The BEST BUYS in RUM

[@makeanddrink]

Share with me your most recommended rums: forms.gle/1zyPKtks1QeThhCF8

[@JayMannStuff]

Controversial take: the best rum is cachaça. 😂

[@brianherman503]

@@JayMannStuffoh no you didn’t!

[@markcalhoun8219]

Appleton Signature is honestly so damn versatile for the price it's a must have for any bar. There's a lot of high end options but low end budget stuff that can hang is harder to find.

[@Succumbed2Rum]

I ALWAYS keep it stocked. Best all-around rum IMO.

[@devinphillips9704]

Yeah, have to agree there. Appleton Estate is a great all-rounder. And the 8year is a good value as well.

[@Pman8362]

Their signature is my workhorse dark rum (I use it most in Jungle Birds), and I have also used it in a Dacquiri to good effect.

[@tyhill111]

I’ve probably gone through 4x as many bottles of Signature than any other rum, I will always have a bottle on hand

[@BestxBelieve]

I agree that Appleton is great value and its good in its own right but it imparts a flavor to my drinks that I don't necessarily like. Good if you need to mix a lot of drinks, bad if you are looking for a good mixer that requires a blend of alcohols that will play together.

[@ashergreen3356]

I don’t love Planteray as a company but Three Stars is really hard to beat as a value rum. Excellent in daiquiris and less than $20 a liter.

[@Bo_Lew]

Agree. It's my go-to for daiquiris and mojitos.

[@TheHellZone99]

💯

[@_allcap]

3star was my go to as well until about ~4months ago. There is an after taste I get now, almost like artificial sweetener. I've switched to Don Q Crystal or Hamilton 87 White. Denzen 5yr is also pretty great.

[@odiec5567]

Agreed, just recommended this to someone at the store today.

[@jamesvorel9806]

Try the Ten to One in a daiquiri, if you can get it. It's exceptional.

[@tothefinlandstation]

I got Smith & Cross for $27 at the Twin Liquors yearly sale last year in Austin, TX. Definitely a great value at that price.

[@maitaioneon]

Just wanted to add that in addition to the products covered, the entire Doorly’s line punches way way way above their weight. They’re all •extreme• values.

[@MrHavy09]

Nice! OFTD is my favorite value here, recommend Appleton Signature/8 for those getting into rum

[@odiec5567]

Doorly's 12 is a solid best buy in my opinion. Mixes well, good on its own, versatile but still recognizably a Foursquare product.

[@JohnKelly2]

Currently my favorite liquor store has pints of Rum Fire for $5 which makes it my Best Buy. Everyone needs a pocket full of funk!

[@TheHellZone99]

Nice!

[@markcalhoun8219]

$5??? man I just bought 3 at $30 to try an ex bourbon stave aging experiment.

[@clownbaby82]

I’m pretty sure John is talking about the quarter pints. They are that price at the bottle shop in Norman ok.

[@streetpi1010]

​@@markcalhoun8219I did this with W&N126 during 2020, I took samples at 3, 6, & 9mos. It helps tame it. Have fun with it.

[@alexanderhobbins1728]

Enjoy your videos, they are good rum options. My personal favourites are; Smith and cross (or Appleton estate 8 year) Mount gay black barrel (diplomatico Demerara) Jm Rhum gold (clement ambre) El dorado 3 year ( tanduay silver)

[@backin80s]

My usual go to is plantation (plantaray) original dark, costs about 22-23 euro (24-25$), has the slightest funk, and is quite good to mix.

[@pking1970]

This is real good. For some reason I forget about it, which is a shame.

[@mmwosu]

OFTD FTW! Heartily agree. I find ways to sneak at least a little of this into so many recipes

[@ethanlitwin3757]

Anything from the Bounty or Chairman’s Reserve line, with a special shout out for CR Forgotten cask. Easily bests runs at 3x the price in blinds. Also Clairin Le Rocher. Because it is my favorite rum and thus incredible value!

