Rum Is Such a Versatile Spirit — More People Should Know About It
This is my rum collection and my experience with rum so far.
I’m still relatively new to the rum world, but I’ve really fallen down the rabbit hole. I wanted to make this post because I think rum is one of the most versatile spirits out there, yet a lot of people only associate it with overly sweet cocktails or basic mixer rum.
I’m sharing my experience based on what I’ve actually tasted so far, along with some things I’ve learned along the way. I’m by no means an expert, so take my tasting notes as one newcomer’s perspective. My goal is to give someone who is just getting into rum a good starting point and show just how wide the world of rum really is.
I’ve included a picture of the bottles I currently own — specifically the ones I haven’t completely drank yet 😂 — along with some of the bottles I’ve already finished in the honorable mentions.
Plantation / Planteray & Appleton Estate Signature
Starting on the left, we have the Plantation/Planteray rums and Appleton Estate Signature.
These are primarily my mixing rums. Personally, I generally wouldn’t reach for these straight, although I could see myself drinking the Appleton Estate Signature neat depending on the mood.
Appleton is Jamaican rum, and Jamaican rum is known for having more of a funky, grassy, sometimes fruity character. This is something you really have to taste to understand. “Funk” is one of those terms you hear constantly in the rum world, and it can mean different things depending on the rum.
These are great bottles to have around when you want to make cocktails without using something expensive that you’d rather drink neat.
Diplomatico
Next is Diplomatico.
I really like this one. It’s a great entry point for someone who wants to start drinking rum neat or on the rocks. It has a little bit of smokiness and a very approachable flavor profile.
It does contain added sugar, which is something worth knowing when getting into rum. I personally wouldn’t want to drink it all night for that reason, but I think it’s a very enjoyable rum and a good introduction to sipping rum.
Appleton Estate 12 Year Rare Casks
Next is the Appleton Estate 12 Year Rare Casks.
This is from the same Jamaican producer as the Signature, but obviously a completely different experience. I haven’t opened this one yet, but I’ve heard very good things about it and expect it to be significantly more interesting as a sipping rum.
I’m looking forward to getting into this bottle.
Rhum J.M.
Now we get into one of my favorites to talk about: Rhum J.M.
This is an agricole-style rum, meaning the spirit is made from fresh sugarcane juice rather than the more traditional molasses.
A very simple way to think about it:
Traditional rum → sugarcane → sugar production → molasses → fermentation → rum
Agricole rum → fresh sugarcane juice → fermentation → rum
It’s almost like comparing a spirit made from the original ingredient to one made from a byproduct of the sugar-making process.
This particular rum comes from Martinique, where the volcanic terroir and fresh sugarcane give it a very distinctive character.
To me, it tastes incredibly fresh and grassy, with an earthy/mineral quality and a kind of volcanic character. I hesitate to call it “smoky” because it isn’t really smoky in the same way whiskey or a peated Scotch is.
This was one of the bottles that really showed me how different rum can be from one bottle to another.
Flor de Caña
Next is Flor de Caña from Nicaragua.
This is a very clean, smooth, straightforward rum and is known for having no added sugar.
If you’re someone who wants to understand what a relatively “clean” rum tastes like without a lot of added sweetness, this is a good one to try.
It’s not necessarily trying to overwhelm you with flavors. It’s just an easy-drinking rum that lets the base spirit speak for itself.
El Dorado 12 & 15
Then we have the El Dorados.
Both of these are fantastic sipping rums, and I would absolutely recommend either one to someone who wants to start drinking rum neat.
And these aren’t even the crazy stuff from El Dorado. There are much more specialized bottles from their various stills and cask selections.
One thing that makes El Dorado especially interesting is the Demerara rum tradition from Guyana. Their distillery, Demerara Distillers Limited, operates historic stills, including the famous wooden stills used to produce distinctive styles such as Enmore and Port Mourant.
So you can get into rum far beyond simply “12-year-old rum” or “15-year-old rum.” The still, fermentation, distillation method, cask, and aging can all dramatically change the final product.
As for these two:
The 12 Year is more fruity and approachable to me.
The 15 Year is deeper, darker, and more chocolatey.
Both are extremely smooth and fantastic neat.
If someone told me they wanted to buy one bottle to understand why people actually sip rum, I’d probably point them toward one of these.
