Rum Ranking
May 29, 2007 — Scott SteevesAs time goes on and I review rums I will list them here, placing them into 4 categories and ranking them within each category in order of how I like them.
As when reviewing, rums will get placed on this list after considering Sweetness, Complexity, Smoothness, Flavor Quality, and Overall Quality. Though I always talk about Value when reviewing the rums I will try not to take this into account on this list, as it will be easy for you to compare the prices. (Prices listed are what I would normally pay, not the actual price which may have been a closeout or something.)
For the categories - 3 are self-explanatory. The “On The Edge” category really requires that you enjoy rum and have read the article. I liked them enough not to trash them, but I understand that these may take some special consideration.
Initially I will place the newly reviewed rum some place in the list - this means going by memory, which is a rotten way to do it. So when time and alcohol consumption allow I will then quickly compare those rums close in the list and rearrange them until I think they’re OK. I may go back and perform Shootouts - comparisons of 3 or 4 rums that are close to each on this list. After the Shootout the list will be re-ordered. I may even go back and re-taste a single rum, and my mood that day may make the order change.
All this means that this list will be extremely subjective, will change constantly, and is probably somewhat faulty in general.
For these reasons I do not suggest taking this list literally, but somewhat comparatively. If you see one rum directly above another then read both reviews and see which appeals to you more.
Also, this list won’t mean much until I get a large number of rums reviewed.
Highly Recommended
Pyrat Cask 23 - $240
Ron Zacapa Centenario 23-year-old - $40
Zaya Gran Reserva - $40
Flor de Caña 21 - $75
Khukri Coronation - Unknown Price
Appleton Estate 21-year-old - $63
Doorly’s XO - $33
Pyrat XO - $21
Pyrat Pistol - $18 (375ml)
Castries Peanut Rum Creme - $29
Appleton V/X - $17
Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva - $28
Appleton Special Gold - $12
Havana Club Añejo Blanco - Unknown Price
Recommended
Plantation Grande Reserve - low $20s
Kaniche Rum Martinique - $27
Ron Matusalem Platino - $17
Foursquare Spiced - $17
Fazenda Mae De Ouro - $27
Cruzan Premium Light - $11
Saint James Royal Ambre - $19
Palo Viejo White - $8
Mount Gay Special Reserve - $20
Pyrat Blanco - $16
Angostura 1919 - $26
Prichard’s Fine Rum - $36
On The Edge
Saint James Hors D’Age - $33
Clément XO- $140
Beleza Pura - $28
Angostura 1824 - $55
Gosling’s Gold - $12
Mount Gay Eclipse - $17
Brugal White Label - $10
Flor De Caña Extra Dry 4-year-old - $14
Cruzan Estate Dark - $12
DonQ Gold - $12
Palo Viejo Gold - $9
Bacardi Gold - $12
Cruzan Coconut - $9
I Can’t Recommend This Stuff
Parrot Bay Coconut - $10
Ron Botran Añejo - $14
Prichard’s Crystal - $26
Barrows’ Grand Reserve - $45
English Harbour 5-year-old - $22
Leblon - $25
Appleton White - $14
Bacardi Superior White - $16
Malibu Coconut - $11
Myers’s Platinum White - $14
DonQ Cristal - $12
August 25, 2007 at 9:57 pm
As an avid captain morgan fan, and a recent disciple of everything Pyrat, I have to thank you for your reviews. I drink for flavor, but I don’t like the harshness of whiskey and scotch, but I love rum. I have fallen in love with Pyrat Pistol, and have spent many evenings sipping it reading your reviews. I am excited to try the rums you reccommend, particularly the Foursquare Spiced.
Thanks,
Dan
August 26, 2007 at 5:56 pm
I strongly suggest you try the Foursquare Spiced. It’s not like Captain Morgan’s at all, so don’t expect the same thing since many of the spices used are totally different. The natural tastes are wonderful, and it’s very sippable. I’ve also heard great things about Papagayo Spiced, but I have not been able to find it. Yet.
August 28, 2007 at 5:35 am
thanks, as it is I’m having trouble finding the foursquare spiced. I live in oklahoma and the liquor stores here say they can’t order it. Any suggestions?
August 28, 2007 at 6:01 am
I think you’re out of luck until you do some traveling. It seems that Oklahoma does not allow shipments of alcohol, so you can’t order it from an online liquor store. And if the liquor stores you checked can’t get it then you’ll have to go out of state somehow.
