Drop the little umbrella; these rums can stand on their own
Rumis not the new whiskey. Rumis rum, and it is delicious— or at least it can be. Made fromsugar cane andmost oftenmixed with molasses, rumnaturally has some sweetness to it. Some critics may characterize it as too sweet, but what often gives rum its cloying sweetness is actually a chaser, or the insistence of the mass production brands to focus more on the rum’s mixability and potency rather than flavor. Rumcan be refreshing in cocktail form— there’s nothing wrong with a mai tai or mojito as simple pleasures. But if you reallywant to experience rum, consider having it neat, on the rocks or with a splash ofwater.
Here are seven rums that can and should be enjoyed by themselves.
Angostura 1919: Hailing fromTrinidad and Tobago, the Angostura company is well known for its bitters, but it also produces aged rums. Angostura 1919 is a good introduction for those who appreciate rum’s sweetness butwant to try something more refined. It’s a blend of aged rums that has a strong vanilla-caramel aroma that melts straight into the flavor of aWerther’s Original candy. $35
Appleton Estate Extra 12: The distillery has been crafting rums for over 265 years, and the soil in its area of Jamaica provides ideal sugar cane growing conditions. The rum is delicate with oak and molasses and finishes bittersweet. $34
ClémentV.S.O.P. Rhum Agricole Vieux: Aging in virgin Limousin barriques (French oak) and recharred bourbon casks results in a rum that has a meaty fruit taste, with hints of fig, grape and pear, surrounded by more herbal peppery notes. $33
ElDorado 15: Coming in rich and strong, this rumis made by large producer Demerara Distillers in South America, but no quality is lost in the scale of the operation. The color of the deep mahogany rum, a result of the fermented molasses, hints at the rum’s even deeper taste that leaves a bourbon-like spice mix with zero burn. $50
1998 Faultline 17-YearOld CaribbeanRum: This blend has the full body taste of a Jamaican rum, with a hint of allspice. This complex taste could be too heavy, but in this 17-year-old’s case it’s not, as it combines with a lighter Spanish style. Because of its age and open fermentation process, the rum has a fabulous funk to it, especially at the end of a sip. Its nose: bananas followed by an aged-cheese flavor. And it packs a punch at 100 proof. $60
FourSquare Port Cask: Port Cask Finish is a blend that passes through a double maturation process, aging three years in ex-bourbon barrels, followed by six years in exruby port barrels. The taste of port is discernible but does not overpower the rum’s bittersweet dark chocolate and black-pepper-forward herb bouquet. $35
Santa Teresa 1796 Ron Antiguo: Not many rums are as balanced as Santa Teresa. It is hard to pick out distinct scents, but orange and lime rise to the top. Aged in American and French barrels for more than 25 years using the Solera system, the balanced taste ends in a light wood flavor. This is a rum to fall in love with. $40