Ed Hamilton

If they buy their white rum from the same place as their dark rum it should be really good white rum. I'm not much of a Tequila fan since I can't even drink all the rum I've got.

It is interesting that Mount Gay has softened it's claim to be "One of the oldest rums in the world." It used to claim to be the oldest. There are a few rums in the French islands that date back to before 1703, Mount Gay's date. But as for brands, I doubt Mount Gay was called Mount Gay in 1703 so that brings another variable into the question. There are a number of brands like Bologne that have been called Bologne for several centuries. Saint James is another. I can't say when Mount Gay started using the name Mount Gay.

Glad you enjoy the Bacardi Anejo, it's the one I drink. There are a couple of different blends depending on where you buy it. Of the ones I've tried I prefer the Mexican blend.

The Chicago Transit Authority is great and can get you just about wherever you want to go, if you have the time. There is a local telephone number that you can get from any CTA ticket counter and if you tell the operator where you are and where you want to go you'll get good reliable information. I don't have a car in Chicago and depend on the CTA. It's very good during the day but like any major city I wouldn't want to be wandering around with a load of rum in my arms late at night. Have a good trip. There are also good maps of the area available. In fact I take the CTA from OHare to downtown and it is often faster and always cheaper than taking a cab.

Cacique 500 was introduced in 1992 to celebrate the arrival of the Conquistadors in the New World. This is one of their premium rums and is still popular even in Venezuela, where there are a lot of good rums to choose from. I don't know if I'd put in the same class as Santa Teresa Antiguo de Solera 1796 but it is good rum.

Like so many other special name, 'Reserve,' doesn't have any legal meaning. But having said that, many distillers reserve that name for their finest rum. Havana Club using the name Anejo Reserva. Anejo only means old in Spanish but combined with the Reserva, Anejo Reserva should be their best rum, or at least one of the best. As discussed elsewhere in this forum Anejo Reserva has gotten better reviews than their Anejo 7 Anos, & year old. There is also a plain Anejo which is only a few years old and lacks a lot of the sophistication of the older blended rums.

I just posted a new topic "reserve."

It sounds like they reblended that one. The last time I tried an Appleton 8 year old I wasn't impressed and I like VX and the other Appleton Rums.

I've seen Angostura's Plantation but haven't had the opportunity to try it yet.

Tanduay is great rum or rhum, depending on the label, but distribution is poor in this part of the world. During the blending process orange and other essences are added to some of the blends and that will account for some of the color. Wish I had a few of those one-liter casks.

Angostura distilled and bottled Bacardi for years but that isn't why they didn't sell their products internationally. The simple reason was that they made so much rum for other people that they didn't need to do a good job of marketing their own rums. Expertise was another issue and of course the product. They needed something different to sell and in the last few years they've begun to do it. I have no doubt you'll see more Angostura rums in the years to come. This has been a truly international company for years. Is there anyone who hasn't seen Angostura Bitters? And do you know how much alcohol is in the famous Bitters?

A number of rums have changed over the years mostly due to availability of aged reserves. I hadn't noticed the difference in Royal Oak but some other rums have completely lost my interest. Rarely will a distiller admit that there have been changes, but like any aged distilled spirit there will be differences.

Unfortunately you won't be able to walk to Sam's or Binney's from the Marriot but public transportation is great in Chicago.

All Cockspur Rum is distilled in Barbados at the West Indies Rum Refinery, but some is bottled in the US, which can account for some of the differences you might detect.

You've got plenty of time to plan for this one. The date is 2004 and not next month.

AH Riise used to carry a few rhum agricoles but also check a couple of doors down to the west and there are other stores that will have it. Enjoy St Thomas and when you're tired of shopping it's worth checking out the view from Hotel 1829 just above the town. The owner is a rum afficianado and if the bar is open when you're there they have a good selection.

I would consider Finland to be third world, maybe just a little behind in rum selection. No doubt more rums will follow the lead and judging from the email and this discussion forum there are a number of rum drinkers in the cold north.

I'd add Ron Zacapa Centenario and El Dorado Special Reserve to the list unless you can get them at home. In regards to Cadenhead overproof aged rums, I'd buy a bottle of their 30 year old which was bottled at about 74% alcohol as I remember. It was pricey but it was the smoothest overproof rums I've had the pleasure of drinking. I found it at the Artful Dodger Bar on the near north side of Chicago. Definitely check Binneys on N Clark, but you owe it to yourself to also see Sam's and they are only about ten minutes from each other. Got to love the Windy City, wish I was going to be there to meet you but I have to stay a few more months in the islands.

I'll talk to the people that bottle Rum Jumbie and see what I can do. I'll be looking for some judges but that will come some time closer to the actual date.

Congratulations, Mount Gay Extra Old Barbados Rum is one of my favorites. No doubt you'll enjoy it as Mount Gay celebrates 300 years of rum making, since 1703.

When you find a bottle of 'special' rum, there should be a country of origin and that can give you a clue. For example, if it is United States Virgin Islands, it can from the Cruzan distillery and it is safe to drink. It may be unaged but it won't kill you.

An International Rum Taste Competition will be held April 1-4, 2004 in Sint Maarten as part of the Spirit of the Caribbean Exhibition featuring Rums, Cigars and other Fine Things from the Caribbean. In addition to Caribbean rums there will also be rums from around the world. The International Rum Taste Competition will be conducted by the Ministry of Rum and judging will be done by a panel of experts in the rum industry as well as journalists and people who appreciate rum. There will be several categories including Spiced, Flavored, White, Dark, Premium Aged. There will also be a rhum agricole category for White and Aged rum from the French Caribbean Islands. Spirit of the Caribbean . net If you plan on being in St Maarten during that time and would like to be considered as a judge send an email to rumtasting@ministryofrum.com

AH Riise bottles a 6 to 12 year old rum that their bartender at the restaurant in the alley didn't even know about. It's pricy but great rum in a beautifully etched bottle. They also bottle a 3 to 6 year old rum that is also very good. Additionally AH Riise bottles several flavored rums under other labels, Calypso is one of them. Their chocolate rum is great and you can taste all of them at their store. There are some other stores but like Jason posted check the grocery stores as well. Pueblo right up from the cruise ship dock has a selection that varies but worth checking. As for how much to bring back, bring all you can carry. Customs in Miami is pretty good if you pack a case or so in your luggage. What they don't like are the highly overproof rums from Jamaica.

You're right that the quality at distilleries changes with time, new distillation columns for example will produce a different profile spirit. And in the last ten years distillers have been working to upgrade their production. But fortunately, many of the rhum distillers have learned a thing or two from the scotch industry and are working hard to not only increase production but to also maintain or improve the quality of their products. All this brings up another important point that as distilleries maintain their distillation equipment, there are inevitably changes in the product. I know of at least one distillery that installed a new stainless steel distillation column and then a year later rebuilt it with copper plates because their rhum suffered. Distillers also change the blend of their products, sometimes because of market research from paid consultants and other times because they have to due to dwindling supplie of aged stocks. Different barrels age differently depending on where they are placed in the warehouse due to temperature, humidity and the wood itself. To make the same product year after year is next to impossible especially at the smaller distilleries.

Congratulations. No doubt you'll enjoy drinking that bottle of Matusalem from Cuba. I've found a few more bottles of it recently and look forward to sipping them at the end of another good day in the islands.