Rum Cocktails

[Big_Aengus]

Greetings,

I've devoted many years trying to learn about scotch... and rum. There is a wide world of rum out there other (and better) than Bacardi's. I would recommend checking out Edward Hamilton and The Ministry of Rum web site.

Cheers

[Dorek]

Dark and stormy - lime, rum and ginger beer. Delicious (often made with Gosling's dark rum).

Enjoy!

Actually, ONLY made with Gosling's Black Seal Rum. If it's made with anything else, it is not a Dark and Stormy.

[thirtyoneknots]

I also like Appleton's Estate but it tastes more like whiskey than other rums.

Your palate is good--Appleton Estate is aged largely (if not exclusively) in spent Jack Daniels barrels, if I'm remembering correctly.

No one has yet mentioned Cuba Libres - rum and coke with lime (I'm not a big Coke fan but if you add a good deal of lime it's pretty darn good).

Actually Dakki mentioned it in the OP, when he said no points for it

[thirtyoneknots]

Dark and stormy - lime, rum and ginger beer. Delicious (often made with Gosling's dark rum).

Enjoy!

Actually, ONLY made with Gosling's Black Seal Rum. If it's made with anything else, it is not a Dark and Stormy.

Actually, "Dark 'n Stormy" is the copyrighted name. And while there's nothing wrong with Goslings, I'll more often mix mine with Cruzan Blackstrap, which is quite dark and plenty stormy.

[EvergreenDan]

Dark and stormy - lime, rum and ginger beer. Delicious (often made with Gosling's dark rum).

Enjoy!

Actually, ONLY made with Gosling's Black Seal Rum. If it's made with anything else, it is not a Dark and Stormy.

I think technically the trademark is on Dark 'n' Stormy. Wikipedia on Dark 'n' Stormy Personally, I still ask for a Kleenex even if the box says Scott Tissues. ;-)

There are a zillion weather-related puns on this drink. A favorite of mine is:

Variable High Cloudiness and Gusty Winds

by Tim and Elizabeth Dahl, Nostrano, Madison, WI

1 1/2 oz Dark rum

3/4 oz Lime juice

3/4 oz Cynar

3/4 oz Ginger syrup, Homemade

1 ds Blackstrap molasses (as garnish)

Shake, strain, straight up, coupe, garnish with molasses. For ginger syrup: juice ginger and mix 1:1 with simple syrup

I subbed Canton for ginger syrup. Delicious.

And I like this too, although I'm biased:

Dark and Orangy

by Dan Chadwick

2 oz Dark rum

1 oz Triple sec, Cointreau

1/2 oz Ginger liqueur, Crème de Gingembre (or Canton)

1/2 oz Lemon juice

3 ds Angostura Orange Bitters

1 twst Lemon peel (as garnish)

Shake, strain, rocks, lowball, garnish

Edited May 25, 2011 by EvergreenDan (log)

[thirtyoneknots]

Dark and stormy - lime, rum and ginger beer. Delicious (often made with Gosling's dark rum).

Enjoy!

Actually, ONLY made with Gosling's Black Seal Rum. If it's made with anything else, it is not a Dark and Stormy.

I think technically the trademark is on Dark 'n' Stormy. Wikipedia on Dark 'n' Stormy Personally, I still ask for a Kleenex even if the box says Scott Tissues. ;-)

I would have thought so too, but I checked before posting, and the Gosling's website spells it Dark 'n Stormy. Go figure. (Reminds me of this).

ETA: Hah! The 2nd footnote spells it like the Gosling's website, whereas the inline reference in the article spells it like the article heading.

Edited May 25, 2011 by thirtyoneknots (log)

[JonD]

Well, it's been said, but I'll say it again. Mojitos and daquiris.

I've kinda developed my own version of mojito during the years, feel free to try it.

3 Lime wedges

Muddle em up

Put in some crushed ice

A bunch of mint leaves

2 Teaspoons of light brown muscavado sugar

Fill up the remaining glass with crushed ice

2 OZ of dark aged rum

Fill remaining space with ginger ale

Stir with a bar spoon

[mcdiarmid]

Personally, we like the classic Barbados Rum Punch with a twist - we carbonate it:

1 part lime juice

2 parts sugar syrup

3 parts Mount Gay Rum (any version except the white)

4 parts passionfruit/tangerine juice (store bought)

We then carbonate it with dry ice (in the punch container, not our glasses). Pour into glasses and add dashes of Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters and some ground nutmeg.

[AAQuesada]

El Dorado's 3 year old aged white rum is fantastic for long drinks. And at ~$14 a bottle is a hot deal as well.

