What Rum/Ron/Rhum are we drinking this month?

BonnieSituation · 03-12-2020 2:55am #1

While this shouldn't be a brisk as the Whiskey thread, I would like to think there's enough interest to discuss rums on here.

Also, it takes the rum talk out of the whiskey thread.

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A couple of us over in the whiskey thread will be doing this next week:

tasting_(9)-776x1176.jpg

https://www.celticwhiskeyshop.com/Bristol-Spirits-Rare-Old-Rums-Tasting-Pack-Including-Delivery

I've had a couple of sneaky finger tastes of them last week and they really are stunning. Very much looking forward to it.

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In addition to that, I received a rum tasting pack from Flaviar this week and have had one of them on Tuesday night and I couldn't recommend it higher.

https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/4550/ron-zacapa-centenario-xo-rum-solera-gran-reserva-especial

Though, at the price it is, it's not surprising that it's rather tasty.

Lovely sharpness which would appeal to the whiskey drinkers out there with that distinctive rum sweetness at the back end.

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Anyway let's see how it goes I guess...

gozunda · 03-12-2020 2:58am

What's the recommended way to drink a good rum? Minus the coca cola ...

BonnieSituation · 03-12-2020 3:01am

I drink it like whiskey.

Neat and then decide if it needs an ice cube...

Each to their own.

irish_goat · 03-12-2020 10:39am

I drink my fancier rums neat as well. My wife planted mint this year and it grows like a weed so I had a good few mjoitos made with ginger beer as well.

Black Sheep · 03-12-2020 10:59am

gozunda wrote: »

What's the recommended way to drink a good rum? Minus the coca cola ...

Just sip it neat, nothing required.

If it's very high ABV you have the option of adding water.

Venezuelan friends and others will advocate for various additions but honestly as with a good whisky a good rum requires nothing.

Xterminator · 03-12-2020 11:26am

i've picked up a couple of bottles of dead mans fingers for the festive period. it gets good reviews so im hoping it will be a cut above the usual.

I picked up a bottle of 4 year aged bacoo from aldi on a whim a couple of months ago, and it was without question the nicest rum ive ever had. they don't stock it regularly, so it was a one off.

revz · 03-12-2020 7:53pm

Picked this up in O'Brien's when it was on BF offer of €38:
https://www.obrienswine.ie/products/diplomatico-reserva-rum-70cl

Haven't really tried any rums, but got into whiskey in the past couple of years. Read good reviews, so looking forward to trying it.

the beer revolu · 04-12-2020 12:30am

I love a drop of rum.

Buying rum is a feckin minefield, though. It's so hard to know what you're going to get unless you've tasted the brand before. Some are sweetened and some taste flavoured to me.

Currently drinking Havana Club 7 yo. I think that's a great starting place for anyone wanting to try something from a duty-free (remember them).
I find Plantation to be very reliable too as is Flor de Cana.
I'm not a fan of the zacapa range, though I haven't tried the xo mentioned here.

I haven't tried any of those in the tasting. They look really interesting.

I've had some amazing rums I've picked up over the years that I'll probably never see again. If you find yourself in a really good bottle shop with keen, knowledgeable staff, treat yourself to a nice bottle but, in my experience, assistance is key.

Oh, and if you haven't tried Espresso, rum and butter (with a little sugar), you haven't lived.
Proper, strong espresso, a little knob of butter and a small splash of rum.

killbillvol2 · 04-12-2020 4:35pm

I know nothing about rum apart from mojitos and getting locked into a Welsh pub 30 years ago and drinking rum and black with the landlord. I'm looking forward to the CWS tasting to educate myself a bit and I'll buy some if I like it. (Samples smell great I have to say!).

the beer revolu · 04-12-2020 11:50pm

Now I think about it, I don't think I have any rum in reserve after the Havana 7 year old and nothing else open. This lack of travel is bad for having interesting spirits.

revz · 05-12-2020 12:17am

the beer revolu wrote: »

I love a drop of rum.

Buying rum is a feckin minefield, though. It's so hard to know what you're going to get unless you've tasted the brand before. Some are sweetened and some taste flavoured to me.

Currently drinking Havana Club 7 yo. I think that's a great starting place for anyone wanting to try something from a duty-free (remember them).
I find Plantation to be very reliable too as is Flor de Cana.
I'm not a fan of the zacapa range, though I haven't tried the xo mentioned here.

I haven't tried any of those in the tasting. They look really interesting.

I've had some amazing rums I've picked up over the years that I'll probably never see again. If you find yourself in a really good bottle shop with keen, knowledgeable staff, treat yourself to a nice bottle but, in my experience, assistance is key.

