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Reviews for 2024

May 2024 - Rum

May 2024 - Rum
This month's Spirits feature is Rum

Rum Reviews

Clairin Le Rocher Pignon Sugar Cane Syrup Ancestral Sirop Batterie Rum
98 points
$50
A raw and clean expression of terroir with the sweet taste of earth, umami, and grass in the most delicious and interesting way.
Hampden Estate HLCF Classic Single Jamaican Rum
97 points
$70
The proof and the dundery high ester funk assure that this is not for the faint of heart or amateur imbiber, but hot damn is this delicious and complex; would happily sit with a bottle all day and reflect on what cigar pairings or cocktails would be best and then discover that the whole bottle accidentally disappeared.
River Antoine Sugar Cane Syrup Ancestral Sirop Batterie Rum
97 points
$70
So complex, so tasty, and there is no way this doesn't make a spectacular Daiquiri that knocks you off your feet.
Copalli Unaged Fresh Cane Juice Organic White Rum
96 points
$34
Just love the delicate and sweet cane juice flavors with vibrant fruit and interwoven earthy and grassy funk.
Kuleana Rum Works Hokulei Aged Rum Batch No. 12
96 points
$80
Barrel character but the cane flavors still shine and are all around delicious; rich, nuanced, and a real treat.
Pitú Vitoriosa Cachaca
96 points
$120
Balanced and complex with loads of barrel spice counterbalanced with a fresh crispness that is almost like drinking a perfect autumn evening.
El Dorado High Ester Blend LBI/DHE Demerara Rum
96 points
$132
First and foremost, delicious; also estery funk with tons of complexity, and then navy strength on top of that making this Rum an absolute winner.
El Dorado 12 Year Old Demerara Rum
95 points
$34
A delicious marshmallowy, cherry, cinnamon, and caramel chocolate dessert.
APPLETON ESTATE Nassau Valley Casks 21 Year Old Rum
95 points
$200
Delicious with an excellent depth of flavor, sit down and enjoy this with a cigar and a great book; a classic for the classics.
El Dorado 8 Year Old Cask-Aged Demerara Rum
94 points
$27
Whelp, that is delicious and well balanced between fruit, barrel, and a touch of funk.
El Dorado 15 Year Old Special Reserve Demerara Rum
94 points
$49
A fine aged Rum that deserves contemplation and slow sipping as the flavors unfurl.
APPLETON ESTATE Rare Casks 12 Year Old Rum
94 points
$50
With a funky, fruity, and rich mouth feel, this is just yummy and a classic benchmark Jamaican Rum.
Ron Centenario 20 Aniversario Aged Rum
94 points
$52
So many layers of flavor with vibrant pops of fruit flavor; almost like a digestif with the candied orange sweetness lingering.
Shakara 12 Year Old Rum
94 points
$54
For the aristocrat or regular Jill that loves the flavors of rich leather, and dark wood furniture; stays in balance while being loaded with oak, tannins, and rancio.
Renegade Rum Cuvée Dunfermline Aged Fresh Cane Juice Rum
94 points
$69
The funky and fruity fresh cane is bright and flavorful with some dusty but tasty oak influence; a contemplative sipper to pair with a medium bodied spicy cigar.
Barcelo Gran Añejo Aged Rum
93 points
$19.99
Best Buy
A bit restrained on the nose but lovely layers of caramel sweetness play on the palate and linger on the finish.
93 points $19.99 Best Buy
Club Kokomo Spirits Artisanal White Rum
93 points
$29
A Jamaican style white Rum that will be as delicious in a Daiquiri as it would be in a Rum and coke.
Transcontinental Rum Line High Seas Caribbean Blend Rum
93 points
$30
A super clean and lightly aged Rum with ample natural sweetness and just enough barrel character to make it a sipper and cigar pairing option,
Dos Maderas 5+3 Double Aged Rum
93 points
$31
A rich, dry Rum with very pleasant notes of sweet, nutty flavors and red fruits.
Kachaca! Unaged Cachaca
93 points
$35
Very complex with bright green notes that will be a hit in appropriate cocktail applications.
Copalli Barrel-Rested Aged Fresh Cane Juice Rum
93 points
$39
Wow, this is positively delightful; full of gorgeous cane flavors and the right balance of barrel essence and light natural yeast funk.
Santa Teresa 1796 Solera Rum
93 points
$40
A lighter bodied style of Rum with all of the barrel aged complexity and nuance.