Can't go wrong with it in a mojito:

Muddle two lime wedges (1/4 of a large lime) with about a half dozen large spearmint leaves in a collins glass.

Add 1/2 oz. 2:1 Demerara simple syrup and 1.5 oz. white rum

Add a large handful of ice and fill with soda.

Thanks for the recommendation! I'll check it out that is a new one by me.

[pastrygirl]

I also like Appleton's Estate but it tastes more like whiskey than other rums.

Your palate is good--Appleton Estate is aged largely (if not exclusively) in spent Jack Daniels barrels, if I'm remembering correctly.

That's interesting. I have an extremely low tolerance for the smell of Jack Daniels, yet do enjoy the Appleton Estate. I just smelled my bottle, and I guess it is a bit whiskey-ish, I had been thinking of it more as vanilla. I guess as long as I mix it I won't notice - I was worried you had just ruined it for me! I tasted a hard cider recently that was aged in whiskey barrels, really unpleasant to me, definite whiskey flavor. Too much cheap whiskey in college... shudder

[thirtyoneknots]

I also like Appleton's Estate but it tastes more like whiskey than other rums.

Your palate is good--Appleton Estate is aged largely (if not exclusively) in spent Jack Daniels barrels, if I'm remembering correctly.

That's interesting. I have an extremely low tolerance for the smell of Jack Daniels, yet do enjoy the Appleton Estate. I just smelled my bottle, and I guess it is a bit whiskey-ish, I had been thinking of it more as vanilla. I guess as long as I mix it I won't notice - I was worried you had just ruined it for me! I tasted a hard cider recently that was aged in whiskey barrels, really unpleasant to me, definite whiskey flavor. Too much cheap whiskey in college... shudder

I'd almost go so far as to say it's the best use Jack Daniels barrels are put to, at any given time in their lives.

Ok the charcoal is kind of cool.

[Dakki]

You guys are going to laugh, but after experimenting quite a bit I think rum and soda is my favorite rum drink.

[EvergreenDan]

You guys are going to laugh, but after experimenting quite a bit I think rum and soda is my favorite rum drink.

If you like Gin and Tonics, try a Rum and Tonic with a squeeze of lime. Very good.

[scubadoo97]

I'm not big on mixing good rum

Why mix with anything but good rum? I don't want to mix with rum I don't think is good. I realize in the world of spirits there are degrees of good but I'm not sure where I would set the bar for deciding something is too good to mix with. Nothing I've purchased up to this point has been above that bar but I don't have any $100+ bottles on the shelf. Maybe that would make me evaluate my views on this from a different angle.

I see no reason using a very good spirit that when mixed with other ingredients taste no better than had it been mixed with a lesser spirit. I drink 99% of my drinks neat so I can taste the difference. When drinking the occasional cocktail I taste the mixers more than the spirit. Well that depends. A Manhattan for example is one where the mixer % is so small that the whiskey had better be good. A mojito or a rum and coke is more about the mixer than the spirit.

[Tri2Cook]

I'm not big on mixing good rum

Why mix with anything but good rum? I don't want to mix with rum I don't think is good.

I see no reason using a very good spirit that when mixed with other ingredients taste no better than had it been mixed with a lesser spirit.

I have no problem reaching for the Appleton V/X instead of the Extra for mixing a drink but that's degrees of good, not good vs. bad... of course I don't mind using the Extra in mixed drinks either. My point is, degrees of good and good vs. bad are two different things.

Edited June 14, 2011 by Tri2Cook (log)

[wc4572]

In the spirit of this thread, I'm reaching out to the rum experts. I have a bottle of Cruzan Aged Rum and probably a bottle of Bacardi white rum (or silver - I forget how it's marked). I know very little about rum and I have a gift card to Wine and Spirits (I'm in PA). The current sale is rum heavy, so I was looking for advice.

Appleton Estate VX - $16.99

Mount Gay Eclipse Barbados Rum - $13.99

Mount Gay Extra Old Rum - $39.99

Pyrat XO Reserve - $24.99

Rhum Barbancourt Special Reserve 8 Yr Old Haiti - $19.99

Ron Zacapa Centenario 23 Year Old - $39.99

These are just the ones on sale. There is more to choose from. $40 is definitely my limit for a bottle of rum. I'd like to stay under that, so I'll take any recommendations. Thanks

[haresfur]

Depending on how much you are interested in spending and whether you are interested in mixing or sipping, it might be educational to compare the Appleton, the Barbancourt, and Ron Zacapa.

[wc4572]

Depending on how much you are interested in spending and whether you are interested in mixing or sipping, it might be educational to compare the Appleton, the Barbancourt, and Ron Zacapa.

