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How I learned to appreciate rum
- Thread starter SolidChamp
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I just spotted that in a grocery store here too today. The XO was calling to me but I'm glad I held off because I found the Zacapa soon after.
Ah shame, I've recommended a few to some US friends of mine who can't get a hold of them for similar reasons.
Recently bought Dead Man's Finger in a supermarket, not really sure I like it too much, it's ok with a mixer but just a little over vanilla. Anyone else tried it?
Got the Diplomatico for my birthday yesterday and had some last night. Very good. Sweet but not overly so, with just a bit of a bite to it on the palate. Sexy in a naughty way. :-)
Ranks right up there with the Plantation XO and the Zacapa 23.
I need to get my hands on that Zacapa XO though.
Ranks right up there with the Plantation XO and the Zacapa 23.
I need to get my hands on that Zacapa XO though.
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Still waiting to open my bottle of Zacapa XO.
I keep hearing amazing things about Plantation XO and just the Plantation line in general. I really should give it a shot someday.
Just tried The Kraken tonight per the praises in this thread. I would say its 6/10. Prefer it mixed and at that point I would just go Captain morgan since its much cheaper.
Sailor Jerry is my go to and I don't think that will be changing anytime soon. Good taste/price point imo.
Maybe one day Ill try the 50-60 dollar rums...
Sailor Jerry is my go to and I don't think that will be changing anytime soon. Good taste/price point imo.
Maybe one day Ill try the 50-60 dollar rums...
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I'm starting to think Diplomatico is now in the top 5, but not #1 for me. My tastes have expanded greatly and I've started to notice just how sweet it is compared to the others.
Still one damn smooth rum; exceptional and easy to drink...but I might actually prefer Zacapa 23 and El Dorado 12 slightly more!!
Still one damn smooth rum; exceptional and easy to drink...but I might actually prefer Zacapa 23 and El Dorado 12 slightly more!!
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Shameless double post...
I'm big into the Yakuza series now. Playing my first entry with 0 lately and it's converted me into a fan. I saw this and my jaw dropped. The timing of an edition like this couldn't be better. With my newfound appreciation for rum, I'll get a LOT of use out of this.
The chilling rocks will save me from having to put ice in my rum; I HATE the taste of watered-down spirits. It never, ever enhances the flavor for me and always ends up tasting like diluted alcohol. Yuck.
I'm big into the Yakuza series now. Playing my first entry with 0 lately and it's converted me into a fan. I saw this and my jaw dropped. The timing of an edition like this couldn't be better. With my newfound appreciation for rum, I'll get a LOT of use out of this.
The chilling rocks will save me from having to put ice in my rum; I HATE the taste of watered-down spirits. It never, ever enhances the flavor for me and always ends up tasting like diluted alcohol. Yuck.
Yeah top 3 for me right now is Plantation XO, Diplomatico Reserva and the Zacapa 23.
Also, on the chilling rocks, make sure to keep them in plastic in the freezer; otherwise, given they are porous, they will absorb the scents in your freezer. I use stainless steel rocks that do not absorb scents.
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Holy. Shit.
Just tried this beautiful beast last night. Proceeded to order a bottle.
This stuff is magnificent.
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I've been able to try some new stuff lately, and this is right at the top of the list.
I've also tried Dictador XO, which is also excellent. Don Papa 10 year which has this uncanny strawberry yogurt fragrance to it. It's...interesting. I'd say quite good.
But yeah, very happy to have discovered the Plantation XO.
I think we have an Appleton 10 in our ABC store here in North Carolina. Which of the Appletons is the best? I've never seen the Jamaica Cove brand. How ginger-y is it?
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I'm not familiar with Appleton, but will make it a point to familiarize myself next time I'm back in Canada.
So tonight I tried Zacapa XO for the first time. This is like a richer, much smoother, better version of Zacapa 23. I'd recommend this to anyone who found the Diplomatico to be too sweet. It's like that only much softer and far, far less sweet (as in, not sweet at all). Wow, good stuff. Like Zacapa 23 upgraded, basically.
