Rum Cocktails

[Chris Amirault]

Which bottle? This may be a quality control issue; I've had precisely the same reaction -- to the Cruzan line.

Sorry -- didn't see the reference to the base silver rum. I repeat: I think that this is a QC issue, because I've had many solid bottles of Don Q rum. Not to say yours was lousy; as I said, I have the same reaction to the Cruzan base spirits.

Edited September 14, 2011 by Chris Amirault (log)

[Sunny&Rummy]

I think the Don Q Cristal and Gold are expendable. On the other hand, I think the Añejo is very good for the price and I wish I had regular access to it. I have yet to try the Gran Añejo.

As for a head-to-head comparison of Cruzan's white rum versus Don Q, I prefer Cruzan and it isn't even close.

[Chris Amirault]

Maybe it's time to try the base Cruzan line again. Around these parts it's consensus that, about two or three years ago, something went awry and it started sucking on a Bacardi-esque level.

[KatieLoeb]

Like Chris, I've never had a problem with the Don Q rums. The Cristal is the well we're currently using at the restaurant and haven't had any problems with anyone disliking it or sending drinks back because it tasted like vodka. Sounds like an isolated incident to me. The Gran Anejo is delicious and a value for the price if you're looking for a higher end aged rum and don't mind paying for it.

My very favorite aged rum of late has been the Plantation 20 Year Anniversary bottling. Delicious and around $36/bottle. Great on the rocks or neat in a snifter. I haven't tried any of the other Plantation rums but since they're made by Cognac Ferrand I have high expectations that they'll be of equal quality to the 20 yr.

Edited September 15, 2011 by KatieLoeb (log)

[vice]

All right, you made me go out to the garage where I keep the bottles I'm still too steamed about purchasing to look at everyday -- that's where I keep the bottle of Cruzan white. I tasted it again and I'm with Chris; I get a wee hint of rum beneath a wallop of nail polish remover (the neutrality of vodka would be a considerable improvement). Is this variability bottle-to-bottle or market-to-market? All in all I find it very interesting.

[Chris Amirault]

My very favorite aged rum of late has been the Plantation 20 Year Anniversary bottling. Delicious and around $36/bottle. Great on the rocks or neat in a snifter. I haven't tried any of the other Plantation rums but since they're made by Cognac Ferrand I have high expectations that they'll be of equal quality to the 20 yr.

Several of the Plantation series rums are out of this world, and they're all worth trying.

[Yajna Patni]

I have been making mai tais all summer. Yesterday i found in a thrift store a trader vic cookery book, with a section on drinks, also a section on kind of scary looking "Mexican" drinks. Rums are still too complicated for me to get my head round, but i just figured i would find ones I like and stick with it. I have appleton estate a barbancourt, and cruzan white. which blew my mind, having only tasted bacardi white before, and I have been sucking down daiquiris. Today I picked up a bottle of J wray over-proof. It is very firey, but quite tasty. Not sure what do do with it? is it just for Jamaican alcoholics? or for adding extra liquor to fruity drinks? or is there more to it.

[FrogPrincesse]

Regarding the Cruzan line, I am just finishing up a bottle of Cruzan aged rum that someone gave me. While it's not something I would normally buy, it was a decent rum that was suitable for mixed drinks.

[Sunny&Rummy]

I have been making mai tais all summer. Yesterday i found in a thrift store a trader vic cookery book, with a section on drinks, also a section on kind of scary looking "Mexican" drinks. Rums are still too complicated for me to get my head round, but i just figured i would find ones I like and stick with it. I have appleton estate a barbancourt, and cruzan white. which blew my mind, having only tasted bacardi white before, and I have been sucking down daiquiris. Today I picked up a bottle of J wray over-proof. It is very firey, but quite tasty. Not sure what do do with it? is it just for Jamaican alcoholics? or for adding extra liquor to fruity drinks? or is there more to it.

You are not going to fully embrace the J Wray until, as you say, you "get your head around" rums. But once you do it it is funky wonderful stuff that will find its way into all sorts of cocktails.

[Sunny&Rummy]

The Cruzan rum I actually dearly miss is the Estate Diamond. Other than the Blackstrap which is unique and imo indispensable, and the 151 which is loads better than Bacardi for Rumrunners and such I can live without any of the others. And despite the protestestations of well-studied people here, unless I need a drier Cuban style white rum, for tropical/tiki drinks hat need a white rum it's the Cruzan I usually reach for.

eta: Oh, the Cruzan Single Barrel is also excellent.

