Anyone ever try and blend your own signature rum blend from your collection?


Sign up or Log In to change notification settings.
Earl Elliott avatar image
Earl Elliott (BASIC) 🇨🇦 | 236 ratings Author Posted 15 Feb '21

I was watching a youtube video about Scotch blending by master distillers and I recalled that the same process is followed by Rum masters and thought, hey I could make my own blend. So I took 6 of my better rums that I thought would work well in a blend and made my own creation. I am pretty happy with it, and although it's probably a sin to have done this, however I tested it out and my friends tell me it's fantastic.
RU
Rumexplorer (BASIC) 🇳🇱 | 8 ratings Replied 2 Jun '21

I have seen you ratings and can you help me find a good rum for mixed drink not of brand Bacardi or Captain morgan?
Paul B avatar image
Paul B (BASIC) 🇺🇸 | 472 ratings Replied 16 Feb '21

Earl: Trying to recreate Dos Maderas 5+5 from six rums with very little sherry in them is quite a feat. You are a much braver man than I am!!!
Earl Elliott avatar image
Earl Elliott (BASIC) 🇨🇦 | 236 ratings Author Replied 16 Feb '21

I was trying to recreate the Dos Maderas 5+5 PX. The key rum for this mixture was the 1931 as it smoothed out the harshness of the Relicario and added some depth to the blend. The other key rum was the Nativo 15 year old. Lots of flavours in the combined 6 rums. On their own they all seem to be just short of great, but together it's a winner. Cheers.
Earl Elliott avatar image
Earl Elliott (BASIC) 🇨🇦 | 236 ratings Author Replied 16 Feb '21

Paul. There’s a bottle of Graham’s 20 year old Tawny Port missing from the picture. I use a dropper full of the port to get the blend closer to the Dos Maderas.
Paul B avatar image
Paul B (BASIC) 🇺🇸 | 472 ratings Replied 16 Feb '21

Mr. Rumantic avatar image
Mr. Rumantic (BASIC) 🇩🇪 | 296 ratings Replied 19 Feb '21

I made a Blend with an aged sweet Panama Rum and a drop of my Ardbeg 10. The final Blend was quite good. Had a great peated finish and some good spice on the palate. And much faster than storing it in a barrel for years 😅😋😉 Blending at Home is fun.
RumGuy1 avatar image
RumGuy1 (BASIC) 🇺🇸 | 54 ratings Replied 19 Feb '21

Yes. But i never produced a rum blend that was better than one singular component.
vomi1011 avatar image
vomi1011 (BASIC) 🇩🇪 | 403 ratings Replied 19 Feb '21

I would appreciate that, but they didn't even want to work with Luka, they want to go their own way. All great releases of the last years were bottled by independent bottlers: REV 1994 Rum Artesanal, 32y Enmore TheRumCask, MEC 1992 Flensburg, KFM 1991 Flensburg, Corman Collins Enmore 1992, VSG Barikenn 2012, Valinch & Mallet 1993, Valinch & Mallet 1994 Enmore, 16y MDXC TheRumCask, 2004-2016 VSG (MDXC) Rum Artesanal, 2004-2021 VSG (MDXC) Rum Artesanal. What do we saw from DDL: "Blended in the barrel selection" of overpriced rums that achieved 79-83 rating points with great effort. https://singlecaskrum.com/2020/02/06/el-dorado-blended-in-the-barrel/ Who is willing to pay over 150€ for such blends? People pay a lot of money for the old Velier bottlings. If I were a Master Blender I would ask myself why and why I don't create such bottlings.
Paul B avatar image
Paul B (BASIC) 🇺🇸 | 472 ratings Replied 3 Nov '21

Earl:

Thanks so much on the compliment for me being a mad scientist. I had a chemistry set in my pre-teens. Well, one day  my mom came home to hook and ladder fire trucks parked in front of our house. My neighbor saw smoke coming out of our shed and called the fire department. My mom usually got very upset on these kind of things, but not this time. What was the problem? I had finally figured out how to make gunpowder from scratch at a tender you age. It almost burned my face off, but I was lucky.  In her mind, she knew damn well that her oldest boy would go very far in life and he did indeed! So glad to still be a mad scientist!