I know the feeling, sine Massachusetts is also a site that doesn’t allow shipments of alcohol.
August 28, 2007 at 12:47 pm
What do you think of the rum barboncourt, 8 or 15 year?
August 28, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Well, the first time I had Barbancourt it was the 15-year-old which I tried about 3 years ago. I thought it was terrible. My friend Phil and I tried it - twice - and we agreed that it was not worthy, so we poured the bottle into the campfire. It burned quite nicely.
However, I have since begun to get an appreciation for rum made from cane sugar or syrup, rather than molasses. So I’d really have to put Barbancourt back on my list of rums to try. I truly think that I’ll have a much better opinion of it, know that I know what to expect.
For what it’s worth, I’ve heard from many people that the 8-year-old is the better of the two. That will be the one I try.
September 15, 2007 at 8:18 pm
I tried the Barbancourt 8-year-old for the first time tonight. WOW! This is a rum that I will be hunting down to enjoy, review, and enjoy some more. Very very nice.
September 17, 2007 at 11:50 am
Scott,
I enjoy reading your reviews. As a life-long rum enthusiast, I can appreciate the evolution of your taste buds. Every country that makes fine rum, adjusts it to the sensibilities of the local population, as do wine producers around the globe. Hence, the broad range of subjective opinions, taken in context, reveals much about each region, their philosophy and unique perspective on cane spirits.
Your list of best rated rums includes some of my favorites also. Here’s a few that may make it on your list some day.
El Dorado 12 from Guyana. If you enjoy Zacapa, it’s sure to please. Also, the El Dorado 15 and 21 are exception, bold, complex rums that earn top awards.
Flor de Cana 18 is the best of breed from Nicaragua. The 21 in the blue ceramic bottle is not actually 21 years old.
Abuelo 7 from Panama is a delightful blend.
Santa Teresa in Venezuela makes excellent rums, especially the 1796 and their flavored rums — orange and Araku (coffee).
Matusalem Gran Reserva 15 from Dominican Republic is sweet, smokey, buttery, smooth and quite delightful.
From Martinique, try the Clement Cuvee Homere, a blend of three excellent vintage years. Also from Martinique, the JM VSOP is a satisfying blend. One of my favorites is La Favorite Rhum Agricole Vieux.
Thanks for sharing your experiences and opinions. I, as well as others I’m sure, find them interesting, entertaining and valuable.
Rob
September 17, 2007 at 12:40 pm
Rob, we have some similar tastes! I have the El Dorado 15- and 21-year-old rums, but I haven’t gotten around to doing proper reviews for them. I broke out the 15 again this weekend, and recognized once again that it is simply magnificent.
I recently got the Santa Teresa 1796 and it is great. I have been enjoying the Ron Matusalem Gran Reserva for several years now. Again, I just haven’t gotten a chance to give them full reviews, but all 4 of these rums go high on my list.
I wish that I could get the Flor De Cana 18. I’ll keep looking. The 21 is great, so I’d imagine that another 3 years of aging would be very nice.
I’ll keep a close eye out for your other suggestions since we apparently think alike. Many thanks!
September 23, 2007 at 7:26 pm
What in your opinion is the best Martinique produced rum?’
Best,
Tom V
September 23, 2007 at 7:31 pm
Sorry, I really don’t have enough experience in Martinique rums to make an informed decision.
I have had Clement VSOP, which I think is very good but not possibly “the best.” I’ve also had their XO, which is also very good. The Kaniche Martinique is excellent, but again not possibly the best possible. The last one of note - I’ve had the J. M. 1997, which is fantastic. Beyond these I’ve only had 3 or 4 other Martinique rhums.
You might want to ask over to the Ministry Of Rum forums, http://ministryofrum.com/forums/index.php - there are several folks there who know agricoles and Martinique rums far better than I do.
September 24, 2007 at 11:39 pm
Well I do have some friends coming up from Texas next week, I’ll have to see if they can find the Foursquare Spiced.
September 26, 2007 at 10:49 pm
No luck, they couldn’t find it. They said they had heard that it might have been discontinued though! Have you heard either way? Very dissapointing if it has.
September 28, 2007 at 11:00 pm
I *really* don’t think it has been discontinued. I’m not sure, of course, but I truly doubt it.
