What Rum/Rhum did you buy today?

[Dom]

Noted on the Diplomatico . . . and thanks for the suggestions.  That isn't off script at all!  Of those, I have seen the Appleton and the Smith and Cross but not known much about either so I skipped over them.  They are now on my radar! 

[tanstaafl2]

1 hour ago, kevinbrink said:

Well any of those are a good choice, though I would pass on the Diplomatico, depending which FourSquare you choose it may not be super far off profile from the RM12 you have, to me it looks like you need some funk in your life. I would pick up an Appleton 12, Smith and Cross, Hamilton Jamaican or St. Lucia. Sorry for going off script.

Smith & Cross will certainly provide more Jamaican "funk" than Appleton 12 which is lovely and whiskey-like but not quite as funky. Kill Devil is a European label that might be hard to find but Golden Devil is the K&L take on the Kill Devil brands and presumably you have access to that if you are in the bay area. Plantation OFTD, which is pretty different from the original Plantation Overproof is lovely and worth getting especially if you do many rum/tiki style cocktails as is the Plantation Stiggins Fancy pineapple rum (and about the only "fruit flavored" rum I can readily endorse).

 

Fourscore is the primary rum from the Foursquare distillery that Real McCoy is sourced from so generally you are getting higher proof rums if you get one of the special releases like the 2004 or Criterion if you can find them.

 

Unless you just want to have a Cuban in your collection (I suffered from that for a while so I understand!) I am not sure the HC is worth the cost and effort. Perfectly adequate "Spanish" style but not particularly noteworthy to me. Almost certainly colored and probably has some sugar/flavoring as well. Diplomatico falls into a similar category for me but is no doubt easier to find. Probably no oversight at all in the wild, wild west that Venezuela has become so no telling what they are doing with or to it these days...

[kevinbrink]

7 minutes ago, tanstaafl2 said:

Smith & Cross will certainly provide more Jamaican "funk" than Appleton 12 which is lovely and whiskey-like but not quite as funky. Kill Devil is a European label that might be hard to find but Golden Devil is the K&L take on the Kill Devil brands and presumably you have access to that if you are in the bay area. Plantation OFTD, which is pretty different from the original Plantation Overproof is lovely and worth getting especially if you do many rum/tiki style cocktails as is the Plantation Stiggins Fancy pineapple rum (and about the only "fruit flavored" rum I can readily endorse).

 

Fourscore is the primary rum from the Foursquare distillery that Real McCoy is sourced from so generally you are getting higher proof rums if you get one of the special releases like the 2004 or Criterion if you can find them.

 

Unless you just want to have a Cuban in your collection (I suffered from that for a while so I understand!) I am not sure the HC is worth the cost and effort. Perfectly adequate "Spanish" style but not particularly noteworthy to me. Almost certainly colored and probably has some sugar/flavoring as well. Diplomatico falls into a similar category for me but is no doubt easier to find. Probably no oversight at all in the wild, wild west that Venezuela has become so no telling what they are doing with or to it these days...

Agreed on all of this, I will also say I wouldn't reach for stuff from MoM until I've exhausted some of the more readily available stuff here to get a better understanding of what you like so you can make more informed decisions about how you spend your money. Read through some of the threads here, I have found many here to be super helpful in pointing out things to try and the Rum landscape hasn't changed all that much in the last couple years. 

[tanstaafl2]

Just now, kevinbrink said:

Agreed on all of this, I will also say I wouldn't reach for stuff from MoM until I've exhausted some of the more readily available stuff here to get a better understanding of what you like so you can make more informed decisions about how you spend your money. Read through some of the threads here, I have found many here to be super helpful in pointing out things to try and the Rum landscape hasn't changed all that much in the last couple years. 

I should also note that, unlike some, S&C is not my favorite sipping rum. Works well in a cocktail, maybe even something as simple as a rum Old Fashioned with a little orange bitters, but just doesn't quite hit the right notes for me by itself. But others seem to like it fine!

[kevinbrink]

Just now, tanstaafl2 said:

I should also note that, unlike some, S&C is not my favorite sipping rum. Works well in a cocktail, maybe even something as simple as a rum Old Fashioned with a little orange bitters, but just doesn't quite hit the right notes for me by itself. But others seem to like it fine!

Never mind this guy doesn't know what hes talking about ignore him!   of course J/K

[Kane]

36 minutes ago, tanstaafl2 said:

Smith & Cross will certainly provide more Jamaican "funk" than Appleton 12 which is lovely and whiskey-like but not quite as funky. Kill Devil is a European label that might be hard to find but Golden Devil is the K&L take on the Kill Devil brands and presumably you have access to that if you are in the bay area. Plantation OFTD, which is pretty different from the original Plantation Overproof is lovely and worth getting especially if you do many rum/tiki style cocktails as is the Plantation Stiggins Fancy pineapple rum (and about the only "fruit flavored" rum I can readily endorse).

