Rum is defined as any spirit made from sugarcane and its derivatives such as molasses. It’s produced all over the world in many different styles, using various types of stills, fermentation methods, and more. Read my Rum 101 guide to learn more.
Barbados
Barbados rum is is known for its medium-bodied approachable and balanced flavors. It’s typically made with a blend of pot and column distilled products, and no sugar or additives are allowed in rums produced and bottled in Barbados, enabling the true unadulterated flavor of rum to shine. There are 4 active distilleries on the island – Foursquare, Mount Gay, West Indies Rum Distillery, and St. Nicholas Abbey.
Foursquare 2004
Foursquare 2004 Rum. I've raved about the incredible-ness of Foursquare products before, and this one is no exception. This is a cask strength rum aged in ex-bourbon barrels for 11 years. At 59%, this is [...]
Foursquare Rum
Let’s talk about this “hyped” and much awarded distillery that is capturing the attention of a growing audience of whisky drinkers and liquor collectors these days. What’s the deal with this “Pappy of rum”?Foursquare is [...]
Habitation Velier Last Ward 2009 Rum
Habitation Velier Last Ward 2009 Pure Single Rum. WOW, this is an incredible, really special dram. This is a rum from Barbados, technically from the Mount Gay distillery. However, unlike almost all rum from Barbados [...]
Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum
Mount Gay Black Barrel rum. If you've been following my posts, you know I'm a huge fan of any rum from Barbados (Mount Gay, Foursquare). This is largely due to the long-standing tradition of rum-making [...]
Mount Gay Pot Still Rum
Mount Gay Pot Still rum. Mount Gay is a household name and often one of my top recs for a staple, accessible rum that is free of sugar and additives that make rum, well, not [...]
R.L. Seale’s 10 Year rum
R.L. Seale’s 10 year rum. This funky shaped bottle (which even has a thumb holder indent!) is the namesake line of Richard Seale, master distiller and blender at the Foursquare Distillery on the Caribbean island [...]
Real McCoy 10
Real McCoy 10 year rum. The Real McCoy is one of my favorite rum lines on the market and one I will easily recommend to anyone looking to venture into quality rum. All of their [...]
Real McCoy 12
Real McCoy 12. This is one of my favorite bottles of rum and is fairly priced for a higher end rum at around $40. If you're ready to explore the world of true high quality [...]
Jamaica
Jamaican rum is well known for its highly aromatic, fruity (overripe tropical fruits), and pungent flavors, sometimes described as “hogo” or funk. These flavors are naturally derived from the chemical reactions that occur during the fermentation process. There are no flavor additives or sugar used in rums from Jamaica. Pot stills are popular, but blends of column and pot are not uncommon
(such as those from Appleton Estate). See here for more on Jamaican rums.
Appleton Estate 21 Year Rum
Appleton Estate 21 Year Rum. This bottle here is one of the *best* readily available rums on the market. It does not come cheap, but ohhh is it good. Composed of a blend of rums [...]
Appleton Estate Signature Blend Rum
Appleton Estate Signature Blend Rum. Previously known as Appleton V/X, this golden rum comes from the Appleton Estate - the oldest sugar estate and distillery in Jamaica. I've been talking quite a bit about Jamaican [...]
Coruba Dark rum
Coruba Dark Rum. This bottle here looks a bit silly and cheap with that colorful old-school label, but don't let that fool ya - this affordable (though can be somewhat hard to find) bottle of [...]
Doctor Bird Rum
Two James Doctor Bird Jamaican rum. Ok guys, this is one of my desert island rums that I would rush out to replace if I ever ran out. Seriously the top of my tops. It's [...]
Golden Devil Worthy Park Rum
Golden Devil Jamaican rum, Worthy Park. This is an independently bottled (meaning it’s not part of any large company/brand) 10-year old rum from the Jamaican rum/sugar estate: Worthy Park. This was a limited small-batch bottling [...]
Hampden Overproof Rum
Hampden Overproof Rum. Calling all rum fans! Calling all liquor fans (of all types)! You need this bottle in your life. Regardless of whether you're a rum enthusiast or just someone who's been wanting to [...]
Jamaican Rum
So what is Jamaican rum? Sure, it’s rum from Jamaica, but there is reason why it’s often regarded as a category on its own and almost universally esteemed by rum enthusiasts. Here's a quick primer: [...]