[@Best_Overserved_--_No_Ice]

Like to hear that about Forgotten Casks; just picked up a bottle but have yet to try. Also just picked up Admiral Rodney Noble Oak but not tried, either. Had the Noble Oak? Which is better?

[@ethanlitwin3757]

Not a fan of the Admiral Rodney stuff. Too much oak. This is the sort of run that is made to convert bourbon drinkers.

[@mungovanlowe]

Definitely agree on the Ten to One. Got it at random once and was really impressed at the value.

[@jamesvorel9806]

It's easily the best of the Ten to One products. Perfect daiquiri rum.

[@devinphillips9704]

Yeah, agreed with the previous comment, Ten to One is fantastic for daiquiris.

[@morganalexander6794]

At the top of my best buy list is Doorly's 5 year in the 1.75. Don't let the plastic bottle scare you - it's great stuff from Foursquare! The downside is that Total Wine has exclusive distribution.

[@JanSkinnerup]

DENMARK... that's me... and/or maybe others 😂😂😂😂

[@Scrambles_Deathdealer]

As a Utah resident, with State mandated restrictions on what I can buy, I was happy to see at least a couple of bottles that I can buy (and that I love!) without having to special order a whole case! OFTD and Wray and Nephew, specifically, though W&N availabilities extremely limited and right now is in exactly one liquor store in the state in the middle of goddamn nowhere.

[@brianherman503]

Living in Idaho, I feel you brother. I like to describe my state run liquor store as a place that has “a clear liquor section and a brown liquor section”

[@jessiahbennett6340]

The total wine near me was selling Appleton 12 for 30 bucks but i noticed last month they raised the price but at 30 its a best buy

[@slimpunk]

That’s bonkers, I haven’t seen 12 that cheap in ages. At most places it’s going for like $50 now.

[@ultimatemaitai]

Can't argue with you or the fellow Patreon members on that list. Great picks all.

[@JonaMarklund]

In Sweden this is my, best bang for your buck selection. Plantation Three Stars (we still get the old name) 70cl $33 Plantation O.F.T.D 70cl $55 Appleton Estate Signature 70cl $46 Havana Club 3 year 70cl $26 Diplomático Mantuano 70cl $30

[@darealjoff19]

Interesting that your Appleton Signature is so expensive. I’m not too far South from where this was filmed/shopped, and it’s usually exactly the same price as the Three Stars.

[@JonaMarklund]

​@@darealjoff19 it may be that the Swedish alcohol monopoly doesn't import enough of them to get a discount (it has to be ordered as a special). The taxes on alcohol are immense here so the only way we get some goods that aren't too expensive is that the monopoly is one of the biggest alcohol vendors in the world.

[@EtruskenRaider]

Hamilton 86 is terrific. I always seem to find a use for it somewhere.

[@bagels8862]

OFTD $30/L, Neisson Blanc $40/L, El Dorado 12 $30/750, Don Q Cristal $22/ 1.75L, any Jamaican OP $20-30. Also S&C is only $30 here.

[@nathangrover1655]

Great video, and so helpful! I am a convicted and booked member of the S&C mafia. I think it improves pretty much any tiki cocktail. However, lately I see it approaching $40 and I don't think that's a good value. For best value I'll have to agree with Hamilton 86, which is a pretty incredible rum to have as a workhorse (for my tiny home bar that serves only me and the occasional friend).

[@alexbrown7665]

If someone is a bourbon drinker, an wants to sip and aged rum, Santa Teresa is a great place to start. Blanton’s level sippability at half the price.

[@russbuck1000]

In the UK, I would say Wray and Nephew, Havana Club 7 and 3 years, Mount Gay Eclipse, and a really good one is Duppy Share white rum - an unaged Jamaican Pot Still rum (but not overproof) - it has a lot if the fruity funk flavours, is nice neat and mixed, and is not expensive. These are all widely available in supermarkets across the UK

[@Pman8362]

I have yet to try OFTD but it is on my list. I currently have 7 varieties of rum in my home bar: -Plantaray 3 Star -Appleton Signature -Hamilton 86 -Wray and Nephew -Koloa Gold -Novo Fogo Silver -Novo Fogo Colibri Cachaca is actually what got me into rum so I lean on the side of lighter funkier options, but my two workhorse rums are Appleton Signature and Plantaray 3 Star as I feel they capture the two major groupings of rum. The only other rum I really want to add to my bar is a Hamilton Pot Still Black, but given my current inventory I am holding off for now.

