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Alan

Professional | United States
82 Ratings | 33 Likes | 2 Followers

“World traveler, scuba diver, bon vivant and raconteur”

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Appleton Estate Joy Anniversary Blend

Exquisite! Appleton Estate Joy is pure rum perfection. It is richly sweet, complex, fruity, woody, and all without any additives. I cracked this open to celebrat

Foursquare 2004 Bourbon Cask Strength 11-Year

It doesn't get much better than this Explosion of flavors is the best way to describe this rum. A whiff of cinnamon tempers the 59% full strength nose. The taste reveals a complex blend o

Trois Rivieres Réserve Spéciale

Outstanding aged agricole This is an incredibly smooth, beautiful sipping rhum where oak maturation has softened the grassy notes into a wonderfully complex rhum agricole. I'm

Doorly's 12-Year

Pure Bajan Deliciousness As a huge fan of Foursquare, I had to try the Doorly's line and thought i would start with their aged sipper. I am not disappointed. The taste is dr

The Real McCoy 12-Year

Incredibly smooth Another wonderful unadulterated rum from Mr. Seale and his Foursquare Distillery. Rich rum flavors, notes of toffee, oak, molasses and spices, but at

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Wright & Brown Distilling Barrel Aged

A tasty sipper and outstanding mixer. There are a few rums that straddle the line between straight up sippers and strictly for mixing. This rum sits right on the line. Bottled at 90 proof,

Hamilton 2007 St. Lucia Pot Still 7-Year

Jamaican Funk from St. Lucia This is a cask strength big hogo funky rum. A great sipper, a great mixer for tiki - especially at cask strength. Aged in oak, this rum has flavor to

Plantation 3 Stars Artisanal

Tiki has met its match! Plantation 3-star has just rocketed to the top of my white rum for cocktails list. This is a serious rum that stands up to the most robust of tiki in

RL Seale 10-Year

Very pleasant surprise Being such a fan of Foursquare, I thought I would try some of the other rums produced by Foursquare Distilleries. I picked up R.L. Seal 10-year for a

Foursquare 9-Year Port Cask Finish

What's not to like? The port cask aging adds character to a classic Caribbean rum. The sweetness is balanced by notes of spice and oak. An easy sipper to add to the coll

Foursquare Zinfandel Cask Blend 11-Year

A magnificent expression from Foursquare Zinfandel Cask Blend has a stunning continuity between aroma and taste. No additives allow the master blender's art to shine, revealing a wealth of ri

The Real McCoy 3-Year

Delicious sipping white Toasted coconut, fresh fruit, crisp clean white with much more flavor than the most popular over-distilled neutral spirits that take up most of the wh

Clement Cuvee Homere

A fine aged agricole This is a lovely aged agricole with a very dry finish. Lots of oak, and spices with classic grassy notes underneath. I would have expected it to be a

Clement Creole Shrubb

A truly superior orange liqueur Reading some of the reviews here, there seems to be some confusion over what Creole Shrubb is and how to use it. While I suppose some might drink it s

Mezan XO Jamaica

Bring on the funk! A solid Jamaican rum for the price. Super fresh, funky and fruity. No additives and pure flavor. This is a solid 40%abv mixer.

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Royal Standard Dry

Outstanding white mixing rum at a great price This is a great blend from E&A Scheer of unaged Trini, 3-year Bajan and light pot-still Jamaican. It has a great rum flavor. Most of all, it has a fa

Plantation Overproof O.F.T.D.

A New, Dark and Smoky Overproof from Plantation Unlike Plantation's 73% ABV Original Dark Overproof comprised solely of Trinidad rums, O.F.T.D. (Old Fashioned Traditional Dark) is a new 69% ABV blen

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Hampden Estate Rum Fire Overproof

Jamaican funk - on steroids Bottled at 63% abv, this Jamaican high ester pot still is as funky as Jamaican rum gets. Definitely not a sipper, Rum Fire is best enjoyed when mixed

Trois Rivieres Blanc 50%

Outstanding fresh grassy agricole Trois Rivieres is one of favorite agricole producers. The rhums have a fresh grassy flavor at full 50% abv. Ideal for a 'ti-punch.