Rhum Barbancourt 15 Year Old Estate Reserve Aged Rum
93 points
$54
Barrel forward with a touch of tannins but just a very nicely aged Rum with layer upon layer of flavor.
Renegade Rum Cuvée Nova Aged Fresh Cane Juice Rum
93 points
$59
Maintains the fresh cane and grassy notes balanced with baking spice and barrel char for a very layered and complex spirit for sipping or mixing.
Ron Abuelo Three Angels XII Años Aged Rum
93 points
$60
Rich and aged with good fruit, barrel, and sweetness in balance; an excellent everyday companion Rum.
Goslings Family Reserve Rye Barrel-Finished Old Rum
93 points
$79
A really beautiful dry dark Rum with just enough sweetness but then balanced with a light spice.
APPLETON ESTATE Black River Casks 15 Year Old Rum
93 points
$80
You have to like funky Jamaican Rums with all of that estery funk, but if you do, this is a lovely aged example.
Ron Zacapa Solera Gran Reserva XO Especial Rum
93 points
$119
Complex and sweet with a nice savoriness on the palate; dessert in a glass with enough heft for cigar pairings.
El Dorado 21 Year Old Special Reserve Demerara Rum
93 points
$124
Beautifully aged with rich layers of flavor and just a touch tannic and oaky on the finish; once paired with a cigar this tannin will disappear.
Dos Maderas Limited Edition Luxus Rum
93 points
$159
Big, bold, and delicious; this is a contemplative sipper that will pair well with numerous desserts, espresso, or a medium to full bodied cigar.
Rhum Barbancourt 3 Star 4 Year Old Aged Rum
92 points
$25
Best Buy
Lighter bodied but with well balanced flavors accented with barrel characteristics; the near perfect balance between white and aged Rums.
92 points $25 Best Buy
Carta Vieja 8 Year Old Double Cask Rum
92 points
$28
A delightfully fruity Rum with nice spice character for either sipping or complex flavored cocktail applications.
Diamond Reserve 151 Demerara Rum
92 points
$28
This sweet pastry laden gem seems designed for usage in Tiki applications.
Planteray Xaymaca Special Dry Rum
92 points
$29
A youthful and vibrant Jamaican Rum with a little extra get up and go that let's its tropical fruit flavors pop on the palate.
Rolling Fork Heart Of Gold Small Batch Rum
92 points
$29.99
Rich and sweet but not confected; lots of intense flavor going on that would make a great float on a Mai Tai or make a crazy fancy banana Daiquiri.
92 points $29.99
Amrut Two Indies Rum Batch No. 18
92 points
$31
Complex and tasty with lots of diverse flavors, good spice, and a protracted and crisp finish.
Progress Rum Blend No. V Silver Rum
92 points
$35
Very clean fermentation and distillation highlights the flavor of the sugar cane and translates to a very pretty and terroir driven Rum.
Bacoo 11 Year Old Tequila Cask-Finished Aged Fresh Cane Juice Rum Batch No. 01
92 points
$36
A vibrant and flavorful sipper with great depth and a touch of heat to the finish.
Dos Maderas 5+5 PX Cask-Aged Rum
92 points
$43
An excellent entry level aged Rum.
Barcelo Imperial Rare Blends Maple Cask-Finished Aged Rum
92 points
$49
A creamy delight that begs to mixed with something hot.
Ron Zacapa Solera Gran Reserva No. 23 Rum
92 points
$52
A rich and decadent sipper to pair with a cigar or enjoy with a dark chocolate and fruit accented dessert.
Don Q Gran Reserva Añejo XO Rum
92 points
$54
Very clean and crisp with just a hint of traditional Rum funk to go well in classic cocktail applications.
Club Kokomo Spirits Barrel-Finished Aged Rum
92 points
$59
A little alcohol tingle on the palate but it is higher proof and otherwise smells and tastes like liquid caramel marshmallows; a Krispy Kreme delight.
Carta Vieja Añejo Rum
91 points
$12
Best Buy
Nice and clean with crisp traditional flavors; good for some sipping, shots, or mixing into a Cuba Libre.
91 points $12 Best Buy
Bacardi Superior White Rum
91 points
$16
Best Buy
Very light and refined with a touch of vanilla sweetness and green florals to remind you that this is still a product from sugar cane.
91 points $16 Best Buy
Pitú Gold Cachaca
91 points
$24
Best Buy
Baked pastry notes that make this a great addition to your stirred cocktails or a float to your sours.
91 points $24 Best Buy
Kavo White Rum
91 points
$28
Tastes like a super clean white Rum with just a touch of sweetness.