[@benvieira3895]

Here are my picks for best values Cocktails: Hamilton 114 - Better than Smith and Cross and at a lower price at around $27 a bottle Sipping Neat: Old Brigand Black Label - Middle aged Foursquare rum, zero additives, 43% abv, and $20 or less at Total Wine Artisinal Spirits: Clairin Sajous - For about $45 you're getting a still strength small batch Haitian rum that blows many other spirits multiple times it's price out of the water in terms of complexity and depth of flavor. All the Clairins are top value

[@Succumbed2Rum]

Hamilton 86 is an incredible value compared to the cost of El Dorado 12yr. A must have for sure.

[@matthaught4707]

That Plantation Xaymaca is my go-to for so many cocktails. I have a few really good Jamaican funky rums, and most of them beat Xaymaca, but not by much and they're at twice the price or more. So yeah, Xaymaca is my best-bang-for-the-buck when it comes to rums, and I like that it's proofy enough to do the job instead of watered down to 80 proof like so many lower-priced rums out there.

[@mattmertens3967]

I love wray and nephew . I like blending it with another rum to give some extra punch in tiki drinks. I think plantation 3 star is a really good value workhorse rum as well.

[@markusfreund6961]

Germany here 😎 Prices are about the same with VAT already added for the retail market. I've come to think of Xaymaca as "Smith & Cross light". Very similar aroma profile to my taste, just not hitting so heavily. My go-to Jamaican, coming to think of it, with Appleton 12 when I'm feeling fancy. Or Signature if I just want a hint of funk. Coruba, oddly enough, are offering their regular and overproof rums over here but not the dark one. Denizen, Hamilton and 10:1 remain unavailable, Demerara being covered by El Dorado. Outside of Jamaican rums, my go-to white rums are Plantation 3 Star, Flor de Cana, and Rhum JM for agricole. Oh, and for dark Jamaican rums I'm making do with WP 109 and Myer's. 🥂

[@afinecupofcoffee8476]

I live in North Carolina where we have antiquated liquor laws. But in recent years they made it easier to special order and theres a local cajun restaurant that orders a lot of rum. Whatever they don't take from the case makes it on the shelves. OFTD is something they always order and it's always on the shelves. Whenever I want a single bottle it's what I gravitate toward. It's cheaper than most of the 750 bottles I'd buy and also packs a heavier punch. And it's tasty!

[@bnrlabs5923]

Been really digging on the ten to one white with some seltzer, coconut water, and a squeeze of lemon and lime.

[@djdrack4681]

I'm just getting into rums beyond Bacardi + making proper rum cocktails. Rhums (Barbancourt or other Haitian/Trinidad rhums), Hamilton pot mash (and the like), 151 are ALL great 'budget' rums. - Both the pot mash and Rhums (even white) have more botanical notes and unique flavors. - 151 = ESSENTIAL. Bartenders argue what 'overproof' means, I say 100+ proof. Its needed to add the 'booze' strength/taste so some tiki/etc cocktails don't get drowned out by fruit/sweet flavors. - 'Cask Strength' = similar concept in whiskey. Barreled at 100-120proof, then diluted down to 80proof. IDEA = overproof should be at min, cask strength.

[@pizzazombie5209]

I get what you mean with Smith & Cross. It’s hard to find here in Texas, so I still haven’t had it. It’s hard to believe that it could ever live up to the hype around it.