 

Stefan Persson avatar image
Stefan Persson (PREMIUM) 🇸🇪 | 503 ratings Replied 19 Feb '21

Vomi, Well then we must recommend the DDL to replace their “stupid” Master Blender with you. 😂
KU
kudzey (BASIC) 🇵🇱 | 38 ratings Replied 15 Mar '21

This discussion just brings to my mind a question if rum companies enter such sites like RR and seek for feedback on their rums. I believe reading this topic could be interesting for the DDL if they care what their clients need.
vomi1011 avatar image
vomi1011 (BASIC) 🇩🇪 | 403 ratings Replied 15 Mar '21

They are successful, they may not want to serve this niche market anymore. I mean if you sell 200 bottles of very good 20y old rum for connoisseurs it's nothing compared to a million bottles of Dictador 12. We can still enjoy the old stuff from the idependend bottlers. But the Demerara stock seems empty. Last releases were from 2010. That's a pity, but on the other hand they wanted to go this way.
vomi1011 avatar image
vomi1011 (BASIC) 🇩🇪 | 403 ratings Replied 18 Feb '21

I've tried to create some navy blends. Or to increase complexity of some Demeraras. It works. I often use two rums. With three rums it's more difficult, it's not easy to find the right proportions. I like my own Demerara blends much more than what is sold on the market. The last good Demeraras were bottled by Luca. Since these days DDL is blinded forever, because they wanted to cancel the relation with Luca. You need good rums to create good blends. Old tropical aged TDLs or Clarendons are great to increase complexity. To recreate a Tiger Shark we need rums in the price range of 60-120€. The Last Ward or an old TDL, a good Demerara, tropical aged Clarendon and a good WP. You can also use sugar syrup (Monin) to create sweet rums. Then the blends became milder. I think you need this also when you want to recreate the Dos Maderas.
Mr. Rumantic avatar image
Mr. Rumantic (BASIC) 🇩🇪 | 296 ratings Replied 6 Nov '21

60% Foursquare ECS 2007, 30% Plantation One Time Limited Australia, 10% Flensburg Hampden C<>H. Makes a great Navy Style Rum. 😁😇😉

CH
Charles M (BASIC) 🇬🇧 | 148 ratings Replied 14 Jul '21

I blend rums I really don't like to try and finish them as I don't like throwing them out. The last one was the Kirk & Sweeney 12 Reserva. I like their 12yo, but found the 12 Reserva to be absolutely disgusting. Question was what to mix it with, and I found it went quite well with Pussers bog standard rum but at IIRC 54% ABV (I think since rebranded Gunpowder strength). I drink my rums neat, and don't really like going above 48%, so was happy to blend the Pussers away. It was a few months ago that I did it and can't remember if it was 1:1 or not, but think it was. It actually turned out to be quite a nice drop.
Althaur avatar image
Althaur (BASIC) 🇺🇸 | 21 ratings Replied 21 Oct '21

I realize I am resurrecting an older thread, but I just found it today. I made an old-fashioned with my house blend tonight. After reading some ideas on infinity bottles, and house blends, I decided to make my own. When I first made it and tried it I thought I royaly screwed it up. After it sat for a couple days all of the flavors seem to settle down. I added a cherry stick for some additional flavoring for a little over a week that seem to bring everything together. It has a nice spiciness to it. So far, everyone who has tried it has really enjoyed it. It makes an absolutely perfect old-fashioned

CH
Charles M (BASIC) 🇬🇧 | 148 ratings Replied 3 Nov '21

Question is Paul, and I think I know the answer, is the whole better than the sum of its parts?

 

I guess that's the art of blending. 