Plantation XO 20th Anniversary

Delicious, even if enhanced This rum is a delicious sipper. Hints of cinnamon, vanilla, and sugars are forward on the tongue. Nuanced flavors come forward from additional aging i

The go-to "Dark Jamaican" rum for tiki drinks More funk and easier on the budget than Appleton 12 Year. This is an absolutely essential bottle in your home tiki bar. Make no mistake, this is no

Denizen Merchants Reserve 8-year

A blend with a purpose I've completely revised my opinion of this rum after learning it's pedigree. For strict traditionalists, nothing will ever replace the 17 yr old J. Wr

Appleton Estate 12-Year

Delicious Aged Jamaican A bit of citrus, a bit of molasses, strong oak notes with just a slight hint of Jamaican funk. A classic rum that is both a delicious sipper as well a

Mount Gay XO Extra Old

As solid as any pure Bajan rum gets A perfect example of a solid aged Bajan rum without all the additives. Nice balance of complex fruit and wood flavors.

Trois Rivieres Cuvee de l'Ocean

One of the most unique agricoles available. I had the opportunity to sample this during the California Rum Fest, at the Tour d'Agricole table. Cuvée de l'Océan will not appeal to all rum drinker

Plantation St. Lucia 2005

A great bottle for the tiki collection St. Lucian rums have a distinctive funk in the tradition of the great Jamaican distilleries. This is a great addition to the tiki bar for rich flavors

Doctor Bird Pot Still

Jamaican Funk - Detroit Style This is the first rum expression from Two James Spirits craft distillers, based in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood. A blend of Worthy Park pot still

El Dorado 21-Year

Complex and delicious A rich dark Demerara rum delivers an unexpectedly dry initial impression, despite the added sugars. Add an ice cube to bring out additional layer of

Great flavor, a superior choice to most white rums The nose is amazing sweet, but the taste is nuanced, delicate and well balanced. It's an ideal mixer for delicate cocktails, where the rum is not bei

Clement Premiere Canne

Classic Agricole Much softer and more mellow than Canne Bleue, but still a distinctly smooth Martinique agricole, worthy of the best 'Ti punch.

Barbancourt 5 Star Reserve Especiale 8-Year

The quintessential exotic mixer that also works as a sipper Barbancourt 8-year is the tiki rum of choice for many an exotic cocktail. It blends exceptionally well with fruit, but is refined enough to make a pe

Novo Fogo Silver

Nice and crisp The perfect base for a caipirinha. The fruity florals are the perfect base for lime and mint.

The one and only tiki topper This rum has only one job, and it does it extremely well. It's the perfect blast of flavor and strength for the classic tiki cocktail.

Barbancourt Estate Reserve 15-Year

Austere sipper A deliciously dry sipping rum. I wasn't sure what to expect, but what a pleasant surprise. There's a wonderful complexity on the tongue, that evokes f

An agricole with complexity Agricoles have a fresh, distinct, grassy flavor. This aged agricole has a much richer caramel flavor than most. The result is a reasonably balanced, c

Plantation Pineapple Stiggin's Fancy

Pleasant surprise This did not have the sickly sweet taste I was expecting. Instead, it has a mellow, smooth flavor with a hint of pineapple. A welcome addition to the

Clement Canne Bleue

'Ti Punch is calling The perfect Rum Agricole for the quintessential Ti Punch. Just four simple ingredients: Rum, Lime, Sugar and Ice. It works just as well with fruit jui

Smith and Cross Navy Strength

Jamaican Funk for cocktails The perfect Jamaican funky rum at navy strength ideal for tiki cocktails.