And now...Plantation XO. Holy fucking shit, this stuff is special. I got my bottle today. Even my wife is in love with the stuff. Hints of banana, vanilla, toasted coconut. The stuff is classy as hell. The bottle is gorgeous and let's you know you're in for a treat. The aroma is just...fuck I could huff it all day. So fragrant; like a delicate banana dessert. This stuff is lucious. This might be a newly crowned champion, folks. With good reason too, considering the awards this stuff has won. Just...damn.
Stiggins Fancy Pineapple by Plantation most likely. They distill with husks of the pineapple - light sweetness, not overpowering. Good in a daiquiri, or with apricot liqueur.
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That sounds like Plantation. They make the most popular/well-regarded pineapple rum. I've never had that. This XO 20th anniversary bottle is just a blend of aged rums in their stock. It is out of this world.
I found my new white whale last night... El Dorado 25 Year Old Rum, bottled in 1988... $500 at my local store. That will be a present for myself if a BIG promotion comes through... until then, I dream.
Stiggins Fancy Pineapple by Plantation most likely. They distill with husks of the pineapple - light sweetness, not overpowering. Good in a daiquiri, or with apricot liqueur.
Wasn't that.
Well, I would certainly recommend it if you can find it... not overpowering, good balance of rum and the pineapple flavor - can be sipped neat, or mixed really well and still stand up in the drink.
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Oooh I had no idea they made a 25 year old rum. $500 is way more than I'm willing to spend though, so more power to you! Do report back should you decide to pull the trigger!
My threshold tops out at the $80-$100 range. That's the most I'm willing to go. Even at those prices, it still stings.
I rarely go over that $80-100 price range too (plenty of good stuff to find at the $30-50 range)... though I'm on hiatus from buying as I drink down my supply... have something like 40 bottles... so can't really justify it. I received a bottle of Joy from Appleton last Christmas, and I know it's about $250-$300... extravagant as all hell as far as I'm considered, and something I will sip slowly over 5 years. The only way I can justify that bottle is to reward myself for a BIG promotion, and I'm HOPING that's this fall... so we'll see.
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I just googled it. That is one special looking bottle of rum.
I'm running low on El Dorado 12 year right now. They have some really, really good stuff and I would love to know what a $500 bottle of their rum tastes like. lol
This topic has my interest. I am not a Bacardi fan (unless mixed) but I did like the Kraken I bought a long time ago. I really enjoy the flavour of rum so I really want to try something new soon.
Havana Club 7 yo is 29 euro
Diplomatico Reserva is 40 euro
Diplomatico Mantuan0 is 25 euro
What would you recommend from these three for a beginner?
Havana Club 7 yo is 29 euro
Diplomatico Reserva is 40 euro
Diplomatico Mantuan0 is 25 euro
What would you recommend from these three for a beginner?
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Probably the Diplomatico Reserva or the Havana Club 7.
Similarly priced is the El Dorado 12 and I'd probably recommend that over either of those as it's as deep and complex as the Diplomatico but less sweet and a tad bolder/spicier.
Yeah that is same price as the Havana. Hard decision haha. I'll let you know what was bought :P
So Gran Canaria is said to be the birthplace of rum (according to them haha). I happen to have a friend who lives there and came to visit The Netherlands again so he brought me two bottles from there. Haven't tried them yet but they look good
Plus they were cheap, I only payed 18 euro's for the both of them haha. I'll let you guys know how they are!
I would go for the Diplomatico Reserva, it's a very nice and soft rum. The Havana Club 7 is good to. Haven't tried the other Diplomatico myself so can't comment on that one
Plus they were cheap, I only payed 18 euro's for the both of them haha. I'll let you guys know how they are!
I would go for the Diplomatico Reserva, it's a very nice and soft rum. The Havana Club 7 is good to. Haven't tried the other Diplomatico myself so can't comment on that one
The yin and yang of the sea, Bumbo for the pirates, Grog for the Royal Navy...
It's interesting to learn the history. I've had a modern version of bumbo, and it's not the worst. I'd like to try the original tot that the Royal Navy had...
From the readings the OG versions don't seem difficult to make at all. It actually probably explains why both were so widespread in the West Indies.
On topic: I would try diplimatico but I too am one of those people that have a high sensitivity to sweetness, especially with regards to alcohol. Shame, really.
