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Hiya chaps,
I've been through a few dark rums of late, and not found anything I prefer for sipping than the chavvy Kraken. It's really smooth, and tastes like Dr. Pepper.
What other dark rums should I be trying?
Cheers!
Ricks
Mount Gay.
Last I tried was a diplamatico smooth and nice but I'm under exposed to rum
The other good one was up the back there
Mount Gay XO, on three large ice cubes.
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My top 3 are:
Diplomatico reserva exclusiva
Mount Gay XO
Appleton estate 12yr
These are all more expensive than Kraken but are good for sipping and are every bit as sophisticated as a good whiskey.
El Dorado 12 Year. Neat with no ice.
Goslings black seal
Of you don't want to spend too much, kraken is pretty smooth.
I got a bottle of Appletons 12 yo for my b'day recently, and its a fantastic spirit, to mix it would be a waste.
I've also had a Jeffersons from Whitehaven in recent years which was good but not in the same league.
Oh, I found an unopened bottle of dark seal in my uncles house after he died - impressively alcoholic, but again not as good as Appletons.
Have a lick of some Chairman's reserve. Delicate, refined and sippable
The Gosling's Black Seal is the only dark rum you guys have listed isn't it? The rest are golden.
Im not a fan of the lighter rums.
Not tried the Gosling's yet, but did have that on the list!
It's not dark rum but spiced. Red Leg.
Anyway, rum isn't supposed to be sipped. It's supposed to be quaffed like a pirate.
You like it cos it’s a spiced rum. Not cos it’s a dark rum
some spiced golden rums could be ok for you.
Its like a beginners rum really. Tho I’m quite partial to a rum old-fashioned (or even a rum n tonic when on holiday!)
Anyway - to my mind, Southern Caribbean rums are my preference. Northern Caribbean ones don’t suit my palate
Morgan’s spiced surely... 😜
It’s supposed to be quaffed like a pirate.
Gaaaaaarrrrrr!
Discovered Pamperos whilst skiing in Italy, brought a bottle of it back and it's very drinkable. It's Venezuelan, not Italian btw.
Barti Ddu. Without doubt the best rum I have tasted. Awesome. No way I would dream of mixing it.
There is only one..
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Tastes like yacht varnish but you get used to that.
Ooohh Arrrr!
I don’t like the spiced rums but do like OVD, Wood"s, Pusser's and Black Seal
It’s not dark rum but spiced. Red Leg.
ended up on that at the weekend, was lovely straight.
Zacapa XO is very special
Plantation was very good. Not had it in a while so will now have to get some more!
Pussers gunpowder proof. Excellent for its face numbing qualities, tastes nice as well.
1. Mount Gay XO
2. Mount Gay Black Barrel
Diplomatico Reserva for me - espesh cos you can get it on Amazon Prime! 😂
Lamb's Navy
Gosling's Black Seal 151.
It's a winter warmer, you have been warned.
The one that I think tastes like it's already got a bit of cola in it is Rumbullion.
Apparently, Don Papa is very sipable full of cinnamon, vanilla, caramel and sugar. Altho the authenticity is questionable.
^El Dorado 12yo is probably the smoothest I've tasted.
(I get to taste lots in the trade, I'm not a rum lover tho)
Why is Kraken "chavvy"?
Pretty much all of the above to be honest.
#edit - for an unlikely mixer, rum and fresh orange juice is very refreshing as a summer drink.
Ah this brings back memories. Used to deliver charter yachts out to the Caribbean for the summer/winter change over.
Playing ibble dibble with Pussers Pain Killers No1 happy days.
Mountgay or Appletons here.
I've been playing this game far too much!!!
My Rum shelf is now brimming with bottles!
My top 3 are:
Rumbullion - caramel flavour, slight vanilla, slightly sweet
Pink Pigeon - lighter in colour, more vanilla, less sweet
Plantation XO 30th anniversary - more 'mature' taste, less sweet still, but still a hint of sugar cane.
Others to consider are:
Red Leg - dirt cheap, can be had for about £13 a bottle. Sweet, vanillary and a bit fruity.
Kracken - it's ok, a good 'basic' one
Pirates grog - can't quite remember; I drank it, so must have been OK
I didn't really like diplomatico, TBH.. nor mount gay XO
DrP
During a recent visit to Nicaragua tried some Flor de Cana 18 year old rum, it was very, very good. Expensive though at £55 a bottle.
You can't beat Zacapa !
Dark Matter, or Kraken.
Plus I think Bundaberg make one which is very nice.
DrP Plantation XO 30th anniversary – more ‘mature’ taste, less sweet still, but still a hint of sugar cane.
I've just ordered some of that.
Regular customer who is a sipper says his top 3 are:
Rumbullion
Don Papa
Plantation
I've also been asked for Pink Pigeon recently, so will have to look at ordering some, if it's available from my supplier.
Plus I think Bundaberg make one which is very nice.
It's not a lottery i would play..
I'm blessed with having a pub a nice fatbike ride along the beach which has the most amazing selection of rums. And they keep bringing in new ones.
I think all the above are on the shelf, I'm gradually working through them. I'll have another go tomorrow night.
I discovered pink pigeon last week, very good stuff. Riding home is often entertaining!
Ron Barcelo is nice
Diplomatico, Zacapa and Barcelo are all fine choices but at the more spendy end of things.
Chairmans reserve spiced is great for the money - like drinking Christmas cake! Angostura 1919 is also decent for sensible money.
+1 on the Wood's Old Navy, I don't pick up on the yacht varnish notes though..
Ok it's not a dark rum but I rarely pass up a chance to big up Angostura, lovley stuff. Not sweet, not sharp, just nice
See, I got bought some Angostura for Xmas, and wasn't a fan. Too light, too sweet, too close to whisky for me. I prefer it darker, like the difference between a lager and a porter.