[@SonofShortMan]

Total Wine usually has Smith & Cross, at least in the Austin area

[@evijade1]

Need to Try some tuna so I can give a current recommendation! 🍹

[@erickhines4121]

Great selection Derek. My bar is always stocked with Doctor Bird Rums. Hamilton Rums. Probitas. Charanda. 🔥Rum Fire!!!🔥

[@PickledMu1972]

Oh, you’ve got the GOOD good stuff!

[@SuperStarr817]

Coruba and Whay & Nephew are cheap and easy to find where I live. Smith & Cross and Hamilton are ones I NEVER see. It's always a struggle with regions and pricing for this. One of my fave sweet vermouths is half the price 2 provinces over and I can only find certain bottles when I happen to be passing through places.

[@devinphillips9704]

Yeah, have to agree the Planteray (formerly Plantation) OFTD is a great value. The Xaymaca is a little harder to find in my area, though, so similarly priced options for Planteray for me would be the regular 5yr or the Black Cask.

[@aranbuzzas8000]

The 5 Year is soooo good!!

[@dylanholt9906]

Not only do I think that Smith & Cross is the best value in rum, I think it is the best value in all spirits. Mellow Corn is a close second.

[@matthaught4707]

Mellow Corn is one-note, but it's a damned good note and I use it for quite a few things. It punches well above its price class for sure.

[@KautiousNupe]

Recommendations for Beginners to Rum: Plantation 3 Star for a light/white rum AND I'd recommend Planteray Pineapple or Bacardi 8 for an aged/dark rum. Recommendations for Experienced Rum Drinks: I'd recommend Uruapan Charanda Blanco for a light/white rum AND I'd recommend Mount Gay Black Barrel rum for an aged/dark rum.

[@digitalranger4259]

Great info! Thank you!

[@mikeconza1698]

Love your reaction to Smith & Cross - I’m on the same page. Also agree with you Patreon folks - OFTD is such an amazing choice for a flavorful punch to cocktails, at a great price. Love the format of this video - would love to see your take - and that of your patreons - to favorite cocktail rums REGARDLESS of price. I’m not talking about bottles that are several hundred bucks that someone loves in their rum and coke . . . rather, I mean . . . who really cares about $20 vs $50 or $60, etc for a bottle . . . even if it’a $60 a bottle that’s “just” $6 bucks a cocktail . . . so what do you (and your crew) reach for to make your cocktails? Maybe I drink less than the majority of your followers - but for me, I’m having one or two cocktails at a time - I want something tasty, not a mediocre cocktail that “saved” me a buck or two. Eg - I hear people often say Appleton Signature is great value - probably is, I’ve never bought a bottle - Appleton 12 is amazing and it’s $50 vs $25 for Signature in my area. I’d rather have Appleton 12, which is downright tasty, vs saving a dollar or two per cocktail (literally) to have something that is a “good value” and “almost like . . .” So to recap - sorry for the long post - I’d love to hear what you and your patreon crew say are your/ their go-to rums for various cocktails, even if it’s not a “steal”. The margins are low for those of us that aren’t drunkards . . . So would be great to hear if there is some rum that I wasn’t aware of that a bunch of folks think is a “go-to” - even if it is $30 or $40 or $50 a bottle - I think frankly that’s the theme the patreon guys were giving you for their picks. That said - I need to figure out how patreon works so I can also support your channel - love the content, please keep it coming. Gonna sort out patreon this weekend. BTW - love the ones you spotlighted - for me, some additions: Probitas - don’t remember if it’s a good “value”, but BOOM if you want a tasty “white” blended rum El Dorado 12 - just freakin’ delicious. Can’t recall the price / under $40 - Enuf said . . . enuf said, buy it and use it in any cocktail calling for Demerara rum Privateer Reserve - I don’t know what the availability of this is outside the Boston area (my home town) - but if you can find it, buy it . . . and once you do - you’re welcome, and yes - now you can trust me . . . .

[@diningdojo8030]

For me, my best buy rums would be Flor De Cana 4 year old, Hampden Rum Fire, Planetary OFTD, Doorly's 12 year old, and Clement Blue Canne.

