HOW TO LIKE RUM

The first step in your rum journey is experiencing a delicious rum that gets you excited. This guide is designed to help you find that delicious rum quickly, so you can be on your merry way exploring this wonderful and underappreciated spirit. Rum is the most diverse spirit category in the world, which means that there is a rum to suit any spirit drinker's taste preference, whether that be Bourbon, Scotch, Vodka, or Tequila. The rum selections here represent some of the best and most respected brands and bottlings from around the world, while focusing primarily on what is available in the United States. Most can be enjoyed neat or on the rocks if that is your preference, or if you are more akin to mixed drinks don’t be afraid to try rum as the base spirit in your favorite cocktail. A rum Old Fashioned is a great way to enjoy rum, a classic Daiquiri is a crowd pleaser as well.

FOR BOURBON DRINKERS

Similar to Bourbon, these rums are rich and oaky, with hints of vanilla and coconut. The oak and tannin flavors come from American Oak aging, often using ex-bourbon barrels, making many rums indistinguishable from American Whiskey. Aged rums from Barbados, Jamaica, and Antigua are a great place to start if you like Bourbon.

FOR RYE DRINKERS

Rye Whiskey tends to be savory, spicy, and intense. These rums are all aged in ex-bourbon or rye barrels, and some also incorporate new American or French Oak barrels into the aging process which aids in a Rye-like spice and intensity. A few of these rums are Agricole style, which tend to have a more bite and spice due to their raw material being sugar cane juice as opposed to molasses. Explore aged French Rhums from Martinique, aged rums from St. Lucia, Fiji, and younger aged and higher proof rums from Jamaica.

FOR SCOTCH DRINKERS

Scotch Whiskey is often pronounced, earthy, smoky, bright and vegetal. Aged French Agricole style Rhums from Martinique are a great place to start your rum journey as they share similar taste notes to Scotch. If you are into big smoky Scotches look into aged rums from St. Lucia, Trinidad, and funky, high ester rums from Jamaica. Similar to many scotches, some of these rums have been aged or finished in Sherry, Brandy, Port, or even smoky Scotch barrels for added distinction.

FOR TEQUILA DRINKERS

Surprisingly, rum can share many similarities with Agave based spirits. Similar to Tequila these rums are green, vegetal, and bright. Look for lightly aged or unaged Agricole based rums from Martinique, sugar cane juice based rums from Mexico, or Cachaça from Brazil. Like Tequila, these rums excel at displaying their terroir, or “taste of the land” due to the use of raw sugar cane juice as a ferment base as opposed to molasses. Sugarcane based rums are far more earthy and vegetal than molasses based rums because sugarcane juice is much closer to its raw plant form than Molasses is.

FOR MEZCAL DRINKERS

Like rum, Mezcal tends to be quite diverse in flavor. Some can be bright, fruity, and floral, while others are intensely earthy, grassy, and smoky. Explore high ester unaged Jamaican rums, Clairin rums of Haiti, and unaged higher proof French Agricole’s. These bold and expressive Jamaican rums offer plenty of funky fruit notes, while the Clairin’s and the Agricole’s are equally bold, earthy, grassy, and sometimes briny or smoky due to their raw materials and production techniques.

FOR GIN, VODKA, AND BACARDI DRINKERS

These rums are more subtle and mellow with a lighter mouthfeel. They are mostly unaged or very young. Low ester, low proof, unaged rums from Jamaica, Barbados, Puerto Rico, and America are a good place to start. They can certainly be sipped but are best when used in a mixed drink, like a classic daiquiri or a mojito. If you like Gin and Tonics or Vodka soda, try subbing the gin or vodka with one of these rums.

FOR SPICED RUM DRINKERS

These rums are for those people who already appreciate rum like Captain Morgan, Sailor Jerry, or Kraken. They will have less additives and represent a step up in quality. They are smooth, easy, and lean to the sweeter side. Try sipping them neat, or however you drink your spiced rum.