Edited September 15, 2011 by Sunny&Rummy (log)

[Yajna Patni]

I have been making mai tais all summer. Yesterday i found in a thrift store a trader vic cookery book, with a section on drinks, also a section on kind of scary looking "Mexican" drinks. Rums are still too complicated for me to get my head round, but i just figured i would find ones I like and stick with it. I have appleton estate a barbancourt, and cruzan white. which blew my mind, having only tasted bacardi white before, and I have been sucking down daiquiris. Today I picked up a bottle of J wray over-proof. It is very firey, but quite tasty. Not sure what do do with it? is it just for Jamaican alcoholics? or for adding extra liquor to fruity drinks? or is there more to it.

You are not going to fully embrace the J Wray until, as you say, you "get your head around" rums. But once you do it it is funky wonderful stuff that will find its way into all sorts of cocktails.

So any hint for the Jwray, or do I need to wait till the rum gods consider my erudition complete and benedict me with knowledge?

[brinza]

Don Q Cristal is what I have (I know I didn't make that too clear in my other post). I haven't tried any of the other Don Q rums--they might be fine, but I really don't want my Daiquiris to taste like Kamikazes. I just wonder why it's so hard to get a decent quality silver rum. I wouldn't mind spending a little more for a really good one. Pennsylvania has a mere 9 silver rums available in stores and two available online. Most of them aren't even $15. The only in-store items of any repute are Mount Gay Eclipse Silver and Cruzan. The two online products are El Dorado 3yr and Tommy Bahama (I've heard that Tommy Bahama is actually good despite its kitschy name, but I can't recall anyone here talking about it). I've discovered that Flor de Caña can be SLO'd with no minimum quantity, so I might go that route.

Question: The El Dorado name speaks for itself, but would their white rum be suitable in all situations that call for white rum or is it too far removed from Puerto Rican rum as to be inappropriate?

It seems my best choices come down to:

Cruzan Aged Light Rum $13

El Dorado 3yr White Rum $16

Flor de Caña Extra Dry 4yr Rum $16

Mount Gay Eclipse Silver Rum $12

Tommy Bahama Light Rum $20

Of these five, what would you buy?

[Sunny&Rummy]

I think your ED question hits the dichotomy square on the head. I can't get ED3 in Florida yet but as soon as I can that will suppland Cruzan white in the home bar. For drinks calling for a Cuban style dry white rum, I'll reach for Flor de Cana 4 year exta dry and not Cruzan. I think I would still do the same if the choice was Flor de Cana vs. ED3.

My very loosey-goosey rule of thumb is if the drink is a Donn Beach/Trader Vic/Jeff Berry tiki drink that simply specifies white rum, I will go with something other than Flor or Matusalem white, whereas those are usually first choices for daiquiris, mojitos, etc.

[sbumgarner]

It seems my best choices come down to:

Cruzan Aged Light Rum $13

El Dorado 3yr White Rum $16

Flor de Caña Extra Dry 4yr Rum $16

Mount Gay Eclipse Silver Rum $12

Tommy Bahama Light Rum $20

Of these five, what would you buy?

I didn't really care for the Cruzan Light Rum - the low price tag drew me in but it fell flat for me, not terribly different from any Bacardi-type white rum. I personally like using the El Dorado 3 in anything that calls for silver rum these days, to me the flavor is simply better than most white rums and still works well in drinks like the Daiquiri that would traditionally call for a drier Cuban-style. For my money it's far and away the best value on this list. If I was choosing a more traditional Cuban-style white the Flor de Cana would be my choice from this list.

I've also heard really good things about the Tommy Bahama, now they've lowered the price might be worth the risk.

[Tri2Cook]

I use El Dorado 6 year silver and Havana Club Anejo Blanco for most purposes. I'm not a rum expert but they're pretty tasty to me.

[KatieLoeb]

Several of the Plantation series rums are out of this world, and they're all worth trying.

Good to know. Seems only the 20 yr. and the Grande Reserve 5 yr. are available in PA, and only by special order, but I would likely have my favorite store in a neighboring state order for me, as the prices are far better and I suspect they'd have a better selection. The 5 yr. is listed at $23/bottle here in PA, so I suspect it would be under or around $20 in New Jersey.

[haresfur]

I just wonder why it's so hard to get a decent quality silver rum.

Recently I've been happy with Ron Santiago de Cuba, so I guess the answer to your question is political.

[Sunny&Rummy]

So any hint for the Jwray, or do I need to wait till the rum gods consider my erudition complete and benedict me with knowledge?

Blackbeard's Nephew, ftw.

J Wray and Ting Jamaican grapefruit soda is also excellent, as are any of the Jasper LeFranc punches that use Jasper's Mix along with J Wray. My favorite of these is an original cocktail called Podgy and Jasper that has gone over well every time I have served it for friends.

