Getting Into Rum

[HoustonNit]

My recommendation would be to get a solid option that’s somewhat entry level before dishing out the big bucks for the Foursquare special bottlings or Worthy Park etc. I find the Appleton Estate 12 year a great value. It’s only 86 proof but I think very representative of what rum offers with a bit of funk and rum sweetness. That or the Doorly or Seale that’s age stated. If you don’t care for those no reason to dish out big buck on stuff like FS 2007.

[PhantomLamb]

2 hours ago, GoCubs85 said:

I'm down in Colombia annually - they have decent rums.

http://ultimaterumguide.com/columbia/

 

Ron Medellin 8 or 12 year is good and available almost anywhere.

 

I got the 8 year a few months back and that was pretty good.  However, I'm just starting to develop a pallet as to what's "good".

[PhantomLamb]

1 hour ago, HoustonNit said:

My recommendation would be to get a solid option that’s somewhat entry level before dishing out the big bucks for the Foursquare special bottlings or Worthy Park etc. I find the Appleton Estate 12 year a great value. It’s only 86 proof but I think very representative of what rum offers with a bit of funk and rum sweetness. That or the Doorly or Seale that’s age stated. If you don’t care for those no reason to dish out big buck on stuff like FS 2007.

When you say "Seale" you don't mean Goslings Seal do you?

[HoustonNit]

When you say "Seale" you don't mean Goslings Seal do you?

Gosh no, was thinking this.

https://www.totalwine.com/spirits/rum/aged-rum/r-l-seales-finest-10-yr-old-rum/p/103766750

[lcpfratn]

When you say "Seale" you don't mean Goslings Seal do you?

No, he’s talking about the RL Seale 10yr that comes in a very strange shaped bottle with a crooked neck. Richard L. Seale is the owner of the Foursquare Distillery in Barbados. Real McCoy is another Foursquare brand that is available with an age statement to consider.

[kevinbrink]

8 hours ago, PhantomLamb said:

When you say "Seale" you don't mean Goslings Seal do you?

Seale's and Doorly's are both Total Wine Exclusives stateside for the most part, so not an option at FWGS, so unless you find yourself outside of PA your option for Foursquare is pretty much Real McCoy.  

[HoustonNit]

Seale's and Doorly's are both Total Wine Exclusives stateside for the most part, so not an option at FWGS, so unless you find yourself outside of PA your option for Foursquare is pretty much Real McCoy.  

Never made the connection. That stinks. Luckily for me I can almost see the nearest TW from my front door.

[PhantomLamb]

11 hours ago, kevinbrink said:

Seale's and Doorly's are both Total Wine Exclusives stateside for the most part, so not an option at FWGS, so unless you find yourself outside of PA your option for Foursquare is pretty much Real McCoy.  

Yeah I noticed that. 

 

I travel pretty frequently for work to Ohio, Maryland, Kentucky, and Indiana, so hoping to snag some stuff in one of my travels.

[MIKELOCK34]

For complex flavor profile try Ron Millonario XO.

For less complex flavor profile try Ron Millonario 15 Reserva Especial.

Both of these rums are very good.

 

For overproofed, try Inner Circle Black Dot.

 

Borgoe has a range of good sipping rums. They offer a 15 yr, 12 yr, 8 yr, 5 year and a few other versions.

 

If you just want to get drunk and fall down, try Puncheon Rum from Trinidad or Marienburg Rum from Suriname!!!

 

 

 

Edited March 1, 2020 by MIKELOCK34

[jshleffar]

7 hours ago, MIKELOCK34 said:

For complex flavor profile try Ron Millonario XO.

For less complex flavor profile try Ron Millonario 15 Reserva Especial.

Both of these rums are very good.

 

For overproofed, try Inner Circle Black Dot.

 

Borgoe has a range of good sipping rums. They offer a 15 yr, 12 yr, 8 yr, 5 year and a few other versions.

 

If you just want to get drunk and fall down, try Puncheon Rum from Trinidad or Marienburg Rum from Suriname!!!

 

 

 

I seem to remember Ron M having absurd amounts of added sugar.

[Kane]

12 minutes ago, jshleffar said:

I seem to remember Ron M having absurd amounts of added sugar.

It does. In fact, I can't think of a rum more doctored with sugar and flavoring agents than Millonarios, and it's obscenely expensive too. That's likely the polar opposite of what PhantomLamb is looking for.

[MIKELOCK34]

Assumed he was looking for rum that tastes good. They are not expensive. For the XO around $80.00 USD and the 15 around $30.00 USD.

[Kane]

1 hour ago, MIKELOCK34 said:

Assumed he was looking for rum that tastes good.

That's a safe bet  Could be for a different definition of good though.

 

Btw thanks for reminding me about the existence of Black Dot, just asked a coworker visiting from Sydney to grab me one. Are you based in AUS or is that actually available elsewhere? (Why don't you introduce yourself in the Newcomers forum?)

[PhantomLamb]

20 hours ago, Kane said:

It does. In fact, I can't think of a rum more doctored with sugar and flavoring agents than Millonarios, and it's obscenely expensive too. That's likely the polar opposite of what PhantomLamb is looking for.

Yep, trying to get into the un-adulterated stuff with help from Paul/Bruce.  Just looking at the names and price points I figured they were loaded with sugar.  Hoping to snag a Caroni 17yr. this week.  

 

Thanks anyways for the suggestions Mike.

[tanstaafl2]

Certainly an eclectic collection of rums! Peruvian, Australian and two from Suriname. Probably all can be found in Europe/UK except perhaps the Inner Circle.

