Scott S

Try Tastings.com's Spirit Search They rate and describe various liquors/beers/wines. Here's there blurb on their highest rated gin, Bombay Sapphire:

Personally I'd go with something nutty and sweet, like Amaretto or Frangelico, mixed with a lot of water and a lot of ice (because I like the smoked cooled). I've found that it does not take much liquor to influence the tastes going through the water pipe, and I certainly wouldn't want to overpower those tastes with something like straight liquer.

Thanks, Jason. I just ordered the Cruzan and Montecristo. He may be getting me the Ron Zacapa and Pampero if he can find them, otherwise I'll have to hunt them down. I'm a little shy on the Barbancourt - the last bottle of Barbancourt I tried left an aftertaste like paint thinner. I don't think they'll be getting any of my money for a while.

I've been drinking Pyrat XO for a while and I'm looking for something "similar" and of the same quality (give or take). I like a sweet rum, fruity and/or with other complex tastes. I don't like a strong oak or smoky taste, but I do like it smooth. Of all the other rums I've had, the Pyrat and the Appleton Estates line are the ones I keep going back to. However, I do believe in broadening my tastes. It's been quite tough so far - I've been stumbling across rums I find in liquor stores, but this has been hit and miss. I find that I finish about 50% of the ones I buy - that gets quite expensive. If anyone has any suggestion under US$100 I'd certainly appreciate it. Thanks, Scott