elixirofthetropics

I had the same opinion until I mixed natural vanilla rum and coke together. It tasted like Vanilla Coke. I'll try it with natural vanilla extract sometime soon to see if there is any difference. I always felt that Vanilla Coke had an insipid, artificial flavor. Here's hoping the black cherry version is better. ←

Hay tiendas en Madrid, Toledo, or el Norte (Galicia, Asturias, Pais Vasco) que tiene el ron de Montero? (Are there shops/stores in Madrid, Toledo, or the North that carry the rum from Montero) Any stores in the US especially DC, MD, or VA?

MY FAVORITES OF THE SPIRITS THAT I'VE TRIED (My favorite spirits are rum, whisk(e)y, and poteen.) Bourbon Whiskey: 1. Makers Mark 2. Woodford Reserve 3. Bakers 4. Booker Noe 5. Ancient Age (only in Egg Nog, my grandfather's recipe) Tennessee Whiskey: 1. Gentleman Jack 2. Dickel Beige Label Irish Whiskey: 1. Knappogue Cask 1994 Irish Single Malt 2. Jameson 1780 3. Jameson 18yo 4. Bushmills Black Bush 5. Tullamore Dew 6. Middleton Rare Scotch Whisky: 1. Macallan 12yo Single Malt 2. Macallan 18yo Single Malt 3. Johnnie Walker Black 4. Dimple Pinch 15yo Canadian Whiskey: 1. Crown Royal 2. Crown Royal Special Reserve Poteen: 1. Bunratty Irish Potcheen Flavored Rum: 1. Cruzan Coconut 2. Malibu Pineapple 3. Cruzan Orange 4. My cherry-infused rum (cherries in Cruzan Dark) 5. My lime-infused rum (lime circles in Cruzan Light) 6. Kuya Fusion 7. Mount Gay Mango 8. Mount Gay Vanilla General Rum: 1. Cruzan Light 2yo 2. Cruzan Dark 2yo 3. Appleton Special Gold 4. Mount Gay Eclipse 5. Pusser's Blue Label 6. Brugal Añejo 7. Appleton VX 8. Bacardi Black Mid-tier/Premium Rum: 1. Cruzan Single Barrel 2. Mount Gay Extra Old 3. Gosling Black Seal 80 4. Havana Club 7yo Vodka: 1. Absolut 2. Absolut Citron 3. Stolichnaya 4. Smirnoff Red Label 5. Smirnoff Citrus Twist 6. Original Cristall 7. Jewel Ultra Liqueurs: 1. Bailey's Irish Cream 2. Cruzan Rum Cream 3. DeKuyper's Peach Schnapps 4. Heering Original Cherry 5. Irish Mist Gin: (none as I've yet to acquire a taste for it) Tequila: (none as I've yet to acquire a taste for it) Brandy: (none as I've yet to acquire a taste for it) My next exploration will be in brandy while I am still exploring whisk(e)y and rum.

My usual hot drinks are Irish Coffee, Jamaican Coffee, Hot Tea Toddy, and Cider & Rum.

Cruzan Single Barrel Estate Rum neat Knappogue Cask 1994 Irish Single Malt neat Bunratty Poteen iced (in freezer, NOT with ice) Pineapple Juice with Cruzan Coconut Rum Limeade with George Dickel Beige Label Whiskey Dark-n-Stormy (Rum and Ginger Ale.....ideally, Gosling's Black Seal 80 Rum and Barritt's Bermuda Ginger Ale) Mango-Orange Juice with Appleton Special Gold Rum or Mount Gay Eclipse Appleton Special Gold on the rock with lime quarter-wedge Coca-Cola with Bourbon or Tennesse Whiskey Bajan/Barbadian Rum Punch: "1 of sour, 2 of sweet, 3 of strong, 4 of weak", sour = lime, sweet = sugar or alternative sweetner, strong = Barbados rum, weak = water. I use 8 of water/weak since I find 4 of weak to be too strong for my taste. I sometimes subsitute 1.5 of Cruzan Coconut and 1.5 Mount Gay Eclipse for "3 of strong". (I didn't try this all to-day. Some of the more recent drinks/spirits I tried recently.)

