Need Rum Help...
 

I'm looking to broaden my horizons and delve into some nice rums to accompany good cigars. Bourbons, scotches and Irish whiskeys, I'm familiar with, but rums are something new to me. Looking for something with a lot of flavor and no small amount of sweet, complex notes. How about recommending a good rum to a brother for sipping neat. :tu

Re: Need Rum Help...
 

I enjoy Zaya rum.

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http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=76

This is the thread that broadened my rum horizons. :tu

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Great timing Rob! I'm actually sipping on some rum while smoking a pipe. I'm sipping on an El Dorado 8 yr old cask aged rum that was gifted to me by Eric (smokin5) recently. I can say it follows the tasting notes described here:

http://theeldoradorum.com/our-portfo...ged/8-year-old

It is smooth and quite a tasty rum:dr

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So do I. It's a steal of a deal considering how aged and the price. I like an aged Rum from India, but forget its name. Squat bottle. Good liquor store will have it. Also a virtual giveaway.

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Zaya, Zacapa, La Flor Decana 12yr, Appleton Estate 40yr, Mount Gay Eclipse or Black, Cruzan Single Barrel, Pyrat just a few that I enjoy.

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Ron Zacapa is great for sipping

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Seeing as you are a bourbon and whiskey drinker I'd say find some Goslings Family old Reserve. Also try the CA thread above and also check out rumratings dot com

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Flor de Cana 12-year old.

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Santiago 20 year old.
The best rum I've tasted, by a country mile. Great stuff, almost as good as an old brandy (thinking Armagnac here).

You might however have to go to Cuba to get it.

Can't imagine why you'd want to go to Cuba....

:r

Re: Need Rum Help...
 

Oh wait you deal with noggins / brains …. oh that explains you being a smart ass and rubbing in the going to Cuba angle. :sl


;s

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http://i1369.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4c4babfd.jpg
http://i1369.photobucket.com/albums/...ps31a03f60.jpg

:r

Re: Need Rum Help...
 

Each region of the Caribbean has different style to it. Similar to cigars. You'll need to try a few and see which is your favorite. Some names like Appleton & Goslings carry a price premium to them, but even with them it's still cheaper than a whiskey of the same barrel age.

Worst comes to worst, just make Dark 'n Stormy's with it.

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I generally mix my rum with coke...with this in mind, I stay away from really high end sipping rums, but I have some suggestions for you that are very nice and reasonably priced.

El Dorado 8 & 12 (15 yr or 21 yr for sipping)
Flor de Cana 5 (this is great Nicaraguan Rum with coke and lime...and many Nica cigars)

I'm interested in buying my first bottle of single malt over the holidays. Maybe you can help me here...I've read a lot, and it seems the Highland Park 12 is a decent beginner choice. Any other suggestions?

Cheers!

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Greg - for single malts - start gentle. Speysides are generally more "accessible" (Glenfiddich being the entry level sample, but Glendronach a much nicer example).

Highland Park is really fine whiskey. Personally I like the 18 year old version, which has a distinct heather/floral note to it. Macallan is also easy to get into, as it is usually sherry-esque and is fantastic with Cuban cigars.

Leave Islay's peated monsters for later. These are IMHO the best in scotch to pair with cigars and oysters, but are not easy as a starting point.

Follow the "dew on the rose" principle. Try the malt straight up - no ice anywhere near the glass* - after trying it neat, add the tiniest bit of water (dew on the rose) - which will bring out the more delicate aromas.

(*Chilling the scotch will make the esters precipitate, and you lose half the aroma.)

It is 8:00am and I'm thirsty......

:dr

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My favorites:

Ron Zacapa XO - pricey but really good.
Ron Zacapa 23 - my go to when I can find it on sale.
Zaya - pretty good and I can find it for around $25 a bottle.

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Thank you Neil! Great suggestions..you must have known the "ice/no ice" question was on deck. :) I agree, I will go neat to start...then build from there.