Oh, and if you haven't tried Espresso, rum and butter (with a little sugar), you haven't lived.
Proper, strong espresso, a little knob of butter and a small splash of rum.

Is the espresso, rum, and butter something that can be gotten in a bar anywhere in Dublin, or is it more something you concoct yourself?

the beer revolu · 05-12-2020 12:46am

revz wrote: »

Is the espresso, rum, and butter something that can be gotten in a bar anywhere in Dublin, or is it more something you concoct yourself?

I've only ever had it at home.
Someone told me about it and I've been doing it ever since. You need an espresso machine, though. A stove top espresso would be a good start.

Technophobe · 05-12-2020 12:48am

Started out on whiskey and jumped to rum for a good number of years and then jumped back to favouring whiskey...must post on whiskey thread (God knows i read it enough!!)
Had a nice few glasses of whiskey last week and looked at my rums and decided it was time to sample a few again (as if I needed more) and loved them after the few whiskey drinks..
I find with rum (more so than whiskey) that the cheaper end stuff is not great taken neat which is the way I prefer to drink them

Put it another way, I find you gets (and taste!) what you pay for..
Every one is different but I really like Opthimus 21 years and one called Plantation 20th Anniversary

Cazale · 07-12-2020 10:04pm

Missed this thread. Great idea. Have a load of rum samples ordered as part of the Christmas present from the missus. The new year resolution is to get into rum and cognac. I know absolutely nothing about either so looking forward to trying them. Could there be a world outside of whiskey?!

Had some dead mans finger spiced rum the other night. Drank it straight. Lovely nose on it but the taste didn't quite live up to it. Nice heat and sweet spice. An entry level rum slightly above the Captain Morgans of this world.

grizzcol2 · 08-12-2020 11:57am

There's a number of rums I've tried - mostly in the spiced category
Kraken black spiced- very nice
Red Leg Spiced - not too bad
Lambs spiced - very vanilla

Red Leg also have a caramelised pineapple which i'm on the fence about

Havana 7yr old - lovely
Pampero - very lovely
Mount Gay - would be the go to in the pub

recyclops · 08-12-2020 5:56pm

had a look there

current open

Havana 7 year old ( my go too)
bundaburg small batch ( much nicer than the normal bundy and a little sweeter than the above)
morgans ( to give to anyone who asks for rum

:))
Kraken black (used for dark and stormy only goes so good with hollows ginger beer)

unopened
Diplomatico reserve ( think it will come out xmas eve)
Bundaburg select Vat 249 ( not sure what to expect of this so its exciting)

Next buy
Need to pick up a bottle of the brewdog rum as that stuff was delicious but cant find it here anywwhere

Royale with Cheese · 08-12-2020 6:02pm

Would be partial to some Brugal myself but not at this price:

https://www.celticwhiskeyshop.com/Brugal-Anejo-Rum?search=Brugal

I haven't seen it for sale anywhere else in Ireland unfortunately. I once brought back about 6 bottles of it from Spain, around a tenner each in the supermarket. You used to get it in the odd airport too but I haven't seen it in years.

the beer revolu · 08-12-2020 8:10pm

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

Would be partial to some Brugal myself but not at this price:

https://www.celticwhiskeyshop.com/Brugal-Anejo-Rum?search=Brugal

I haven't seen it for sale anywhere else in Ireland unfortunately. I once brought back about 6 bottles of it from Spain, around a tenner each in the supermarket. You used to get it in the odd airport too but I haven't seen it in years.

Mad price! I've seen it in airports over the years. Decent rum.

BonnieSituation · 09-12-2020 9:12pm

First tasting tonight with Bristol Rums.

This will be good.

Cazale · 09-12-2020 9:18pm

BonnieSituation wrote:

First tasting tonight with Bristol Rums.

Raging I didn't get it. Enjoy!

tastyt · 09-12-2020 9:25pm

Hey Lads ,

Going to get a couple of nice bottles of rum for Christmas. I know that to experienced rum drinkers it’s probably a sin to mix a good rum but I really find drinking spirits straight more of a chore than an enjoyable experience.

I will give it another go but while I’m at it , what do you guys think is the best mixer for say Havana 7 or Kracken ?

My personal favourite is ginger ale but maybe I’m missing out

odyssey06 · 09-12-2020 10:02pm

tastyt wrote: »

Hey Lads ,
Going to get a couple of nice bottles of rum for Christmas. I know that to experienced rum drinkers it’s probably a sin to mix a good rum but I really find drinking spirits more of a chore than an enjoyable experience.
I will give it another go but while I’m at it , what do you guys think is the best mixer for say Havana 7 or Kracken ?
My personal favourite is ginger ale but maybe I’m missing out

If you're going to mix it, not sure if worth paying extra for Havana 7 over say Havana Club Anejo Especial?