• 1 oz. light rum

• 1 oz Coruba

• 1 oz Jasper’s Mix

• 1 oz. 50:50 honey mix

• 0.25 tsp. St. Elisabeth Pimento Dram

Shake on ice, pour unstrained

[tanstaafl2]

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

Wandering through posts looking for new recipes and I must say that sounds tasty! I have all the ingredients so it looks like a winner for this evenings libation. I am curious about the choice of lemon over lime juice. As the creator perhaps you can shed some light?

Don't really have a dark rum other than Myers but sounds like a good excuse to go shopping. I was out of Aperol anyway so might as well have a look around while I am there...

Edited September 17, 2011 by tanstaafl2 (log)

[tanstaafl2]

Thinking about the El Dorado I recently aquired also got me to thinking about the Lemon Hart 151. Figured this question probably belonged in the rum thread.

Now that the newest version of it is becoming more widely available and the previous bottling is essentially unavailable has anyone had a chance to compare the two side by side to see if they are still about the same? Lots of articles about what happened to result in the temporary absence of it but haven't found any one who has done a comparison yet. Didn't see anything over at the Ministry of Rum website yet.

Was thinking of ordering a bottle for myself so if there is a comparison that has already been done that seems objective and unbiased would be delighted to have the link! Given that the price seems to have increased substantially it was be nice to know if what you are getting is at least as good if not better than what it replaced.

Although I suppose in the end it doesn't matter. The former supply is essentially gone and the new one is what is!

[tanstaafl2]

For those in the Atlanta area interested in learning a little more about rum I posted about an upcoming rum tasting with Ed Hamilton here.

[tanstaafl2]

Barbancourt 8 is a wonderful sipper, but even though it is a cane juice rum it is not particularly vegetal like most of the agricoles. A fine starting point for the agricoles but not very representative of the typical flavor profile.

Willing to try out a true Rhum Agricole to add to my rum experiece. Locally so far I have only found Niesson blanc and St. James Ambre Rhum Agricole. Loooking for something to drink primarily as a sipper neat or with a bit of water or ice.

So if I end up ordering one online I have a few more options. I know that each one likely has its own character and merits but if you were to suggest one which would it be?

Several different blancs in addition to the Neisson (La Favorite, Duquesne) are available on line but if I am going to get a blanc I would probably try the Neisson that is readily available locally.

Depaz Amber Blue Cane Rhum Agricole (750 ml) ~$32

Neisson Blanc Rhum Agricole (1L) ~$36

Neisson "Eleve Sous Bois" Rhum Agricole (1L) ~$43

Neisson "Reserve Speciale" Rhum Agricole (1L) ~$68 - Starting to get a little spendy!

Rhum Clement Cuvee Homere Rum (750mL) ~$90 - Definitely a little spendy!

Saint James Extra Old Rhum Agricole 750mL ~$45

Saint James Hors D'Age Rhum Agricole 750mL ~$56

Saint James Royal Ambre Rhum Agricole 750mL ~26 - Bargain basement!

Might be a few other options but that seems like what is readily available from my usual sources

`

[bostonapothecary]

Saint James Royal Ambre Rhum Agricole 750mL ~26 - Bargain basement!

one of my favorites. i'd say one of the greatest rums relative to price.

for unaged fresh sugar cane rums, i think the most interesting are the rums of cape verde and the cachacas from salinas in minas gerais, brazil.

the technique i endorse for learning about rum is just to buy one of each and clear out a book case.

[Sunny&Rummy]

Agree with Boston on the great value for the price with St. James Royal Ambre. Recently I have been able to get it for around $23. For 'Ti Punch it's hard to beat, but for straight sipping the Extra Old and the Hors D'Age (which I only recently finally tracked down) are less rough-edged as you would expect.

I wish Depaz was not as pricey as it is here, because I think it is fantastic.

I had the Rhum Clement Cuvee Homere last week for the first time and it's one of the best rums I have ever tasted. And while $90 for the bottle is pricey, it would have been a bargain next to the $30 I spent on a couple measures out at the bar. Delicious.

[Kevin Liu]

Try a Santo Libre - a spin on the Cuba Libre that substitutes Sprite for Coke

2 oz Dominican Rum (Brugal Anejo/Extra Viejo or Ron Barcelo Imperial)

2 lime quarters, muddled

add rocks, top with Sprite

I prefer a rum with good age for this drink. Personally, I prefer Ron Barcelo for its sweet, caramel character, but Ron Brugal Extra Viejo makes the drink complex and special.