Debating between a few rums


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AL
Alex 🇺🇸 | 0 ratings Author Posted 30 Dec '17

Hey all, I am headed back to school in Pennsylvania in a few weeks and I have a much wider selection of liquor available to me here in Arizona before I go back. I'm debating between picking up Seale's 10 yr, Appleton 12, or the El Pasador de Oro XO. I didn't really start getting into rum until this year and this is my first opportunity to pick some of this stuff up so I haven't tried any of it. Any suggestions between these three? (or others in the price range) Cheers
SC
Scott T 🇺🇸 | 122 ratings Replied 30 Dec '17

Appleton 12 yr is outstanding, I am surprised it's not available in PA. My recommendation would be to take as much of the Seale's rum home with you as you can handle. seale's 10 yr, Doorly XO, 5 yr, 8 yr, and 12 yr. All are fantastic bargains and only available at Total Wines that carry liquor.
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Tom 🇺🇸 | 230 ratings Replied 30 Dec '17

As mentioned above they are all awesome! Plus, the Real McCoy 5 year, any of the Plantation line, Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva, Papa Pilar 24, Santa Teresa. Their are so many good rums out there. Each island has its own flavor profile and then within that island, each distillery produces its own rum with its own distinct and unique flavor characteristics. Determining what you like and enjoy is the fun part! Whether the rum be used as a mixer. Whether it is your go to house rum. Whether it is your upper end rum best enjoyed sipped neat or with an ice cube. All we can do is offer our suggestions which may, or may not, suit your individual needs. Reading reviews, spending time researching the plethora of rum websites online or in book form and asking employees that work at the liquor store are your best weapons to help ensure you you picked a rum you enjoy! Good luck and enjoy rum! And best of luck in school...
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Nathan 🇬🇧 | 35 ratings Replied 3 Jan '18

I only know the first two, which are hard to separate but Seale's is probably better. If you're going back to somewhere you can't get these, then take them all.
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Tom 🇺🇸 | 230 ratings Replied 5 Jan '18

Hey Alex, I never asked you if you preferred a dry or sweet rum? Dark or light? There are nice Agricole rhums as well as Cachaca’s as well!
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Fabrice 🇨🇦 | 2 ratings Replied 28 May '18

Is there any good rum that are right between dry and sweet? I mean just a little bit sweet?
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Paul B 🇺🇸 | 472 ratings Replied 29 May '18

Fabrice: Here are some very good semi-dry rums with 10-19 gpl of added sugar, ranked in order by my own taste preferences: Pampero Aniversario El Dorado 8 Ron Barcelo Imperial Angostura 1919 Plantation Original Dark Double Aged Don Pancho Origenes 8 English Harbour 5 The best overall bang for the buck is Don Q Anejo, which is a dry rum that is not overly oaked. How on earth do they achieve this is beyond my imagination. Many of the R.L. Seale rums tend to be overly oaked.
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Fabrice 🇨🇦 | 2 ratings Replied 29 May '18

Thanks for your advise. I live in Quebec. Here, Pampero Aniversario is not available. But El Dorado yes. Actualy i bough 3 Eldorado bottles so far : The first one was "no aged" and truly disgusting. But then the 5 years was pretty nice and the 12 years is so good that it could become an absolute addiction. :) But after 1 glass, its too sweet! I could not get a bottle of the 8 years since it is rare to find and quickly sold as soon as it land on shelf ;)
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Paul B 🇺🇸 | 472 ratings Replied 30 May '18

Fabrice: Here are the added sugar amounts for El Dorado rums that you have tried or want to try. One teaspoon is 4.2 grams, so that 12 year old is indeed a sugar bomb. 5 year is 12 gpl 8 year is 15 gpl 12 year is 35 gpl. You have also stumbled upon another great way to find good rums, the ones that rapidly disappear from the shelves of the liquor stores. Same over here, El Dorado also disappears quickly, leaving one of the few empty spots on the shelves. What you could do is either pay the merchant in advance and have him call you when it comes in or just tell them to give you a call. From what you have already tried, El Dorado 8 sounds like it would be just perfect for you. Since El Dorado 12 is too sweet, try adding some El Dorado 5 to tone it down.
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Fabrice 🇨🇦 | 2 ratings Replied 31 May '18

Yeah... That,s way too much! If only El Dorado could offer a 12 or 15 yo with something between 5 to 15gpl of sugar.
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Nathan 🇬🇧 | 35 ratings Replied 31 May '18

Hi Fabrice, have you tried any of these? R.L. Seale's 10 Mount Gay XO Appleton Estate 12 After getting used to these unsweetened rums, it's difficult drinking the sugared ones like El Dorado 12 (the best of all the range) DIplomatico RE
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Fabrice 🇨🇦 | 2 ratings Replied 31 May '18

RL Seale is not available in Québec. Too bad :( But Mount Gay XO and Appleton Estate 12 are available. ;) I was told that the Mount Gay XO was great, rich not sweet but real smooth! About the Appleton 12... someone told me that from my newbie point of view, i would dislike it more then the Mount Gay X.O. Which one of those two do you suggest for someone like me who is used to sweet rum and want to try something much less sweet but not something dry like a funeral drum? :) i mean Which one of those two is less dry, more smooth. I dont want to be aggressed by too much of alcool burn. Having the feeling that i'm drinking disinfectant... No thanks. Which one is easier? ;) I know i need to get rid of the added sugar. So i want an unsweetened rum that is still smooth and not too strong.
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Paul B 🇺🇸 | 472 ratings Replied 31 May '18

Fabrice: Both the Appleton 12 Year Old and the Mount Gay XO have 0 gpl of added sugar. However, these two rums cannot be more different from each other. Appleton is typical of Jamaican rums with it's unique hogo funk. I developed a love/hate relationship with it and it tumbled down in my ratings from a 7 to a 6. The uniquely Bajan rum is from Mount Gay and it tumbled down in my ratings from a 7 to a 3. I could not wait to get rid of it and will never buy it again. It is just plain boring to me. You could go the cheaper route with Appleton Reserve Blend and Mount Gay Eclipse before spending the bucks on the more pricier versions. I actually prefer the Appleton Reserve Blend more because the hogo funk is subdued. I cannot verbally describe hogo funk. It just has to be tasted, and no two descriptions would be the same.
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Nathan 🇬🇧 | 35 ratings Replied 31 May '18

If Appleton Reserve and Mount Gay Eclipse were my references to the 12 and XO, I would never have tried them. Here's a list that shows sugar content in various rums: http://rumproject.com/rumforum/viewtopic.php?t=1683 Maybe try the ones midway to zero sugar before you get to the Mount Gay XOs and Appleton 12s. Goslings Family Reserve was very nice, chocolate notes, I'd give that one a go and should buy another bottles soon. Comes in a nice wooden display box on a bed of straw! Before you leave the sweet one though I would recommend you try Ron Millonario 15: https://www.rumratings.com/brands/805-ron-millonario-reserva-especial-15?review_id=29068#alt_review_29068