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Glenmorangie The Original one of the smoothest and best of the "Glen" scotches. Everyone knows the name Glenlivet, but the Glenmorangie is far superior, IMHO. Also nice is Glenfiddich.

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All rum suggestions noted here are good choices, and for a dark rum......try the Kraken, I was pleasantly surprised by it.

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+1 for this list. Good stuff that you can get in the states

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There are a zillion rums out there now days, most are modest in price but there are very expensive ones as well. I have been through an awful lot of them in my years. Over the last few years I have settle on two. One a spiced rum "The Kraken" and one a dark rum " Barbancourt Reserve 8 y.o. from Haiti.

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Had a glass of that last night at Jimmy's cigar lounge in Singapore with an ERDM Grande d'Espana. Very smooth and mellow rum. Kind of bottle that would disappear quickly. $35 a glass at the lounge.

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You guys are a terrible influence. Went to Binny's looking for something else. They didn't have it, but I did remember you suggesting Zaya. So I picked it up! I'll crack it open tonight.

http://i.imgur.com/HVdJyaEl.jpg

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You'll be digging that Zaya, hard not to like at a minimum.

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I love me some rum.
That bottle of Zaya looks too good.
I had some rum a while back that was in a lleather wrapped bottle that was pretty good. A lot like Zacapa 23. Does anyone know what that was? I can't remember the name of it. Haven't seen it since.

OK, I searched for it and found the name. Centenario XX.
Now to find out if I can order some.

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Ron Pampero Aniversario has a leather bag that comes with it.

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You made a big mistake buying that. It's very addictive!

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Yall aren't kidding! The smell and flavor of it, so sweet and vanilla, but not at all like drinking a sugar filled drink.

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Zaya is def my #1 rum......soo good and pairs very well

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OK - thanks for all the superb recommendations. Looks like these three are the ones most often suggested... Flor de Cana Centenario 12-year, Ron Zacapa Centenario 23, Zaya 12-year.
Will probably start with the Zaya or the Zacapa. This weekend will be a treat! Now... what cigar to best enjoy with???
:dr :dr :dr

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That is very subjective, however, I would suggest one that is earthy and offers a semi-sweet spice character.

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$35? Ouch. They're usually low to mid $40s per bottle in my area.

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Picked up the Zaya and looking forward to giving it a try. Next two will be the Ron Zacapa and the Flor de Cana. We need to have a stock of more than one, right??? :tu

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All the suggestions above are very nice, but I will add Matsulem. At least it works pretty well for me.

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What's a dram of that in the US cost about $12-15 at a bar? :confused:

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Sounds about right

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So, that makes sense that Singapore would be about double US price as it is for most liquor at a bar. Keep in mind on $1 SG = $.80 USD, but once I am there, I treat the currencies equal as food is cheaper in Singapore.

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does anyone know if brugal anjeo any good? have a bottle in the cabinet left over from a party

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Send it to me, I'll test it for you. :D

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I bet. pm your addy

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I like it very much.
:2

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Thank you sir, I'll give it a try.:tu

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I like Matusalem as well. Not as sweet as most of the others, closer to Cuban style rum.

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I picked up a bottle of this based on this recommendation and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. It was very tasty just on the rocks and at a quite reasonable price.

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Matusalem is really nice. Legendario if you can come by some.

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Try to find some Dictador XO Perpetual. Abe Flores gave me a bottle after Intertabac, I cracked it open on NYE and I wish I opened it sooner, good stuff.

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For an every day on the rocks rum I like Goslings Black Seal. As for special occasion rums Zacapa is one of my many favorites. These two are at opposite ends of the rum spectrum Black Seal is a molasses rum and pretty sweet while Zacapa is much less sweet and still has mild spice. Both work for me as I am not a fan of too much spice like a captain morgan or sailor jerry.

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Michael-
Flavor and taste-wise where would you put Zaya compared to those two?

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I would place Zaya closer to Zacapa but a little lighter in nature and depth of flavor.