# What are your favorite rums or other sugarcane-spirits?



## Qapla' (Mar 27, 2020)

What are your favorite sugarcane liquors (e.g. rums, kokuto-shochu's, etc.), and how do you most often use them (drinking, cooking, baking, etc.)?


----------



## LostHighway (Mar 27, 2020)

I can't claim any expertise but I do use rums in cocktails and occasionally for sipping. I typically keep a white rum (usually Plantation 3 Star), a black rum (Coruba, Myer's, or Gosling), and an aged rum (El Dorado 12, Plantation XO, Appleton 12, or Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva) around. For me the first two types are strictly for mixed drinks but the aged rums are occasionally for sipping as well. IMO rums offer an excellent value for aged spirits, you can get quite a bit of complexity per dollar relative to other aged spirits. The caveats are that rum has almost no rules as opposed to something like bourbon so quite a bit of producer manipulation is permitted, and that they are decidedly sweet spirits which isn't everyone's palate.
Cachaca, Shochu, and Rhum Agricole I know next to nothing about.


----------



## Paraffin (Mar 27, 2020)

The only hard liquor I drink (mostly a wine fan) is rum, and only the better sipping rums. Always neat, never mixed. My favorites are the aged/anejo versions of Brugal, Barbancourt, and Cruzan rums. Zaya too, although it's a bit heavy on the sweet side. It's hard to recommend sipping rums because people have different tastes, but that's a good start. 

Cachaça is a different cane liquor. I did some traveling and working in Brazil many years ago, and that was the cheap liquor in the countryside away from the cities to get drunk on. Mixed with lime juice and sugar to help it go down. You can probably develop a taste for it, but I'll stick to rum as a neat sipping drink.


----------



## Barmoley (Mar 28, 2020)

Neat.


----------



## Michi (Mar 28, 2020)

This is a Queensland icon:




I have to warn you though. It's definitely not a sipping rum. In fact, the molasses aroma is so strong that, even when mixed with coke, it hits you full-on. But it probably doesn't get any more Australian than this


----------



## bcoryh (Mar 29, 2020)

Ron Zacapa 23 rum is wonderful. It drinks like a sweeter bourbon... if you like that sort of thing.


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy (Mar 30, 2020)

bcoryh said:


> Ron Zacapa 23 rum is wonderful. It drinks like a sweeter bourbon... if you like that sort of thing.
> 
> View attachment 75279


This.

I am a aficionado of rum but love this the most.


----------



## Noodle Soup (Mar 30, 2020)

Michi said:


> This is a Queensland icon:
> View attachment 75162
> 
> I have to warn you though. It's definitely not a sipping rum. In fact, the molasses aroma is so strong that, even when mixed with coke, it hits you full-on. But it probably doesn't get any more Australian than this



"Under Proof" that is a new term for me. Australian? 74 proof is a little light for rum by American standards.


----------



## Michi (Mar 30, 2020)

There is also an overproof version at 60% ABV, but that one loses a lot of the molasses notes.


----------



## panda (Mar 30, 2020)

leblon caipirinha but with truvia instead of sugar and splash of soda


----------



## Qapla' (Apr 2, 2020)

Thanks for the info all!



Michi said:


> This is a Queensland icon: _Bundaberg Original Underproof Rum_
> I have to warn you though. It's definitely not a sipping rum. In fact, the molasses aroma is so strong that, even when mixed with coke, it hits you full-on. But it probably doesn't get any more Australian than this


How do you (or QLD'ers) most often use it then, if it's not a good choice for sipping and questionable even in mixed-drinks? (That's assuming the molasses aroma in the rum-and-coke isn't desired, I suppose.)

I've heard that rums with extreme molasses flavors (e.g. "blackstrap" rums) are useful as ingredients for baking, but since I've never used molasses in any recipe of any kind yet, I can't say for sure.


----------



## Michi (Apr 2, 2020)

“Bundy and Coke” 

That drink wold account for probably 95% of Bundaberg rum consumption. And, once you get accustomed to that molasses taste, you sort of miss it when you have a rum and coke made with some other rum.


----------



## Noodle (Apr 24, 2020)

Plantation Stiggins Fancy Pineapple rum. Don’t mistake it for cheap ass Malibu-type stuff. Sipper or mixer.


----------



## DamageInc (Apr 24, 2020)

I like El Dorado 21 for drinking straight, Ron Zacapa 23 for mixing, and anything cheap for cooking.


----------



## Michi (Apr 24, 2020)

DamageInc said:


> anything cheap for cooking


Interesting! I've never thought of rum for cooking, only for baking. For cooking, the more common choices seem to be cognac and whiskey.