Kirk and Sweeney 12-Year

Complex yet smooth A delicious sipper, wonderfully complex yet smooth and not overly sweet. A fantastic value for the price.

Wray & Nephew White Overproof

The gold standard in Jamaican overproof funk! THIS IS NOT A SIPPER. But it is a terrific mixer in small amounts when you want to bring those classically Jamaican funky notes into a cocktail, and a

Rhum JM Vieux VSOP

Not what I was expecting, but not bad As others have noted, there is a distinct peppery note in this agricole, and the oak is very upfront. Behind that lies the grassiness of a traditiona

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Koloa Kauai Reserve 3-Year

A solid rum, but lacking in complexity I was anxious to get my hands on this, as it is not in wide distribution. This is the first legitimately aged rum from Koloa that hasn't been artifici

Delicious Hawaiian Agricole If you're a fan of agricole style rums, Kō Hana KEA is definitely worth trying. Grassy and bright, this is a worthy entry into the group. The the rum

Clairin Casimir 2015 Batch 2

Funky Haitian Agricole Wow. What a nose! This is the crazy love child of grassy Martinique rhum agricole and high-ester Jamaican funk bomb. The nose conjures up the unusual

Paranubes Oaxaca Aguardiente de Caña

The love child of rum and tequila This refreshing agricole from Oaxaca has a refreshingly different flavor profile, nothing like traditional agricole rhums from Martinique. Vegetal fl

Plantation Original Dark

A bar staple. Great for mixing. Plantation original dark is a great go-to for so many cocktail recipes. It was not designed to be a sipper, but rather a base for cocktails, which it

Trois Rivieres Ambré

An ideal ambré agricole for cocktails Another great product from the Trois Rivieres line. Perfect for a softer 'ti-punch or as an ingredient in many tiki cocktails.

The better Puerto Rican standard gold Don Q makes a wide array of rums in the Spanish style, which are always going to be on the thinner, lighter side. It's a solid choice for any cocktai

English Harbour 5-Year

A solid Caribbean mixer Not quite distinctive enough to stand out as a solid sipper, this 5 year rum is best reserved for punches and swizzles where a solid gold caribbean ru

I wanted to like this more than I did My first trip to Trinidad and, mostly, Tobago and I should be in rum heaven. I asked the bartender for his best rum recommendation and was handed a g

This is a proper coconut rum Unlike Malibu which is 90% sugar and 10% rum, Koloa Coconut is a full strength white rum infused with coconut. This is a mixer, to be sure, but in a

A versatile dark mixer This rum has a distinct molasses taste and packs a nice punch. The latest addition to the shelf for dark mixers.

When in Trinidad... It seemed to be the most popular offering in the duty-free shop, so I tried a bottle. I've had better, and lord knows I've had worse! It's ok. A plea

An unexpected surprise I picked up a bottle during my recent stay in Hawaii, for an after-dinner cocktail that might appeal to a wider audience. I was pleasantly surprised

Ron Zacapa 23 Solera

Solid sipper, but there are better ones A sold sipping rum, if you like them sweet - like Zaya - but Diplomatico is far better, and much more nuanced.

Cana Brava Light

The tropics are calling! You'll never touch Bacardi again. Quite simply a solid, balanced white rum which only adds and never takes away from a cocktail.

Pusser's British Navy

A great mixer A bit too much alcohol on the front end to stand on its own as a sipper, but Pussers is ideal for cocktails.

Flor de Cana Gran Reserve 7

You can't go wrong. This is a well rounded solid rum with plenty of molasses flavor, but not overly sweet. Perfect over ice or with a mixer.

Pampero Aniversario

A solid rum, but could be a little smoother. Beautiful color, complex taste, but a little rough on the palette. It lacks the refinement and smooth finish of other rums at this price point.

