Understanding Rum

[Capn Jimbo]

I take great pride in being a truly accomplished master debator, but this incredible accomplishment simply pales in comparison to the master parsers.    While masturdebation can and should be a source of pleasure, the same cannot be said of the master parser, who manages to find nuance by calling out even a misplaced punctuation mark.   Yet this can be of great value as it improves one writing - or masturdebation - to new levels of competence.

 

So it is with my good friend Hassouni and his excellent question, which is really a parse of the word funk leading to his presentation and questioning of "hogo".    This is actually a much better question  than it seems, or possibly much worse.   It depends.   Like many of us, the word "hogo" has become a mildly fashionable term to drop into an otherwise dull statement.   It's the new "in" word for those who want to appear knowledgable in a - forgive me - funky kind of way.     You see, the "funk" of yesterday is the "hogo" of today.     And why is that?   Like all intentionally clever slang, it's important that the descriptor be a bit shocking, a bit mystifying and not completely understood.   And most important new and relatively unused.    By using this new and not clearly understood word, the user appears knowing and "in".    Like all new words though , enough use by enough people over sufficient time and the once cool word enters the general lexicon and appears in Websters.    However, by that time, the word is no longer mysterious and "cool", so users like Hass and others are forced to rush on to the next made up term.

 

Ergo "funk" - which essentially means "unpleasant" - has now become somewhat overused by the hoi polloi, and therefore has to be avoided at all costs.   To be replaced by next term, namely Hass' "hogo".     The real truth?   "Funk" and "hogo" both mean unpleasant and the only real difference is that funk is now old school, while hogo is the new drop in.    To me, both are inaccurate and were never properly used in the first place, particularly in regards to fine rum of the Jamaican style.

 

Dunder is, was and remains dunder.   The vastly higher complexity you note is the result of dunder fermentation and while distinctive, is anything but unpleasant - with the possible exception of inexperienced or misled rum drinkers who believe that overpowering sweet vanilla is the norm and anything else must surely be unpleasant uh, funk or hogo.   Or monkeyshyte.   

 

So yes dear Hass, hogo may considered funk and neither is correct insofar as the wonderful complexity of dunder is concerned.  It may however apply to Lost Spirits whiskies and rum.

Edited May 10, 2014 by Capn Jimbo (log)

[Kerry Beal]

So Cap'n - have you tried the Lost Spirits Rum?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I'm looking for new white/silver rums for daiquiris and such. Any thoughts about Diplomatico Blanco? Or Plantation 3 Stars? El Dorado white? Neisson Blanc? Any others? No HC here.

[Adam George]

Plantation 3 is fantastic. I really liked Diplomatico too, but not for the cash.

El Dorado is very full bodied and buttery daiquiri. Unique.

Plantation is closest to HC.

[Hassouni]

Palo Viejo

Palo Viejo

Palo Viejo

 

But besides that, Flor de Caña, or the as yet untried by me Caña Brava is supposed to be a near ringer for HC

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Palo Viejo

Palo Viejo

Palo Viejo

 

But besides that, Flor de Caña, or the as yet untried by me Caña Brava is supposed to be a near ringer for HC

 

So far, none of these are options.

[ChrisTaylor]

I'm looking for new white/silver rums for daiquiris and such. Any thoughts about Diplomatico Blanco? Or Plantation 3 Stars? El Dorado white? Neisson Blanc? Any others? No HC here.

 

I thought JM 50 pushed my Daiqs up a level. I also thought Banks 5 was pretty good.

[Hassouni]

Flor de Caña is not an option? It's pretty much ubiquitous...

[Rafa]

My enjoyment of the Lost Spirits rum has only increased. The combination of brown sugar, light molasses, rancio, and dunderesque estery funk just works for me. Hassouni, on the other hand, found it to taste like a weirder Myers'.

[Hassouni]

Yes, I think the rancio was in fact rancid. There was just something off about it that I wasn't fond of. Almost a burnt, stale molasses note.

[Rafa]

But see, that rancid meat taste (haut goût if you will, or "hogo" as Jimbo likes to say) is one of my favorites in brandies, and a surprisingly good complement to the funk, or so I thought. Again, not for everyone. Definitely a try before you buy, if possible. 