This place has it, and they can ship to TX.
http://www.cooperstownwine.com/
I couldn’t find any place in Texas that carried it, though - not that this means it’s not available.
October 6, 2007 at 1:24 pm
Thanks for looking!
I talked to my Dad in Monterey, Ca and he found a place that carries it in no time. I’m trying to move back to that area in Dec so I’ll be able to get it wheever I want.
I just got a bottle of Pyray Casc 23 last weekend and WOW! I can’t believe how good it is. A couple friends and I had a little tasting with it, Pyrat XO Reserve and Pyrat Pistol. I’m not too good at picking out individual flavors and smells but I picked up a strong molasses aroma and eventually found it in the flavor. It’s so smooth, almost like your drinking candy, but not overly sweet. I’m in love. Thaks for your suggestions, I can’t wait to try more.
-Dan
October 6, 2007 at 2:46 pm
The Pyrat 23 is damned nice - though I don’t like paying the price!
Glad you could find the Foursquare Spiced. It’s worth the wait. It’s a real eye-opener for what can be done with a spiced rum, and nothing like the more popular stuff. Enjoy!
October 14, 2007 at 7:37 pm
Mt. Gay Extra Old, Chairman’s Reserve (St. Lucia), El Dorado & Cockspur V.S.O.R, are the few that I consistently keep stocked in my cabinet. I’m not into cocktails or flavoured rums (so I have a set of them unopened ie. Tortuga Coconut), & I prefer my rum mixed with ginger ale. So I find those 3 go quite well unless I choose to mix with coconut water. I have a bottle of Admiral Rodney (Extra Old St Lucia rum), that I’ve yet to try, but I’ll let you know (the bottle is rather pretty & I don’t want to open it just yet).
October 15, 2007 at 9:27 pm
I’ve been through my high-ticket rum snobbery phase, and have to say that — now that I’ve come back down to Earth — the best value I’ve discovered for my rum dollar is Mt. Gay Sugar Cane Rum (known as “Sugar Cane Brandy” elsewhere in the world, I’m told). I find it balanced, well crafted and far more, er, “elegant” than its modest price tag would seem to afford. The only problem I have with it is that I have to ask my specialty booze store to haul it out of the storeroom whenever I need to buy a bottle!
Looking forward to your review –
October 15, 2007 at 9:32 pm
I should mention that my preferred method of sipping my Sugar Cane Rum is on the rocks — I understand that this may disqualify me from opining on its simple, reasonably priced excellence, but there you go. Honesty is the best policy!
October 16, 2007 at 8:03 pm
I remember drinking the Sugar Cane Brandy many many years ago, but it was so long ago that I don’t remember anything about it. I do have to re-visit that one, for sure…
October 23, 2007 at 2:44 pm
Are you familiar with El Cacique? It’s a Venezuelan rum, a favorite of mine. I haven’t tried mixing with it yet. Not the easiest rum to get, but I think people in NY can get it easily.
October 23, 2007 at 3:32 pm
I have seen Cacique here in Massachusetts, and have heard from a few folks that it’s a good white rum, especially for the price. You’re the 3rd person to mention it in 2 days… I’ll keep my eyes open.
October 30, 2007 at 9:30 pm
Your highly recommended list is very similar to my top 10 list. I’ve got to add on there the Ron del Barrilito Three Star, Mt Gay XO, and our new friend Oronoco.
I’ve really gotta try that Castries!! I’m DYING for it!!
Just to throw out a brand I haven’t seen appear on your site is Arehucas out of the Canary Islands. Im working with their US Importer who is having trouble getting it placed in the US (PA and Nevada) as their bottles are all 700ml. They’re 12 year old is wonderful, they’ve also got a Honey Rum which is nice, a little too sweet though. Their top of the line is called Capitan Kidd, a blend of rums up to 20 years old that has a wonderful flavor and very complex, but then the finish falls short, not worth the $180 price tag it would be retailing for.
November 3, 2007 at 12:08 am
A word or two about Ron del Barrillito Three-star:
A few years ago, I had some friends over for an informal taste test featuring a bunch of $30-$40+ rums (I bought them cheap in Latin America), and the RdB *** came in top dog. I wish I could remember what the other rums were (I know one was Mt. Gay Extra Old, probably the “commonest” of the bunch), but I guess I had too much fun that night. The competition was fierce, though!