Paul B avatar image
Paul B (BASIC) 🇺🇸 | 472 ratings Replied 3 Nov '21

Earl:

I gave it a try this afternoon, inspired by the three main countries used in Black Tot, wisely leaving Trinidad out. For my first try, I always use equal parts. The countries were Jamaica, Guyana, and Barbados.  Using equal parts did not appeal to my pallette. So I tried improving on this. Damn it if I got it right on my second try!!!

So here is my results to make one 24 ounce bottle of Paul B's Tot  Start with 4 ounces of Jamaican (Appleton 8 year), 8 ounces of Guyana (El Dorado 8), and 12 ounces of Barbados (Mount Gay XO Triple Cask). Notice that all three are affordable and easily replaced. Keeping it this simple is the key. And this was lots of fun!

So why have I chosen to leave Trinidad out? I just bought a bottle of Bombarda Falconet and it's youger brother Culverin. The 5 Year Culverin is good but the 8 Year Falconet has a bitter finish. Both have rums from Panama and the Dominican Republic as their base. The younger Culverin adds rum from Barbados. The older Falconet adds rums from Guyana and Trinidad. So which country is responsible for the bitter finish on the older one? From my experinece with one bottle each of Caroni and Scarlet Ibis, Trinidad is the guilty one. For those that want a taste of Caroni on the cheap, it is hiding in bottles of Bombarda Falconet!!! How on earth could they afford that is beyond me!

Earl Elliott avatar image
Earl Elliott (BASIC) 🇨🇦 | 236 ratings Author Replied 3 Nov '21

Paul B.

Here in Ontario, there aren't many top rums on the shelves unless you want to pay $500 for an El Dorado 25.  Everything else is meh, so I had to do some more blending to get an Earlwibbean rum mixture.  Glad to hear that your mad scientist project worked out.  

I3R0K3N7FEET avatar image
I3R0K3N7FEET (BASIC) 🇬🇧 | 77 ratings Replied 23 Nov '21

Actually  a little while ago I hand around 15 different rums on my shelf, ranging from various mainstream cheap brands, to some artisinal rums, to some upper end stuff (to name a few in my selection so people can get an idea, I had a bottle of cpt morgans spiced, sailor jerry, Kirk and sweeney, plantation dark double cask, libations, don papa sevilliana, havana club 7, skipper, kraken,  and various others including black tot, old J Cherry, kopparberg dark fruits which were pretty awful). I am not a fan of kirk and sweeney at all, but I appreciate that it is a good quality spirit, albeit dull and lifeless and relatively dry, so used it as a base for blending to make a selection of drinks I would actually use. I made 3x full 70cl bottles with a different mix. 1. 30% kirk and sweeney, 20% Skipper, 20% Havana club, 10% Plantation dark, 10% morgans spiced, 10% Don papa sevellana. - This turned out to be an amazing sipper2. 30% K&S, 30% Sailor Jerry, 20% Libations, 20% kraken (with trace/leftover amounts of old J Cherry. I found the libation rum, despite having a faint honey essence, actually lacked sweetness, and was going for a complex mixer. was a little disappointed, but this was actually the first bottle to disappear as it was very easy to drink mixed. 3. 30% K&S, 40% Skipper, 10-15% black tot with the rest made up with kraken, a little morgans spiced, I think there was a double shot of rumbullion, basically was similar to the first, but with more dark/spiced rums. This turned out to be my favourite of them all. Generally, I dont drink a huge amount and as I love rum I tend to buy bottles faster than I drink them (especially when I get gifted some- often rums  I wouldnt normally drink) so found that blending different rums, especially when you are aware of the flavour profile, and what you do like, can actually create new/interesting experiences. Again, I would hazard against hap-hazardly throwing any-old rum together, as the aim at least in my mind, was to create something more balanced and overall drinkable. mixing too many complex drinks together wouldnt work, or just mixing sweet mixer rums together again might not work out either.

Jaycee avatar image
Jaycee (BASIC) 🇦🇺 | 67 ratings Replied 15 Jul '22

I've hit my perfect blend and use it as my daily swill.. I blended initially to keep the $$ down but also to tame some Jamaican funk down and now I think it's perfect. 15% Appleton Est 12yr and 85% Duppy share gold (which is a blend of 3yr old Jamaican and 5yr old Barbados rugs) magic!