[Kerry Beal]

Damn - the Lost Spirits was the bottle I should have picked up in Las Vegas.  By the time I hit a liquor store I was exhausted and overwhelmed and my brain did not remind me.

[KD1191]

So far, none of these are options.

 

I'm relatively certain I've seen Caña Brava in New Jersey, but if not...

[brinza]

I'm looking for new white/silver rums for daiquiris and such. Any thoughts about Diplomatico Blanco? Or Plantation 3 Stars? El Dorado white? Neisson Blanc? Any others? No HC here.

If I could get El Dorado 3 white on a regular basis, I don't think I'd buy anything else.

[tanstaafl2]

Yes, I think the rancio was in fact rancid. There was just something off about it that I wasn't fond of. Almost a burnt, stale molasses note.

 

Hmm, burnt, stale molasses. I must say that sounds rather tasty!

[FrogPrincesse]

I'm looking for new white/silver rums for daiquiris and such. Any thoughts about Diplomatico Blanco? Or Plantation 3 Stars? El Dorado white? Neisson Blanc? Any others? No HC here.

In your list I would go for the Neisson. It makes a memorable daiquiri.

I don't think I had a chance to try the Diplomatico or the Plantation 3 stars.

 

El Dorado is very full bodied and buttery daiquiri. Unique.

Nailed it. I just got a bottle and this buttery flavor took me by surprise the first time I tried it. It's good but I prefer the grassy flavor of a white rhum agricole.

 

I also recommend Flor de Cana if you find it eventually. Really nice and cheap too.

Edited May 20, 2014 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Thanks for the suggestions!  I was able to acquire Neisson, Plantation 3, and Cana Brava...as well as a couple darker rums plus some other stuff.  Note, of the three, only Neisson is really white.  Cana Brava has some color, while Plantation 3 is on its way to fulvous.

 

Sadly it's still a bit early in the evening for me to be experimenting, but perhaps a bit more later.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Sorry, was longer than I'd thought.  Plantation 3 8:2:1...best daiquiri that I've had.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Resuming where I left off...Cana Brava 8:2:1.  Pretty nice if you ask me.  Though I prefer a daiquiri that tastes a tad more like rum.  A Cana Brava daiquiri you don't sip and savor, you drink it down.  There is no resistance.

 

And that is that, a six sentence daiquiri.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Now for Neisson!  Again 8:2:1.  Choked a bit.  This is not something one would casually toss down.  If your name were less than Hemingway.  "Memorable daiquiri" indeed.  Needs a warning label.  Not W&N but no lack of proof.  I can't believe the difference between this and Cana Brava.  Hardly the same drink.

 

It's going to be a while before I finish this.  Rum is such an amazing beverage.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Next Barbancourt.  I know Barbancourt 15 in a daiquiri will offend some.  Tough.  This is nice but a brown daiquiri is not the right thing.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Cycling around again to Plantation 3...while I can still sort of stand...based on these experiments I affirm Plantation 3 makes the best daiquiri.  Though something must be said for Cana Brava and for Neisson, as different as they may be.  (And, you know, Busted Barrel is not bad!)  I suspect Cana Brava is closest to the daquiri standard, while Neisson sure is "interesting".  I have about a dozen more rums I could gladly throw into the mix.

 

In post #43 the OP states Plantation is adulterated:  "On the heavily altered rums do note Plantation and El Dorado, which I will never buy again (based on the ALKO government test results)."  Everyone's taste is a little different but if Plantation is adulterated, I am for adultery.

[lesliec]

... I am for adultery.

It certainly beats infancy.

That's a fascinating series of experiments, Jo. May I suggest a breather?

[Slimchandi]

In a country lucky enough to receive HC, is the 3y.o. the best option for a daiquiri, or should I be hunting out the anejo blanco?

[Tri2Cook]

In a country lucky enough to receive HC, is the 3y.o. the best option for a daiquiri, or should I be hunting out the anejo blanco?

I like the 3 yr. better but the anejo blanco is much easier for me to get so that's what I use. Both are much better than any other white available where I live. If the 3 yr. was easily available at my local store, that's the one I'd go with.