The BEST Rums for Beginners

[@kidyuki1]

I think you knocked it out of the park as far as hitting a good variety of source countries and flavor profiles while also keeping it decently affordable and easy to find.

[@therumrevival]

Thanks so much! It was surprising hard to put together lol

[@ericschmidt6]

Great choices, I agree on most of them! If I was choosing 6, it would be Doorly’s 12, El Dorado 12, Appleton 12, chairman’s reserve, Flor de Cana 7, and neisson reserve. Although if it weren’t geared towards sipping, Rum Fire is a must have as well.

[@therumrevival]

Neisson reserve was definitely a consideration! And if i had it my way, everyone would be sipping rum fire lol

[@mmeiselph7234]

Nice to see a focus on drinking rum neat, something I don't do enough.

[@therumrevival]

Thanks!

[@ianhobbs4984]

I started on Myers in Germany in 1965 at £1 a bottle at the British Army shop the NAAFI and it was duty free and is still my favorite tipple, I love the Taste and Fieryness of it, and always drank it neat.

[@therumrevival]

Nice! Have you found that the flavor profile has changed much since '65?

[@zoltanadam855]

Very good list, it could not be less. :) These rums are very much beginner compatible. I also agree that it is not enough to meet the 3 so called styles of rum. As a Jamaican one, Appleton is a good choice but maybe a slightly more funky would represent the Jamaican vibe like a Worthy Park Rum Bar Gold or similar. But again, in my opinion it is a very good list which fulfills the restrictions.

[@therumrevival]

Thank you! I considered including Rum Bar Gold, since its all pot still but ultimately didn't since its tougher to come by than AE 8.

[@potstill_]

Solid list, if I were to add one, it would be Plantation 5 year. Can be sipped neat and is an excellent mixer.

[@therumrevival]

Thanks for offering another option!

[@jayz2751]

Like you mentioned depending on where you live. Because the nearest Total Wine to me has Appleton 12 for 36.99$ plus taxes. That’s a good value imo so I always get it

[@therumrevival]

Whoa that’s an amazing deal!

[@alecfautsch]

very good selection for beginners, couldn't do better!

[@therumrevival]

Thanks!

[@klg223kim6]

So glad you included Legacy!! Such a great pick.

[@doughboi007]

This was really good for someone just getting into rum tasting and collecting. I'm still trying to decide what would be best to sip neat (or with some water) when I really enjoy hints of vanilla and sweetness.

[@therumrevival]

Thanks! The Ron del Barrilito has some sweetness. Also check out El Dorado 12 year

[@Cherventv]

The Five stars is superb

[@RobynSmithPhD]

Very well put together list!

[@therumrevival]

Thanks so much!

[@benvieira3895]

Only one of these I have any major experience with is the Doorly's 12. Liked it for a long time, but ever since I compared it to the Real McCoy 12 Year side by side, the Doorly's just feels thin now. They're relatively similar flavor profiles to my palate, but the Real McCoy just feels much more substantial, even with it being a lower ABV than the Doorly's. I know it's a couple bucks out of the price range at about $45, but I'd pick it over the Doorly's any day. Really want to get my hands on the Rhum JM and Chairman's Reserve though, tried another rum recently from Saint Lucian Distillers and absolutely loved it.

[@therumrevival]

Thanks for sharing your experience with those two rums. I'll have to do a side by side now.

[@TimothyDearhamer]

Even though I live in a metro area of around 1 million, of the rums on this list only Appleton Estate is available in most liquor stores. There is only one store that carries El Dorado and I’ve never seen 3 of those bottles in any store. What is available that I might suggest are rums from The Real McCoy, Plantation, Papa Pilar, and Diplomatico.

[@therumrevival]

That's the unfortunate thing about rum, even the more widely available quality rums are tougher to come by then comparable whiskies and agave spirits. Looking forward to the day that my corner liquor store will have these rums. Thanks for providing a couple of other options!

[@thebees4371]

Gosling black seal rum is super smooth

[@therumrevival]

I think I've only ever had Black Seal in cocktails.

[@christophershreiner5114]

I only have 4 bottles and 3 open. I’m primarily a scotch drinker. I started with Rhum JM VSOP, Clément Select Barrel, and Appleton Estate 8 Reserve. I haven’t particularly loved any of them but will be revisiting them soon and opening a bottle of Smith & Cross Navy Strength. I’m Ohio we don’t have an amazing selection available to us.

[@therumrevival]

If the Smith and Cross is not to your liking, then maybe look out for some rum from Barbados or Saint Lucia.

[@christophershreiner5114]

@@therumrevival thank you. Will do.

[@christophershreiner5114]

@@therumrevivalthe Four Sq Doorly’s 12 looked very interesting. I’ve heard a lot of hood things about Four Square.

[@richardashjr.-sd9sr]

Doorly's 12 is fantastic for the price and taste

[@DevilsReefRum]

Ok dig the video.