Bacardi Reserva Ocho Rum
91 points
$32
Liquified caramel; its seeming simplicity is more than made up by a purity and density of confected flavor goodness.
Bacardi Reserva Ocho Rye Cask-Finished Rum
91 points
$32
A tasty, do everything aged Rum with a little bit of sweetness to make the fruit and caramel really pop.
Tanduay 16 Year Aged and 5 Year Aged Double Rum
91 points
$49
Like an Almond Joy in a glass, there is just layer upon layer of candied coconut with chocolate and almond through out.
Malibu Original Coconut Rum
90 points
$14
Best Buy
Wave upon wave of coconut cream and coconut sugar with a bit of almond.
90 points $14 Best Buy
Tanduay Gold Asian Rum
90 points
$19
Best Buy
A tasty golden Rum with waves of baked coconut.
90 points $19 Best Buy
Amrut Deluxe Old Port Rum
90 points
$25
Spicy and complex with layered flavors of fruit and bitter chocolate flecked with baking spices and earth tones.
Barcelo Imperial Rum
90 points
$29
Sweet, warm and earthy, with a nice fruit and spice character; good for sipping or a nice companion for a Cuba Libre.
Grander 8 Year Old Rum Batch #P80018
90 points
$39
Light bodied with considerable intensity to hold up in cocktail applications.
Ron Abuelo Two Oaks XII Años Aged Rum
90 points
$50
A fine aged Rum that should be respected just as one would a fine Whisky or Brandy.
Grander Trophy Release Rum Batch #23A02
90 points
$54
A bold and intense sipper to hold up to cigar pairings or still express itself through fruit juices in cocktail applications.
Planteray Cut & Dry Coconut Flavored Rum
89 points
$35
Chocolate covered shaved coconut for days.
Striped Lion Overproof Rum
88 points
$31
An overproof white Rum that will shine in cocktail applications that highlight both its sweet and savory undertones.
Copalli Cacao Organic Flavored Fresh Cane Juice Rum
88 points
$37
This tastes like cane juice and freshly picked cocoa pods giving that very fruity character with a little chocolate bitterness.
Walker’s Cay Maravilla Rum
88 points
$39
A very pleasant and natural wood spice that will play well in numerous tropical cocktail applications.
Progress Rum Blend No. III Aged Rum
88 points
$45
A beautiful golden honey color that carries through to rich honey nut aromas and flavors that will make a very nice hot buttered Rum.
Dos Maderas Selección Superior Reserve Rum
88 points
$55
Rich, dark, and earthy with deep cocoa and barrel flavors.
Romero Distilling Co. Sherry Cask-Finished Cask Strength Rum Batch No. 001
88 points
$75
A sweet and savory treat to enjoy after dinner and over ice.
Especia Pilipinas Spiced Rum
87 points
$19
Not too sweet and loaded with layer upon layer of decadent baking spices; Rum and Coke all day.
Tanduay Silver Asian Rum
87 points
$19
A base line coconut cream and vanilla aroma and flavor that will make a perfect start for Pina Coladas.
Reif Tropical Flavored Rum
87 points
$39
Roasted and candied nuts with a splash of vanilla Rum make this a natural pairing with pralines or a spiced pecan pie.
Club Kokomo Spirits Tahitian Vanilla Flavored Rum
86 points
$31
Probably best as a cocktail modifier but the natural vanilla and coconut flavor and sweetness is quite nice.
Carta Vieja Gold Rum
85 points
$9
Pleasing fruit aromas abound with a cohesive ribbon of vanilla from start to finish.
Member’s Mark Spiced Rum
85 points
$13
Spiced nuts and pastry dough abound for a nice shooter or mixer with Cola.
Malibu Peach Flavored Rum
85 points
$14
Tons of candied peach with a bit of cherry vanilla and coconut.
Coral Isle Spiced Rum
85 points
$19
Great for your cola highball.
KLYR White Rum
85 points
$21
A funky and savory white Rum to pair in cocktail applications and drink with savory Asian stir fry.
Goslings Black Seal 151 Proof Overproof Rum
85 points
$27
There's certainly some cocktail applications for this and excited to see what other bartenders come up with; it's good, it's just a lot.
Canerock Spiced Rum
84 points
$29
The spices and flavors here are sweet and palatable.
Otto Hibiscus Rum Batch No. 2
84 points
$30
Marches to the beat of its own dRum.
Otto Coffee Rum Batch No. 3
82 points
$30
A Rum based coffee spirit for cocktail applications.
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