[@ddawsonn]

I feel like genuinely the most recommended rums from what I’ve heard are either, anything from Appleton, smith & cross, and planteray xaymaca. This is what I’ve gathered thus far at least.

[@chicagoan]

Man, a navy strength pot still jamaica rum for $30 on sale seems like a pretty decent bang for your buck. Not a S&C fanboy but I usually have it around for booze forward cocktails. That said, OFTD is probably a better bang for your buck rum that fills a similar niche.

[@organholer]

Probitas is my go-to for any rum drinks that I need a lighter color on. I've yet to find anything in Ohio that has any flavor close to the Probitas. $32 ain't bad for a 94 proof bottle!

[@Robotts727]

I agree that Smith and Cross and Hamilton 86 aren’t great buys for the prices listed in the video, but I can get them for $28 and $23, respectively, in my area. For those prices I think they provide tremendous bang for your buck.

[@million_unalived_CEOs]

I've never had a bad experience with a bottle of Planteray. there are more exciting things out there, sure. but for the combination of price, availability, and approachability, they do really well. OFTD is probably their best mainline product, but there aren't any bad choices. their pineapple and coconut rums are also really tasty (and friendly), if a little more specific in their uses. I'd also really suggest the younger El Dorado bottles (3, 5, maybe 8), especially for people newer to rum. I think they're very underrated. generally quite cheap (

[@Njndirish13]

The big thing I have found is breaking things down by price point on top of types. Entry level: Hamilton & Planteray are your flexible do all styles that have a good quality. W&N, Denzien, Appleton, & Gosling are the limited in their total styles, but do their styles well Bigger consumer: Privateer, Foursquare, Paranubes, Rhum J.M, for higher levels

[@MayhemSWE]

Funny that you mentioned Sweden. Due to the way our (very high) alcohol tax works, many/most rums are priced similarly. Wray & Nephew, Worthy Park Overproof and Smith & Cross are all the same price, while Rum Fire for some reason is much more (like 50%) more expensive. Given this pricing, which would you pick? I've had W&N before and usually already have a bottle of Plantation OFTD in the cabinet. Thinking it's time to try the S&C…

[@makeanddrink]

I like the WP OP, because it's different. I really do think in a cocktail W&N is interchangeable with Rum Fire but don't say it too loud. The Rum Fire nerds will come for us.

[@MayhemSWE]

@@makeanddrink Alcohol tax by the ABV makes overproof spirits expensive, and then there's 25% VAT on top of that. All inclusive Rum Fire is the equivalent of $65 here, the others mostly around $40-45. Due to some recent EU rulings though it has gotten easier to import spirits from other EU countries though!

[@mattsnell78]

There is a store near me that sells LITERS of El Dorado 5 year for $9.99. I buy 4 bottles at a time. I gift it to friends. I use it in anything that calls for a Demerara. Sometimes I use it in jungle birds and pain killers. I mean, it’s not the greatest rum in the world… but, $10 for a liter?? C’mon!

[@keithweiland]

Wish we could get Denizens in the UK, I Love Xaymaca for cocktails but it is way too expensive over here, about $47. I like Myer's Rum over Caruba mostly because of price an availability. Wray & Nephew is a staple in my bar.

[@martinparedes3988]

Smith and cross is love

[@Kingyubi72]

Smith and cross is actually cheaper than Xaymaca out here in AZ

[@makeanddrink]

Sure it is. I see the tentacles of the S&C mafia have been activated!

[@chrisluigjes]

​​​@@makeanddrink I do not subscribe to the S&C mafia (which is exactly what someone from the S&C mafia would say 😅), and my best buy especially for old fashioned and whisky lovers would be Planteray Gran Anejo which does not get enough love, but in the Netherlands S&C is ~24€ and Xaymaca ~26€. And that does change the equation. Perhaps the price differential between US and EU for S&C explains part of the ferocity of its fans. Because for me locally, it is one of the cheapest options of non-white and over-40% abv rums. But as you said: a lot depends on what's available to you locally for what price.