 

Fourscore is the primary rum from the Foursquare distillery that Real McCoy is sourced from so generally you are getting higher proof rums if you get one of the special releases like the 2004 or Criterion if you can find them.

 

Unless you just want to have a Cuban in your collection (I suffered from that for a while so I understand!) I am not sure the HC is worth the cost and effort. Perfectly adequate "Spanish" style but not particularly noteworthy to me. Almost certainly colored and probably has some sugar/flavoring as well. Diplomatico falls into a similar category for me but is no doubt easier to find. Probably no oversight at all in the wild, wild west that Venezuela has become so no telling what they are doing with or to it these days...

Well, if it helps anyone decide Diplomatico falls squarely into "avoid at all cost" territory for me. Sickly sweet artificial vanilla.

Edited February 13, 2018 by Kane

[tanstaafl2]

2 minutes ago, Kane said:

Well, if it helps anyone decide Diplomatico falls squarely into "avoid at all cost" territory for me. Sickly sweet artificial vanilla.

Sounds like it has gone pretty downhill of late then. Older bottles were already pretty sweet. I am shocked!

[Marekv8]

Lots of good suggestions above. Here's my quick first pass at easy-to-find and reasonably priced drinkers…

 

[The Black Tot]

1 hour ago, tanstaafl2 said:

Fourscore is the primary rum from the Foursquare distillery

 

And was it distilled 7 years ago?

[lcpfratn]

Dang it, I have a few bottles of rum but reading this thread makes me want to search more of them out.  I really need another expensive hobby! I only taste these as a change up from Bourbon
 
If I were going to limit myself to 2 bottles of rum a year, price point under $200 per bottle, what two would you target (I'm up for trying new things).  The bottles I already have are that I like for one reason or another are (except the Pussers - just picked that up yesterday and the jury is still out on it): 
 

Lost Spirits Distillery Navy Style Rum

Real McCoy 12 Year Old

Plantation 20th Anniversary Rum

Gosling's Old Rum

Pusser's British Blue Label Rum

El Dorado 12 YO Guyana     Some that I have my eye on:    Plantation Overproof Havana Club Añejo 7 (from MoM) FourSquare Diplomatico  Kill Devil

Oh boy, as you see from the suggestions you've already received, you've now opened Pandora's box. I started venturing into the rum world more extensively within the last year or so...fair warning, there are a bunch of enablers to be found on this thread and in this forum. Welcome to your next new obsession.

FYI - I actually think S&C is a fine value sipping rum when I'm in the mood for it even though Bruce is not as big a fan of it that way. I also highly recommend the Foursquare rums that have already been mentioned, as well as the Port and Zinfandel cask finished ones.

[jshleffar]

Some months ago I had an order for criterion fall through, today i received this email...

 

Foursquare Rum Criterion is no longer available, it is discontinued by the distiller.

However, the Distillery Foursquare is coming out with a New product called DIMINUS.

Diminus will be a limited release in April at 150 dollars a bottle. An extremely limited amount of this product will be available to our store.

Please let us know if you would like to place a bottle on hold or cancel your original order.

 

 

Discuss

[kevinbrink]

7 minutes ago, jshleffar said:

Some months ago I had an order for criterion fall through, today i received this email...

 

Foursquare Rum Criterion is no longer available, it is discontinued by the distiller.

However, the Distillery Foursquare is coming out with a New product called DIMINUS.

Diminus will be a limited release in April at 150 dollars a bottle. An extremely limited amount of this product will be available to our store.

Please let us know if you would like to place a bottle on hold or cancel your original order.

 

 

Discuss

The chances of me paying $150 for Foursquare rum are quite low. 

[Marekv8]

1 hour ago, jshleffar said:

Some months ago I had an order for criterion fall through, today i received this email...

 

Foursquare Rum Criterion is no longer available, it is discontinued by the distiller.

However, the Distillery Foursquare is coming out with a New product called DIMINUS.

Diminus will be a limited release in April at 150 dollars a bottle. An extremely limited amount of this product will be available to our store.

Please let us know if you would like to place a bottle on hold or cancel your original order.

 

 

Discuss

 

Sounds a bit Dos Maderasesque, but I'm sure I'll succumb to the LS owner's call of "Hey Dave, I've got something in the back for you…"

 

I've been preferring independent bottlings of FS juice over the official stuff recently-- just seem to have a subtle wild streak to them.

 

 

[Kane]

1 minute ago, Marekv8 said:

 

Sounds a bit Dos Maderasesque, but I'm sure I'll succumb to the LS owner's call of "Hey Dave, I've got something in the back for you…"

 

I've been preferring independent bottlings of FS juice over the official stuff recently-- just seem to have a subtle wild streak to them.

 

Damn, Cognac finished stuff is my weak spot. Wasn't the Criterion 2000 bottles in the US? I hope the $150 tag is a typical gouger's price. I gotta get this, and I know where to get it too based on statistical evidence.

