Love Pyrat XO, looking for similar

[Scott S]

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

[Jason Perlow]

Ron Zacapa. Cruzan Estate Single Barrel. Pampero Anniversario. Barbancourt Reserve Du Domain. Montecristo 12 Year Old.

[Scott S]

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.

[Scott S]

We sampled the Pampero Anniversario and the Ron Zacapa Centenario this weekend, along with a Kaniche Guadeloupe. We also hit the Pyrat for some comparisons.

Please note that I'm still a newbie at this rum stuff - not very diverse (yet). I don't have highly-refined taste buds. I'm opinionated - I like smooth rums, multiple tastes which aren't too subtle, and I generally don't like being overpowered by the previous occupant of the barrel. That said....

The Kaniche was good, a very nice taste but a bit harsh for a sipping rum, IMHO. I thought this was a very nice, quality rum with a very nice full flavor - a rum that tasted like rum. Even though I don't like to do this, I found it excellent in Rum & Coke. But for $27 I'd get something else to mix.

The Pampero was very very nice, smooth and rich. But too dark/bourbony tasting (or something) for me. I'll enjoy this bottle over time, but it's probably not something I'd get again. This cost me $30, and it is much, much better quality than the Kaniche.

The Ron Zacapa was simply superb. Smooth, a little sweet, a few subtle flavors and a very nice, long finish. Did I mention smooth? This was certainly a winner. I'll be quite unhappy if I don't have a bottle of this on my shelf. Well worth the $40 spent.

The Pyrat XO was great as usual. I love the not-quite-subtle blend of flavors and aromas and the way it tastes in different areas of the mouth. A great sipping rum. I generally pay around $48 for this, and I'm quite happy to do so.

I have a hard time picking between the Ron Zacapa and the Pyrat. I loved the smoothness of the RZ, but I also love the stronger various tastes of the Pyrat. There may be times when the complexities of the Pyrat are too much, but times they're desired. On another night I may just want a simpler smoother rum, then it will be a night for RZ. But for the weekend, I could not choose between the two.

I have a couple more rums on order - Cruzan Single Barrel Estate and Montecristo 12-year-old - for this coming weekend. I'm certainly looking forward to them both. I'm still trying to figure out what comes after them.

[dwarnier]

Hi Scott- there are many. I would recommend you shortlist El Dorado 15yr, Santa Teresa 1796, Appleton 12yr, Mount Gay Extra Old, Havana Club 7yr, Saint James Hors D'Age. There's a variety of styles included there, but I love them all.

If you like the Zacapa but find it expensive, Botran Anejo is a good everyday cheap alternative from the same people

[Scott S]

I would recommend you shortlist...

The Appleton 12-year is an old favorite that I drank for years. I haven't had it for a while, so it's on the end of the short list, as is the 21-year.

I'm fearful that the El Dorado & Mount Gay will be too strong a taste for me. I try to stay away from the ones that carry over too much of the bourbon/whiskey/etc from the cask. (The Pampero Anniversario didn't make my "keeper" list for this reason.) They are on my short list to try, if I can find them at a bar somewhere, or at a rum tasting, but I'm afraid that a full bottle would be a waste.

I've been running into mentions of the Santa Theresa and the HC during my research - I'll have to check them in greater detail. The Saint James is new to me, so I'll have to research that in full.

As to the expense of the Zacapa, I don't mind since I drink so infrequently. I'm actually quite pleased that all these great rums are so inexpensive!

Thanks for the suggestions!

[Markus Lewalski]

Hi Scott,

Give the El Dorado 15 yo a try!!! It´s definitely worth it!!!!!

Almost everyone who tried it loved it. I´m sure that is within the Top 5 of most of the people here.

It´s smooth, sweet and has very complex aromas. Really great stuff!!!

Greetings from Luxembourg

Markus

[Ed Hamilton]

When you look at the Barbancourt rums, try the five star, it's eight years old and in my opinion a much smoother rum than the more expensive fifteen year old.

Also from Cruzan don't overlook the Estate Diamond at less than half the price of the Single Barrel it has more flavor and isn't as light bodied.

[Scott S]

When you look at the Barbancourt rums, try the five star, it's eight years old and in my opinion a much smoother rum than the more expensive fifteen year old.

Also from Cruzan don't overlook the Estate Diamond at less than half the price of the Single Barrel it has more flavor and isn't as light bodied.

I had a bad experience with a Barbancourt - I think it was the five-star but I'm not positive. It left an aftertaste akin to paint thinner, and tasting on 2 different nights didn't change this. Most of the bottle was used to start campfires.

HOWEVER, so many people are saying to try this that it is on the end of my short list. I just hope to find it in a bar so that I don't have to buy the whole bottle. In the end I hope I just got a "skunked" bottle of rum last time.

I've got a Cruzan Single Barrel Estate on order, but the Diamond Estate is on my short list as well. I'm looking forward to both.

[Dan Smith]

Greetings,

Pyratt XO is in my top 5 best and I always have a few stocked up. I had the honor of drinking a bottle of the Cask 23, (I was lucky and found a sale for $99.99 a year ago in Costa Mesa CA) wow is all that I can say.

I like the El Dorado 12 YO better than the 15. Give the 12 a try, you might like it.

If you like fruity and sweet rums minus the smoky oak here are a few that have been overlooked and should be mentioned; Doorly's (peppery and kinda sherry like), San Miguel 7 YO (From Ecuador not the one from the Philippines, it's very citrus/fruity close to the "Cuban Style" without the sometimes thick overwhelming caramel taste of too many Cubans) and Grand Blasson (close to San Miguel but much more expensive if your mixing, but better if sipping straight)...

Cheers