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Saint Benevolence Caribbean

Rum for charity The back story of this rum is somewhat compelling - the endeavor of charitable partners to provide badly needed assistance to Haiti. The rum itself co

Ron Abuelo 12 Anos Gran Reserva

Not terrible, but not great either. Knowing Spanish-style rums are notorious for added sugar, I wasn't expecting much. The nose is extremely molasses forward which was confirming my wors

A fairly sweet offering but not long on spice I wanted to like this more than I did. I found the sweetness overpowering the actual spice component which was far too subtle for my taste. In severa

Clement Vieux 3-Year

Just ok. I wanted to like it more. I was looking forward to tasting a classic vieux agricole. I'm underwhelmed. It has that classic grassy finish, but aging does not seem to have mellow

El Dorado 3-Year

Solid mixer at reasonable price A decent mixer for classic rum cocktails and tiki drinks. Comparable to Caña Brava with a great pedigree.

Denizen Aged White

Another perfectly acceptable mixer An aged white with a bit more complexity. Surprisingly soft finish. Use this in cocktails with strong flavors like allspice dram and falernum and you'

A perfectly acceptable mixer Let's face it, light rums are not really designed for sipping. Caliche is a perfectly acceptable rum for making classic cocktails and exotic potions.

Gosling's Black Seal

The classic dark mixer What would a Dark & Stormy be without Gosling's Black Seal? Is it a complex aged sipper? No, but it's a sold respectable dark mixer, miles ahead of M

Great bargain mixer Yes, there are plenty of outstanding light rums out there, but for the price, Cruzan aged light is great for parties where price and volume are essent

Not a fan Yes, it has added sugar, but so does Plantation 20th Anniversary, which is much more complex and tasty. Kaniche XO seems thin by comparison, without t

Forres Park Puncheon

Light your mouth on fire! Half way through my dive trip in Tobago, I asked the bartender what the locals drink, and I was served this, mixed with some pre-mixed juices into wha

An ok mixer, but pricey This is a tough one to review. It's neither a sipping rum, nor an affordable mixer. It's mostly overpriced for what it is.

El Dorado 5-Year

OK for a 5-year, but not a sipper. I was expecting a more of a sipping rum, but it's a little rough around the edges, and bet used as a mixer.

Sailor Jerry Spiced

Fine, if you like spiced rum mixed drinks If mixing spiced rum with coke or ginger beer is your thing, you can't really go wrong with Sailor Jerry.

Myers's Original Dark

A utility dark rum for mixing Do not mistake this dark rum for a sipper. Its single molasses note holds no complexity, let alone the slightest nuance.

Papas Pilar Blonde

Not quite sure what to do with it The rum has a ton of flavor, mostly sweet - vanilla, honey, butterscotch, making it completely unsuitable for the the ultimate iconic reference - the

Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva

Syrupy, with a lot of added sugar Caramel, strong vanilla, cinnamon, bananas and brown sugar. It has been enhanced with insane amounts of added sugar.

Pyrat XO Reserve

Rum meets TripleSec with a whole lot of sugar. The dominance of orange is unmistakable. This is not rum. At best, itʻs a rum liqueur, which is fine if that's what you're looking for.

Zaya Gran Reserva 12-Year

A former guilty pleasure - until the formula changed It's sickly sweet and oh, the vanilla! Zaya Gran Reserva used to be a bit of a guilty pleasure but the reformulation is a syrupy mess. There are so ma

Big Black Dick Dark

I bought it for the bottle. Full disclosure, this was a duty free purchase to use up spare Cayman dollars and for the novelty of the bottle, which will be used to house my franke

A stretch to call it rum Anyone who mistakes Malibu for a proper rum knows little about rum. It's basically an artificially flavored sugar syrup with a little rum added.

Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold

Not even if it were free This is the type of product that gives rum a bad name. It's distilled to a neutral grain spirit and then has artificial coloring and flavoring put bac

Bacardi Superior

No. Just. No. Friends don't let friends drink this swill. It's what gives rum a bad name. Sadly and all too often, the only rum non-rum drinkers know. If you're l

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