So, what (other than cakes and the like) would you cook with rum?

PS: Maybe I shouldn't have asked. Because, if you tell me, I'll have to try for myself, of course


----------



## DamageInc (Apr 24, 2020)

I would use rum in a BBQ sauce or a sticky glaze for brushing on to pork or chicken.


----------



## valgard (Apr 24, 2020)

Caney añejo, or Santiago 11 years. Both neat duh.


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy (Apr 24, 2020)

Personally, Pampero got me into higher end rum. I also love Zacapa, Santa Teresa, El Dorado 12 + 15 year. I have quite a few bottles.


----------



## Jaeger (Jan 5, 2022)

I'm curious 
My "standard" and most likely rum is A H.Riise Gold Medal but I wanted to try some more powerful 
We'll see


----------



## Corradobrit1 (Jan 5, 2022)

Foursquare is the thinking (wo)mans rum.


----------



## Greasylake (Jan 5, 2022)

AFKitchenknivesguy said:


> Personally, Pampero got me into higher end rum. I also love Zacapa, Santa Teresa, El Dorado 12 + 15 year. I have quite a few bottles.
> 
> View attachment 78081



Personally I'm not a fan of rum, but my father enjoys it. He almost exlusively drank flor de caña, until I bought him a bottle of Pampero for his birthday, and I haven't seem him touch anything else since. Well, except for gin but you can't separate a Swede from his gin.


----------



## coxhaus (Jan 22, 2022)

Michi said:


> This is a Queensland icon:
> View attachment 75162
> 
> I have to warn you though. It's definitely not a sipping rum. In fact, the molasses aroma is so strong that, even when mixed with coke, it hits you full-on. But it probably doesn't get any more Australian than this


I will see if I can find it in the US. I would like to experience it. I only drink sugar cane rums as they seem the best to me, well coconut rum, parrot bay also. I like these.


----------



## coxhaus (Jan 22, 2022)

Michi said:


> “Bundy and Coke”
> 
> That drink wold account for probably 95% of Bundaberg rum consumption. And, once you get accustomed to that molasses taste, you sort of miss it when you have a rum and coke made with some other rum.


I sometimes drink coconut rum, parrot bay with vanilla coke and ice when it is very hot.

I have some Brazilian rum which I also drink with sugar, lime. and sprite when it is hot. It is a different flavor but it is nice.


----------



## damiano (Jan 23, 2022)

I only use rums for mixing - Plantation three stars for normal cocktails and then Neisson Blanc for ‘ti punch. Both are lovely


----------



## Corradobrit1 (Jan 23, 2022)

Best sipping rums I've tried are from Foursquare. Richard Searle is approaching things with authenticity. So many rum makers add sugar or sweeteners, colour and then there are the laughable age statements. In the rum world they are generally meaningless. With only a single drop of 30 year old in the vat allows the maker to claim its 30 years old on the label. Totally disingenuous. Better to buy rum from bottlers like Foursquare or the independents eg BBR, Cadenheads etc. for an authentic experience. This coming from a Single Malt snob.


----------



## ACHiPo (Jan 23, 2022)

Clement 10 year old is the best sipping rum I've found:






Hamilton Demerara is pretty nice as well and a lot less expensive


----------



## ACHiPo (Jan 23, 2022)

Corradobrit1 said:


> Best sipping rums I've tried are from Foursquare. Richard Searle is approaching things with authenticity. So many rum makers add sugar or sweeteners, colour and then there are the laughable age statements. In the rum world they are generally meaningless. With only a single drop of 30 year old in the vat allows the maker to claim its 30 years old on the label. Totally disingenuous. Better to buy rum from bottlers like Foursquare or the independents eg BBR, Cadenheads etc. for an authentic experience. This coming from a Single Malt snob.


Is this the Foursquare/Richard Seale rum you mean?


----------



## Corradobrit1 (Jan 23, 2022)

ACHiPo said:


> Is this the Foursquare/Richard Seale rum you mean?


Same guy but these are the ones to search out. Age statement bottles are the best.


----------



## ethompson (Jan 23, 2022)

Foursquare is really good product, but it’s quickly going the way of bourbon now that it’s been “discovered” by the whisky crowd and the value proposition there is shrinking in my opinion. Still the best bet for someone looking for a premium sipper that is coming from whiskey though.

