My final top 15 rums in 3 different price categories

After 400 reviews in the past 40 months and finally getting my badge of Captain Of The Seven Seas, I see absolutely no reason to go any further in trying new rums. Since most of us do not have money coming out of our ears, I have broken down my top 15 rums ranked by my own tastes in each of three different price categories. Anything over $120 US are ones that I have refused to try because I know damn good and well that I would regret the purchase the next day when I would literally piss some of it away. Yes, I can afford a $500 bottle of rum, but what is the point? Without further delay, here they are!Top 15 rums priced $51-$120 US each----------------------------------------------------Dictador XO InsolentDictador 20Dictador XO PerpetualChairman's Reserve 1931Frigate Reserve 21 YearFrigate Reserve 15 YearRhum J M XOPlantation XO 20th AnniversaryBacardi Facundo Eximo 10 yearRon Zacapa XOBacardi Facundo ExquisitoAppleton 21Bayou Mardi Gras XODon Pancho Origenes 18Clement XO (new bottle)Top 15 rums priced $25-$50 US each-------------------------------------------------Dictador 12Clairin Le Rocher 2018South Bay Small BatchVizcaya VXOP 21Ron Centenario 18 Reserva de la FamiliaChairman's Reserve LegacyPlantation OFTD 138 ProofHamilton Florida Rum SocietyChairman's Reserve Forgotten CasksPusser's Gunpowder ProofSmith & Cross Traditional JamaicanDepaz Blue Cane Amber RhumRon Cartavio Solera 12Plantation XO GuatemalaSanta Teresa 1796Top 15 rums priced $5-$24 US each-------------------------------------------------Blackwell's ReserveRum Fire OverproofEl Dorado 8Plantation Original Dark Double AgedSan ZanjCarta Vieja 8 AnosRon Centenario 9 Commemorativo896 8 YearDoorly's XOSelvarey WhiteCana Brava 3 Year OldPlantation Artisinal 3-StarsFoursquare SpicedBrinley Gold Shipwreck SpicedOak & Palm SpicedI truly hope that this helps to guide newcomers. No two tastes are alike, but I have gone through tremendous effort in organizing all of my rum rankings, which this list was derived from. As for my list of my 15 worst rums in each of those price categories, I am very reluctant to publish that one because a few will get quite upset about it.It has been lots of fun, and I will continue to respond to discussions, but only those that are specifically addressed to me.

Paul, Congratulations!! I have tasted far from all on your lists and many of them aren’t available for me, but those I’ve tasted is great and good value for money.

Dear Paul, think about your rum road trips and the great stories you gave us, the exiting moment when you open a new bottle, discover new flavours, update your spreadsheets..... all this will come to an end? I'm sure there will be new nice rums released without horrible costs, every year. So, I hope we will hear great stories further on. Congratulation for your "Captain Of The Seven Seas" badge. Great list !!!!!!!!!!

Rene: I may still be a part of the discussions, but now at a bare minimum. The road calls out to me again, but this time with absolutely no more rums to look for. In two weeks, I will be returning to a place that I promised myself to return to for more than one day. That promise was made more than 17 years ago. Unfortunately, my dog will have to stay back home in the kennel this time. No matter how much time and money one has, this world is simply too big to explore in just one lifetime.Here is another good short story. Around the late eighties when my frequent trips to the Caribbean all began, I came up with the phrase, "Drink rum! Support the Third World countries." My mom replied that this was the stupidest reason for drinking that she had ever heard. But she was a teetotaler and never understood my side of it.And here is another good one! I am the only one that I know of that bruised both of his elbows on a boat just to save a beer. It was November of 1996 and my ex-wife and I were scuba diving all week on the Belize Agressor, at about 5 dives per day each. Hurricane Marco formed off of Cuba that week, so we all had to deal with 15 foot seas and could not dive for a day or so. I got myself an awesome bottle of Belikin Stout. As I was walking on the top deck drinking it, our 110-foot yacht hit a big wave. I slipped and fell with the stout foaming from the top as I slurped it up. All I could think of as I fell was , "Save the beer! Save the beer!". Just as I laid there on the deck, the second mate turned the corner and asked what in hell happened to me, so I told him about saving the beer. I did not tell him about the bruised elbows. Had it not been for that beer, I would have used my hands to break the fall. He just shook his head and walked off.

Yes Paul, life is too short to explore the whole world and promises are to be kept. Don't leave your dog alone for too long. I like your slogan "Drink rum! Support the Third World countries." Don't risk your neck for a beer, for a good bottle of rum, you can think about, man.

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My final top 15 rums in 3 different price categories

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