[@brianherman503]

Came for the knowledge, staying for the lolz

[@Kingyubi72]

​@@makeanddrink lol you'll see in that survey of yours. The S&C mafia is undefeated sir. In fact you should try swapping out the 7-up for some S&C in your hot buttered rum recipe

[@markvanderrijt8338]

Price variation throughout the world is crazy.. Smith and Cross in the Netherlands is about 28 euros while plantation xaymaca is about 30 euros at an online retailer. Might explain why some think S&C is a good bang for a buck..

[@jjdawg9918]

Any Appleton Estates n a 1.75l bottle

[@barrybobert9294]

God I love OFTD it's my favorite and it isn't even close

[@TitoLeroux]

Probitas and Old Brigand allllllll day

[@robhacklblumstein]

Where I live, most other prices are close to yours, but Smith and Cross sells for $30. If that's the case for a good chunk of your patrons it might be leading to the difference of opinion around that one.

[@BryceChristopherHodge]

My best buys, given what I can find near me, have been Appleton Signature and Real McCoy 3 Year. But I’m new to rum and my palette is not particularly sophisticated. I love a Real McCoy 3 Year daiquiri!

[@pking1970]

Has anyone tried Rhum Barbancourt Haitian Proof White Rum 110 Proof? I'm very curious but have not pulled the trigger yet.

[@ashergreen3356]

Yes. It’s excellent in daiquiris

[@dylanholt9906]

I’ve never had it - never had the opportunity, but I’ve always heard great things.

[@jamesfranklin358]

I have, its fantastic.

[@russbuck1000]

I just got a bottle - it's comparable to an unaged agricole from Martinique, or Cachaça from Brazil - cabbage-y, vegetal, herbaceous kind of aroma, I've had it neat and it has plenty of flavour, and I used it in a Port au Prince cocktail, where it competes well with the spice elements in the drink. Hope this helps

[@pking1970]

@ that's very helpful! Thanks for the tasting notes.

[@ghevaer1]

Smith and Cross is the best bang for yr euro :D. It's the cheapest over here in Belgium, rest is 10 euro's more. I like sipping it neat too :D.

[@makeanddrink]

It's okay. They won't hurt you here. Speak freely!

[@earlhill6120]

Can't get Coruba anymore where I live. They just stopped carrying it around me. Love that stuff.

[@SonofShortMan]

At your price, OFTD is a steal. It's $40 here (when I can even find it, which is rare), so that puts it right around my super arbitrary yet indisputable $30/750ml upper limit on what I consider "good value." That said, I buy it every time I see it because it is so versatile and tasty and fills a big need for my bar. Curiously, I sort of think of Smith & Cross as the answer to "what if OFTD stopped trying to be so many things and just focused on its best qualities?" As much as I love S&C, still I agree, it belongs nowhere near a list of "best value" buys... But I keep both well stocked regardless.

[@chrisyetka1477]

While the rum snobs may not agree, Black Seal for $17 is pretty good, and I do love a Dark 'n Stormy.

[@jeffdonegan2062]

Totally.

[@robbierockso596]

Smith and Cross

[@robbierockso596]

My personal favorite rum under 40 dollars. Little bit in every rum cocktail goes hard.

[@SubieNinja]

i miss the kirkland signature spiced rum that was $14 and had the cool bottle with the ship on it. (made by Sazerac) the new one is too sweet. i cant drink it neat

[@rev6185]

1: Hamilton Breezeway Blend 2: Don Q 151

[@cjvx7208]

I really enjoy gosling 151 over don q151. Currently aging don q 151 to see if I can get to enjoy it

[@roundup1253]

Hamilton is nearly impossible to come by in Germany. Thank You for the tip with the OFTD to partially exchange Hamilton 151

[@joshuaevans5983]

Some solid picks. I guess that Planteray makes some good mixing rums, but I’ve written them off completely because of Maison Ferrand’s GI shenanigans. They need to stop it with the colonial-minded BS.

[@nathanaelsnyder372]

I am out of the loop, what are you referring to?

