So long as the darkness is due to age and/or the honest processing of molasses. I can't say I'm a fan of Captain Morgan Tattoo, which is pretty dark. ;) I agree with a review I came across which called it "an attempt to make alcoholic Dr. Pepper by a drunkard."

Just spent some time at my parents house where they had "Papa's Pilar" which I liked so much I drank the entire bottle over about a three week period.

Same ownership. I like Pyrat. I despise tequila.

Just opened a bottle of Clément hors d'âge.

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/i...wzgaA5dgQKNqrA

Wow is this rum smooth. Well worth the €30 I paid at the market.

Thanks for the Flor de Cana recommendations. I found a bottle of the 12 year old and I'm very happy with this rum. Great sipping rum.

http://media.nicks.com.au/media/cata...decana12yo.jpg

The new 5 star Mukul Resort in Nicaragua is owned by the same family that owns Flor de Cana. They give a short class in Rum, not unlike a wine tasting tour. They explain how their Rum is actually aged for years with imported barrels from Kentucky, etc. They mentioned that Bacardi Rum is only aged one week before shipping to stores.

http://www.mukulresort.com/pellas-story.html

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7f411db0-0...44feabdc0.html

I went to the London Rumfest a few weeks ago and decided that I would buy the best rum that I tried (I went through 30+).

The clear winner was St Nicholas Abbey 5 year, which is an extraordinary rum:
http://www.stnicholasabbey.com/Rum/

Picked up a bottle of Angostura 12-year in Trinidad recently; just tried it tonight.

Fine for mixing, but something's just a bit "off" for sipping. I still prefer Ron Zacapa Centenario 23 for the latter of the ones I own.

My father-in-law visited Montanya Rum a few months ago. The Platino is a fantastic sipping rum.

I tried a bunch of Don Q rums on a trip to Puerto Rico recently and came back with several bottles. Their basic stuff (silver, gold) is available in the California but I haven't seen their higher priced labels like Caliche or their flavored rums (which are actually very good) sold here.

Timely as I just found a couple small bottles in my Miami hotel mini-bar. It's not bad. Certainly a good bit better than Bacardi.

My favorite rum is Sailor Jerry's

I usually hate spiced rum but I finally found a brand I like Koloa out of Hawaii.

Are you a hipster perchance?:D

My love is Bacardi :D

English Harbour and Cavalier from Antigua
El Dorado

For mojitos, my favorite rum is 10 Cane. Sadly, it's no longer being made, so I scoured the internet and stocked up on what I could find: a couple dozen 200ml bottles. It's a slightly unusual format for my bar, but they do remind me of how I got into this rum ... the minibar at IC Montelucia.

Mount Gay 1703

Welcome to FlyerTalk.

Thanks for sharing.

The minibar at the IC in LA also had 10 Cane the last time I was there.

I have tried many brands of rum in my days and the one that is my favorite for sipping on is Ron Zacapa Centenario Solera Grande Reserve (from Guatemala). It's available at finer spirit shops and I recently found it at Bev Mo. although it's not the cheapest, but it's also not the priciest either.

It's one thing when you drink it straight, but can you tell the difference in quality of rum once you mix it into a Pina Colada?

How good does the rum have to be to distinguish it from the cheap stuff?

Or how bad does the rum have to be to notice?

A good Rhum Agricole will show through even if you mix it with Coke. The aroma for sure.

I'm not sure how to measure that. I don't ever specify a rum when ordering a pina colada or any other boat drink for that matter. And I've never had a reason to complain. However, I'm usually sitting at the bar and the rum used is generally not the below the shelf crap.

My best frozen pina colada was from a distillery in Nassau but who knows if it was the rum, the mix or the fact that I had just climbed a hill in 90 degree temperatures.

Gosling's Rum is hard to beat in a Dark 'n' Stormy. However, their ginger beer doesn't measure up to Reed's Extra Ginger Brew.

I've sampled many rums as well & I also think Ron Zacapa Centario is my fav.

Though it tastes nothing like Ron zacapa, my favorite cheap rum is Pyrat XO

My usual habit of showing up at the ABC with $100 and nothing in particular in mind had me purchasing a bottle of rum yesterday. With overnight lows dropping to 40F, I figured I'd salute Summer goodbye with a couple glasses. I spent too much on cider and wine though and only had $35 left by the time I got to the rums. I figured a poor economy in Venezuela might be responsible for the low prices on the 3 different Diplomatico bottles. I opted for the middle ground at $24, Reserva, and must say I'm disappointed. Funny color, more orange than brown. Smelled nice but there's a sour note I just don't care for. I'll still drink it, give it another shot neat, and then mix it if I can't take it straight. I'm sure someone will tell me I should have spent the extra $$ for the older product.

Visited Chalong Bay Distillery earlier this year while in Phuket.

Their eponymous rum is excellent - we brought a few bottles back.

Unfortunately they don't export to the US (just some parts of Europe).

After seeing a few reviews here and on another site I grabbed a bottle of Zaya recently. It's good stuff. Dark and very sweet. Having shared it with a few friends I find that people who normally don't drink liquor straight like it a lot. Probably because it's so sweet.

I just flew with Iberia Express and asked for a glass of rum. They served up Flor de Cana Reserve, 7 years old! Delicious over a couple ice cubes. Best rum in the sky?

Havana Club (Anejo Reserva), especially when enjoyed on a warm Cuban evening, with the smell of cigars wafting through the air...

Which Havana Club? The real one from Cuba or the knock-off made by Bacardi and sold to Americans?

The real deal. It's one of the benefits of being Canadian, right up there with free health care :)

Rum.......mmmmm yum

Yeah, the smell reminds me of Christmas...I'm not sure what that says about my childhood :D

That a professional was mixing the eggnog :D

Definitely the Zacapa XO. Just superb.

I recently kept a bottle of Kraken in my office desk and would enjoy a shot neat at the end of a long day

tanduay, the fancier variants are worth it, not that expensive.

the basic bottling is ok for cocktails.

Only alcohol I keep in stock is Bacardi superior-PR.... I have been known to have a glass of rum and coke (glass bottle only) or a Mojito couple of times a week.