Best 5 rums

Altair · Post by **Altair** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 12:03 pm

Hi,

after tasting Demerara Port Morant/Diamond Velier, on March I'd like to buy another great rum. What are in your opinion the best 5 rum?
In my opinion Port Mourant/Diamond it's one of five.
Other advices?

The Black Tot · Post by **The Black Tot** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 3:03 pm

You haven't specified where you are, so it's difficult to know what rums are available in your market.

However, I'd recommend you buy a bunch of bottles which represent the major styles of rum - all the advice needed is on this forum in the categories listed.

"Best" is very subjective, and many rums are better described as "a great fit for a specific purpose"

If you insist though, here is a list of 5 recent bottles that I consider superb:

Pusser's black label 109 proof (a staple for me, others will disagree)
Bristol Jamaican Royal Wedderburn
Penny Blue XO
Berry Bros Guadaloupe
Velier Diamond 1999

Altair · Post by **Altair** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 3:49 pm

The Black Tot wrote:You haven't specified where you are, so it's difficult to know what rums are available in your market.

I live in italy, but online i can find a lot of rums.

The Black Tot wrote: However, I'd recommend you buy a bunch of bottles which represent the major styles of rum - all the advice needed is on this forum in the categories listed.

"Best" is very subjective, and many rums are better described as "a great fit for a specific purpose"

If you insist though, here is a list of 5 recent bottles that I consider superb:

Pusser's black label 109 proof (a staple for me, others will disagree)
Bristol Jamaican Royal Wedderburn
Penny Blue XO
Berry Bros Guadaloupe
Velier Diamond 1999

I drink Rum, scotch, Armagnac, so I like different type of rums. Only I don't like rum with sugar added.
I see a bottle of Appleton 21 but sokmeone told me it's good but not great.

The Black Tot · Post by **The Black Tot** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 3:54 pm

Italy is a fantastic rum market. I envy you.

edgarallanpoe · Post by **edgarallanpoe** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 2:12 pm

BT...What did you like about the Penny Blue?

The Black Tot · Post by **The Black Tot** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 2:22 pm

Hi Edgar,

I liked it's UK price point, for one. PB made my list because it's 40GBP, produced by Berry's which means it's not sugared, colored, or filtered, and I found it very pleasant.

It and the Pusser's are the value end of the spectrum for my list. I could drink it daily, enjoy it, be supporting a good company, getting great value (for the UK), and just generally staying true to our rum values.

Were I living in the states it could not compete with the value of Seale's 10, but in London town, PB is going to be a staple on my shelf for everyday drinking. I can't find fault with it.

Altair · Post by **Altair** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 3:03 pm

I never drinked penny blue.

What do you think of penny blue xo compared with Appleton?

The Black Tot · Post by **The Black Tot** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 4:38 pm

Appleton gets a lot of respect around here, and for good reason in terms of their approach to making rum and the value proposition of everything up to the 12yr.

...but it's not my thing, to be honest. I use it in cocktails when a Jamaican gold is called for, but on it's own, I've never liked it. I need to re-visit it neat when I get home in a few weeks and give it a proper assessment, but I vaguely remember it having a particular characteristic that was not quite coppery, but almost like a bitter apple or a citrus zest.

My favorite rums are either earthy, and grassy/minty (Demeraran cane vegetal notes) or rich, rounded, and whisky-like with oaky rancio like Rum Sixty-Six. Sometimes both, a la Pusser's.

That is obviously a gross over-simplification but hey, it's 05:30 here in Australia.

Penny Blue, having been blended and aged by very talented and respected whisky-makers, drinks like a nice well-rounded whisky, still retaining some nice rum cane character in the process.

Altair · Post by **Altair** » Tue Dec 29, 2015 1:47 pm

ok, thank you, i'll try Penny blue.

Pussers rum has sugar added, it's not for me.

The Black Tot · Post by **The Black Tot** » Tue Dec 29, 2015 2:26 pm

All righty then

You may change your mind on this in the long run...

I'm all about minimal additives myself most times, but I'd be rather worse off if I had written off navy rums as a style due to a relatively minor amount of added sugar.

If you tried it and didn't like it, you'd be out about 25 Euros. There are larger risks in life...

Altair · Post by **Altair** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 1:43 pm

I love demerara.

El Dorado 12 - 35g Sugar
El Dorado 15 - 31g Sugar
El Dorado 21 - 16g Sugar

Pussers 15 - 27g Sugar

El Dorado 21 (and 12,15) are great rums but unfortunately too sweet for me. I usually drink scotch are without sugar.

The Black Tot · Post by **The Black Tot** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 3:13 pm

I'm not recommending the 15yr.

I'm recommending the 109 proof standard issue:

Pusser's Blue 54.5%: 20 Drejer 20

Consider also that you must think in a sugar/proof ratio. Higher proof often means more flavor intensity.

Therefore 20g/L in a higher 109 proof spirit will not taste as sweet as the 16g in an 80 proof, since the flavors of the rum itself will be more concentrated vs. the sugar.

Again, this will cost you very little to try

If you are so concerned about the sugar you can try taking the Pusser's overproof

Pusser's Blue 75%: 6 Drejer 6

and cutting it with water to your desired proof, lowering the sugar content/L even further below 6g.

You have options

I'm only pushing you because navy rum is an important part of rum's history, and it would be a shame to see you judge it purely by hydrometer.

Altair · Post by **Altair** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 9:21 am

Ok, thank you. I'll try it.

Post by **Capn Jimbo** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 9:40 am

"Consider also that you must think in a sugar/proof ratio. Higher proof often means more flavor intensity. Therefore 20g/L in a higher 109 proof spirit will not taste as sweet as the 16g in an 80 proof, since the flavors of the rum itself will be more concentrated vs. the sugar."

I'm not so sure there is the linear relationship that is suggested here. The effects of even what some consider a small amount of sugar (just 1g/l) can be noted, and 5g is significant. At just 10g and above, the sugar takes over. At the massive levels used by the Zee, Pee and Dee rums, it's game over no matter what rum is being tasted.

I'm quite serious.

The only real and thorough comparison done so far was done by our own Guevara, who posted his extensive testing here:
http://rumproject.com/rumforum//viewtopic.php?t=1134

BTW, Che (Guevara) is posting again and I for one, am thankful...

The Black Tot · Post by **The Black Tot** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 9:43 am

Not saying it's linear, necessarily, Cap'n.

But you'll have a tougher time tasting sugar in a sandwich full of tabasco than without, for example.

Either way, I stand by if Altair doesn't like it, he's out the cost of about 1-2 pours of his Veliers