[@Bo_Lew]

Great picks. I'm lucky enough to live near a liquor store that nearly always has Smith & Cross for $30. Definitely a top pick for so many tiki cocktails.

[@Bo_Lew]

But I am not a S&C mafioso! I think it's best in small measures, like .5 oz, to punch up the funk if funk is what the drink wants.

[@TG-qr4jr]

Damn, it's even $40 at my nearest Total Wine which usually has really competitive prices around here.

[@GiantsCauseway77]

Appleton signature is €50 in Ireland, very expensive, I can order the 12 year old through northern Ireland for €56. Or the plantation XO for €62. Rum is not cheap in Ireland, we have the heaviest taxes in Europe on alcohol

[@GiantsCauseway77]

Are your prices including tax?

[@fvb3624]

I like all the picks, minus the fact that Hamilton and Denizen is virtually not available outside of the US 😢

[@mikeg2306]

W&N daquerie is AWESOME!

[@mbenoit9697]

Living in Washington sucks for home bar folks. Every one of these bottles is at least $40 after taxes here. That said...I still have a few of them haha. Getting some Duty Free, if you live close to Canada, is also an option I sometimes utilize.

[@adampaal]

I’m a bourbon guy so rum in general is a bargain to me. I’m more of a sipper than a cocktail guy so $36 for Appleton 12 and $30 for Doorly’s 12 is good for me. Planteray Fiji for $30 is another one, plus $40 for Chairman’s Legacy, can’t go wrong there.

[@mitommy3430]

Wray’n’neph is cheap and abundant in north Florida

[@EasyMac308]

The DonQ White Rum is a staple in my pantry.

[@BestxBelieve]

You know what. It smells like the cheapest rum (rubbing alcohol) but it plays soo well in my mixed drinks. For the price I always keep a bottle on hand.

[@EasyMac308]

@@BestxBelieve For sure - I'm definitely not drinking it neat!

[@christianbank393]

I visit the Bay Area every so often. Where can I find a bottle of Denizen 5 White? All my local stores only carry Merchants Reserve 8.

[@makeanddrink]

I do most shopping online, and generally I don’t find that anywhere always has stock of items like Denizen. Bitters and Bottles as well as K&L may have it.

[@jomo279]

Thanks! Would you consider Coruba and Hamilton 86 largely interchangeable in most cocktails? If not, is there a general direction on which works best where?

[@vincethewhat1362]

Coruba is Jamaican Hamilton is Guyana they’re similar but I would not use them interchangeable. Use the coruba for when a recipe calls for dark Jamaicans and the 86 for when it calls for Guyana/ Demerara. If you’re using smugglers the category’s can be flawed id look at what origin Jeff Berry calls for in the same recipes.

[@maitaioneon]

Coruba Dark and Hamilton 86 are nothing alike. They have almost nothing in common especially flavor. A better comparison would be Coruba to Hamilton pot still Jamaican black and Hamilton 86 to El Dorado 8. That said, they’re all quite different from one another.

[@UncIeA]

Of course you put the local availability disclaimer immediately after Denizen 😭 Also, I feel like Appleton Signature is a good bang-for-buck and (spoiler) probably the most recommended rum to beginners (speaking as a beginner). 🙂

[@philgaraccio3462]

OFTD is one of my faves but in the UK it costs equivalent to $56 so you guys are lucky lucky ********* Cheers

[@Rumsnob12662]

Digging your work my man! IMO you’re wrong about Smith & Cross. However, I thought Appleton Signature would’ve got an honorable mention. Bumbu is a hidden gem I’ve drank recently. Been avoiding it cause the bottle looks gimmicky IMO.

[@jonstrauss3535]

The S&C mafia is coming for you 😜

[@krumbie8]

Where would you put Dr Bird when compared to Wray nephew from a flavor profile?

[@maitaioneon]

Not similar at all

[@krumbie8]

@ got it! Trying to learn what the heck all these are for and the right rum for the right cocktails makes all the difference. Thanks for the videos. PS your grog syrup in a Planters instead of pimento dram itself - INSANE!!!

