Rum Fest

Dai · Post by **Dai** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 8:37 am

I'm going to the rumfest in London on the 12th and I shall be picking up a few bottles to take home with me. Have you guy's got any suggestions of rums I should try while I'm there.

I was thinking of picking up a bottle in each category: Agricole, Mollasses type, and a spiced. I'm willing to go £50 a bottle if need be, hoping to get them cheaper but, we'll see.

my thoughts on what to get are:

Agrichole:
Barbancourt 5 star
Westerhall Vintage Rum
Westerhall Plantation Rum

Spiced:
Ron De Jeremy
Elements Eight Spiced Rum
Four Square spiced Rum

Rum:
Havana Club Seleccion de Maestros
Flor de Caña 12 Year Old
Flor de Caña 18 Year Old Centenario
Ron Abuelo 12 Year Old

Share your thoughts on what you think is worth a punt because, I can try before I buy as I'm at the rumfest.

Post by **Capn Jimbo** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 9:17 am

A great question...

...I'll try to be brief. Honest, lol. Here goes...

1. Love the cane juice rums (agricoles for French speaking readers). You might also add the 3 Star, which is actually more true to the genre.

2. For the spiced, I'd forget the Jeremy. The base rum got a mediocre review here, so why bother with taking a chance on the spiced version. The E-8 is an unknown quantity, one of those that seems to depend on extremely slick marketing and bottle to justify a super-premium price.

OTOH Foursquare is not only a great value, and its spices are real (not the misused "natural"). You might also consider Old Monks XXX, also well priced and a smashing experience. You might also find Brinley's Shipwreck (quite authentic but liqueurlike).

3. You might consider buying the Flor 7 year instead of the 12. We believe the 7 and 18 are related, and the two will provide a terrific vertical tasting, not to mention the 7 year old quite holds its own.

Good luck! And how bout some of JaRiMi's independent bottlings?

Dai · Post by **Dai** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 9:59 am

Jimbo I quite like the Ron De Jeremy so will keep there spiced in mind.
Tho Old Monk will be worth trying I hope it's at the rumfest. Would also like to try Callwood Rum but I doubt they will have it there.

Keep the suggestions coming as nothing is written in stone all rum shall be well sampled before buying.

this is my list on the phone:

rumfest by Dai7261, on Flickr

da'rum · Post by **da'rum** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 10:43 am

Just had a look at the exhibitors and one that jumped out on me was Bristol. I'd try get one of their good bottlings. Even if I had to break the 50 quid limit.

JaRiMi · Post by **JaRiMi** » Mon Sep 29, 2014 4:30 pm

Bristol, Cadenhead's, Berry, Samaroli, Gargano/Velier...That would be my shopping list more or less, provided they are there. Flor de Cana that I've tasted was sugarized, simple & pleasant Hispanic mainstreamer - nothing to write home about. Seleccion de Maestros is pretty good, not too much sugar (some, yes). Most of that you can get from any European webshop easier, carried to home.

Dai · Post by **Dai** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 12:01 pm

JaRiMi wrote:Bristol, Cadenhead's, Berry, Samaroli, Gargano/Velier...That would be my shopping list more or less, provided they are there. Flor de Cana that I've tasted was sugarized, simple & pleasant Hispanic mainstreamer - nothing to write home about. Seleccion de Maestros is pretty good, not too much sugar (some, yes). Most of that you can get from any European webshop easier, carried to home.

Will be keeping my eye out for some of those. It's all down to the budget. Wouldn't mind trying some Cadenhead.

Dai · Post by **Dai** » Sat Oct 04, 2014 2:11 pm

I mustn't forget mezan if they are there.