It's My Birthday and I'll Buy Some Rum If I Want To....

John Willy · Post by **John Willy** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 10:10 pm

Just couldn't find the forum with the right feel for this post so, because Capn' and Sue's review of Scarlet Ibis got my twisted brain salivating, I thought I would put it here under a new topic.

First I am rather new to rum neat, with an ice cube, or a splash of water. Before I used coke (that's Coca-Cola) as a mixer with decent rum. Before that it was cheap Bacardi. It has been a long journey that is becoming more pleasurable and experimental.

It's soon going to be my birthday and to celebrate myself I went on a rum shopping experience the other day with a LONG list of possibilities culled mostly from Capn' and Sue rum reviews and from a few other online opinions.

Here is what I bought online with the price not including tax and shipping (too lazy to correctly apportion that cost to each bottle):

Foursquare Spiced Rum 11.99
R. L. Seale's Finest 10 Yr Old Rum 21.99
El Dorado 12 YO Guyana 22.99
Ron Zacapa 23Yr Centenario Rum 32.99
Ron Abuelo 7 Yr Rum 21.99
Barbancourt 8 Yr 19.99
Dos Maderas 5+3 Rum 29.99
Plantation Extra Old 20th Anniv 32.99
Ron Matusalem Grand Res 15 Yr 19.99
The Scarlet Ibis Rum 98pf 35.99
Coruba Dark Rum 1L 14.99
Plantation Old Reserve 1999 Barbados Rum 24.95
Plantation Old Reserve 1990 Guyana 29.95

The Coruba is for Dark & Stormy's....never had one but there is a 4 pack of Reed's Ginger Beer in the fridge. The last 2 vintage Plantations were just for shitz.

If anyone reads this and wants to remark please feel free to state your truths.

I do have a few bottles of decent rum around the house, but I want to stretch the collection a bit and begin to become more knowledgeable about rum and understand my preferences. The wife is not so understanding, but I am of an age where that becomes her problem.....not mine.

Regards,
John

NCyankee · Post by **NCyankee** » Sat Aug 25, 2012 1:47 am

I'm guessing that was a Total Wine shopping trip, judging by the Seales' rums - I believe his stuff is exclusive to them.

That list down to the barbancourt looks a lot like what I bought in Florida on vacation a couple months ago, except I got the Abuelo 12 yr (tried the 7 yr in a bar, very nice) and forgot to grab some more Zacapa for $30.

Next trip back I would highly recommend you get some of the Doorly's (also from Seales), the XO and the 5 yr, both are incredible bargains at $15 and $10 (I got two XOs and a handle of the 5 yr for $20).

John Willy · Post by **John Willy** » Sat Aug 25, 2012 1:39 pm

Spot on with your sleuthing. The 2 Plantation vintage rums came from the Woodland Hills Wine Co. and the remainder, from the Ron Abuelo to the Coruba, just arrived from Hi-Time.

Thanks for the Doorly's heads-up.....I'll put them on my list.

Regards,
John

da'rum · Post by **da'rum** » Sun Sep 16, 2012 2:48 am

I second the Doorlys xo suggestion, an exceptional rum.

Also going by your palate dilemma (see intro thread), I'd highly recommend Smith and Cross this mix of two pot stilled rums is a flavour bomb and in a very very good way. If I partially lost my sense of smell or if it was in process of returning I couldn't think of a better rum to have as an anchor point for senses retraining.

John Willy · Post by **John Willy** » Sun Sep 16, 2012 6:17 pm

First off, my smell is what it is. It will never return to what it was pre-head 'bump' (: I still have to occasionally ask someone what is that smell so I can try and log my interpretation in my apparently diminishing brain matter. The problem arises that in a crunch sometimes the pre-injury memory pops and I find myself 'lost' again. Crikey! It's a pisser. The one upside, I guess, is that many smells that make people nauseous or hurl or hold there nose, don't bother me much. So by saying a rum smells like shit, or vomit, or skunk spray it's not that off-putting for me (:

As for Smith & Cross, it and Doorly's are at the top of my list. I am taking your suggestion to heart, da'rum, in hopes of it making a 'distinct' impression (:

Regards,
John

NCyankee · Post by **NCyankee** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 2:28 am

If you can find it i would also highly recommend Scarlet Ibis, my understanding is it was only made in limited production though it remains available at a couple online retailers I order from, just to be safe I am going to pick up another bottle or two when a friend and I split an order this week.

John Willy · Post by **John Willy** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 2:26 pm

NCyankee, it is in the list of my initial birthday purchases. The most expensive bottle, but from many accounts on this site most definitely one that should be tried. So a bottle already sits on my shelf. Such advice is always appreciated. Novices like myself need those kind of nudges to make sure we don't stray too far afield.

Regards,
John

NCyankee · Post by **NCyankee** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 2:29 pm

John Willy wrote:NCyankee, it is in the list of my initial birthday purchases. The most expensive bottle, but from many accounts on this site most definitely one that should be tried. So a bottle already sits on my shelf. Such advice is always appreciated. Novices like myself need those kind of nudges to make sure we don't stray too far afield.

Regards,
John

D'oh so it is, I glanced over your list before I posted that but somehow missed it.

This is one of the rare instances where Hitime's price of $36 is high on something, my source is DrinkupNY.com for $27.

John Willy · Post by **John Willy** » Thu Sep 27, 2012 7:29 pm

I know, I am one fricken crazy old bastard, BUT.....wife left today at 5:30 am for 6 weeks in Thailand and Cambodia. When this whole Thailand thing started about a year or more ago, it was for a 2 and a half week Thai Massage school in Chiang Mai. Hey, she's split before for several assorted 'vacations', 'visits', 'hanging with the girls' whatever for 7, 10, 14 days. I figured, hell, go for it darlin' I can survive for 18, 20 days. Besides she is quite a good professional Thai masseuse, passionate about it and to get better she must go to the source. I learned many many years ago to stand in the way of someone's passion can be dangerous. Next thing I know the 2.5 weeks was extended to 3.5 weeks to take a Thai cooking class for a week. Then her @#***#@@@ mother pipes in "Oh I have always wanted to see that part of the world"

. So add another 2 weeks for a 'tour' of Thailand and Cambodia. A few additional days just getting from here to there and yonder....about 40+ days. Now I am holding my mug this whole time feelin' like someone has just shoved a corncob up my arse and trying not to wince or go frickin' ballistic

So the upshot of all this is my tiny brain thinks wifey/Thailand...John/Rum

I'll add to my collection of rum

Thanks to da'rum, NCyankee, Capn' and others these are the new additions, on their way as I type.

Doorly's 5YO Amber Rum
Doorly's XO Rum
El Dorado 5 YO Guyana
Wray & Nephew White Rum
Pusser's British Blue Label Rum
Smith & Cross Trad'l Jamaican Rum
El Dorado Reserve 15 YO Guyana

I am done having her hack away at my 'attachments'

Regards and thanks for letting me vent,
John