How Do You Enjoy Your Rum?

[jediNord]

I am curious, what do you enjoy your rum from? A snifter? A high-ball glass... the bottle?

[Rebecca263]

A vintage glass tumbler, 6 oz size. My collection of these are all the same upside down A-line shape, but the have various leaves and such engraved on their sides. Utilitarian and pretty, to me. I like the upside down A-line shape, it feels good in the hand to me. And, 6 oz is just enough for a couple of shots of rum and whatever I might add.

[Kristian]

A Gaissa tumbler (the smaller one of the glasses behind the link below).

http://www.iittala.fi/designor/web/iittala...gaissasarja.jpg

Got 4 of them as our wedding presents a few years ago from a friend who evidently knew what we would like to have...

[KOK]

Definitely the bottle .

I have a couple of little snifters (5-6 oz.) I got free from Knob Creek bourbon and they do nicely for a glass of Gosling's Old Rum, Havana Club Reserva and the like.

If I'm making a Ti` Punch, Dark & Stormy, etc, I use a regular Old Fashioned glass.

Thanks,

Kevin

[PR Rum Time]

I run hot water over a thick heavy old fashioned glass to warm it up before pouring the rum in. I like this method better than hand warming snifters as I used to do.

David

[Soren Nielsen]

The Ministry of Rum glasses of course

http://store.yahoo.com/rhumsite/rumglasses.html

[bboivin]

I use the official Michael Jackson nosing glass..... of course.

[Ed Hamilton]

I like the short glass mentioned above for rum neat or a short drink like a ti punch. I am in the process of working with some glass manufacturers to make a rum glass which would be slightly larger at the top lip than at the bottom so you can assess the aromas better. But there are a lot of different rums and I would like to use at least three different glasses.

I don't like brandy snifters, they concentrate the aromas too much and you don't need to do that when you are drinking rum, especially something like an aged rhum agricole which has a lot of aroma.

[Mister Hand]

A Gaissa tumbler (the smaller one of the glasses behind the link below).

http://www.iittala.fi/designor/web/iittala...gaissasarja.jpg

Got 4 of them as our wedding presents a few years ago from a friend who evidently knew what we would like to have...

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I have similar glasses that I use when I'm not drinking straight from the bottle with a straw.

[scubadoo97]

I drink rum neat most of the time and use short glasses, white wine glasses and have used snifters. I'm not sure what is the best shape for rum but would think something more on the line of a single malt glass like the one listed above would work well with the lip turned out so the aroma was not as concentrated as in a snifter.

[GordonCooks]

Riedel Wine Tumbler

[Sparky5e]

I prefer the tried and proven coffee cup, but I tend to be pretty casual

[DERF]

A 36 oz Tumbler

Fill with ice RUM and 12 oz Coke. Ahhhhhhhhhh so good.

[Chris Owens]

Large diameter on-the-rocks glass. Provides enough room for the aroma to accumulate, but doesn't concentrate it too much.

I've tried snifters -- they concentrate the aroma, and the raw alcohol fumes, way too much for my taste -- good for clearing sinuses and removing excess nose hair, I suppose, but not for enjoying the rum. Same with big balloon-shaped red wine glasses.

[Capn Jimbo]

This is a terrific question. Both the process of tasting and choice of glass can be entirely confusing with commentators recommending anything from simple, wide mouthed tumblers on one hand (pretty intense) to brandy snifters on the other (great for high notes).

So I took the time to research these questions in depth, and contact some of the leading rum tasters I know. There are complete reports on tasting and glasses linked below which cover a LOT more data than I can here.

But it is fair to state that almost no one prefers the wide mouth tumbler which releases way too much of the aromas and are really more oriented to drinking rum, rather than tasting it. This is especially true considering that many tastings use just half an ounce or less.

Now there are more proponents of what might best be called a small snifter. These hold the aromas much better and are more suitable for tasting amounts. But they don't allow deep access of your nose. Still some of the great tasters love these glasses. One of the great distillers - Richard Seale of Barbados - uses a custom made glass which is very similar to a sherry copita.

Personally, after trying them all, I found a glass from IKEA which holds about 6 oz, has a nice, small rounded bowl and long stem. A superb compromise glass that both holds the aroma and still allows nose access. Perfect.

In closing, it has been observed that wines and spirits can taste very different in different glasses. This is true! I will tell you that my rums have never tasted better since I found the IKEA glass.

Anyway, there's LOTS more about this in my reports...

Link to Rum Tasting Glasses

Link to Rum Tasting Techniques