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So I went to what is supposedly the only rum bar in Taipei, and possibly all of Taiwan.
I was able to try out three very different rums which I had never had before:
Diplomatico Single VIntage. I doubt there's another bottle of this anywhere in the entire country. The owner said her sister lives in the US and so that's how she gets hold of a lot of her rums which she would otherwise not be able to source anywhere in Taiwan. This stuff is special (and it had better be at $20 a glass!!!); a rare treat I could only see myself having a handful of times in my whole life. It's very subtle, not at all like the Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva that has been recommended prominently in this thread. This has more in common with Zacapa XO than it does the Reserva Exclusiva; very soft, oaky notes with very slight hint of brown sugar. Exceptional finish that doesn't linger too long.
Up until last night I've only had Havana Club 7. This stuff, however, is very interesting. It's like a deeper, richer, slightly darker version of Havana Club 7. It has that dry, bold, spicy character that Havana Club is known for, but still manages to hit you with a few nice notes of vanilla and cinnamon. I'd drink this again, easily, and would love to add a bottle to my shelf. I tend to reach for Havana Club 7 when I don't want to tap into the higher end bottles on my shelf. This would be a step up from that.
Brown Sugar, in the best possible way. Silky smooth brown sugar notes. Even more prominent than the Diplomatico Single Vintage listed above. Not sweet. Just right. Like the Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva, this is stuff is exceptionally easy to drink. I need a bottle of this in my life.
I was able to try out three very different rums which I had never had before:
Diplomatico Single VIntage. I doubt there's another bottle of this anywhere in the entire country. The owner said her sister lives in the US and so that's how she gets hold of a lot of her rums which she would otherwise not be able to source anywhere in Taiwan. This stuff is special (and it had better be at $20 a glass!!!); a rare treat I could only see myself having a handful of times in my whole life. It's very subtle, not at all like the Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva that has been recommended prominently in this thread. This has more in common with Zacapa XO than it does the Reserva Exclusiva; very soft, oaky notes with very slight hint of brown sugar. Exceptional finish that doesn't linger too long.
Up until last night I've only had Havana Club 7. This stuff, however, is very interesting. It's like a deeper, richer, slightly darker version of Havana Club 7. It has that dry, bold, spicy character that Havana Club is known for, but still manages to hit you with a few nice notes of vanilla and cinnamon. I'd drink this again, easily, and would love to add a bottle to my shelf. I tend to reach for Havana Club 7 when I don't want to tap into the higher end bottles on my shelf. This would be a step up from that.
Brown Sugar, in the best possible way. Silky smooth brown sugar notes. Even more prominent than the Diplomatico Single Vintage listed above. Not sweet. Just right. Like the Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva, this is stuff is exceptionally easy to drink. I need a bottle of this in my life.
I have drank rum many times since my family comes from the Caribbean mostly homemade stuff and have drank the cheap popular stuff mixed with cola and whatever. I am mostly a Gin and Whiskey guy but after a recent conversation with a coworker about rum and discovering this thread I am open to trying more rum.
So far got this rhum barbancourt estate reserve, not bad but when i think about rum I am thinking the taste will be sweet and smooth. Its not as sweet as i imagine rum to be and does seem to have a bit of a kick. This bottle may take a while for me to finish.
I am getting a raise soon so i think I will take a drive out to the few stores I googled that sells some of the recommended stuff I think I will try Dictador or Zacapa 23 since I know those are in stock but will get Diplomatico instead if they have it.
So far got this rhum barbancourt estate reserve, not bad but when i think about rum I am thinking the taste will be sweet and smooth. Its not as sweet as i imagine rum to be and does seem to have a bit of a kick. This bottle may take a while for me to finish.
I am getting a raise soon so i think I will take a drive out to the few stores I googled that sells some of the recommended stuff I think I will try Dictador or Zacapa 23 since I know those are in stock but will get Diplomatico instead if they have it.
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I have drank rum many times since my family comes from the Caribbean mostly homemade stuff and have drank the cheap popular stuff mixed with cola and whatever. I am mostly a Gin and Whiskey guy but after a recent conversation with a coworker about rum and discovering this thread I am open to trying more rum.
