A Guide to Popular Rum Brands
from http://cocktails.about.com/ (now https://www.thespruceeats.com/)
How to Choose Rum
There are many varieties of rum that can be used to make cocktails and the choice can be a daunting one. Rum is made throughout the world and while the Caribbean is best known for their rums, there are some fantastic options available from elsewhere.
Choosing a quality light or gold rum to stock in a bar is a good place to begin and is required for the majority of rum cocktails. Dark rums are used occasionally in addition to light rum in a few cocktails and should be a second priority.
Flavored rums are not as necessary as their counterparts, but are useful for specific cocktails and can substitute other rums for more flavor.
In the following pages, you will find a basic guide to popular brands of rum divided by style. One of the best aspects of exploring rum is that, in general, they are inexpensive when compared to other distilled spirits, so you can easily discover a new favorite without going broke.
While I do my best to keep this guide up to date, it is only a guide to give you a general idea of what to expect when searching for rum. It is also impossible for me to list every brand and label.
Light Rum Brands
Light rum will be your first choice for mixing the majority of your rum cocktails. It has a sweet, neutral flavor that pairs well with almost any flavor and its clear color doesn't affect the look of the drink.
There are many quality light rums available and many are very reasonably priced. I encourage you to look beyond the big brand names like Bacardi because some of the lesser-known brands are superior in taste and mixability.
Less than $15
Appleton Estate White - Jamaica
Bacardi Silver - Puerto Rico
Barton White - Virgin Islands
Castillo White - Puerto Rico
Fernandes White - Trinidad
Flor de Caña 4 Year Old White - Nicaragua
Myers Original Platinum - Jamaica
Ron Castillo White - Puerto Rico
Around $20
Angostura Old Oak White - Trinidad
Mount Gay Premium White - Barbados
Rhum Barbancourt White - Haiti
Ron Matusalem Platino - Dominican Republic
Wray & Nephew White Overproof - Jamaica
El Dorado White - Guyana
$30 and Up
Charbay Tropical Islands Cane - US
Oronoco Fazenda Reserva - Brazil
Papagayo Organic White - Paraguay
Rhum Clement Premiére Canne - Martinique
Tommy Bahama White Sand - Barbados
Starr African Light Rum - Mauritius
Gold and Aged Rum Brands
Due to rum's global production, there are really no set standards for its production and this can lead to some difficult choices, particularly when it comes to aged or gold rums.
It is very important to read the label on gold rums if you want to learn a bit about their production (though not all labels are as revealing as others). Some gold rums are blends of rums of various ages, others are a straight rum aged for a specific amount of time, while still others (typically cheaper ones) are blended with spirits other than rum or may contain artificial colors to give them the amber color.
It is also important to note here that not all rums require the same amount of time in the barrel. Climate plays a large role in aging times and the Caribbean's warm, humid climate can make a rum in just a few years that tastes similar to an American rum that has been aged for a decade or more.
Less than $15
Appleton Special Gold - Jamaica
Bacardi Gold - Puerto Rico
Palo Viejo Gold - Puerto Rico
Fernandes 19 Gold - Trinidad
Brugal Gold - Dominican Republic
Ron Castillo Gold - Puerto Rico
Ron Rico Gold - Puerto Rico
Around $20
Appleton Estate VX - Jamaica
Gosling's Bermuda Gold - Bermuda
Old Mill Gold - Virgin Islands
Plantation Rum Grand Reserve - Barbados
Rhum Barbancourt 3-Star 4 year - Haiti
Tortuga Gold - West Indies
$30 and Up
10 Cane - Trinidad
Rhum Barbancourt 15 year - Haiti
Ron Matusalem Gran Reserva - Dominican Republic
Mount Gay Eclipse - Jamaica
Sea Wynde - Jamaica
Dark Rum Brands
There are really two styles within the category of dark rum: those that are aged in charred oak for a long period of time and those that begin with a distillate made from the darkest molasses. This second category is often called blackstrap and these rums are very rich and thick and quite interesting.
The aged dark rums are used in a number of cocktails and are often used as a float on top of the finished drink.
The Mai Tai is a good example of a dark rum float. Some of the higher-proofed dark rums that are floated are also used when lighting drinks on fire.
Less than $15
Angostura Dark 5 year - Trinidad
Coruba Dark - Jamaica
Cruzan Estate Dark 2 year - St. Croix
Diplomatico Anejo - Venezuala
Fernandes Dark - Trinidad
Ron Abuelo Anejo - Panama
Trader Vic's - West Indies
Whaler's Dark - US
Around $20
Bacardi 8 year - Puerto Rico
Pusser's British Navy Dark - Trinidad
Rhum Barbancourt 8 year - Haiti
Myers Dark - Jamaica
Gosling's Black Seal - Bermuda
$30 and Up
Angostura 1824 12 year - Trinidad
Mount Gay Extra Old - Barbados
Flor de Cana 21 year - Nicaragua
Pyrat XO Reserve Planters Gold - Anguilla
Pampero Rum Aniversario - Venezuela
Rogue Dark - US
Zacapa 23 year - Guatemala
Zaya 12 year - Trinidad
Luxury at over $100
Appleton Estate 21 year - Jamaica
Pyrat Cask 1623 - Anguilla
Spiced Rum Brands
Spiced rum is a flavored rum that is a category unto itself. Though the spice blends vary from brand to brand, you will know a spiced rum when you smell it. Nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, clove, cardamom, peppercorns, anise, allspice, and orange peels are among the ingredients used in spiced rum.
Some drinkers really enjoy spiced rum, others do not. If you have any issues with acid reflux or similar digestive issues, it is probably best to avoid these as they can cause further irritations.
It is a nice way to get an interesting flavor into drinks and spiced rums are featured in a number of popular cocktails.
Admiral Nelson Spiced - US
Captain Morgan Original Spiced - Puerto Rico
Castillo Spiced - Puerto Rico
Kilo Kai
Lieutenant Dan
Montecristo Spiced - Guatelmala
Sailor Jerry's Spiced Navy - Virgin Islands
Trader Vic's Spiced - West Indies
VooDoo Spiced - Virgin Islands
Flavored Rum Brands
Though not quite as fast, the options for flavored rums is increasing almost as fast as flavored vodkas. Typically rums take on the flavor of tropical fruits and can be great for adding a little flavor to tiki drinks. There are also a number of cocktails that specifically call for flavored rum.
There can be a significant difference in flavored rums. Some brands will do a natural infusion of flavors while other opt for artificial flavors and, sometimes, add sugars to sweeten the rum, making it into something similar to a liqueur.
Just like all rums, the lack of regulations and disclosures should make the flavored rum drinker more cautious when making purchase decisions.
If you want to guarantee the quality of your flavored rum, try infusing it yourself. Light rum is the ideal candidate for homemade infusions.
Bacardi - apple, coconut, lemon, melon, orange, peach, raspberry
Brinley - coconut, coffee, lime, mango, vanilla
Charbay - vanilla
Cruzan - banana, black cherry, citrus, coconut, guava, mango, pineapple, raspberry, vanilla
Malibu - banana, coconut, mango, pineapple
Mount Gay - mango, vanilla
Parrot Bay - coconut, key lime, mango, pineapple
Trader Vic's - banana, coconut, mango, pineapple