I like this version of a 'dark and stormy' cocktail with Anejo Especial, very refreshing though more of a summer drink:
* Juice from one lime wedge
* 1/3 cola to 2/3 'fiery' ginger ale
* 1 ice cube

Over time play around with the mix of cola, fiery ginger ale or if not keen on fiery ginger ale go for Club Ginger Ale instead.

irish_goat · 09-12-2020 10:10pm

Prefer the proper fiery ginger beer to ginger ale myself. Also find pretty much any good fruit juice goes well too.

grizzcol2 · 09-12-2020 11:38pm

fevertree have brought out some interesting mixers...they did a spiced orange ginger ale that worked really well with Kraken

L1011 · 10-12-2020 2:38pm

Those fancier Fevertrees are rarely available in Ireland except sometimes in mixed packs, unfortunately.

grizzcol2 · 10-12-2020 2:51pm

true - found them on occasion in dunnes & O'Briens

Hodors Appletart · 14-12-2020 9:02am

made some Hot Buttered Rum at the weekend.

4 Parts Dark Rum
1 Part Butter
1 Part Brown Sugar
Cinnamon Sticks
Nutmeg
Ginger
Cloves
(All spices are to taste, I wasn't measuring)
heat but don't allow to boil
Strain into glasses and top up with hot water

very delicious

Black Sheep · 15-12-2020 12:17am

Opened the Killowen dark rum this week.

If I’m honest I’m a little disappointed, I think I’ve had cheaper rums like Cacique and Diplomatico Mantuano I preferred. I really wanted to be impressed but maybe the odds were always that there were going to be gremlins to be worked out with this.

I don’t know enough about rum to comment on the distillery’s comments on how they distilled it. Is this traditional rum or more a pot still hybrid..?

The 55% abv is to the fore, and a very high sort of sweetness, almost a sweet, damp tobacco like quality.

the beer revolu · 15-12-2020 11:54am

Black Sheep wrote: »

Opened the Killowen dark rum this week.

If I’m honest I’m a little disappointed, I think I’ve had cheaper rums like Cacique and Diplomatico Mantuano I preferred. I really wanted to be impressed but maybe the odds were always that there were going to be gremlins to be worked out with this.

I don’t know enough about rum to comment on the distillery’s comments on how they distilled it. Is this traditional rum or more a pot still hybrid..?

The 55% abv is to the fore, and a very high sort of sweetness, almost a sweet, damp tobacco like quality.

I only had a brief sample of this and while I can't remember the details, I remember that I really liked it.
Different strokes and all that.

Black Sheep · 15-12-2020 12:07pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

I only had a brief sample of this and while I can't remember the details, I remember that I really liked it.
Different strokes and all that.

It could be totally down to my taste. I don't drink enough rum to be able to credibly say whether I think it's good or bad (I'd be bolder when it comes to whisky).

irish_goat · 15-12-2020 12:36pm

I've not had the Killowen rum yet but on a basic level, it works out at €100 for a 700ml bottle. That's a lot of money for a young bottle of rum, particularly from a distillery not known for it's rum making.

the beer revolu · 15-12-2020 1:40pm

irish_goat wrote: »

I've not had the Killowen rum yet but on a basic level, it works out at €100 for a 700ml bottle. That's a lot of money for a young bottle of rum, particularly from a distillery not known for it's rum making.

Oh, it's silly money, no question.
Very nice, though.

Starlord_01 · 15-12-2020 1:51pm

Was lucky enough to have met some Americans who knew their rum last year in Mexico - enjoyed some Appleton Estate and El Dorado.

BonnieSituation · 15-12-2020 9:03pm

Starlord_01 wrote: »

Was lucky enough to have met some Americans who knew their rum last year in Mexico - enjoyed some Appleton Estate and El Dorado.

I've done a fair amount of reading on the subject trying to work out a decent one to grab over the next while and of the ones you can get in Ireland, Appleton's stuff seem to be the ones to look at.

Hodors Appletart · 16-12-2020 9:08am

yep, my wife is a bit of a Rum drinker and always has a bottle of Appleton's knocking around

she goes bananas for Haitian rum though, which is pretty thin on the ground over here

limnam · 27-12-2020 10:59pm

Anyone tried Blacks of kinsale golden rum?

Any feedback?

the beer revolu · 28-12-2020 11:22am

Selection of rum available in Cork is absolute pants. Even in Bradley's.
The only bottle there that I might want is abuelo 12 for around the €60 mark.
Spotted a Plantation 5 yo in No.21 for €83, iirc?
That's just outrageous.

BTW, I'm not questioning these shop's mark ups, rather what is available to them and at what price.

