Perfect Dept: Outfitting the "perfect" bar

[Capn Jimbo]

It ain't perfect here...


A recent post by a frozen hairy Canookie webmaster on the Shillery proposed the following for a "perfect club bar"...

White Rum: Bermudez Ron Viejo Blanco (Alternate EL Dorado 3)

Amber Rum: Angostura Royal Oak (Alternate 1 Barrel Rum)

Dark (Navy Rum): Gosling’s Black Seal (Alternate Cruzan Black Strap Rum)

Aged Rum: El Dorado 12 Year Old Special Reserve Rum (Alternate Plantation XO 20th Anniversary Barbados Rum)

Super Premium Sipper: Panamonte Reserva XXV – 25 Year Old Rum (Only If the club can afford it)

Overproof: Lemon Hart 151 Demerara Rum (Alternate Plantation Original Dark 73 % Overproof Rum)

Spiced: George Street Spiced Rum (Alternate Bacardi Oakheart)

Lots of fresh lime, a mint plant, sparkling water and cola.

Would someone please gag me with a spoon? Seriously. With the possible - possible - exception of just one rum, most experienced afficianados could not disagree more. Keep in mind also that a "club" is not a public bar, and demands better rums.

Here's my comments and what Dave Broom would recommend...

1. White Rum: (Bermudez Ron Viejo Blanco Alternate EL Dorado 3).

The ED is not a bad suggestion, but it's hard to ignore Flor de Cana's 4 Year, widely available, top quality and more than fairly priced. Even better? Ron Matusalem Platino.

Amber Rum: Angostura Royal Oak (Alternate 1 Barrel Rum)

Both are simply horrible rums. Appleton's V/X is highly regarded as a great and full flavored mixer (and even a sipper).

Dark (Navy Rum): Gosling’s Black Seal (Alternate Cruzan Black Strap Rum)

A joke. Neither has ever been considered a Navy Rum, of which there is really only one. Keep in mind that "dark rum" as the faux category it is, is nothing more or less than lots of caramel coloring and additives hiding rather ordinary rums. One could also consider Smith and Cross or Sea Wynde and let's not forget the original standard, Myers's.

Aged Rum: El Dorado 12 Year Old Special Reserve Rum (Alternate Plantation XO 20th Anniversary Barbados Rum)

ED 12 is the author's only close to decent choice. The leading candidate simply has to be MGXO, period. A fine aged rum, and representing the Barbadian style.

Super Premium Sipper: Panamonte Reserva XXV – 25 Year Old Rum (Only If the club can afford it)

Having not tasted this rum, it's unfair of me to comment, but then again, that's never stopped me before. Even clubs may find this $300 rum excessive. Frankly the "category" of "super-premium" is a fraud in the first place. "Super Premium" is nothing if not a marketing wet dream in honor of Sydney Frank and his elevation of shit spirit vodka to triple it's price (and profit) by pure marketing and a great bottle.

We should be concerned with top quality, not top price and specify a rum with exceptional quality, balance, harmony and integration. Try Mount Gay 1703, Scarlet Ibis, Barbancourt Five Star, or Appleton Estate Legacy. You can purchase these for not much more than the lone bottle of XXV.

Overproof: Lemon Hart 151 Demerara Rum (Alternate Plantation Original Dark 73 % Overproof Rum)

He's kidding, right? Lemon Hart is not the original, and even that was leftover nostalgia from the Tiki craze. And the Plantation is not even worth comment. There is, was and will remain only one serious candidate for this category: Wray & Nephews, period. One of the best rums in the world, widely available and revered by all.

Spiced: George Street Spiced Rum (Alternate Bacardi Oakheart)

Great choices if the category is "Cheap Rum covered up by Artificial Spices". Although spiced rums vary widely, few would disagree with Richard Seale's Foursquare - sophisticated, using real spices over a pure rum as only Seale can so consistently produce.

Lots of: fresh lime, a mint plant, sparkling water and cola.

A good start, but no simple syrup, lemons, pineapple, grapefruit or lemon juice? No ginger beer? I'll defer to any of Beachbum Berry's terrific books for a basic list of essential rum recipes and ingredients. These are voluminous but some of the most common elements:

All of the above, plus orgeat, coconut milk/water, herbsaint, honey, the curacao's, vermouth, cinnamon, Cointreau, bitters and falernum, Grand Marnier and Grenadine, Sloe gin and Triplesec, and not least, vanilla. This list is by far from complete but surely a good start.


Bottom Line

A club bar deserves better. Furthermore, I can't imagine any club or home bar that doesn't have a good example of the five basic styles of rum, sadly missing here.

Do you have any suggestions? Carry on...

[RT]

I propose a contest to create a new mixed drink, to be called the Zombie Woof (with apologies to FZ), made using the 7 rums recommended by our Canadian friend for the perfect club bar.


*******
Capn's Log: that's funny! Especially because humor is related to truth, lol.

[JaRiMi]

Here's some thoughts and suggestions on this matter..

Any great bar would have a few alternatives for the punter to choose from, I hope. If not, then I at least would question the greatness of such a bar..(maybe I am spoilt for choice).


1. White Rum. I'd personally like to see here two products,

a) some basic white rum, which is aged a bit, like Angostura's 3yo white, or El D's 3yo. A little aging mellows down the product a tad.

b) As a quirk, and to showcase that white rum doesn't have to be almost tasteless, white alcohol intended only as a mixer, I'd suggest having Savana's Lontan - a white rum made with "grande arome" methodology (high ester rum). It will shock anyone expecting a tasteless, odorless alcohol...!

2. Amber Rum. I don't like this expression, as the colour of rum is typically a result of added caramel colouring. Such a category is really, really artificial I feel. As a starter, inexpensive dark / aged rum, with no specific age statement, perhaps Mount Gay XO (which hasn't been expensive) would be good one here. A fine rum, and easy to find also. Another one is Brugal's 1888. A really nice one is the Doorly's XO.

3. Dark Rum. Again a category purely based on colour seems silly, because of colouring of rums. If we are talking about Navy rum, why not then nominate the Pusser's rums here..would surely do.

4. Aged rum. Hmm, almost all rum is aged...I would suggest a rum with a clear age statement? Perhaps El Dorado 15yo. Angostura's 1824, a 12yo rum, might be an alternative, but the taste profile seems odd these days.

5. Aged, sipping rum (yes, super-premium is a silly, silly term I think). Appleton 21yo, El Dorado 21yo, Mount Gay 1703 (albeit no age statement), Havana Club 15yo. All very nice examples.

6. Overproof. Hmm, is this really needed? It is white rum - with an alcohol content closer to cast strength. Not my cup of tea, so cannot say.

7. Spiced. I think Pyrat XO is a nice spiced rum - for that is what it is, a spiced rum. It would do nicely here, and perhaps more people would realize it is spiced then.

....


I'd like to see islands and places represented rather than this division, and also a category of "Indy-rums" there, to include rums that have not been so much altered with sugar, filtration etc.


*******
Capn's Log: Absolutely brilliant, great choices and insight, thank you. Purity is something we all need to seek, identify and promote. Rum could indeed be a "noble spirit", but the trends are exactly the opposite.

Look. The whole objective of a "club bar" is a gathering of individuals who seek both entertainment and education. In this regard, the four or five basic styles, historically accurate as well, to give club members a solid basis from which to understand and appreciate good rum.

[NCyankee]

The best white rum I have had is Banks 5 island - of course, it is not cheap, usually in the $25+ range for a 750 ml. I was lucky enough to grab a couple liter bottles online for $20, the price has since gone up to $35 so I'm thinking it might have been a misprice.