I really adore tropically aged Rhum agricoles and high ester funky Jamaicans. The “vintage” Rhum JM 15 years are always exceptional and I think great value even at a high price point. Their standard aged stuff is great too. For blanc agricole I prefer Neisson, but that’s me. Worthy Park and Hampden are two Jamaican distilleries with rums that range from elegant after dinner sippers to blow your socks off hogo-bombs that are some of my favorite summer brown spirits for their crazy tropical fruit notes. Anything Habitation Vetelier or Hamilton puts out are usually quite good. Plantation is a consistent product, but I prefer tropically aged non-dosed rums as I said above.

i keep the following on hand for cocktails and usually have 1 to 2 premium sippers too;

Smith & Cross
Hamilton Demerara 151
Probitas
Havana Club 3 year (the actual Cuban stuff)
Rhum JM VSOP
Neisson Blanc
Rum Fire
Plantation Stiggins Pineapple
Plantation OFTD


----------



## parbaked (Jan 23, 2022)

ACHiPo said:


> Clement 10 year old is the best sipping rum I've found:


I have an old bottle of their VSOP that I haven’t cracked. Now I’m tempted…


----------



## ACHiPo (Jan 23, 2022)

parbaked said:


> I have an old bottle of their VSOP that I haven’t cracked. Now I’m tempted…
> View attachment 162157


You won't be disappointed. The Clement VSOP is very nice, too.


----------



## Mingooch (Jan 23, 2022)

I prefer the Ron Zacapa 23 and Centenario XO


----------



## Bobby2shots (Jan 24, 2022)

I like pretty well any of the El Dorado bottlings for sipping. For cocktails (Pina Colada,, Cuba Libre, etcI I'm OK with Bacardi Gold or Bacardi Superior.

As I write this, I'm amazed that I've never tried a Mojito. I just need some fresh mint to muddle.

Speaking of muddlers and sugar-cane, that reminds me,,,, I bought a bottle of Cachaca quite a while back, and I've yet to mix a Caipirinha. (Anthony Bourdain's favourite cocktail)


----------



## coxhaus (Jan 24, 2022)

I will have to look up a Caipirinha but Cachaca mixed with sugar 1 whole lime, juiced and squeezed rind thrown in topped with sprite makes a great summer drink. I use a shot of Cachaca over ice to start with in an old fashion glass.

Caipirinha is the drink I posted above. I really like them with grilled meat in the summer.

PS
I use white sugar not brown sugar. And it is important to use really good limes. The drink is about limes.


----------



## benito (May 3, 2022)

Diplomatico Reserve is a favorite.

I liked the Paranubes Oaxacan Agricole, but its profile is a little eccentric: sweet/savory tomato aroma, green peppercorn. I would love to try more agricoles.

currently drinking Dr. Bird. I remember using this to soak raisins in a French toast special I was running, to good effect. Its a lovely funk bomb.


----------



## MSicardCutlery (May 3, 2022)

Lets see, for white, Captain Morgan, the glass bottled stuff, the plastic bottled stuff tastes different, I think anyways. Spiced, Sailor Jerry, which is also probably the best value priced rum out there. Eldorado 12 is an excellent aged rum. Newfy Screech is alright, but it's dark dark, and and I did have this Cuban stuff some time ago, "Ron Cubay" that I really liked. I'm generally a rum fan though, others may have more discerning tastes. I can't say I'm nuts about Bacardi's offerings, though I have been meaning to try their 151. I distilled my own a couple of times, that was really good, it took some experimentation to get it dialed in between the molasses addition and the toasted oak, but it was well worth it.


----------



## Lazarus (May 3, 2022)

Not strictly a rum, but cachaca is fantastic and I love devouring caipirinhas.


----------



## Jaeger (May 3, 2022)

it seems like i need a refill 
I wanna try out next the A.H.Riise Danish Navy Rum instead of the Gold Medal. I'm curious 

The Baron Samedi was a birthday gift. It's a spiced Rum like Captain Morgan but not as sweet as the captain. A cheap one but it's pretty okay  it's also a good option for mixing with coke.


----------



## ACHiPo (May 5, 2022)

Jaeger said:


> it seems like i need a refill
> I wanna try out next the A.H.Riise Danish Navy Rum instead of the Gold Medal. I'm curious
> 
> The Baron Samedi was a birthday gift. It's a spiced Rum like Captain Morgan but not as sweet as the captain. A cheap one but it's pretty okay  it's also a good option for mixing with coke.
> ...


How do you typically drink them?


----------



## Qapla' (May 5, 2022)

MSicardCutlery said:


> Lets see, for white, Captain Morgan, the glass bottled stuff, the plastic bottled stuff tastes different, I think anyways. Spiced, Sailor Jerry, which is also probably the best value priced rum out there. Eldorado 12 is an excellent aged rum. Newfy Screech is alright, but it's dark dark, and and I did have this Cuban stuff some time ago, "Ron Cubay" that I really liked. I'm generally a rum fan though, others may have more discerning tastes. I can't say I'm nuts about Bacardi's offerings, though I have been meaning to try their 151. I distilled my own a couple of times, that was really good, it took some experimentation to get it dialed in between the molasses addition and the toasted oak, but it was well worth it.