I wish that the prediction I've been hearing for decades that "rum is the next big thing" would come true and we might actually have some selection and competition.

I'd buy the abuelo if they took one 4 all cards, though.

the beer revolu · 28-12-2020 11:25am

limnam wrote: »

Anyone tried Blacks of kinsale golden rum?

Any feedback?

I've only had the spiced stuff and as spiced stuff goes, I thought it wasn't bad. Kinda rough but in a good way.

grizzcol2 · 24-01-2021 9:16pm

got a bottle of Rumbullion from Celtic Whiskey Shop - lovely spiced rum - best i've tasted so far

limnam · 24-01-2021 9:28pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

Oh, and if you haven't tried Espresso, rum and butter (with a little sugar), you haven't lived.
Proper, strong espresso, a little knob of butter and a small splash of rum.

Colour me intrigued, not sure how I missed this on first reading.

I do like a "corrected" coffee with some grapa.

Rum and butter......is there a particular/type brand of rum that this works well with?

I have to be honest it sounds horrific but also something that could be amazing

Mocka pot espresso? or just normal pulled espresso ? talk to me beer

the beer revolu · 25-01-2021 9:53am

limnam wrote: »

Colour me intrigued, not sure how I missed this on first reading.

I do like a "corrected" coffee with some grapa.

Rum and butter......is there a particular/type brand of rum that this works well with?

I have to be honest it sounds horrific but also something that could be amazing

Mocka pot espresso? or just normal pulled espresso ? talk to me beer

Any golden rum will do the trick.
I have an espresso machine at home but a moka pot would do the job, too.
Even if you don't normally take sugar in espresso, put a little bit in.

limnam · 14-02-2021 12:27pm

Made my first Rum purchase outside Havana.

First bet placed is on Flor de Cana 25 Year Old Centenario

Will be coming out tonight after dinner.

the beer revolu · 14-02-2021 1:43pm

limnam wrote: »

Made my first Rum purchase outside Havana.

First bet placed is on Flor de Cana 25 Year Old Centenario

Will be coming out tonight after dinner.

Flor de Cana are a very solid brand in my experience.
Not had the 25 yo.
Expensive?

limnam · 14-02-2021 1:49pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

Flor de Cana are a very solid brand in my experience.
Not had the 25 yo.
Expensive?

120e from Celtic Whiskey, I couldn't find it anywhere else.

limnam · 15-02-2021 5:46pm

limnam wrote: »

Made my first Rum purchase outside Havana.

First bet placed is on Flor de Cana 25 Year Old Centenario

Will be coming out tonight after dinner.

Just an update on this.

I don't know why I didn't expect much complexity from rum as I had no real reference point. But I was very surprised how complex it was with a really nice finish, on the finish the only beef i'd have is you would expect it to linger a bit longer for something that costs 120e

Everything is very well balanced as one of my fears was it would be too sweet.

I generally find whiskeys other people say are "smooth" to be fairly boring. But this was very "smooth" in a very drinkable way.

I had it straight and also as a "desert" with a small amount poured over pineapple.

The box and bottle are really beautiful

Looking forward to try a few more now to compare.

grizzcol2 · 16-02-2021 11:53am

folks - apart from the celtic whiskey shop is there any other place in ireland that has what might be considered a good range of rum to select / buy from ? (now that its harder / more expensive to purchase from uk)

the beer revolu · 16-02-2021 5:23pm

grizzcol2 wrote: »

folks - apart from the celtic whiskey shop is there any other place in ireland that has what might be considered a good range of rum to select / buy from ? (now that its harder / more expensive to purchase from uk)

Not that I've seen.
Even Bradley's in Cork which is a fantastic off licence has, imo, a very poor selection of rum.

Cazale · 16-02-2021 6:00pm

Celtic Whiskey have a tasting with Saison Rum for sale. Details below.

Join us in April for a virtual rum tasting with Saison Rum! This tasting pack features samples of the Saison Pale Rum, Saison Rum, Saison Reserve Rum, Saison Sherry Rum, Saison Trinidad 7 Year Old Rum and Saison Barbados 5 Year Old Rum.

L1011 · 16-02-2021 6:01pm

Drinkstore used to have a better than average range - I wouldn't know exactly what you may want to judge now

Cazale · 16-02-2021 11:40pm

Trying some Doorleys XO Rum tonight.

Cazale · 17-02-2021 9:22am

Cazale wrote:

Trying some Doorleys XO Rum tonight.

Enjoyed this one. My previous experience of rum is limited to Bacardi etc. Drank it neat and it was very smooth. Matured for at least six years and finished in sherry casks. Nice heat to it and lovely dark fruits from the sherry.

What Rum/Ron/Rhum are we drinking this month?

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