Craft rum from the USA

I was hesitant to start this discussion, but why not? Once a rum making process is carved in stone, no one dares to stray off the path. Well, until you encounter craft rum producers in the USA. Examples are Lyon from Maryland and Wildcat Brothers and Roulaison from Louisiana. They stray from the path and use other hardwood staves and seasonings besides the standard oak barrel aging. As with any experiment, sometimes it excels and other times it fails. I cannot even predict who will like or hate any of them, but all are worth a try, especially when looking for something very different.