Plantation XO 20th Anniversary Rum
Smooth as a very smooth smooth thing that slips down well.
I’m sure you noted my typo in my post.... I meant Plantation XO 20th birthday.... not 30th!!
RE pink pigeon... it WAS in Aldi for £20 a bottle before Xmas!!
Gutted i missed out on that!
DrP
Just remember another I had recently that was rather excellent,
Penny Blue XO
Mount Gay XO grand reserve on order!
I had a bit of a rum incident at the pub on Thursday night. A lesson - don't just pick the pretty labels.
I pointed to some Old J to the young barlad and he duly poured it neat with ice (how I usually enjoy rum). Thought it was a bit burny going down - quite made my eyes water. I asked the bar manager about it and she promptly took my glass and added two thirds coke. Turns out it's 75.5% proof. They're not allowed to serve it neat or in doubles. Poor barlad got a telling off!
Anyway it was bloody lovely with a drop of coke. Although I didn't have another . And I did have indigestion the next day 😐
^Old J tiki fire, ends in tears if drunk as a shot
+1You can’t beat Zacapa
23 year old Guatemalan rum, simply lovely.
Well, got some Mount Gay XO, it's nice... But not what I was after, pretty bright and light.
My friend bought me some Diplomatic Rerserve... Oh my god, it's lovely. Tastes like Christmas pudding in a glass. Best warm.
Ordered some Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva on Sunday, waiting for it to arrive now ..
This thread has reminded me... Anyone had Doorly's XO before? <span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">Received a bottle as a gift.</span>
Thinking ahead for my evening off tomorrow - should I buy in a mixer, or will this be a good enough sipper?
Not really dark but I tried a bottle of Ron Barcelo Imperial over Xmas and was really suprised.
It was a present and i'm more of a Bourbon drinker. I found it nice for sipping neat with no ice.
Thread necro
I noticed M&S are discontinuing a few of their premium dark rums, and with a few £5 off £35 spend coupons, supplemental groceries and a patient fellow on the checkout, I picked up three decent bottles at a good (I think) reduction.
Shelf edge price, and Amazon price for comparison:
Hechicera £30.40 (£42.99)
Don Papa £25.60 (£32.95)
El Dorado 12 y.o. £28.80 (£34.94)
Set for Autumnal sipping.
Don papa. Rum from the Philippines.
magic stuff
I'm still working my way through the ever changing selection at a local pub, but this one went down well on last Thursdays beach ride
40mpg - interesting, was eyeing that in Morrisons yesterday as currently down to £18 for 75cl I think.
My favoured Mount Gay black barrel is on sale at amazon for £22 as well.
Bought a bottle of Havana Club for £16 in mozzas today. It’s not bad . Still prefer its older brother the Havana 7 which is darkish and only £22 quid so it’s my go to supermarket plonk.
A couple of months ago tescos had Appleton estates 12 yr for £25 so a couple of those went to the till... very nice
The Red Lion in Weymouth has a good selection to try...
https://theredlionweymouth.co.uk/drinks/rum/
I was going to ask why the OP described Kraken as ‘chavvy’. But I looked it up for myself.
I definitely prefer my spirits with a bit of heritage and classic (or no) marketing!
Despite my seafaring connection I’m not much of a rum fan.
However, having travelled through Guyana regularly of late I am somewhat hooked on the locally produced El Dorado, especially the 15 and 21 year old stuff. A very sippable choice.
Even out in Guyana it aint a cheap drink.
Which should I go for next week? Might try the Havana no7 perhaps
If that's the English Harbour 10, get on it.
Looks good, what's the pub?
El Dorado 12, 15 and 21 yr old. All lovely
don Papa is just overloaded with vanilla. Nice taste but not really a rum.
Had one on Saturday night - Ron de Jeremy Hardcore spiced. Tasted like cinammon lozenges and apart from the name was quite a hit! “Went down well” as my wife said
mikewsmith
It’s not a lottery i would play..
Spot the "not a Queenslander"
(Sipping on a Bundy as I wrote that 🙂 )
russianbob : Barti Ddu. Without doubt the best rum I have tasted. Awesome.
A friend recently got me a Barti Ddu sampler.. it was indeed awesome! I think a full size sampler will definitely be on the cards!
Another shout for Dark Matter.
Floor de caña here, tbh i cannot tell the difference between 5, 7, 10, 12 years so just buy what you can afford. Love it..lots of ice
Mount Gay Black Barrel..... ummmm,,, 🙂
My favoured Mount Gay black barrel is on sale at amazon for £22 as well.
And still is, thanks.
Diplimatico reserva or plantation get my vote. Appletons for cheap cooking rum.
worth checking out https://www.beachcraftspirits.co.uk which is a relatively new craft rum distillery in Northern Scotland that are just getting themselves established. Had a few sampling sessions and can confirm they are very good.
Turns out it’s 75.5% proof. They’re not allowed to serve it neat or in doubles. Poor barlad got a telling off!
i know it was six months ago but I have to take issue with this. Proof percentages are on a 200% scale, 75.5% proof is 37.75% by volume. No stronger than most spirits and certainly no restriction on selling neat...
If y'all like Diplomatico Reserva, you're gonna love Santa Teresa Solera.
Pricey but gorgeous in the extreme.
Kraken (70cl) currently £17.50 on Amazon, plus £5 back on next purchase of selected alcohol.
Thanks. Good reason to try Kraken...
Why did no one tell me about Beach Craft Spirits? I was passing through Nairn back in August, could have tried a nip. Default favourite is Mount Gax XO.
@40mpg bottom left of your picture.....is that Skullduggery? If so first time I've seen it outside my house!!! Do like it but it is quite young but nice!