Re: nice rums?
 

OK, I have done many wines - am no expert, but no neophyte.

Like my Single Malts Scotch and Irish Whiskey - know what I can afford, and know what I like.

Plenty of decent small batch Bourbans out there.

Enjoy a good Cognac &/or Aragnac.

Never thought of rums as anything other than a mixer. Usually bought the cheap ones, since when you mix it, you can't really taste the nuances anyway.

Now, I have been exposed to good rums - sipping rums -- and have a few questions.

Why do the really good Whiskeys run $50 and more, and the great rums start at about $25 and you can get award winners for $35 or less?

Is it just me, or do good rums taste best warmer, like a Cognac?

Peace of the Lord be with you.

Re: nice rums?
 

I find the rums I sip are better at room temp....chilling just makes them cold and warming changes the taste :2

Re: nice rums?
 

Is that the Trini Zaya or the Guatemala Zaya?

Re: nice rums?
 

Depends on the rum. The sweet rums like Zaya, Zacapa, etc. I like at room temperature. Too cold and the sweetness overpowers the flavors.

I'm partial to a more 'dry' style usually (Ron del Barrilito is my favorite), and I think they benefit from being slightly chilled, just a small ice chip or two. I figure it's using cold to help smooth out the alcohol instead of sugar.

I've heard others say that a few drops of water can 'open up' a glass of rum, but I haven't noticed that.

Re: nice rums?
 

I love the El Dorado 12 and 15 yrs old, the Mount Gay Extra Old
Would love to try the Ron Zacapa and Pyrat XO, but not available up north :-(

Re: nice rums?
 

its Trini........hard to find the Guate

Re: nice rums?
 

Where are you at? They have Zacapa everywhere in Chicago.

Re: nice rums?
 

Isn't the Guatemala one history now?

Re: nice rums?
 

yes it is but some mom & pop places might still have some on the shelves

Re: nice rums?
 

Not the ones I looked at when we were down there, unfortunately. :( It's like a drug, really. LOL Just glad I have some left, but I want MORE. LOL :)

Re: nice rums?
 

I hope these don't suck or I'm gonna be pissed

http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/210/img0148t.jpg

Re: nice rums?
 

They do. Nasty stuff. But all is not lost. I'll take them off your hand for $10 a bottle and use them for mixers. Just let me know when you want me to stop by.


:ss


Ron

Re: nice rums?
 

You are gonna dig it, Dan. :tu

Re: nice rums?
 

LMK how they compare to the Zacapa 23. :)

Re: nice rums?
 

Lol mike, we talked about this.. I've never had hte 23.. I normally drank the 15, but it was between the XO and 23 and I could only get one so I went with the XO.. I'll try to pick up some 23 if I go to the city because I can't buy it anywhere near me (damn state controlled liquor).. I did have some 15 afterwards and there is a HUGE difference in terms of how smooth and complex the XO is

Re: nice rums?
 

Regarding the 23 vs the XO, I find the XO to be a little less sweet, and a little more smooth and complex, as Dan implies.

Re: nice rums?
 

how much did it cost ya a bottle?

Re: nice rums?
 

Has anyone else tried Renegade Rum? Difficult to find, and quite expensive as rum goes, but well worth the purchase if you come across a bottle. My wife bought me a bottle of the 1995 Panama Don Jose from their 2008 release last year for Valentine's Day, such an amazingly beautiful rum. Even she, who never sips spirits because she can't get past the alcohol on the nose, enjoys this one neat in a snifter. We've since bought 2 more bottle for ourselves and 2 for her father.

Much more "scotchy" than most rums, however you'd expect that given that these are rums that are matured and aged by Bruichladdich in Scotland in the whisky tradition. Adding the different cask maturation stages gives a very different flavour profile to most rums.

Re: nice rums?
 

I know we did, Dan, but I have forgotten about it all. :p

Thanks Tom!

Re: nice rums?
 

Quebec, Canada

Re: nice rums?
 

Ah, WAY up North. :)

Re: nice rums?
 

A friend of mine and I drank and entire bottle of Zacapa 23 yr old last night. Mine was accompanied by the Padron 80th Anni (Like the regular 1926 maddie better) and a 07 Opus X power Ranger.My buddy smoked an 07 Monte #2 and a 09 opus power ranger. That rum was seriously good stuff.

Re: nice rums?
 

Damn, Scott! :al :tu :r

Re: nice rums?
 

It was a heckuva night Tom.

Re: nice rums?
 

too lazy to search, what's a reasonable price for guata. zaya?

found a local store w/ a case @ $40 pop.

Re: nice rums?
 

Heck, the Trini version is $40 at my local Total Wine. I'd buy 2 or 3 bottles of the Guatemalan at that price.

Re: nice rums?
 

Finished off my Zaya last night

it has been replaced, for now, by some Cruzan Single Barrel Estate Rum

I still have half or more of my RZ23, Pampero and Appleton Reserve

Re: nice rums?
 

Cruzan Single Barrel is my 'old faithful'. I think it's a great value, and it's easy to replace (rum selection is slim in most of MD). I like Pampero a little more, but I don't think I've seen it in this state.

I did grab a bottle of Vizcaya just after Christmas from the recommendations here. I think it's a 'sleeper' rum, doesn't get a lot of press but it's very good.

Re: nice rums?
 

The Cruzan was 23 bucks, so the same as the Appleton

once I open it, I'll do a side by side and the better of them will become my "old faithful" type as well as they're relatively cheap and readily available

although there is a place in town that carries RZ for it's 44 bucks

Re: nice rums?
 

$28 ea @ TW
if you can find it then buy them all

Re: nice rums?
 

Buy them all, and I'll take a couple from you!!!!!! Trini Zaya goes for about $45 here in MN.