Smith & Cross Jamaican rum
Smith & Cross Jamaican rum. If you're only familiar with rum in the context of bottles like Bacardi white, Captain Morgan spiced, Myers dark, etc, or even dabble in 'higher end' ones like the golden [...]
Stolen Overproof Rum
Stolen Overproof Rum. I've seen the This Is Stolen products and ads around and was honestly a bit skeptical, but after finally seeing this at my local liquor store, I had to pick it up [...]
Wray and Nephew White Overproof
Wray and Nephew White Overproof rum. If you have any preconceptions about white rum being boring, flavorless, and suitable only when masked by fruit juices and stronger flavors, then this is the bottle that will [...]
Sugarcane-based (“Agricole”)
Most rums on the market are made with molasses, a byproduct of the sugar refining process. This tradition developed as a way to extend the use of the leftover sludge after sugar crystals had been collected for sale. However, some rum productions instead use fresh sugarcane juice (or cooked sugarcane syrup), resulting in a much “grassier” vegetal and bright flavor. “Agricole” is a type of sugarcane-based rum that developed in the French Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. Sugarcane-based rums are also made in Haiti, Mexico, the US, Brazil (known as cachaça), and elsewhere.
Barbancourt Rhum 15 Year
Barbancourt rhum 15 years. Barbancourt is notably the most famous Haitian rum. Although Haiti has the most number of rum "distilleries" in the Caribbean (over 500 producers compared to under 50 in the entirety of [...]
Batiste Ecoiste Rhum Agricole
Batiste Ecoiste Rhum Agricole. I bought this bottle originally when I was seeking to try out my first agricole rum, and when I saw this one for under $20 at Trader Joe's, I couldn't resist! Unfortunately, [...]
Copalli White Rum
Copalli white rum. This is a relatively new rum on the market, made in Belize from nothing but fresh sugarcane juice, yeast, and rainforest canopy water. The company and founder are huge supporters of the [...]
Damoiseau Blanc Rhum Agricole
Damoiseau Blanc rhum agricole. This is a rum from the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, and is abso-freaking-lutely fantastic. If you've ever thought that "white rum" is all the same, light in flavor and fit [...]
Kohana Kea Hawaiian Sugarcane Rum
Kō Hana Hawaiian sugarcane rum. This rum has become a must-have Hawaiian souvenir for me. It’s not impossible to find on the mainland but quite rare so don’t miss this if you find yourself in [...]
La Favorite Blanc Rhum Agricole
La Favorite Blanc rhum agricole. This is an unaged rhum agricole from the island of Martinique in the Caribbeans. Rhum agricole is a style of rum production traditionally employed in the French-colonized Caribbean islands that [...]
Neisson L’Esprit Rhum Agricole
Neisson L'Esprit Rhum Agricole. This is one of THE best agricole rhums on the market. No question. Martinique is the only country that has a special protected designation of origin in the rum world, and [...]
Novo Fogo Silver Cachaça
Cachaça. The first time I heard of cachaça was from a Brazilian at a bar, and of course in the context of what else but the caipirinha. The second time I heard of cachaça was [...]
Paranubes Oaxacan Rum
Paranubes Oaxacan Rum. This is a fascinating bottle of rum hailing from the land of mezcal in Oaxaca, Mexico. Oaxaca is known as the region where most mezcal are produced, and one of the biggest [...]
Rhum JM XO
Rhum JM XO. This here is a fantastic 6+ year aged agricole rhum, produced by the oldest active distillery on the island of Martinique (since 1790!). If you're completely new to agricole rhums, you might [...]
Blends
Rum blends refer to products made by blending together rums from different distilleries and different countries. Due to the large variation in the flavors of rums produced using different methods and regional traditions, rum blends result in a wide array of different and unique flavors. In fact, one of the largest rum companies in the world (Netherlands-based E&A Scheer) specializes in creating blends from a huge inventory of bulk rum sourced from all over the world, which are then bottled and sold under various independently-owned labels we find on the shelves today – basically private labeling for rums. Other companies such as France-based Plantation (Pierre Ferrand) also produces a variety of blended rums.
Denizen Merchant’s Reserve rum
Denizen Merchant's Reserve rum. If you enjoy Mai Tais, this is definitely a bottle to add to your collection. The classic 1944 Mai Tai is a superb creation that does not resemble the versions you'll [...]
Foursquare Probitas Rum
Foursquare Probitas rum (“Veritas” outside the US). I am SOOO excited for this rum, a collaboration between the famed Barbados Foursquare Distillery and Jamaican Hampden Estate, two absolute powerhouses of rum production in the Caribbeans. [...]
