For many dark spirits drinkers, rum has always just been mixing fodder. There’s an ongoing misconception that rum is merely a cheap, simplistic spirit that’s destined to be tossed in a blender with tropical fruit juices and live under the shadow of a paper umbrella.
And listen, there’s nothing wrong with fruity cocktails (we don’t drink-shame), but it rubs us the wrong way that rum isn’t taken seriously when other spirits, like whiskey, get to be warm, sweet hot toddies OR austere Glencairn glasses of neat, 15-year aged juice. If whiskey can do both, rum can, too.
Thanks to highly allocated brands like Pappy Van Winkle, Weller and Blanton’s, bourbon and other whiskies will always be the top dogs for spirits collectors. However, high-end sipping rums are catching the eyes (and palates) of distillation devotees for the spirit’s incredible range of flavors, dependent upon aging time, elevation, climate and more.
According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, super premium rums saw a 12.9% increase in volume sold in 2021 over 2020, even as value and premium rums saw a decrease in volume sold.1 Discerning spirits drinkers are beginning to explore top-shelf rums alongside their evening glasses of bourbon, cognac and Scotch.
But unlike these aforementioned spirits, rum has a few barriers holding it back from reaching its full potential. The first is the stigma that paints rum as a party girl who only hangs out in Tiki bars. The second is both a pro and a con: rum is truly the people’s spirit. It’s produced across the world and across cultures. There’s no single government or entity that regulates standards surrounding production methods, as is the case with tequila, bourbon or Scotch.2
As a result, rums vary vastly from one distiller to another. Some add sugar, some don’t. Some boil sugar juice down and then ferment; some ferment the juice raw. Some distill in a pot; others distill in a column. It’s kind of like living in a neighborhood without an HOA: sure, there are benefits to oversight, but isn't it wonderfully freeing to hang Edison lights in your backyard in peace, even if your weird neighbor’s house is slowly being reclaimed by nature?
This lack of standardization has led to a rich, vibrant landscape of high-end rums that give you amazing quality for a reasonable price. Producers like Ron Zacapa, El Dorado, Appleton Estate, Ron Abuelo and Flor De Caña have showcased all that top-shelf rum distillers are capable of. Like whiskey, rum is barrel-aged, which makes it an easy spirit for whiskey drinkers to get on board with.
“There could be a lure for bourbon drinkers to try top-shelf sipping rums like the El Dorado 12 Year Old because of the complexity, smoothness and subtle sweetness that both spirits share, but one is often more bang for your buck than the other,” said Janessa Schuster, Sales Manager at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. “Bourbon has to be 51% corn, which is much softer, milder and sweeter, just like sugarcane used in rum, so there's a common thread there.”
Schuster explains that sugarcane products are typically less expensive to make than products like whiskey that use grains. As a result, you can get a real upper-crust bottle of aged rum for far less dinero than a prized bottle of bourbon. This may be a driving factor in the growth of ultra-premium rum sales, especially as inflation skyrockets and economists hint at the probability of another recession on the horizon.3
Regardless of why spirit lovers sip on their first glass of high-quality aged rum, we’re just glad that rum is finally getting its due. Rum IS that Tiki-loving party girl, but she also holds multiple PhDs and is the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. She can do both!
If this is the first step on your journey to becoming a rum collector and/or aficionado, keep reading for the five bottles recommended by ABC Fine Wine & Spirits’ experts that you should pick up first.
El Dorado rum is made along the banks of the Demerara River in Guyana in original wooden pot stills that are over 250 years old, one of the last two remaining in the world. Their rums are oak-aged in a tropical climate, which speeds up the aging process due to higher humidity and steady temperatures. Hence, an 8-year-old El Dorado rum has the maturity of a 16-year-old rum that was aged under more temperate conditions.
“That’s why our guests are typically surprised by the quality of these rums for the price, particularly the 12 and 15 year options,” Schuster said. “The 12 year being under $40 is typically my go-to recommendation. It's soft yet bold with mellow spice and a warm honey and vanilla character. The spice and alcohol don't bite you in the finish, which is something I appreciate in a sipping option.”
El Dorado produces aged rums from 5 years all the way up to 25 years, meaning rum buyers on any budget can take home a bottle with a rich history and phenomenal tasting complexity.
Looking to mix it in a cocktail? Try it in the traditional Mai Tai:
With a gold medal from the Beverage Tasting Institute under its belt, this rum is a beautifully balanced bottle of juice for the price. Aromas and flavors of caramelized nuts, brown spice, spiced mocha and polished wood give way to a silky, bright, fruity medium body and a tingling, stimulating, medium-long finish with notes of coconut, crème brulee, tropical fruit gelato, leather and cedar.
“[This rum is a] gorgeous example of a sipping rum made in the solera method,” said Nathan Dale, Sales Manager at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. “Enjoy over ice or mixed into your finest rum cocktail.”
According to Rum Social Club, the solera method is based on stacking multiple layers of aging barrels (called “criaderas”) on top of each other, with each layer progressively topping up the next one down and blending with it, year after year.4 The more you know!
If the fact that this rum’s bottle design will DEFINITELY make you feel like pirate royalty as you pour it doesn’t entice you, its tasting notes will. This 91-point rated (Source: Wine Enthusiast) rum boasts aromas of Madagascar vanilla, soft caramel and toasted oak are followed by notes of cinnamon, roasted nuts and allspice.
Every bottle of spirits worth its salt (or sugar...cane) comes with a story, and Bumbu certainly does. This blend is based on the original recipe created by 16th and 17th century West Indies sailors who blended native Caribbean ingredients into rum and called it “Bumbu.” Pour yourself a glass of Bumbu and sip a bit of history!
Yes, this is a flavored rum, but do not fear – flavored doesn’t have to mean cloyingly sweet. This añejo rum is aged in new, charred American white oak barrels for 4 to 12 years and cut from cask strength 120 proof to 80 proof with freshly harvested coconut water; a blending process that is completely unique to Coconut Cartel.
According to Coconut Cartel’s website, “The coconut water’s natural salinity dampens the bitter notes from the tannins in the aged spirit. At the same time, the salt enhances and brightens the fruity and floral notes of the rum. Additionally, other minerals found in coconut water including calcium, magnesium and potassium contribute to the smooth mouthfeel and luscious viscosity you’ll find in our rum. So, while you may expect this so-called ‘coconut rum’ to taste sweet and very coconut forward, you’re actually embarking on a savory and umami tasting experience that leaves you curious and wanting for another sip.”
If you’re reading this as a whiskey drinker who still isn’t too sure about dipping your toes into the world of rum, this is the pour for you. Finished in white oak straight rye whiskey barrels, this dark rum emulates rye whiskey’s characteristic long, warm mouthfeel and spicy flavor profile, married perfectly with dark rum’s decadent notes of cacao, caramel, vanilla bean and coffee.
This newest addition to the Papa’s Pilar family is available in select ABC Fine Wine & Spirit stores, so be sure to check online to see if your store carries it.