How do you most often use the 151 rums?


----------



## ethompson (May 5, 2022)

Qapla' said:


> How do you most often use the 151 rums?


Hamilton or Lemon Hart 151 in a zombie or 151 swizzle is the best way to end a long week


----------



## MSicardCutlery (May 6, 2022)

Qapla' said:


> How do you most often use the 151 rums?




I'd say neat and dilute as necessary, if necessary.


----------



## Mingooch (May 6, 2022)

I use the 151 with Jolt cola, I call it a roller coaster ride to hell.


----------



## Jaeger (May 6, 2022)

ACHiPo said:


> How do you typically drink them?



I drink them pure i like pure Rum way more than pure Whiskey so it is okay imho.

Greets Fabian


----------



## Jaeger (Jun 29, 2022)

A.H.Riise XO Reserve Anniversary.
Taste's really good 







Greets Fabian


----------



## daddy yo yo (Jun 29, 2022)

The Riise rums are all sweeter than some other higher-end rums, sweeter than Zacapa 23. I have always liked (and still do) Zacapa 23, but for the past year I enjoyed so many Riise rums more than Zacapa. Riise has rums which spent quite some time in Sauternes (sweet wine) barrels, which gives an incredible taste. And then I once had a 25y Ron Malecon which was terrific, too, just a hint of orange zest…


----------



## Jaeger (Jun 30, 2022)

I'm totally with you


----------



## ethompson (Jun 30, 2022)

Was lucky enough to get a pour of Caroni distilled in 1994 last night. For those who don’t know, this legendary Trinidadian distillery closed in 2002 with the last bottling released in 2019. Aged wholly in the tropics and a very heavy estery style. Truly transcendent stuff - packed with the flavors of grilled fermented fruits, vanilla and pastry influence from the time in the barrel, super thick and viscous on the tongue. The classic salinity, anise, and medicinal notes you might find in an Islay scotch. Easily a top 5 spirit ever for me.


----------



## benito (Jul 1, 2022)

hell yeah.

lightning in a bottle.


lately I have been making all kinds of tiki stuff (grenadine for rum punch, etc) since I have recently acquired some new bottles.

honestly, I am not writing off tiki drinks, but on the whole, they do strike me as the kind of drinks one makes when they don't like, uh, alcohol.

(sidebar: too much stuff? perhaps im a simple person.)

anywho, after combing Beachbum Barrys' recipes I found a trend: white grapefruit with lime and cinnamon syrup.

so, I found some nice white grapefruit at the farmers market, and made a canela/piloncillo syrup. 

my first attempt was Doorlys 12, a big ice cube, squeeze of lime, squeeze of syrup, 1/4 white grapefruit, and a hefty floater of aged overproof Hampdens.

I couldn't really give you an accurate ratio, but let's just say it was mostly booze.

It was great!

the Barbados is discreet, but sets the stage for the overproof to shine.

next time I make this, I'll try it with all overproof.

I have my eyes on Hamiltons' False Idol 151 blend, for this kind of shenanigans.


----------



## benito (Jul 23, 2022)

I picked up a bottle of 8 year old Ak Zanj, on a lark.

Haitian agricole, cognac barrels.

its a little rough for the $$ but I like the profile.

it's a little hot but I don't mind. there is a distinct edge of burnt caramel right off the top, followed by a hefty whiff of vanilla, some cola tones, a gesture in the direction of red fruits (currants? plum?) on the way to the finish... and something about the way this whole ride ties together, reminds me of southern comfort. in a good way. 

my better half made a daiquiri with some homemade grenadine+ginger, and it sang.


----------



## parbaked (Jul 23, 2022)

Qapla' said:


> How do you most often use the 151 rums?


In high school it was flaming shots…


----------



## Michi (Jul 23, 2022)

Qapla' said:


> How do you most often use the 151 rums?


Feuerzangenbowle or for infusions.


----------



## Michael J.R. (Jul 24, 2022)

My favourite rum since last Friday night: 


https://www.idealo.de/preisvergleich/OffersOfProduct/201889521_-spiced-rum-0-7l-35-bacardi.html


----------



## Emieloss (Jul 24, 2022)

A simple havana club 3 or 7 with coke is all I need. If I drink something neat, I rather pick a Whisky.


----------