Plantation 3 Stars rum
Plantation 3 Stars rum, one of my favorite "white" rums. Plantation has yet to fail me with any of their offerings (all fantastic!), and this one is no exception. If you're looking for a solid [...]
Plantation 5 Year rum
Plantation 5 Year rum. This is one of my favorite budget bottles of rum. You can find this in the $15-20 range and it is absolutely fantastic and such a steal! It's a great representation [...]
Pusser’s Gunpowder Strength Navy Rum
Pusser's Gunpowder Strength Navy Rum. For hundreds of years dating back to the British colonization era, sailors in the British Royal Navy were given a daily ration of rum, at one point up to a cup [...]
Saint Benevolence Rum
Saint Benevolence Caribbean Rum. This eye-catching bottle is a fairly new product on the market, a 5 year old rum blend from various Caribbean islands. Beyond the unique packaging and tasty quality rum inside, what's [...]
Other
Since I’ve only called out a few of my favorite rum countries & categories above, these below showcase rums from all other regions of the world, including a few high quality flavored rums.
Admiral Rodney HMS Princessa
Admiral Rodney HMS Princessa. While St. Lucia is often associated with the Caribbean oasis of resort-life and white sand beaches, the island has a deep rum culture. This rum is part of the newly launched [...]
Batavia Arrack van Oosten
Batavia Arrack van Oosten. Arrack is the historical spirit from southeast Asia (the island of Java in Indonesia) that's often referred to as the predecessor of rum since it is also (mostly) made from sugarcane. [...]
Diplomatico Planas
Diplomatico Planas. Diplomatico is most well known for their Reserva Exclusiva rum, which is often regarded as a higher end "sipping rum." While that one does have its fan base, I really think the true [...]
El Dorado 12 Year Rum
El Dorado 12 Year Rum. Rum, a spirit that doesn't get nearly as much recognition as it deserves. I've recently found myself on the rum obsession train, and there's very strong reason for that! Check [...]
El Dorado 15 Year Rum
El Dorado 15. This post is loooong overdue. When I began my rum journey last year, it pretty much kickstarted with my first rum love - El Dorado 12, which was also my first *ever* [...]
Flor de Caña 4 rum
Flor de Caña 4 Extra Seco. Ah, white rum, the most popular kid in the school of rum after Captain Morgan. Thanks to Bacardi and the incredible job they've done at marketing rum to the [...]
Goslings Black Seal rum
Goslings Black Seal rum. This spirit from Bermuda is the official rum for the Dark N Stormy, a cocktail that's become super popular with the rising craft cocktail movement. The rum gets its name because [...]
Grander 8 Year Rum
Grander 8 Year Rum. This is a Spanish-style rum from the Central America country of Panama. Grander rum comes from the Ingenio San Carlos distillery (same place that produces Panama-Pacific rum) and is aged for [...]
Hamilton 151 Rum
Hamilton 151 Overproof rum. You haven't had "151 rum" until you've tried 151 rum from Guyana. I think the first time I (and probably many people) ever heard of and experienced "151" was in the [...]
Hamilton St. Lucia 2006
Hamilton St. Lucia 2006 7 Year rum. Let’s talk about St. Lucian rum! St. Lucian rum is not super common in the rum market, with Chairman's Reserve, Admiral Rodney, and maybe a Plantation bottling making [...]
Koloa Coconut rum
Koloa Coconut rum. I'll admit it, as syrupy sweet and artificial as Malibu is, it was still one of my guilty pleasures that I repurchased probably more times than I should have. Maybe it's because I'm [...]
Montanya Platino Rum
Montanya Platino Rum. As part of my Southwest roadtrip last month from Vegas to Denver, I made sure we took a detour to Crested Butte, Colorado to visit surprise surprise, a small craft rum distillery nestled [...]
Plantation Stiggin’s Fancy Pineapple Rum
I picked up this Plantation Stiggin's Fancy Pineapple Rum recently and it's seriously one of the best bottles ever. In a market where Bacardi/Malibu offer rums in every flavor under the moon ("wolf berry," "horned [...]
Ron Zacapa
Ron Zacapa Centenario Sistema Solera 23. This is one of the more popular 'higher end' rums that is pretty widely available on the market. It was my first 'fancy' rum and one that is often recommended [...]
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