Paul Kushner
When it comes to rum, there’s a whole world of flavors and complexities waiting to be explored. Top-shelf rum, often aged to perfection and crafted with precision, offers a level of quality and sophistication that can take your cocktail game to new heights. From the rich, caramel notes to the subtle hints of spices and fruits, these premium rums bring a depth of flavor that’s truly unmatched.
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Whether you’re sipping it neat or using it as the star ingredient in your favorite cocktail, a high-end rum adds a touch of luxury to any drinking experience. In this article, we’ll delve into the world of top-shelf rums, uncovering the nuances of different varieties and offering tips on how to best enjoy these exceptional spirits.
Appleton Estate 21-Year Rum
Master Distiller Joy Spence of Appleton Estate created the Appleton Estate 21-Year rum in 2012. It has a full, smooth, and well-rounded taste. It’s a blend of several rums that the company distills in small batches using copper pots. This rum is full of well-balanced notes of pepper, oak, and dark chocolate.
Brugal 1888
The Brugal 1888 rum comes from the Dominican Republic-based company, Brugal & Co. It’s a sipping rum with notes of toffee, vanilla, and red fruits intertwined with cocoa and natural oak spice. This smooth, perfectly balanced rum pairs well with Coke.
Santa Teresa 1796 Rum
An independent rum brand in Venezuela makes this amber-red rum. Santa Teresa 1796 has a vanilla flavor with sich notes of butterscotch, molasses, and chocolate. This delicious rum tastes great on the rocks or with a splash of sparkling water like Perrier or San Pellegrino.
Chairman's Reserve The Forgotten Casks Rum
The St. Lucia Distillery distills Chairman’s Reserve The Forgotten Casks Rum. This rum has the sweet, decadent taste of sugary molasses and thick caramel with subtle hints of dark chocolate and roasted coffee. Chairman’s Reserve is delicious on the rocks or in an Old Fashioned.
Mount Gay XO Rum
Raisins, prunes, currants, bananas, and pineapple flavor along with some aged woody notes are what you’ll get when you taste this rum. Mount Gay XO Rum is a delicious compilation of carefully selected, mature rums made by Mount Gay Distilleries. This rum’s mildly spicy and floral flavor makes it perfect for bitter cocktails.
Plantation XO 20th Anniversary Rum
The Plantation XO 20th Anniversary Rum from the West Indies distillery in Barbados has a nice fruity and velvety taste. The notes of sugar cane sap, coconut shavings, and white chocolate make you think of a liquid Ferrero Raffaello Confetteria. The best way to drink this rum is to drink it neat, but you can also use it in creamy cocktails.
Ron Zacapa 23 Rum
Industries Licoreras de Guatemala is to thank for this gorgeous, full-bodied rum. The Ron Zacapa 23 Rum is soft and sweet on the nose, tasting of dried fruit and apricot with notes of savory oak, nutmeg, leather, and tobacco. This rum is especially enjoyable in tart cocktails like sours, daiquiris, and Old Fashioneds.
Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva
Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva is from Diplomatico’s distillery in the Andes Mountains in Venezuela. This rum features distilled molasses from copper pot stills. It later ages in small oak casks. The elegant, complex body of Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva is rich with notes of sugar cane honey.
Flor de Cana 18-Year Rum
Compania Licorera de Nicaragua is to thank for this beautiful amber rum. Flor de Cana 18-Year Rum has an exquisite aroma of nuts and caramel, tasting of intense vanilla and spices with a long and smooth finish. This rum is best served neat or on the rocks with an orange peel.
Havana Club Anejo Clasico Rum
The Havana Club Anejo Clasico Rum is a Puerto Rican distilled rum from Bacardi. This rum tastes very sweet and heavy with vanilla, brown sugar, and subdued caramel. It finishes with molasses and raisins flavors combined with subtle hints of oak and char. You can drink this rum on the rocks, but it’s better mixed into tropical cocktails.