November 3, 2007 at 2:41 am
I’ve had a bottle of the RdB 3-star for a while now… I just haven’t gotten around to tasting it. One of these days…
November 6, 2007 at 6:23 pm
RdB-3… sounds like a great movie, with the smoothest best ending! haha
December 6, 2007 at 1:16 am
who knows where can i find cacique in nyc??
December 6, 2007 at 6:46 am
Beacon Wines and New York Wine Exchange both list it.
December 12, 2007 at 6:57 pm
Cacique is good, but it is definitely not a white rum… aged amber cane rum (2+ years I think is VZ law), as are most (if not all?) of the Venezuelan rums. Honestly I hated rum until I tried VZ rum.
Until today I was convinced you couldn’t get it here in the US (thought there might have been some weird embargo) I am ecstatic to find out you can, and expecially here in NYC. Cacique is good, but so is Santa Teresa and Pampero. I like Pampero best, but Cacique is the favorite of my VZ friend.
December 12, 2007 at 7:04 pm
Hey Scott, got any ideas where to get some appleton estate masters blend legacy?
December 13, 2007 at 12:37 am
Randy,
From what I’ve heard, and from what I can find, Legacy isn’t available in the US. Canada, or Jamaica… Bummer. I’ve been hoping to get a bottle myself.
December 24, 2007 at 10:21 am
I am a fan of Palo Viejo, as it is a very smooth rum, good for sipping as well as mixing, and at an unbeatable low price. But the distributers in this area (Ohio-Kentucky) can no longer get it. Do you know what is going on with the availability of Palo Viejo in the US?
February 21, 2008 at 10:55 pm
Love your site, Since I was born and raised in the caribbean I have been a rum lover all of my life. Well since the age of 18. I must admit that had not heard of the Ron Zacapa 23 until I came across this site. I have since recently purchased it and find it heavenly.
I have notice that a Ron Zacapa XO exists. This rum has been aged for 25years using the solera process and I was wondering what are your thoughts on this.
February 22, 2008 at 9:48 am
I have yet to try the XO, though I’m certainly looking forward to the day I do. From what others have said, the XO is a slightly finer rum, a touch smoother, a bit more complex. All in all, it’s probably not worth the extra price to buy it often. But I’m sure the XO will make a very nice treat from time to time.
March 22, 2008 at 8:59 am
Cacique definitely tops that list for me!
especially when your considering value for money!
impressive ranking nonetheless!
April 6, 2008 at 10:05 am
My friend brought me a bottle of RdB-3. It’s a very smooth rum with a hint of spice. Although, for all its smoothness, it hits the stomach with a little force.
I find it best served after a meal, during the evening, with an outside temperature of 72 deg F.
Question: is there a finer make of RdB? Maybe a 4-star?
May 9, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Hi all, just brought back a bottle og Chairmans Reserve dark rum from St. Lucia. Its smooth and delicious. Any idea whether hard to find rums can be purchased on the web? regards, jp
June 11, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Hi - an excellent site. I have also been on a fairly exhaustive rum tasting exercise over the last 10 years and have tasted all rums reviewed here. Although I have been through phases over the years my most consistent favourite is Ron Zacapa 23 yo - one of life’s great pleasures.
June 29, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Great site - I look forward to working my way through more of your recommendations.
If ever in Canada you should give Bacardi 1873 a try!
During my years living in the US I was always dissappointed that most establishments did not stock any great rums.
I doubt Bacardi 1873 will make your list of recommended brands, but it is a fine “mainstream” product, with a very smooth taste AND it is commonly available - You can find it at every decent liquor store and bar in Canada. The U.S. needs something comparable in taste and availability!
July 23, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Having been to Central America and St Lucia, I am abig rum fan. have friends who work and travel– they bring back Flor de cana: 7 and 12 yr old are quite nice. Been to belize with its One barrel (which is okay– a bit too sweet for me). Had an AWESOME homemade spiced rum in a restaurant in Gros islet St Lucia.
Want to find where i can buy any of the Flor de cana gold (not light) varieties in New England. Any ideas?
July 23, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Greg,
I was just in a Kappy’s (Peabody, MA) and they had several Flor De Canas. I’ve also found it at Liquorland in Boston, as well as Cambridge Mall liquors near Alewife.