Worlds Most Expensive rum

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Dai
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Worlds Most Expensive rum

Post by Dai »

http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2013/04/0 ... -scotland/

And I'm quibbling over El Dorado 21 @£80 a bottle.
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Capn Jimbo
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

Oh you know I just hadda post this one over there...
"Of course no rum, and just a few single malts are worth this price. It’s a spirit for the 0.1% who have enough money to buy it simply because they can. But let’s say this rum is actually worth the ridiculous price of admission. The questions I’d ask of course are:

1. A complete description of it’s production from raw material, to yeast and fermentation, to distilling and aging – all with complete details of the still, storage, wood et al and honest ages.

2. A statement that the bottle contains nothing but distilled rum and not a molecule of flavoring, sugar, glycerol, sherry, prunes, glycerine, coloring, or any other additive of any kind.

Wanta share? It’s worth $5.00 for me to know…"
When this wasn't posted over the next days, they got this...
"My dear sirs: You recently moderated out my comments, which were respectful, but which honestly stated that no rum is worth this price, especially with no detailed discussion of its entire production, from raw material, to fermentation and yeast, distillation method and time, aging and woods.

Apparently an honest inquiry and realistic challenges to the claim of “finest rum ever made” is unacceptable. Shame on you.
Any bets? They're still not up...
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Dai
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Post by Dai »

I can't see any spirit being worth this kind of money to be honest.
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bearmark
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Post by bearmark »

Capn Jimbo wrote:Any bets? They're still not up...
They are now... both of them!
Mark Hébert
Rum References: Flor de Caña 18 (Demeraran), The Scarlet Ibis (Trinidadian), R.L. Seale 10 (Barbadian), Appleton Extra (Jamaican), Ron Abuelo 12 (Cuban), Barbancourt 5-Star (Agricole)
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Capn Jimbo
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

Guess there won't be any betting, lol...


Of course this is a 0.1% rum, and of course the chances that this is "the best rum ever made" is ridiculous. And Dai is exactly right when he note that no rum is worth this much money for the simple reason that rum is neither pure nor noble, nor regulated in any predictable way.

But this raises an interesting question - what IS the most you would actually pay for a bottle of rum. Kindly name it and say why... as for me I would, in fact, pay the $800 or so dollars for a bottle of honest to goodness Black Tot original British Navy Rum.

This rum is a true slice of history and I have come very, very close to buying one more than once...
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Post by da'rum »

About $150-$200, as a rarity, as that's the top of the bell curve for price and quality.

It would have to be exceptional rum for me to pay over $80 though.

$800..no way. History be damned.
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Dai
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Post by Dai »

About £50 tops at the moment my most expensive purchase has been £32.49 for El Dorado 12 The three bottles of 15 I bought were a bargain @£30 each in Aldi the local German supermarket who were doing a xmass special on it. The average price I've paid for a bottle of rum is £28 so far. This seems reasonable as I'm only now getting into sipping rums and as I've discovered price/age does not denote quality or taste when it comes to rum. Just look at Pusser's 3/4 years old about £28 a bottle and a nice drink. Now you can go out and buy a seven year old rum and it's more expensive and rough as guts when it comes to drinking it.
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Post by RT »

I don't keep records of prices paid for rums (hell to pay if my wife ever found such a record) but if memory serves I have paid around or slightly over $100 three times, for Mount Gay 1703, Appleton Master Blender's Legacy, and Ron Zacapa XO. None have been opened yet (waiting for appropriate occasions), so I can't say whether they were worth it.

Pritchard's Private Stock and Gosling's Family Reserve at around $80 each have been worth every penny.
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Dai
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Post by Dai »

RT wrote:I don't keep records of prices paid for rums (hell to pay if my wife ever found such a record) but if memory serves I have paid around or slightly over $100 three times, for Mount Gay 1703, Appleton Master Blender's Legacy, and Ron Zacapa XO. None have been opened yet (waiting for appropriate occasions), so I can't say whether they were worth it.

