Paul Kushner
Gold rum is a category of rum that has a distinctive golden color. This color comes from the aging process, as gold rums are aged longer than typical light rums. The extended aging in barrels like bourbon or sherry casks results in rum with a mellow, smooth flavor profile. Drinkers will find gold rum has richer aromas and tastes of caramel, vanilla, and oak compared to lighter rums.
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A gold rum’s aging lends it a higher price tag than lighter rums, but aficionados say it’s worth it for rum’s next level of flavor. On rocks or in a cocktail, gold rum allows rum lovers to truly taste the nuances aging adds to the spirit.
Don Q Gold Rum
A favorite for use in cocktails due to its rich, velvety texture, this gold rum is a blended variety. The award-winning spirit uses a mix of rums aged between one and five years. The resulting rum is a smooth product with no bite and pleasant vanilla notes.Â
Bacardi Gold
Bacardi, an iconic name in rum, filters its spirit with a special blend of charcoal to create a mellow rum like no other. On the nose, this gold rum smells buttery with nutty undertones. Richness carries through to the palate with hints of toasted oak. Finally, the spirit ends with a dry and sweet finish.Â
Gosling’s Gold
A gold rum from a brand specializing in dark rums, Gosling’s Gold is exceptionally flavorful. Expect an expressive nose with butterscotch and floral notes. On the palate, this rum starts sweet but builds into more complex spicy flavors. This tasty rum goes well in a mixed drink but has enough character to be sipped.Â
J. Wray Gold Rum
A bright rum with a medium body, this spirit is another blended rum. By mixing darker rum with lighter varieties, J. Wray creates a smooth liquor with lots of rich notes. The prolonged finish with multiple spicy hints makes this spirit an excellent option for making cocktails.Â
Atlantico Reserva
Atlantico Reserva is another blended variety, using rums made from cane juice and molasses to develop intense flavor. The spirit is dry with a medium body. Expect notes of spice and wood upfront, with building tropical flavors towards the end of each sip. The rum ends with a smooth, warming finish.Â
Tortuga Gold Rum
A gold rum from the Cayman Islands, this brand produces a rum with a flavor nose. Sweet notes of caramel build into smokier ones, like burnt marshmallow. This spirit tastes very sweet, with hints of dark fruit and brown sugar. Expect a smooth finish with even more sweet elements. Most folks use this rum in cocktails, but a few enjoy it straight.Â
JM Rhum Gold Rum
This gold rum has a higher proof than other examples of the best gold rum. Fresh flavors are still present in the spirit even after a year of aging in toasted oak barrels. The nose has a predominant scent of fresh honey, while the flavor is spicier. Both have pleasant vanilla undertones.Â