RA
randycous (BASIC) 🇺🇸 | 81 ratings Replied 18 Jul '22

I blend regularly. I buy a lot of rums, just to try them. Worst case, they become a mixer. I often will have a rum that is a little too sweet, so I blend it with one that is a bit dryer, and presto, a pleasant blend. Always experiment with small quantities in a glass. I also keep a blend bottle in my cabinet. A bottle with just a small amount of rum and a lot of air will allow some of the rum flavor to disappear. So when a bottle gets low, it gets poured into the blend bottle. The blend bottle is always a good sip, if you only pour high quality into it. Never pour something you don't really enjoy into the blend bottle.

KE
Kevin (BASIC) 🇺🇸 | 78 ratings Replied 17 Jul '22

I'm going to leave this to the mad scientists out there. It's been hit or miss with me and sometimes it works just a tad better & other times it a disappointment. If the rum is already blended, to what ever degree, it's good enough for me. Besides, I'm on a voyage that has no horizons so why try blending and stay there? It's a dead end for me. I'll keep exploring the rum world while you mad scientist have your fun! Carry on mate!

bar la moura avatar image
bar la moura (BASIC) 🇭🇷 | 168 ratings Replied 28 Jul '22

never done this and i will never do, even with rums i don t like, they can be very good in a simple daiquiri

(rum, lime juice and sugarcane syrup) and if they can t be good in a daiquiri, you can always throw them in a coke or maybe make a mule with ginger beer and lime juice ...

Paul B avatar image
Paul B (BASIC) 🇺🇸 | 472 ratings Replied 31 Jul '22

This Discussion from 18 months ago inspired me to try my own blend. In my case, it was to get rid of a white rum that no longer appeals to me. There is just too much Hampden hogo in my recent purchase of another Foursqare Probitas. Never again!

Another Discussion asked how one should arrange their bottles. I suggested by the three regions in the Caribbean. This white rum was definitely English in style. For the French portion, my only choice was Clement Select Barrel. This left me with two acceptable choices for Spanish style, Don Q Anejo or Dictador 12.   My three expensive Spanish style neat sippers were not considered. I chose the Dictador 12 in the hopes that the stronger notes in this one would cover the excessive Hampden notes in my white rum. This did not happen!  I combined a half ounce of each.  Hard to believe this, but my French style rum overpowered the English style white rum as well as my Dicatdor 12. All this proves is that nasty tasting rums do not mix with pleasant tasting rums.

I would also like to see if anyone will try mixing a half ounce of each from the three Caribbean styles. I only had 14 opened bottles to choose from and opening any of the others would not have helped. Those with large collections could have a field day, but Foursquare Probitas (Veritas in Europe) is highly recommended to be one of them.

Paul B avatar image
Paul B (BASIC) 🇺🇸 | 472 ratings Replied 31 Jul '22

Jimmy:

Your blend should taste better than what I tried yesterday because your blend has absolutely no hogo funk. Hopefully, you used the 8 Year for 896 instead of their 5 year. And hopefully, your Bacardi 8 Year came from Puerto Rico instead of the Bahamas. As for Abuelo, I have yet to find one that I like.  You also have no French style in the blend, but two from Spanish style. Which Abuelo was yours? Regardless, aging this blend in small oak barrels should get you a good one.

Jimmy Cliff avatar image
Jimmy Cliff (PREMIUM) 🇺🇸 | 492 ratings Replied 31 Jul '22

I have been wanting to do this with a twist, not only blending them but aging the blend in a true oak aging barrel. A good friend of mine has been making oak aged Negronis for years. The company makes all different sizes of charred oak barrels even small counter top models. Here is my blend. 

Mr. Rumantic avatar image
Mr. Rumantic (BASIC) 🇩🇪 | 296 ratings Replied 30 Dec '23

Found a very great classic Navy Blend. 

