Rediscovering Rum

Ok - so this weekend I am trying Zaya 12 year. It's good - but I think I like Mount Gay and Eldorado better. Zaya has a very distinct after taste I can't quite describe.

[EDIT - although smooth enough for on the rocks, this would probably also make a great mixer]

I've been sitting on a bottle of Mount Gay since picking up Zaya 12 on a weekend in the Keys. I should crack it open to compare...

Sipped a little of the Mount Gay last night. Really good rum. Better than its price tag, I'd say.

Ok - so finished the bottle of Zaya. Zaya is a smooth rum, but not what I like. May go back to Eldorado or another Mount Gay. I will go back over the suggestions in this thread again.

There's a good one coming out of nc called Muddy River..

http://www.muddyriverdistillery.com

The Count of Merkur Cristo said:

My favorite rum is Puerto Rican 3 Star Ron del Barralito...awesome in cocktails, on ice or neat.

When I do have a 'ankling'...I get this rum On-line from the 'Grand Wine Seller', but sadly they don't ship either internationally nor to Iowa, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Dakota, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Texas and Utah (must be a state Tax thing).

The Grand Wine Sellar

View attachment 656763"[Having a drink]… is a [neat] way of ending the day". Ernest Hemingway

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I ended up getting this rum - EXCELLENT!! Very smooth!! I just drink it on the rocks. I live in Maryland and it is available in stores here, both the 2 and 3 star.

dreadpirate said:

I ended up getting this rum - EXCELLENT!! Very smooth!! I just drink it on the rocks.

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dreadpirate:
Glad you enjoy it...!

[FONT=&amp] "I [sympathize with you] greatly, but I must be mum, for how cold we do without [cane] sugar and [rhum / rum]"? William Cowper[/FONT]

Rumistas:
I think I bought the last bottle of 10 Can Rum (another of my favorites), in my town.

What happened to this Rum (anybody got any 'stashed' away?)

Wikipedia states, "As of 2015, it appears that 10 Cane production has been discontinued. The website referenced (www.10cane.com) no longer functions".

Read More: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10_Cane

"Time flies when you're having rum". Popular Rum Proverb

Ok - which rum next? I liked the Eldorado and Mount Gay Eclipse. Ron del Barralito and Zayo are top shelf, but not my favorite style of rum. I am thinking either Mount Gay XO or Diplomatico.

Rhum Barbancourt from Haïti is supposed to be extremely good, but I heard it's extremely hard to find. I have colleagues who travel to Port-au-Prince and even they can't get a hold of it, or if they can, they keep the bottle for themselves.

The Count of Merkur Cristo said:

Rumistas:
I think I bought the last bottle of 10 Can Rum (another of my favorites), in my town.

What happened to this Rum (anybody got any 'stashed' away?)

Wikipedia states, "As of 2015, it appears that 10 Cane production has been discontinued. The website referenced (www.10cane.com) no longer functions".

Read More: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10_Cane

"Time flies when you're having rum". Popular Rum Proverb

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Stores in Alabama stopped carrying it last year. I assumed it was because sales were slow but maybe it was because production ceased.

That's sad. 10 Cane was probably the most flavorful white rum on the market. Totally different product than Bacardi, Cruzan, etc,....

If you can find Old New Orleans Rum where you live, you'd be well advised to give their options a try. They have a selection for any preference, Krystal, Amber, & Cajun Spice are their primary products, with the Cajun Spice being a fantastic sipper (or used in Rum Cakes)!

Their anniversary blend runs something like $80, and I'm not enough of a rum expert to understand why people think it's the bees knees. That said, the free sample I tried at their distillery was pretty tasty.

paintflinger said:

I just tried a rum infused with pineapple (Plantation)...not bad at all.

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Just found a bottle at my local store. No taste or smell of pineapple to my senses. Rather, reminded me of a lighter version of spiced rum like Captain Morgan. Sweet with minimal alcohol burn. Didn't like it neat. Ok in a cocktail. Made myself a Rum Old Fashioned.

dreadpirate said:

Ok - which rum next? I liked the Eldorado and Mount Gay Eclipse. Ron del Barralito and Zayo are top shelf, but not my favorite style of rum. I am thinking either Mount Gay XO or Diplomatico.

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I know you liked the El Dorado 12 Year. I've had that as well as the 15 Year. I've done a side by side tasting and I actually think the 15 Year is smoother. I've tried lots of rums from Bacardi to Plantation Jamaican to Mount Gay to Goslings Black Label to Pyrat XO as well as their reserve (which is priced at $200 a bottle - a friendly bartender let me taste it without charge) to Ron Zacapa (not sure of the year). I liked the Plantation Jamaican for its amazing vanilla nose but found it wasn't as smooth as I'm looking for. Pyrat is ok but not refined enough. Bacardi, Mount Gay and Goslings just don't work for me neat, which is my favorite way to drink rum. The Ron Zacapa was actually quite good and I am tempted to go out and buy a bottle but my favorite for quite some time has been the El Dorado 15 Year. I just had a glass tonight as a night cap with one rock and it was delicious. I love rum in warm weather and since it was hot at 85 degrees today I went to my summer standby. If you try the Ron Zacapa I'm interested to get you take on it as compared to the El Dorado 12 Year. But you really need to treat yourself to a bottle of the 15 Year Old stuff. Happy drinking.......or should I say sipping.

I just picked up a bottle of Bacoo 12 year. I've enjoyed sipping on this with a nice maduro cigar.

dreadpirate said:

Ok - which rum next? I liked the Eldorado and Mount Gay Eclipse. Ron del Barralito and Zayo are top shelf, but not my favorite style of rum. I am thinking either Mount Gay XO or Diplomatico.

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The XO is lovely dread and you get some nice steps in flavour and complexity going from the Eclipse, to the Black Barrel, to the XO. Also, my wife wishes that she liked rum when I have XO because she loves the smell of it.

@elgrumpo
I love your screen name!!