Pritchard's Private Stock and Gosling's Family Reserve at around $80 each have been worth every penny.
You must have a great deal of self control. I couldn't just leave a bottle of the good stuff sitting on the shelf unopened. I'd end up being a nervous wreck loosing sleep thinking of a time when I could get stuck in. Masochism must be wonderful if you can stand the pain, not me I'd be well into those bottles.
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

Memory can be elusive, but...


I believe the most I spent was around $50 for a very rare bottle of Myers's Legend. We're glad we did, as Myers's is a terrific and very traditional Jamaican rum.
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Post by RT »

Dai wrote:
You must have a great deal of self control. I couldn't just leave a bottle of the good stuff sitting on the shelf unopened. I'd end up being a nervous wreck loosing sleep thinking of a time when I could get stuck in. Masochism must be wonderful if you can stand the pain, not me I'd be well into those bottles.
Not quite so difficult for me, when there's about 60 other bottles of "good stuff" needing to be consumed before they go stale.

But I misspoke. I did open the Appleton. For a friend's 40th anniversary party. After seven courses of food and eight bottles of wine consumed by 6 people. MBL as a nightcap before driving 30 miles home. Of course I can't remember a thing about it, except that it was spectacular.

The 1703 is scheduled for my 25th anniversary on May 28.

And the RZXO? It's sitting in my golf locker waiting for my first hole-in-one :)
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Capn Jimbo
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

In my blathering opinion...


The MG 1703 is likely the finest rum we have ever tasted, and would have scored an "11" if we could have. At $99 it is worth every centivo, no questions asked.

Not so long ago Sue Sea managed to bitch slap me into going to a very expensive, on-the-water hotel and restaurant. Think $20 for a shot of 1703. The bartender was so hip - and recognizing that we were just ordinary people poured us triples, and I say this in absolute honesty...

The 1703 is beyond spectacular. Now as for the ZXO - yes, it's expensive but allow me to share a tasting we attended at Turncoat Burr's old tastings in Coral Gables. The entire Zacapa line was there, including the XO and the consensus was that most of the attendeed preferred the Z-15.

Let us know, but remember once you go 1703, you'll never go back, or something like that, lol...
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My limit is $100

Post by bearmark »

If I knew that a rum was spectacular, then I might spring for up to $100. Thankfully, I don't have to do that! For the ones mentioned here, I'll only have to spend:
  • Mount Gay 1703 $79
  • El Dorado 21 $85
  • Gosling Old Family Reserve $60
  • Zacapa XO $76
  • Appleton Estate 21 $120
I've had Zacapa XO and it was very impressive to me (I didn't care for Zacapa 23). Hearing the comments from the Cap'n may sway me towards Mount Gay. Another one that may tempt me is a 5 year anniversary release from Balcones that they call Texas Rum, which just won Gold at the 2013 ADI Judging of American Artisan Spirits. The challenge with this one will be securing a bottle, as they will be in very short supply.
Mark Hébert
Rum References: Flor de Caña 18 (Demeraran), The Scarlet Ibis (Trinidadian), R.L. Seale 10 (Barbadian), Appleton Extra (Jamaican), Ron Abuelo 12 (Cuban), Barbancourt 5-Star (Agricole)
RT
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Post by RT »

Wow, PA and NY liquor prices suck!

I may have to travel to Texas to stock up my rum cabinet.

Oh, wait. Then I'd be in Texas. Nevermind :(
Students of the cask, reject naught but water. -Charles Gonoud, Faust Act 2
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Re: My limit is $100

Post by NCyankee »

bearmark wrote: I've had Zacapa XO and it was very impressive to me (I didn't care for Zacapa 23).
I was lucky enough to procure a bottle of the XO for $49 from a place in NJ, and I agree it is quite nice, and much better / less sweet than the Z23.
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