In addition to the above, I would recommend the following 2: 1. Whisker Blake Tawny Port (good value about $14) 2. Taylor Fladgate 20yo Tawny Port (if you can and want to spend some money)

For a start, My worst beers: 1. Budweiser 2. Milwaulkee's Best (the cheap beer of choice at my alma mater....vowed never to drink it again after my freshman year) 3. Labatt's Blue 4. Ice House 5. Rolling Rock (ironically, used to be my favorite) 6. Banks Lager 7. Heineken 8. St. Pauli's Girl 9. Moretti 10. Peroni 11. Tsing Tao

As LunaSea suggested, I would throw out Captain Morgan (my worst tasting experiences) and Bacardi (too unbalanced). Mount Gay Extra Old is good, but I find that Cruzan Single Barrel is better as it is more balanced and has softer oak and a sweeter taste. (I only use Captian Morgan and Bacardi for cooking if anything.) Whit

I like Mount Gay as well. It is one of my 3 standbys, the other 2 being Appleton Gold and Gosling's Dark Seal. As I'm writing this, I'm trying/sipping Cruzan Single Barrel. Whit Well I'm no expert, but I know what I like, and I like Mount Gay Rums. I keep a bottle of Eclipse for mixing, but I also like sipping the Mount Gay Extra Old. I have a lot of rums on my "to try list," but Mount Gay has earned a slot in my rum locker. ←

Indeed, I have noticed. That is excellent advice regarding publishers. I try what I can and stick with what I like.

I was skimming through the Carribean Travel and Life magazine that I bought today and had a note on the cover about the 20 best rums. Well, I turned to the rum article, and to my pleasant surprise, our great Mr. Hamilton wrote the article. A VERY helpful article in my exploration of rum as he not only recommend rums but rums for apertifs, cocktails, and after-dinner. Excellent article!

My worst rum experience happened this week. Capt Morgan's Private Stock. My curiosity got the best of me; so, I tried it. It tastes like I'm drinking straight Vanilla Extract with a hint of oak. Coke makes it a lot better, but Ginger Ale makes it taste like Green Bean pot-liquor. Maybe I won't follow my curiosity next time.

Right. As I've heard from a chemical engineer, that a double in temperature quadruples the reaction rate. Whit

I recently saw Lamb's Special Reserve Rum from 1939. Has anyone tried it or is knowledgable about Lamb? Whit Roberts

I am on my bottle of Gosling's Gold. I would tend to agree with Mr. Hamilton's opinion. It is very different from Gosling's Dark. When I taste rum, I usually taste in one or more of the following ways: straight up, chilled (not with ice but with refrigerator), diluted 1-to-1 with water, a little water added, a splash of lime, and in several mixed drinks. I found in the 1st three ways that the nose has a slight maple note, and the taste is lighter and slightly caramel and less smooth than Gosling's Dark. I did not find it to be dry. I believe it to be great in mixed drinks such as Rum Punch and fruit juices (specifically of a lime-pineapple combination). I still like Gosling's Dark better. Anyone else tasted it? I am curious to hear of their tasting impression. Whit Roberts Washington Metro., DC

I was recently on a website about serving rum and island drinks, and the website says, "Rum punch pitcher and 4 grog / punch cups mugs In traditional island homes, mugs are often used. Frou Frou glasses were an invention of fancy schmancy hotel chains." Are the latter 2 sentences true? When I was in Carribbean (Barbados to be specific), they served me rum in snifters and rum punch in regular collins glasses. What, in island tradition, is true regarding serving rum and rum drinks? Sláinte, Whit Roberts (Yes, I'm part Irish, and I also like Whiskey.)

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I'm in Montgomery Co., MD, and the State DLC (called ABC in VA and other states) seems have a tight control over the distribution. The local stores do have some of the nicer rums (El Dorado, Coyopa, Appleton, Mount Gay Extra Old, Cruzan Single). Most of what they have are Bacardi, Capt. Morgan, Castillo, etc. I did try Bacardi Black, but I liked it less than Gosling Black Seal. Whit Roberts Germantown, MD

I'm relative new to the world of rum, but I have tried most of the easy-to-find rums from the local store. However, I am wondering if there is place in DC, Northern VA, or MD that would carry the more aged, vintage, or harder-to-find rums. My personal taste tends away from the light rums and more towards the fuller bodied, very dark rums. Of the ones I've tried, my favorite rums are the Gosling Black Seal 80 and Cruzan Black Strap, and Mount Gay Eclipse (and Appleton White or Cruzan 2-Year Light for my guests that liker light rums). I've a a bottle of Gosling Gold and Appleton Extra to try next. I just finished Lemon Hart & Son "Rhum Demarara Rum". (I still have a little left of the Mount Gay Extra Old.) Whit Roberts