Rum is a global spirit that you want close to home. Our guide will make sure you can mix up any rummy favorite with ease.
- Light Rum
Light rum is the basic, classic rum. From a simple rum and Coke to a classic daiquiri, you need a quality light rum at hand.
OUR PICK- Don Q Crystal. This Puerto Rican classic is the foundation for your home rum collection, providing a straight-forward, clean, classic profile that always satisfies, at a price that won’t break the bank. - Dark Rum
Dark rum is an essential ingredient in many drinks, especially for Tiki concoctions.
OUR PICK- Planetary OFTD. Clocking in at 69% ABV, this over proofed blend of rums brings the flavor bomb. Other lists will opt for a naval rum here, but we think the Planetary beats anything His Majesty’s Navy is backing. You can dilute it down to 80 proof with water when needed, so don’t fear the high proof. The distiller says the name stands for “Old Fashioned Traditional Dark,” but we know it means “Oh F#$%, That’s Delicious!” - Aged Rum
Aged rums are often called for in tiki drinks, bring sophistication to your rum and Cokes, make INCREDIBLE Old Fashioneds that rival any whiskey, and pair amazing well with a good cigar. Honestly, if you pushed us to only stock one type or rum, we’d opted for the aged.
OUR PICK- Flor de Cana 25. So this is the most expensive rum on our list by far, and, yes, if you need to save a few bucks, the 18 year old will certainly do the trick. But come on, don’t you want one show-stopper in your collection?
We thought so! - Funky Jamaican Rum
Georgia Clinton was right. Sometimes, we want the funk, and no distilleries bring unusually, funky, fruit flavors like the Jamaicans. A bit of these rums can really liven up your favorite rum cocktail.
OUR PICK: Wrey and Nephew. There’s a banana Laffy Taffy vibe here that may not work in every drink, but in the right mix, it really shines. Mix this with OFTD in your Mai Tai and you’ll see what we mean. Or just make a highball with this and a bottle for Ting grapefruit soda for a Jamaican treat! - Spiced Rum
Some rum purists turn up their nose at spiced rums, but we like them. They can add some zip to a rum and coke or add complexity to your favorite rum cocktail.
OUR PICK: Sailor Jerry. Maybe we’re a sucker for marketing, but this 92 proof bottle holds a special place in out hearts. We also like using this as a base to make rum infusions. Forget Fireball, Kahula, or Malibu. Infuse cinnamon sticks, coffee beans, or coconut in this spiced rum, sweeten to taste, and you’ll have something that beats store-bought flavored concoctions all day everyday.