I suppose I'm most interested in mixing at first until I gain an appreciation for rum. Although getting an education is a good idea. I need to find a decent bar to try a few different types without the cost of buying three bottles.

[Moto]

I would get the Mount Gay Eclipse and the Barbancourt. Two very different rums that would let you experience a broad spectrum of what rum has to offer. I would then use this forum and the web to find a variety of drinks that highlight the qualities of both. From daiquiris, to ti punch to mai tais. I would also try a few of the higher end rums at a local bar after you have tasted these entry level rums to try before you buy

[Sunny&Rummy]

The initial cost of multiple bottles of decent rum is understandably off-putting to people just starting out. The common recommendation to start with one or two bottles that work well in cocktails whose recipes look appealing is a very good one. In the coming weeks and months you gradually and affordably build up a home bar complete with the liqueurs and mixers you need for a growing menu of new favorite cocktails.

The OP mentioned Matusalem and the Gran Reserva 15 is a widely available, value-priced, and very good rum that does double duty as a sipper and an upscale mixer. What I like to do with friends just starting into rum is to mix them up something simple to taste side-by-side with the the featured rum served neat. The Captain's Blood cocktail from Robert Hess' Drinkboy recipe index works really well with Matusalem GR and with most dark sipping rums:

1 1/2 ounce dark rum

1/4 ounce lime juice

1/4 ounce simple syrup

2 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon peel (optional).

Try that along with a small neat pour of the featured rum and it gives a good appreciation for the versatility of the spirit.

[EvergreenDan]

I also like the Barbancourt. It has a dry, smooth rummy flavor, without heavy molasses, grassy or "industrial" flavor. It mixes well (and is reasonably priced). It is a bit hot for sipping neat, but I bet it would be nice with a cube and a small squirt of lemon, or neat with a bit of water. It's 86 proof.

Some like the Zacapa Centenario for sipping -- and I used to too -- but I now find it too sweet to enjoy on its own, so take your sweetness preferences into consideration.

I very much like Sunny & Rummy's idea of serving a simple cocktail with a tiny neat pour for educational purposes. It seems like it would work with any spirit. Gin seems particularly fun, since room temp gin would be a bit of a shock for most.

[Sparafucile]

The Barbancourt is a great rum @ $20. I also think that Doorley's XO @ $15 (here in NJ) and Pusser's @ $22 are spectacular rums. All three are always on my shelf!

[Sunny&Rummy]

Three great and entirely distinctive rums right there, and three of the best steals in terms of price.

[scubadoo97]

In the spirit of this thread, I'm reaching out to the rum experts. I have a bottle of Cruzan Aged Rum and probably a bottle of Bacardi white rum (or silver - I forget how it's marked). I know very little about rum and I have a gift card to Wine and Spirits (I'm in PA). The current sale is rum heavy, so I was looking for advice.

Appleton Estate VX - $16.99

Mount Gay Eclipse Barbados Rum - $13.99

Mount Gay Extra Old Rum - $39.99

Pyrat XO Reserve - $24.99

Rhum Barbancourt Special Reserve 8 Yr Old Haiti - $19.99

Ron Zacapa Centenario 23 Year Old - $39.99

These are just the ones on sale. There is more to choose from. $40 is definitely my limit for a bottle of rum. I'd like to stay under that, so I'll take any recommendations. Thanks

Good selection

Of your selection the ones that I drink neat are

Mount Gay Extra Old

Pyrat XO. Not a big fan due to the orange flavor that is somehow infused

Barbancourt 8 (5 star)

Ron Zacapa 23

I will advise to look for El Dorado 12 and 15. In my neck of the wood the 12 is like $20 and the 15 is $25. Excellent rums for the money. Your prices look about the same as what those go for by me.

[brinza]

Don't use Bacardi. Just don't. Instead, look for relatively inexpensive quality rums like Don Q, Matusalem, and Flor de Caña.

I keep seeing posts that imply that Don Q is somehow a good (if inexpensive) rum. I gave the silver a try and that will certainly be my last bottle. There isn't even a hint of rum in there. A lot of people complain about how Bacardi is over-filtered so as to be "mixable", and I tend to agree, but when I opened the Don Q, I sniffed the bottle and tasted it straight and was totally confused. I blind-tasted it on three people and they all thought I had given them vodka. They all were completely surprised when I told them it was rum (one of them doesn't even like rum). One person said, "That's not rum--return it." I agree. I'll stick with Cruzan or Mount Gay Eclipse for white rum. I'd buy Flor de Caña if we had it. Hell, I'd even buy Bacardi before I'd buy the Don Q again if those were my only choices.