50% El Dorado 1993/ 50% TDL 2002 % some drops of STCE white.

The Enmore has a great foundation and the TDL gives great complexity to that flavor with the mint and smoke. The Long Pond gives the Ester. Great combination. I liked it a lot. 

CH
Charles M (BASIC) 🇬🇧 | 148 ratings Replied 22 Apr '23

Paul I agree. 

I have revisited my blend, and I actually find it rather enticing. Nothing hugely special in it.....

Doorly's 12yo (43%), RL Seale 10yo (46%), Bally Ambre (45%), Clement Select Barrel (40%), Arcane Extraroma 12yo (40%), Mezan Trinidad 2009/12yo (46%), Mezan Panama 2010/10yo (46%), Mezan Belize 2008/13yo (46%), Mezan Jamaica 2007/12yo (46%), Mezan Chiriqui (40%), Goslings Black Seal (40%), Barcelo Anejo (37.5%), Hopkins Rum (40%) - no idea what this is, but it's nasty and claims to be from UK, Banditti Club (52.4%), Foursquare 2007/12yo (59%), Royal Navy rum from a flagon (c 54.3%). 

I bought (and sold) a lot of these flagons that went to be something rather more salubrious.

 

KI
Kieron wood (BASIC) 🇬🇧 | 621 ratings Replied 18 Apr '23

I have done a Jamaica  infinity bottle from my collection  ..

Rums in it are ; 

Vidya river mumma 2005 61.5%

Appleton 12 43%

Runaway bay 42.5%

Monymusk whispering breeze 40%

Worthy park single estate reserve 45%

Hampden estate rum fire 63%

Tortuga bannana rum 40%

Warehouse John crow DOK 63%

Worthy park 109 54.9%

Monymusk ovenproof  white 63%

Hampden estate  the younger LROK 46%

Charly JB overproof 63% 

Old brothers LPCH 47.8% 

Kill devil 10 year Hampden 46%

 

 

Leaving it the stew for the year and will drink around Christmas 

 

Les 80 avatar image
Les 80 (BASIC) 🇬🇧 | 70 ratings Replied 20 Apr '23

 i have about 4 bottle of rums that are gifts... but i would never drink them i would never have  thought to mix them  seems like good fun trying out 

CH
Charles M (BASIC) 🇬🇧 | 148 ratings Replied 20 Apr '23

Coming back to this thread & having read it..... I said why not, and put a shot from each open bottle together. A bit like these infinity bottle I guess. Got 16 sippers open at the moment. Couple of Navy, 11 other molass, 3 agricole, no white. no spiced.

Had a quick sip and it seems OK. The agricoles seem quite dominant given it's less than 20%. 

Paul B avatar image
Paul B (BASIC) 🇺🇸 | 472 ratings Replied 3 Nov '21

Charles:

I must have really lucked out today. What I have created is sligltly better than the new Mount Gay XO Triple Cask that comprises half of my new blend, and then adding the right amounts from Jamaica and Guyana.  This is the absolute first time that I ranked one of my own blends and it came out as an 8. So the sum of the cheaper parts winds up being a LOT better than the Black Tot 5 Year that I just opened up. Granted that one has another 10.2% ABV, but that burn actually detracts from the wonderful flavor combination that I have blended today. And my version was only $35 compared to $55-$65 for theirs. Maybe I should apply for Master Blender somewhere since I am retired.

