'Newbie' to Rum

[sadistick]

I have always enjoyed Rum, but was wondering if people actually drink it straight.

I wouldnt doubt that many do this, however I am curious as to what would be a good quality rum (available in Ontario, Canada) that you folks would suggest as a nice drink on its own.

Cheers

[scubadoo97]

I drink my rum neat.

Some I like

Zacapa Centenario 23yr old

Appleton Extra

Barbancourt 8 yr old 5 star

Pyrat XO

El Dorato 12 yr old

Matusalem Gran Reserva

Pampero Anniversario

Bacardi 8

Bacardi Anejo

Mount Gay Extra Old

[ronzacapa77]

I wopuld add:

Brugal extra vijeo

Bermudez Anniversario

Havana Club 7 anos

Varadero 7 anos...

though the zacapa 23 ans some other stuff on the list is a different level of ums!

[LunaSea]

For the price, I don't think you'll find too many rums better than 23 year old Ron Zacapa Centenario from Guatemala, although I'm very partial to Diplomatico from Venezuela too. But, give me that expensive and superb Pyrat Cask 23 from Anguilla any day!!! By the way, I found a distributor in Miami that can get Pyrat Cask 23 for $239 a bottle (it's $180 at the factory in Anguilla).

[Kristian]

And I would add:

Cockspur VSOR (if you can find it)

Barbancourt 15 year old

Mount Gay Extra Old

Cruzan Single Barrel

Angostura 1919

So, to answer the question: yes, I guess most of us on this forum drink our rum straight... Which does not mean that we did not enjoy mixed drinks now and then as well, but, in my case, that's for cheaper rums.

[sadistick]

Sad to say, I dont think most (if any) other than the Havana Club are available in Ontario...

[Kristian]

Sad to say, I dont think most (if any) other than the Havana Club are available in Ontario...

←

Heh, in Finland, at the moment, I can only get my hands on Ron Matusalem Gran Reserva, Havana Club 7yo and Cruzan 5yo... I'm entirely dependent on my international trips to get some more decent rums.

German Internet stores would help as well, but I'd have to pay about 22 dollars in taxes for every single bottle that I purchased...

Edited January 16, 2006 by Kristian (log)

[sadistick]

Yah, really sucks that the selection in Ontario for Rum is so limited...

Still waiting to hear from any Canadians on their suggestions for high end rums which can be acquired in Ontario.

Cheers

[Bill Poster]

Good luck.. Best save up for a holiday in the caribbean!

[Kristian]

I can never remember the order of the Canadian provinces (from left to right), but if you pop into British Columbia, you should be able to find a decent selection there. Having lived there for a year, I enjoyed Mount Gay Extra Old the most, but they also had the Barbancourt and Appleton rums mentioned in this thread always on the shelves, as well as a few other good products.

[kbuzbee]

I have always enjoyed Rum, but was wondering if people actually drink it straight.

I wouldnt doubt that many do this, however I am curious as to what would be a good quality rum (available in Ontario, Canada) that you folks would suggest as a nice drink on its own.

Cheers

←

A friend of mine lives in Ontario. He recently mentioned Cabot Tower Demerara Rum was available there and quite tastey.

Ken

[Jason Perlow]

In Ontario, you should have access to the full range of Havana Club rums, which are embargoed for US consumption as they are Cuban. Both Anejo Reserva and Anejo 7 Anos are excellent drinking rums, although I prefer the reserva. There are also special bottlings of Havana Club you might also have access to.

[KOK]

Jason is quite right. The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) has a good selection of rum and often has three or four of the Havana Club rums available.

My cousin went to Toronto last year and I called LCBO toll free from the U.S. and they brought in several bottles of H.C. 7 year old from various stores to the store closest to my cousin's hotel.

Thanks,

Kevin

[Kristian]

Whoa! Looking at that site, the selection available in Ontario is enviable!

I guess it is the question of going to the main distribution center for shopping, rather than try to find good rums in local liquor stores.

[Jason Perlow]

I see that LCBO has Flor de Cana, Cruzan Estate and some limited Jamaican bottlings, in addition to El Dorado. All very good rums.

[sadistick]

So now that you guys have seen what the LCBO has, which would you best recommend?

From the reviews here, I would prefer a 'sweeter' rum if possible...

Thanks

[Ed Hamilton]

If can get to the larger LCBO store in Toronto you'll find a pretty good selection, they also have a special order section.

Among the rums I'd suggest are the Matusalem aged rums and the El Dorado Reserve rums. Cruzan rums are now available in Toronto, I'd recommend the Estate Diamond.

The best news is that the LCBO does take their rum selection seriously.

[sadistick]

Ed,

Thanks for that...which of the ones you mentioned would you say is the 'sweetest' as that is what I tend to like in Rum's...I think.

[Ed Hamilton]

I wouldn't consider these rums 'sweet' like Ron Zacapa or Diplomatico, but I will say that the Jamaican rums are some of the heaviest, with the exception of El Dorado Special Reserve.

[elixirofthetropics]

The nicers rums I would recommend have been nicely recommended by others. I would also recommend Gosling Black Seal. I'm trying Cruzan Estate Diamond currently, and it is indeed a good one as Mr. Hamilton recommended. For the General Market rums, I would recommend Cruzan Estate Light and Dark, Appleton Special Gold, and Mount Gay. Bacardi is a drier rum, but I personally don't like drier rums.

I drink nicer rums neat (most of the time) or chilled. If I chill them, I never let the rum liquid to be in direct contact with the ice or the cold water. Sometimes I may add a splash of fresh lime juice. I take General Market rums neat (my first tasting of particular rum), chilled, a little cut with water, on the rocks, with a splash of lime, or mixed with juice or in a cocktail. I use Cruzan Rum Cream (and Bailey's Irish Cream) in my coffee and hot tea. For rum cocktails, I would recommend Planter's Punch, Bajan Punch, Rum Punch, Hurricane, Rum Runner, Pina Colada, my own experimentally developed cocktails (I'm an engineer and like to tinker), Dark & Stormy, or the well-known Rum & Coke. (The best Pina Colada/PC and Rum Punch/RP I've ever had were in Barbados. I've never found as good of a PC or RP in the states.) I generally don't recommend daquiris has they seem too common.

[jediNord]

Dark & Stormy?

sounds like one I would like to try... what's in it?

[elixirofthetropics]

Dark & Stormy?

sounds like one I would like to try... what's in it?

←

The genuine Dark and Stormy is Goslings Black Seal and Barrit's Bermudan Ginger Ale. However, any good kind of Ginger Ale/Beer would do.

[sadistick]

Just thought I would let you folks know...

Went to the big LCBO near me today, and chatted with my Vintages buddy, he suggested the El Dorado as well, they had both the 12 and 15 y/o bottles...seeing as how I am new to Rum, and there was a $20 difference, I picked up the 12 y/o for $32...

Just wondering if I should use this for Pina Coladas tonight, or some regular old Bacardi...

[Bill Poster]

Anyone tried the Flor de Cana 12 yr? Am I right in thinking it is similar in character to some of the Guatemalan rums?

[Kristian]

Just wondering if I should use this for Pina Coladas tonight, or some regular old Bacardi...

←

Um... Don't waste good rum on drinks! Good rums are meant to be drunk neat.