How did I not find any when we were down there last month. :(

Re: nice rums?
 

OK, being new to this. Stopped to pick up a 6-pack of some Spotted Cow in Green Bay, and stopped in the rum aisle. They had Appleton (clear & a dark), Oronoco, Mount Gay (a clear & a dark), Kilo Kai (?) and some others that were mass market stuff I see everywhere.

I looked. I wondered. Then I thought I'd ask here.

So, how do those compare to Zaya or Ron Zacapa 23 or Brugal or Black Seal?

Re: nice rums?
 

Never had Brugal or Black Seal. Todd, but Zacapa 23 and Zaya blow the doors off the Appleton, Oronoco and Mount Gay IMHO.....totally different leagues.

Re: nice rums?
 

It all depends. I've never had Oronoco, but it generally gets ranked pretty good for a clear rum. Should make a killer mojito. I'm not a fan of the clear Mount Gay, never had clear Appleton. The 'regular' dark rums from both companies are comparable to your average bottle of Bacardi, the V/X maybe a little better, the Mount Gay Eclipse a little less. Both companies make some nice aged rums though.

Mount Gay Extra Old is comparable to Cruzan Single Barrel. I think of it as an 'entry level' aged rum. It's got a nice 'barrel' flavor, toasted caramel, etc. If you like sweet rums like Zaya/Zacapa, Extra Old may not fit your taste. If you prefer a drier style, it's worth keeping around.

Appleton is similar, though they have more of a variety of aged rums. I just finished a bottle of Appleton Extra. It was good, but not as good as Mount Gay Extra Old. The V/X is their 'standard' dark rum, again similar to Bacardi. I haven't tried the other blends, so no comment there.

If you liked the Brugal (was it clear, gold, or anejo?), try the Appleton. If they've got Mount Gay Extra Old, give that one a shot too, but I'd avoid the MG Eclipse. If you want a change of pace/clear rum, pick up the Oronoco.

Re: nice rums?
 

I am not looking for rum to mix - sorry, but I'll probably get crucified for saying this - good stuff is wasted on me when mixed.

I guess I am thinking in regard to sipping rums - straight up. I like to sit and sip a shot's worth while enjoying a cigar. I can do a couple beers with a cigar, but about 1.5 ounces of rum is great to sip through a whole cigar. And, according to what you have all said, the clears are more for mixing and the darks, while you can mix them, when they are good, are good for sipping.

Re: nice rums?
 

In that case, try the Mount Gay Extra Old, Appleton Extra, or Appleton 21 yr. I think those are best with a small ice cube instead of neat.

Anything less from those brands and you'll be disappointed if you're drinking it straight.

Re: nice rums?
 

Have any of you had the Cockspur? What are your thoughts? Saw this at a local liquor store.

Re: nice rums?
 

I have the Old Gold and 5 Star versions. I don't use as a sipper. A bit rough and bite - use only as a mixer or jet fuel.

Seriously though - I'd rank it above say standard Bacardi but under Bacardi Select or 8 year.


Ron

Re: nice rums?
 

My wife gave me a bottle of Goslings Family Reserve Old Rum for Valentine's Day which I'm quite looking forward to trying!

Re: nice rums?
 

Right now Im just easing into Rums. Before I just had Capt Morgan/ Baccardi stuff like that and I dont like them at all. My cousin gave me a shot of Sailor Jerry and it was (to me alot better than those two)

What else should I look for. Mind you I dont have a huge selection here in rural NJ (yeah I know its hard to comprehend but its true)

I havent seen Zaya or anything really fancy

Re: nice rums?
 

Pair that with a ginger beer and you'll be talking baseball. :tu

Re: nice rums?
 

Might pick up a bottle of Black Seal to try that with, from what I tasted last night the Old Rum is a sipping rum that I won't be mixing (especially considering how much it costs in BC). I tend to prefer neat spirits to mixed drinks anyways.

http://gallery.mithril.ca/d/43893-1/IMG00041.jpg

:dr

Re: nice rums?
 

You're on the right track, I think Sailor Jerry is much better than the Captain. There are a few good rums that ought to be easy to find most anywhere. Bacardi 8 isn't bad, and it'll be everywhere. Mount Gay Extra Old and Cruzan Single Barrel are usually easy to find, and I enjoy them both. The sweet rums like Zaya/Zacapa will be harder to find this far north, but you may be able to find a bottle of Pyrat. It's not quite the same as the Z's, but it's more common. Going in another direction, try a bottle of Gosling Black Seal. If you can't find any of those, drive further :)

I've beeen eyeing up the Old Family Rum for awhile now, haven't been able to pull the trigger though. Is it comparable to anything else?

Re: nice rums?
 

Drinking some Guat Zaya. Mmmmm.

Re: nice rums?
 

Unfortunately I'm not the best person to ask that question. I'm primarily a scotch guy so my experience with premium rums is quite limited. It's quite different from both Pyrat and the bottle of Renegade (1995 Don Jose Panamanian) that she gave me last Valentines if that helps.

Re: nice rums?
 

mmmmmmmmmm indeed!

Re: nice rums?
 

Just picked up a bottle of Zaya today and will have a glass later tonight... Have been looking for Zafra but no luck....

Re: nice rums?
 

I acquired two more bottles of rum this past weekend, both Tanduay from the Philippines

one is the 5year Rhum, and the other is the 12 year superior. I don't know much about them but some buddies visiting the 'ppines hooked me up

Re: nice rums?
 

I just saw this http://www.krakenrum.com/ at the store tonight, I may have to give it a whirl for about 20 bucks a bottle.
Sounds like a passable sipper and a mixer, but at 94 proof.. a tich of water might be a good idea.

Re: nice rums?