How many times do you sample a rum before rating it?


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Earl Elliott avatar image
Earl Elliott πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ | 236 ratings Author Posted 23 Jan '22

First impressions are important, however I have found that when sampling a rum I have second guessed myself when I taste that rum at another time.Β  I am now sampling the same rum on 3 different days before I submit my rating.Β Β 

KU
kudzey πŸ‡΅πŸ‡± | 38 ratings Replied 24 Jan '22

I submit the rating after first (and sometimes the only) tasting. Then, if I have a chance to revisit a rum, I update the rating whenever anything new comes to my mind. I always keep the original notes from tastings and just append, comparing how my reception changes. It is very helpful to do a series of comparisons with my benchmarks to deliver a full rating.

Mr. Rumantic avatar image
Mr. Rumantic πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ | 296 ratings Replied 24 Jan '22

I think tasting a rum 2-3 times and than write the Review is a good way to go. I mostly do it the same way. I also try to write my Review while drinking the rum. But sometimes notes have to do the job. I think 5cl Samples are enough for a Review because you can taste it 2-3 times. I am lucky we have a great rum Community in Germany where almost any new rum gets a split. So a big thank to RumX and all the other great people who share bottles.Β 

Jagsroy avatar image
Jagsroy (PREMIUM) πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ | 288 ratings Replied 26 Jan '22

I, too, usually rate my rums after first tasting. When I find a noticeable difference at a later date I update my ratings.

* By the way Earl I always look forward to your reviews. Also appreciate your inclusion of "added sugar" information. πŸ‘

Rene Rum avatar image
Rene Rum (PREMIUM) πŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ | 547 ratings Replied 28 Jan '22

I only do a one-time tasting, and it takes at least 1 to 3 hours for that. The rum has enough time to develop and tell me its story. Often I have 2 cl or 4 cl samples, which is just enough for a tasting, more is of course always better. If a bottle changes markedly over time, I create a postscript.

Rocky avatar image
Rocky πŸ‡ΈπŸ‡° | 118 ratings Replied 29 Jan '22

Triton Ogletree avatar image
Triton Ogletree πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ | 134 ratings Replied 29 Jan '22

I for one am not very consistent. I would say that it's after one try but honestly, it's whenever I get around to it. At that point, half the bottle may be gone or I may have drank it repeatedly years ago. My reviews are usually pretty basic, so, I am not trying to remember individual tasting notes. I'm trying to describe overall impressions (which are obviously easier to remember if I don't get around to writing about it right away.)

RU
rumtrinker πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ | 45 ratings Replied 30 Jan '22

I might write a review after only one tasting. But I usually try to have tasted a rum multiple times before review and ratings. That is especially true with rums that I do dislike, since they might taste much better on another occassion. With rums that I am sure I do like the first time, I am less hesitant to write something right away.

I will revise my review and my ratings if I re-visit a rum and find it (or my tastes) changed.

The one thing that I find really important is to taste the rum neat, even if it is a rum intended for mixing. If it is a rum that I only enjoy as a mixer (which is totally OK), I will point out what I like to mix it with. I think this information is really important, as drinking habits vary so much among rum drinkers. We have cocktail-only-guys right next to those who only drink their rum neat and who would not even allow ice. That is fine, but a review is only useful if I know where the reviewer is coming from.

WA
wayoutwest πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ | 101 ratings Replied 31 Jan '22

I am conscious that I can get quite a different impression each time I sample a rum. As such, I try to leave giving a review until I am halfway down the bottle so that it's a fair reflection of my experience.Β 

Having said that, sometimes I only have a 6cl sample so it has to be a one time thing.

I find with rum particularly I can get very different experiences from day to day with the same bottle. I don't know what that means, but it does make life interesting!

When it comes to others' reviews, the ones I value most are the ones that give context, and some kind of comparison for reference. Hopefully that way I can get a clearer sense of whether I might like it or notΒ