff you are already familiar with and that you know how it was made. You should be begging us to buy it!

[unclebunk]

This is precisely why I hesitate to try to really embrace any non-bourbon via a neat pour or whatnot. I'm terrified of the rabbit hole that could come of it, and I couldn't handle any more on top of bourbon hah.

[johnnyflake45]

The world of rum is indeed a potential rabbit hole but one well worth investigating. I took to it like a fish to water, as have several of my bourbon-obsessed friends who had never tried rum as a sipper until I hit them with a few samples. Quite honestly, I think you could find a few that you'd really enjoy that wouldn't break the bank. And because the selection in most stores is generally fairly limited, I don't find myself constantly seeking out new things to try, since many on the shelf are pure garbage anyway. With a bit of help from a few fellow SB members, I now have a respectable selection of quality rums in the cabinet (perhaps 20 or so different bottles) and I'm quite content with my little collection. At this point, I'd say there are a half dozen bottles that I'll probably never be without again and all are pretty affordable ($25-$50 range), so why not give it a try?

If your looking for a nice sipping rum, try Rhum Barbancourt 8 Year Old - It's delicious and very reasonable. Yes, they spell it "Rhum"!

[tanstaafl2]

If your looking for a nice sipping rum, try Rhum Barbancourt 8 Year Old - It's delicious and very reasonable. Yes, they spell it "Rhum"!

It is spelled that way because Haiti was a French colony before independence following the slave revolution in the early 1800's. Rhum Barbancourt says they still make their rum the same way as do the rhum agricole distillers of Martinique and Guadeloupe, using fresh sugar cane juice rather than cane syrup or molasses although that gets called into question every now and again. Their somewhat sweeter profile tends to make me think at least some cane syrup is used rather than just fresh cane juice but it does not taste like a molasses based spirit to me. But I have no first hand knowledge either way.

Distilleries in countries with French connections sometimes use the term rhum as well like St Aubin Rhum Agricole in Mauritius, Rhum Savanna in Reunion and Rhum Dzama in Madagascar.

In any case, as noted, the 5 star/8yo is very nice and generally very affordable. Their are younger and older versions but the 8yo seems to hit the "sweet" spot for me!

[unclebunk]

If your looking for a nice sipping rum, try Rhum Barbancourt 8 Year Old - It's delicious and very reasonable. Yes, they spell it "Rhum"!

Thanks for the tip. I already purchased one bottle of the 8-year-old and have a bottle of the 15-year-old in the bunker waiting to be cracked open. Definitely different from every other rum that I have purchased but excellent once you get past the initial funky note. I also have bottles of Clement VSOP and Clement 6 waiting in the wings but haven't gotten around to opening them yet. So much booze, so little time!

[johnnyflake45]

Thanks for the tip. I already purchased one bottle of the 8-year-old and have a bottle of the 15-year-old in the bunker waiting to be cracked open. Definitely different from every other rum that I have purchased but excellent once you get past the initial funky note. I also have bottles of Clement VSOP and Clement 6 waiting in the wings but haven't gotten around to opening them yet. So much booze, so little time!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the 15yo. For whatever reason, my taste buds prefer the 8yo over the 15yo. When I was much more into rum, way before I got into the Whiskey, Bourbon, Rye scene, it took me the longest time to go through a bottle of the 15yo. In that same period, I must have gone through 3 bottles of the 8yo.

[Gillman]

Some thoughts on Brugal after attending a recent company tasting promotion: http://www.beeretseq.com

The company stresses the dry nature of the rum, and indeed it has a restrained but elegant palate. If I understood the presentation right, they distill out at about 190, which sounds high but whiskey can retain its name at that level of distillation because congeners still abound. I preferred the drinks neat for this reason - the subtleties are still evident although the Manhattan was very good too - I think it was the large slug the bartender happened to give it, each drink was purpose-made. Nice night.

Gary

[TunnelTiger]

I'd love a new list of your top 5/10 rums from you rum aficionados.

[johnnyflake45]

I'd love a new list of your top 5/10 rums from you rum aficionados.

I most certainly am not a Rum Aficionado, however, I do know what I like! Here is a listing I had put together late last year and it real very accurate right now.

My Top Rated Rums - 2014

Diplomatico Rum Reserva Exclusiva

A complex blend of Copper pot still rums aged for 12 long years, has a characterful nose, showing fruit cake, rum’n’raisin ice cream, cocoa, dried ginger, cinnamon and clove. Develops baked bananas with fudge sauce and chewy toffee notes alongside vanilla oak and a deeper note of syrupy gingerbread, with hints of orange zest. The palate evokes chocolate sauce and the sweet toffee, fudge and tropical fruit flavors from the nose. Flakes of Terry’s Dark Chocolate Orange sprinkled over melted vanilla ice cream. Deep, vivid and extremely seductive flavors

Gosling's Rum Black Seal 80 Proof

Gosling’s Black Seal has a rich, intricate flavor, well balanced and nuanced with butterscotch, vanilla and caramel. Impressive enough to earn the Beverage Testing Institute’s highest honor, the Platinum Medal.

El Dorado 12 Year Old Rum

Mature and candied on the nose with spice, dried fruit, satsuma and vanilla. A lovely use of oak, subtle and balanced. Sweet and flavorsome on the palate. Weighty and powerful with attractive sweetness and a beautiful balance. Oily and viscous in texture with a mouth filling quality and impeccable balance."

Pusser's Navy Rum Aged 15 Years

This handcrafted fifteen year single malt variety is aged and distilled in wooden barrels. It's smooth and sophisticated, with a deep burnt amber color, giving off aromas of sherry and cedar wood. This classically made rum tastes of Brazil nuts, vanilla, oak and toffee, with a balsamic and cinnamon finish.