So far got this rhum barbancourt estate reserve, not bad but when i think about rum I am thinking the taste will be sweet and smooth. Its not as sweet as i imagine rum to be and does seem to have a bit of a kick. This bottle may take a while for me to finish.
I am getting a raise soon so i think I will take a drive out to the few stores I googled that sells some of the recommended stuff I think I will try Dictador or Zacapa 23 since I know those are in stock but will get Diplomatico instead if they have it.
You've got me curious. This one has some very high ratings from around the community.
https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/4440/barbancourt-rum-15-year-old
SolidChamp, I gotta say thank you for making this thread, as it drove me to try Diplomatico RE which I now love. I see your more recent recommendations veer away from sweet rums, but those are definitely my preferred style. Given that, what's the next one you think I should try? The Plantation XO and Pineapple sound pretty appealing. Any better options?
I too looked up reviews for barbancourt 15 year old after tasting it and it does seem highly rated by people that have tried it but it does equally have some stark low ratings from other websites
I liked the review from the rum howler he does break down how not only the spelling is different but how its made is different from other styles of rum. I guess that is why the taste took me by surprise a little.
https://therumhowlerblog.com/rum-reviews/dark-rums/barbancourt-15-year-old-estate-reserve/
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Absolutely try Plantation XO. I think that's a guaranteed winner. My wife, who loves Diplomatico, was blown away by Plantation XO.
I also tried Zaya Gran Reserva 12 at that rum bar I mentioned above. My friend ordered it and let me have a sip.
https://www.rumratings.com/brands/1030-zaya-gran-reserva-12-year
This stuff definitely gets the job done if you're looking for a sweeter rum. It's like a sweeter version of Zacapa 23. Very comparable to Diplomatico RE.
Absolutely try Plantation XO. I think that's a guaranteed winner. My wife, who loves Diplomatico, was blown away by Plantation XO.
I also tried Zaya Gran Reserva 12 at that rum bar I mentioned above. My friend ordered it and let me have a sip.
https://www.rumratings.com/brands/1030-zaya-gran-reserva-12-year
This stuff definitely gets the job done if you're looking for a sweeter rum. It's like a sweeter version of Zacapa 23. Very comparable to Diplomatico RE.
Right on, thanks. Between these options I'll be set for a while.
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A friend just gifted me a bottle of Captain Morgan Private Stock. Picked it up during his travels and brought it back with him for me. Such a great gift for a rum fanatic like myself.
Stuff is good! Easy to drink neat. I don't think the vanilla is too overpowering like some here have said, but that's down to personal taste. It's also recommended to drink it on the rocks with a twist of lime but I've yet to try that.
Stuff is good! Easy to drink neat. I don't think the vanilla is too overpowering like some here have said, but that's down to personal taste. It's also recommended to drink it on the rocks with a twist of lime but I've yet to try that.
Another good Sailor Jerrys night. I highly recommend this one.
- 92 Proof, but doesnt taste 92 proof. (I recommend on the rocks for a smoother taste)
- Dark Caramel taste with hints of black licorice?
- Great price point. ~16 bucks for a liter.
- 92 Proof, but doesnt taste 92 proof. (I recommend on the rocks for a smoother taste)
- Dark Caramel taste with hints of black licorice?
- Great price point. ~16 bucks for a liter.
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I've started mixing Captain Morgan Private Stock with Perrier Lemon and a twist of lime on the rocks. Very refreshing if you want something that's not sweet like Captain and coke. For my wife I also added a splash of Malibu Rum to that to give it a flavor kick and she really digs it as well.
Sailor Jerry's is great buuut I find as I get older it gives me heartburn the next day. Rum is delightful, though, and there's such a range of flavors among different rum.
Anyone else try St Lucia Chariman's reserve spiced rum? It's good shit.
Good large clear ice cubes sort of solve the problem as they dissolve much slower, causing much less dilution. But if you don't like even a tiny bit of water then chilling stones are the best bet.
Good large clear ice cubes sort of solve the problem as they dissolve much slower, causing much less dilution. But if you don't like even a tiny bit of water then chilling stones are the best bet.