 

For me at least I suspect the Ron Millonario is best used as a sweetener for my coffee. And since I don't drink coffee...

[MIKELOCK34]

I travel often. Try new foods and drinks everywhere I go. "Adulterated" can be a tricky term for spirits! It is common practice for some companies that produce rum to adulterate their products by adding sugar. Those adulterated rums are still rums and some do win industry awards. It is even more tricky with Bourbon. By definition all Bourbons are adulterated clear spirits to begin with. It is common practice for some companies that produce Bourbon to adulterate their products even further by blending or chipping or other methods. Those adulterated Bourbons are still Bourbon and some do win industry awards. I understand the point of view regarding sugar added to rums, but for me if a rum is a rum and it tastes good... WIN!, if a Bourbon is a Bourbon and it tastes good...WIN!

 

I am based in USA.

[PhantomLamb]

7 hours ago, MIKELOCK34 said:

I travel often. Try new foods and drinks everywhere I go. "Adulterated" can be a tricky term for spirits! It is common practice for some companies that produce rum to adulterate their products by adding sugar. Those adulterated rums are still rums and some do win industry awards. It is even more tricky with Bourbon. By definition all Bourbons are adulterated clear spirits to begin with. It is common practice for some companies that produce Bourbon to adulterate their products even further by blending or chipping or other methods. Those adulterated Bourbons are still Bourbon and some do win industry awards. I understand the point of view regarding sugar added to rums, but for me if a rum is a rum and it tastes good... WIN!, if a Bourbon is a Bourbon and it tastes good...WIN!

 

I am based in USA.

Agree to disagree.  Industry awards are often a hoax and can prove to be tater-bait.  I believe that's why forums like this exist to pry into what's going into so-called "bourbon" to determine if it really is just that, bourbon, or blended swill.  Same to rum, if it was really that good of a spirit to begin with, they wouldn't need to mask it with all that sugar.  Kind of lame.

 

If it tastes good, awesome but at least to me, that's the difference between being into fine spirits as a hobby/interest or just buying another bottle of  Southern Comfort and calling it a day.  

 

My two cents...

[Kane]

Agreed. @MIKELOCK34 I'd hate to think that you take the comments above as SB's old boys club harassing the new guy on the board, as that's absolutely not it. Just pointing out that the purpose of the thread was different.

 

PS. I personally won't bash doctored rum too hard. It's what it is, I do enjoy a pour of Zacapa or El Dorado from time to time. But I too mentally classify that as a separate category of spirit.

[tanstaafl2]

19 hours ago, Kane said:

PS. I personally won't bash doctored rum too hard. It's what it is, I do enjoy a pour of Zacapa or El Dorado from time to time. But I too mentally classify that as a separate category of spirit.

Yep, it's called a liqueur. Not that a liqueur can't have a place in a nice cocktail! 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 6, 2020 by tanstaafl2

[PhantomLamb]

Well, it’s officially gone and out of my reach at this point. I begged a friend of mine to go snag me a bottle of Velier Caroni 17 yr. in California but he wasn’t able to find time in his schedule. Now it is officially sold out at every store I look at that could either ship to PA or be close to a buddy to ship to me. 

 

Feeling kind of sorry for myself right now lol .

[PhantomLamb]

Resurrecting this for a second...was on Pusser's website and saw that they ship nationally.  Being that PA is a control state, is it a safe bet to order directly from their website?  They offer standard pricing on Gunpowder Proof and the 15 yr.

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks,

[tanstaafl2]

1 hour ago, PhantomLamb said:

Resurrecting this for a second...was on Pusser's website and saw that they ship nationally.  Being that PA is a control state, is it a safe bet to order directly from their website?  They offer standard pricing on Gunpowder Proof and the 15 yr.

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks,

Never ordered from the Pusser website but the only way to find out is try. Some websites say they ship nationally but then you put your order in and they say they can't ship to your state or zip code. Many states say it is not legal to have any alcohol (wine and beer are often treated differently) shipped to you direct but it will usually arrives. Submit a smaller order first so you aren't out a lot of money and see what happens!

[PhantomLamb]

47 minutes ago, tanstaafl2 said:

Never ordered from the Pusser website but the only way to find out is try. Some websites say they ship nationally but then you put your order in and they say they can't ship to your state or zip code. Many states say it is not legal to have any alcohol (wine and beer are often treated differently) shipped to you direct but it will usually arrives. Submit a smaller order first so you aren't out a lot of money and see what happens!

Will do, I'm only looking for those two bottles as neither are available and I've been eager to try them.  

[The Black Tot]

For the record, although I have been a previous advocate of Pusser's here on this forum, I mostly have bought dusty bottles of Pusser's.

 

I bought a new one here in Canada two weeks ago, and it is a syrupy shadow of its former self.

 

I formally withdraw my endorsement of Pusser's, unless you come across a dusty bottle somewhere.

 

My suspicion is that they are dealing with being cut off by DDL for their pot still distillate, and trying to cover up the loss of flavor with sugar. Whatever the case, it's now quite cloyingly sweet.

[PhantomLamb]

14 hours ago, The Black Tot said:

For the record, although I have been a previous advocate of Pusser's here on this forum, I mostly have bought dusty bottles of Pusser's.

 

I bought a new one here in Canada two weeks ago, and it is a syrupy shadow of its former self.

 

I formally withdraw my endorsement of Pusser's, unless you come across a dusty bottle somewhere.

 

My suspicion is that they are dealing with being cut off by DDL for their pot still distillate, and trying to cover up the loss of flavor with sugar. Whatever the case, it's now quite cloyingly sweet.

What about Gunpowder version?