Rhum Barbancourt 8 Year Old

[TABLE=class: MsoNormalTable, width: 99]

[TR]

[TD=width: 44]

[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

Appleton Estate Reserve Rum

Bright gold. Attractive nose with brown sugar, ripe bananas, chocolate and caramelized fruit. Silky smooth through the mouth with all the nose promised plus some sweet honey and light treacle. Well balanced and good structure. Long, full flavored finish."

[The Black Tot]

1. Bristol Classic Port Mourant aged in port pipe.

2. Rum Sixty-Six (foursquare distillery)

3. R.L. Seale's 10yr

4. Cadenhead's 11yr Nicaragua Volcano Distillery

5. Berry Bros and Rudd Guadeloupe 16yr

6. Pusser's 15yr Nelson's Blood (despite being badly named "the single malt of rum" for advertising purposes (not Pusser's strong suit) there is nothing single malt about it, as it is neither a malt nor single - Pusser's is a blend)

7. Pusser's Blue Label European release @ 109 proof

8. Smooth Ambler Revelation Rum

9. Caroni 15yr.

10. Wood's 100 (for a dark rum in cocktails)

Honorable mention:

Mount Gay XO

El Dorado 21 (Despite being sugared, I like the taste)

Old Monk Supreme

Coruba (Dark rum in cocktails)

Cockspur 12

Dictador (although I don't buy it because price makes it bad value)

Sugared rum shit list:

Diplomatico

Ron Zacapa

Plantation

Cacique

Atlantico

El Dorados (Despite my enjoyment of the 21)

Don Q

Pampero

A bunch of others whose names slip my mind right now

Edited July 22, 2015 by The Black Tot

[TunnelTiger]

Thank you gentlemen. This is going to be fun!

[Balcones Winston]

I think there have been prior releases, but this is the first time it's been semi-easy to find.

There have only been 2 releases. The first was in 2013. Rum only accounts for <1% of our production schedule so there won't be much to go around for a few years until we get the new distillery online.

[Balcones Winston]

Would be interesting to know if this is aged in their own used small casks and for how long. Rum certainly isn't the most innovative thing to make but it is presumably relatively cheap and easy to make. Hopefully it is not colored or otherwise doctored like most rums are. That would be very un-Balcones like.

Of course if it is good I suppose it doesn't matter how it is made!

I know that is true because Diageo (and others) keep telling me it is so...

We used two varieties of molasses, Barbados (cane honey) and blackstrap. Unlike other rums, and very much like everything else we do, there are no additives of any kind other than hill country spring water

[MTNBourbon]

1. Bristol Classic Port Mourant aged in port pipe.

2. Rum Sixty-Six (foursquare distillery)

3. R.L. Seale's 10yr

4. Cadenhead's 11yr Nicaragua Volcano Distillery

5. Berry Bros and Rudd Guadeloupe 16yr

6. Pusser's 15yr Nelson's Blood (despite being badly named "the single malt of rum" for advertising purposes (not Pusser's strong suit) there is nothing single malt about it, as it is neither a malt nor single - Pusser's is a blend)

7. Pusser's Blue Label European release @ 109 proof

8. Smooth Ambler Revelation Rum

9. Caroni 15yr.

10. Wood's 100 (for a dark rum in cocktails)

Honorable mention:

Mount Gay XO

El Dorado 21 (Despite being sugared, I like the taste)

Old Monk Supreme

Coruba (Dark rum in cocktails)

Cockspur 12

Dictador (although I don't buy it because price makes it bad value)

Sugared rum shit list:

Diplomatico

Ron Zacapa

Plantation

Cacique

Atlantico

El Dorados (Despite my enjoyment of the 21)

Don Q

Pampero

A bunch of others whose names slip my mind right now

Have not forgotten the other recommendations you gave me. Will pick up the Pusser's Blue Label next week. They also have the Mount Gay XO.

[kjbeggs]

There have only been 2 releases. The first was in 2013. Rum only accounts for <1% of our production schedule so there won't be much to go around for a few years until we get the new distillery online.

Thanks for the clarification Winston. Sounds like I may need to try and find a couple more bottles.

[tanstaafl2]

I'd love a new list of your top 5/10 rums from you rum aficionados.

Preferred rums can change almost as quick as whiskey as more stuff makes it to the shelf so this more about what I am enjoying recently.

And currently I am enjoying the new Plantation "Stiggins Fancy" pineapple rum! Made as a one off last year for Tales it has been brought back due to demand and been released in a larger supply. An interesting historical rum that is a collaboration between Alexandre Gabriel of Ferrand Cognac/Plantation Rum and spirits historian David Wondrich. Anything Professor Wondrich has a hand in I am willing to try!

Also been enjoying Georgia's own Richland Rum. It is a single barrel sugar cane syrup based rum made in south central Georgia. Tried 3 different bottles from 3 different barrels, all three were good but all were different.

Others on my current list are mostly oddballs that aren't readily available except for a couple and include:

Plantation Guadeloupe 1998 rum

El Dorado (typically the 15 although I like them all, sugar or no sugar)

Clement Single Cask (currently finishing off a bottle from barrel 70077)

Ron Navazzos Palazzi Oloroso sherry finished

R.L. Seales 10yo

JM Rhum Agricole 1994

[biskuit]

LOVE the Plantation Pineapple rum, and a big fan of Richland Rum, too. I don't turn to rum that often, but I'm usually happy when I do. (tasting notes on the Plantation rum at http://www.thirstysouth.com/2015/07/24/plantation-stiggins-fancy-pineapple-rum/)