[@roundup1253]

The Only 2 Jamaican Rums Im using are Xaymaca and RumFire. Is it worth buying smith & Cross for Cocktails? Is there any „jamaican taste“ I cant create with my 2 Rums?

[@maitaioneon]

Yes Jamaican rums have a massive range of flavors. Hampden, Worthy Park, J Wray & Nephew, Long Pond and Clarendon are each producing very, very different products with super different production methods resulting in their own unique flavor profiles. I think it’s safe to say that arguably, Jamaican rum is one of the most varied in all of rum. Adding aging details, additives, fermentation methodologies and other factors to the mix add even more variety. So yes, I would say that the two products that you have only capture a very small corner of the diverse flavor profiles available to us.

[@blaeinger]

While I'm still fairly new to rums, I think the Xaymaca is too mild for a Jamaican. It's probably great as an entry to Jamaican since it tones down the funk though. For value though, like if you can only afford 1 bottle, planteray 3 Star.

[@rickmunoz5913]

So funny to hear you say how you don't know where you're viewers live. I recently found from your website that you're a stone's throw away from me. Also funny on the Ten to One. I saw the same red tag discount and considered it

[@pking1970]

Big fan of Chairman's Reserve white rum but hard to find.

[@XrayBluesman]

Easy Worthy Park 109 and Select.

[@XrayBluesman]

I forgot El Dorado 12. Easily low price for quality and a good beginner rum. Also good after 30 years of rum drinking

[@Mark-y5n1n]

Smith&Cross, Smith&Cross, Smith&Cross 😂😂😂 see what I did there? No seriously I love it in cocktails but it’s 42.00 here so not a bargain. Can I say Meyers for a dark/black option when needed? It’s only 18.00 here in Michigan 😊

[@introvertswag6494]

Can't believe you don't know where I live, my parasocial relationship with you is ruined! Jokes aside, my goto light rum is The Real Mccoy 3 year, as I've found it to be the best light rum for daiquiris. I dont see it around as much online so I always like to recommend it. And it's usually $20-$25 so pretty good pricing for what I like haha.

[@Rynopb]

Zafra 21 should be 120 plus

[@mohrstephen]

I'm wondering when the masses are going to realize Rum's affordability. Bourbon demand has escalated it's prices and is starting to wane. Rum fell out of favor in early US history because bourbon was more affordable. That's no longer the case.

[@ericepperson8409]

I hope Rum continues to get overlooked in favor of everyone chasing Anejo Tequilas right now. Love the fact that it's pretty easy to find really great rums for ~$50-60. I'd hate to be paying $80-100 for the same thing in 2 years while trying to become the God Father to my local liquor store owner's kid.

[@BigHairyCrank]

I guess this isn't the best video to discuss my obsession with FourSquare EC series....cha-ching. I'm pretty sure I'm paying Richard Seeles rent at this point.

[@jjdawg9918]

Cihuatan 12 year for $19... if you can find it

[@zelcadin]

You should've put a captain Morgan spice rum on the thumbnail for rage bait

[@tietanus]

Planteray OFTD, Wray & nephew, Appleton estate signature, Havana Club Anejo 3 años, S&C

[@Jeremy-kg1zr]

I just found your channel, and I Really like and appreciate it(subscribed), but this video is such a wide ratio. I have a wide screen and it's still too wide. Just for ultra-wide monitors/TVs? :(

[@makeanddrink]

I shoot in a 2:1 ratio which you’ll see quite a bit of on YT. It’s optimized for phone screens, but if more people watch on TVs moving forward that might change.

[@Jeremy-kg1zr]

@@makeanddrink Ahhh That makes sense. I never youtube on my phone, and only use my laptop/computer monitor/TV, but of course the phone use is hugely popular.

[@SLCVeggie]

The reformulation of Denizen Aged White is such a bummer. The old 3-year was much better imo and more transparent with their aging.