RU
Rustykrabrumshop (BASIC) 🇬🇧 | 0 ratings Replied 18 Apr '23

I have an infinity bottle which I put the last little bit of each bottle into currently has about 45 different rums in it and changes slightly every time it's about 3 years old and currently very good. 

ayschucks avatar image
ayschucks (BASIC) 🇺🇸 | 2 ratings Replied 20 Apr '23

Hi, long term listener, first time caller from San Diego area. I am a rum club member down at False Idol and last month Martin Cate came and did a talk about blending and aging your own rum combination. His is part of a project for Smuggler's Cove; where as he is storing and blending a mix of rums in a 2 gallon oak cask and is adjusting it as needed.Oddly, I have been experimenting with the same thing but in a much smaller scale with a bottle based system using aging staves. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08YD4F5YR/ref=twister_B093K8MT8Q?_encoding=UTF8&th=1My first test was white overproof Jamacian with some splashes of Worthy Park and it came out AMAZING. It really smoothed out the overproof and gave it a wonderful mouth feel. Second test has been less discplined, I added to the original batch with an addition of Barbados Foursquare rums and topped with some Don Q 151. Came out hot and sweeter than I like so I am currently adjusting with some other regional blends from the Carribean in small quantities. Tamed the heat and the sweet. Next test will be a 1/2 gallon oak barrel sometime later this year. 

Paul B avatar image
Paul B (BASIC) 🇺🇸 | 472 ratings Replied 16 Feb '21

Earl: Welcome back to the discussions and thanks for all of your added sugar postings!!!!! I try lots of different blends, but have never had the urge to create my own signature blend. My case is always like, "Holy shit! This rum reminds me of another one in my collection (Facundo Eximo/Exquisto vs South Bay), so let me find out the right mixture to recreate it". On a recent case of Hamilton's Florida Rum Society, I tried like hell to recreate it from my own collection so that I would not have to drive back to Florida to get more. Guess what? I had to drive back to Florida to get six more bottles and I soon figured out that all I had to do was the math from three different Hamilton rums that are fairly easy to get. Also in my notes is adding Ron Medellin 8 Year as a way to improve sugar bombs that have deteriorated in the bottle after a month or so. From what you have shown, I gather that your inspiration was to improve upon that bottle of Relicario, which I was not too impressed with. I only once tried to blend my Eximo and would not even dream of blending any of the others. The master blenders usually achieve perfection before sending their bottles out to be sold. Improving upon cheap rums is the key!
Paul B avatar image
Paul B (BASIC) 🇺🇸 | 472 ratings Replied 21 Apr '23

One must consider what is in their collection before blending. For the really good rums that are close to perfection, blending any of them would be considered as unthinkable. The only exception to this is to use one of these sparingly, similar to how one uses well chosen seasonings while cooking. DRE? I am talking about you! Yes, this very popular sugar bomb is excellent when used as a seasoning.

This leaves one to choose from rums that are less than stellar, but not bad enough to be flushed down the toilet. My best suggestion is to blend 2 of them, with a maximum of 3. Could I ever hope to approach the blending expertise of Ed Hamilton? Absolutely not! As for trying to make your own version of Black Tot, don't waste your time and rums on such a project.  I already failed at this.

This leaves the simplest of experiments. Grab a dry rum that is rather boring. Then grab a sweet rum with 20-50 gpl of added sugar. Blend those two to meet your own tastes. And quite often, two wrongs can make one right. And if that don't work, then add a teaspoon of DRE.

Les 80 avatar image
Les 80 (BASIC) 🇬🇧 | 70 ratings Replied 22 Apr '23

i tried to night with 2 bottles off cheap stuff i been given as gifts i used woods as well but woods overpowered the other 2 

but will definitely try again with cheaper rums i know are decent 

CH
Charles M (BASIC) 🇬🇧 | 148 ratings Replied 25 May '23

Currentl;y sipping on a 2:1 Goslings Black Seal:Rhum Clement Select Barrel. Might have to buy a bottle of Woods (or something similar) and try it with the Clement or Bally Ambre.

Jimmy Cliff avatar image
Jimmy Cliff (PREMIUM) 🇺🇸 | 492 ratings Replied 27 May '23

LOL this blog is a great read. I have not balled up to make my own blend yet I want to get a charred oak mini barrel first to age it a month or two. I guess the real magic comes down to quantity of each, equal or keep mixing by taste. I did create my own rum punch recipe for my 60th birthday though, Only took 3 blends to nail it Jimbo Punch. Not sure I remember who to make it now but not equal quantities nailed it by taste.