[@therumrevival]

Much appreciated

[@mickmacy6161]

Thanks for the recommendations. I'm going to use these to get to my next level of rum appreciation. Sub'd too

[@therumrevival]

Thanks for the sub! And enjoy those rums!

[@Succumbed2Rum]

These are some really great recommendations and I couldn't agree more with your rationale for choosing each.

[@therumrevival]

Awesome, thanks!

[@tommymatheson7519]

Good picks

[@therumrevival]

Thank you!

[@austinwright7495]

Wow! Great video, I am just starting to get into rum and I think I’m gonna pick up all of them and give them a go.

[@therumrevival]

That's great to hear! Let me know what you think!

[@austinwright7495]

Hey! So I managed to pick up el dorado 12, chairman’s reserve legacy, Doorlys 12, Rhum J.M terroir volcanique, appleton estate 12 (you recommend the 12 in another video and I thought I would like the extra barrel notes since I’m mainly a bourbon guy), and I couldn’t find the Ron del barrilito anywhere so I picked up the clarin sajous you recommended in another video! Do you have any other recommendations to replace that Ron del barrilito?

[@therumrevival]

@@austinwright7495 Oh wow, you got quite the lineup! I hope you dig them. Let me know what you think!.. In terms of another Puerto Rican rum to swap for the RdB, check out one of the Don Q Double Aged Cask finishes. I love the Cognac finish. I haven't had the Sherry Finish but that might be the closed in flavor profile to the RdB.

[@kawonewilliams1949]

Funny that of all the 400+ bottles in my collection, I don't have any of those. I've always heard a lot about Eldorado 12. It's good to know it's actually good. I've looked at the Chairman's Reserve a few times, and I guess it's time to pull the trigger.

[@therumrevival]

I know that feeling. I've been dipping my toes into whisky, and kind of skipped over a lot of the intro/foundational stuff. I like El Dorado 12, though the 15 is even better (just wish all of them had higher abv). The Legacy is especially great!

[@DamirHadzic-d4q]

Wow!! Are you going to take all of those bottles with you to heaven?

[@nickp5511]

Nice recommendations! I’m my area I can get the Appleton 8,12, El Dorado12, Flor De Cana 7, Foursquare rums, and Dos Maderas. I have the Dos Madras, and Foursquare Indelible? Thinking of trying the Appleton 8 or 12 because I like the bourbon notes.

[@therumrevival]

I prefer the 8 over the 12, but if you want more oak/wood notes then go with the 12.

[@stereodreamer23]

There are LOTS of rums made in Guyana, not just the one you feature. Lemon Hart is made in Guyana...

[@therumrevival]

Yes totally, as well as Pussers. All made at Demerara Distillers Ltd.

[@Q-Ball.]

I can not get almost any good/interesting rums around me. Maybe an Appleton 12 but that’s it

[@therumrevival]

That’s a bummer. Hope that changes

[@jasonhenninger8220]

Comparison with Diplomatico Reserva?

[@therumrevival]

I think if you're looking for something on the sweeter side, then Diplo will scratch that itch

[@motoseba7919]

@@therumrevivalI bought the Diplomatico Selection de Familia. At the beginning I liked it a lot cause it is sweet and easy to drink. Now I feel it’s way too sweet. I take it out when I have people around who don’t know much about rum and they are not ready for high abv or more complex ones.

[@freddieslaughter1107]

Are there any dark sipping rums that is not so hot to the taste?

[@therumrevival]

definitely check out El Dorado 12 or 15. Both are 40% abv.

[@apeekintime]

Rum is not more diverse than gin in how it is made and the flavor profile. Gin is a bit of a wild west and there are very very very loose requirements on gin.

[@TheMooseOnTheLeft]

Randomly got this video on autoplay and saw your comment. Have to disagree. Gin has a long history of being made from everything from pot still single distillation to flavored turpentine, but modern definitions require that gin production starts with a nearly pure neutral spirit. Because of this, the base for the distillate, the yeast and and terroir don't really matter in gin. That alone is a huge differentiator from rums, which can have very complex variance from those things. Beyond that, I've drank rums that taste like just about every other kind of hard spirit I can think of except for tequila/mezcal, but I've never had a gin that didn't taste like infused vodka. Gin's variance really only lies in what you infuse it with, but in some places like the US, it has to have juniper flavor to be sold as gin. Infused rums are still considered rums though, no matter what the base flavor is. I've even got a rum that tastes like a fancy gin.

[@TarinClott]

Gin is more diverse than other spirits, but the actual distillation process is far less diverse. This is showing a clear bias for gin, but lack of awareness of how distinct rums use different variants of sugar cane products. Rum is also distilled in the largest range of countries around world, with no rules at all.

[@scottgibson6735]

I,love,apleton,estate12,year,old,but,for,me,it’s,a,tossup,with,flordececańa12.thank you for the video

[@therumrevival]

Thanks for sharing and watching!