[Marekv8]

3 minutes ago, Kane said:

Damn, Cognac finished stuff is my weak spot. Wasn't the Criterion 2000 bottles in the US? I hope the $150 tag is a typical gouger's price. I gotta get this, and I know where to get it too based on statistical evidence.

 

Yes, 6,000 bottles will make a cakewalk out of it-- I'm used to 250 bottle runs from Campbeltown et al.

[jshleffar]

I told them thanks but no thanks at 150, but I'm also hoping that was a gouging price and ill be able to grab it at a more reasonable price

 

[sailor22]

Speaking of cognac finish.... because of recent surgery I'm in a no alcohol zone for a week or more but damn, this bottle keep calling me.  It's half empty and needs to be looked after a bit. :-)

[DROB]

Some months ago I had an order for criterion fall through, today i received this email...  

Foursquare Rum Criterion is no longer available, it is discontinued by the distiller. However, the Distillery Foursquare is coming out with a New product called DIMINUS. Diminus will be a limited release in April at 150 dollars a bottle. An extremely limited amount of this product will be available to our store. Please let us know if you would like to place a bottle

Do you mind sharing which store this is from?

[tanstaafl2]

22 hours ago, The Black Tot said:

 

And was it distilled 7 years ago?

That was the "Lincoln" edition...

[Kpiz]

18 hours ago, jshleffar said:

I told them thanks but no thanks at 150, but I'm also hoping that was a gouging price and ill be able to grab it at a more reasonable price

 

I think that's a good call, there's no way MSRP will be over $100. I'm guessing it'll be priced similar to Criterion.

 

Not to open a can of worms here in the "What Rum did you buy today" Thread, but the Mark VII Dominus will be followed by the Mark VIII Premise, which has the same specs as the Dominus except that the additional 7 years of aging is in ex-sherry rather than ex-Cognac. And of course there's the Mark VI 2005 coming also.

 

 

[kevinbrink]

3 hours ago, Kpiz said:

I think that's a good call, there's no way MSRP will be over $100. I'm guessing it'll be priced similar to Criterion.

 

Not to open a can of worms here in the "What Rum did you buy today" Thread, but the Mark VII Dominus will be followed by the Mark VIII Premise, which has the same specs as the Dominus except that the additional 7 years of aging is in ex-sherry rather than ex-Cognac. And of course there's the Mark VI 2005 coming also.

 

 

Well if the ABV is what will be in the bottle it will be 10 proof points lower as well, hopefully that means it will also be lower in price. The port finish at a low proof was a stunner to me. I'm probably more interested in this than the Dominus, I think I've had enough Cognac finished Rum at this point.

[The Black Tot]

1 hour ago, kevinbrink said:

Well if the ABV is what will be in the bottle it will be 10 proof points lower as well, hopefully that means it will also be lower in price. The port finish at a low proof was a stunner to me. I'm probably more interested in this than the Dominus, I think I've had enough Cognac finished Rum at this point.

Great, send the Cognac barrels to Mexico. I think cognac finished tequila is excellent.

 

With rum, if you've got to get your flavor from finishing, then you've done it wrong. Like Jamaica or Guyana gives a monkey's what barrel they went into. They had the flavor off the still. 

 

Boom.

[tanstaafl2]

Does seem odd that the Premise sherry finish is 46 ABV while the cognac/Dominus, and the Madeira/Criterion before it, were bottled at 56 ABV. Maybe they lost more to the angels and had to stretch it out to meet a certain number of bottles for the batch? I would certainly like to try them all but the 12yo Mark VI 2005 perhaps interests me the most. As does the 2006 cognac at 62% noted above. Looks to be a higher proof 9cask strength?) Dominus perhaps bottled from the previous year.

[kevinbrink]

1 hour ago, tanstaafl2 said:

Does seem odd that the Premise sherry finish is 46 ABV while the cognac/Dominus, and the Madeira/Criterion before it, were bottled at 56 ABV. Maybe they lost more to the angels and had to stretch it out to meet a certain number of bottles for the batch? I would certainly like to try them all but the 12yo Mark VI 2005 perhaps interests me the most. As does the 2006 cognac at 62% noted above. Looks to be a higher proof 9cask strength?) Dominus perhaps bottled from the previous year.

Well there have been lower proof cask finishes in the past, though they didn't have a dopey name, like the port or the zinfandel, so hopefully the sherry is in line with those price wise. The port finish IIRC was 80 proof and was actually one my favorite OB FourSquare releases.

[Dom]

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. I would only buy a HC if i was also ordering something from MoM which might happen soon. Only an extra $30 if you are already paying for shipping. I am gonna get in trouble for filling more shelves around the house . . . I shouldn't have read this thread. Yes, "enablers" is the right word for sure. Thanks everyone!


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