Novo Fogo Cachaça
In the back, in the clear bottle, I included a Brazilian spirit called Novo Fogo.
It’s pronounced roughly “Novo Fogo,” and this is where things get interesting.
It is made from fresh-pressed sugarcane juice, similar to agricole rum, but because it is produced in Brazil and falls under Brazil’s legal definition, it is called cachaça rather than rum.
This one is incredibly clean tasting to me.
If you want that fresh sugarcane/grassiness without a bunch of other heavy flavors, this is a really interesting bottle to try.
Cachaça is traditionally used to make a caipirinha, which is basically cachaça, lime, sugar, and ice. I actually prefer mine with very little or no added sugar.
It is dangerously easy to drink.
Flor de Caña 12
Next is the Flor de Caña 12.
I haven’t opened this one yet, so obviously I can’t give you a tasting note.
This isn’t really a ranking because I don’t like ranking rums I haven’t all tasted yet — and honestly, I don’t think I’ve tasted enough rum to make some definitive ranking anyway.
But based on what I’ve heard, I’m expecting this to be another very smooth bottle with a different profile from the other rums here.
Ron Zacapa 23
Then we have Ron Zacapa 23 from Guatemala.
This is one of my favorites so far.
To me, I get a really nice combination of butterscotch and banana, with a smooth, rich character.
It’s sweet and approachable without being so sweet that I feel like I can only have one glass. I could easily see myself drinking two or three glasses of this over an evening.
This is another bottle I’d recommend to someone who’s moving from cocktails into sipping rum.
Foursquare
And finally, the two Foursquare bottles.
These are both from Barbados and both are over 61% ABV.
They’re also both exceptional cask selections.
I haven’t opened either of these yet. These are the bottles I’m probably going to hold onto for a long time, or open for a special occasion.
Foursquare is one of the producers that really got me interested in the more serious side of rum. They have a reputation for producing relatively dry, complex rums without relying heavily on added sugar.
Foursquare also produces Doorly’s, which is another great way to explore Barbadian rum without spending as much money. You can find Doorly’s at places like Total Wine in states where liquor sales are available through those stores.
And yes, I know someone is going to say it:
Please don’t mix the Foursquare. 😂
I wouldn’t mix these, Zacapa, or the El Dorados either.
But rules are meant to be bent. Do whatever you want with your own bottle.
Just maybe don’t use a $300+ Foursquare for a rum & Coke.
Honorable Mentions:
Bumbu
Bumbu is very banana-and-vanilla-forward and tastes more like a sweet, heavy liqueur to me.
It’s actually very good for what it is, but I personally couldn’t drink it all night because it’s too sweet.
Although… I have done exactly that once. 😂
Definitely worth trying if you like sweeter spirits.
Barbancourt 8 Year / 5 Star
This is a Haitian rum, and another interesting one because it is made from fresh sugarcane juice rather than molasses.
I actually finished this bottle, so I don’t have the tasting notes fresh enough in my head to give it a fair review.
I remember enjoying it more in mixed drinks, though they recommend it as a sipping rum as well. I remember getting some tobacco and honey characteristics.
I’d definitely like to revisit it at some point and taste it properly.
The Big Thing I’ve Learned About Rum
The biggest thing I’ve learned so far is that rum isn’t really one category of flavor.
You can have Jamaican rum with heavy funk.
Martinican agricole with grassy, earthy sugarcane character.
Brazilian cachaça.
Guyana’s dark and distinctive Demerara rums.
Barbadian rums that can be dry, complex, and cask-driven.
Spanish-influenced styles that are often smoother and sweeter.
And then you can start getting into different stills, fermentation methods, barrels, ages, single casks, blends, and independent bottlers.
That’s what has made rum so interesting to me.
I’m still very much learning, but that’s also the fun part.
Smuggler’s Cove
I’ve also included pictures of the Smuggler’s Cove book.
If you’re getting seriously interested in rum, this is one of the books I’d recommend picking up. It covers rum history, different styles and regions, and has a ton of cocktails you can make with different types of rum.
It’s basically become my go-to reference as I’ve started exploring more bottles.
So that’s my collection and my experience so far.
For someone completely new to rum, what bottles would you recommend I try next?
And if you disagree with anything I’ve said above, tell me — I’m here to learn. I’m especially interested in hearing what experienced rum drinkers think a newcomer absolutely needs to try.