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Kenning posted:Yeah Meyer's isn't a great sipper. Make a nice old fashioned though.  I never would have thought to use Meyer's in an old fashioned.
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Nov 14, 2013 04:19
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| # ? Apr 24, 2024 17:46 |
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Pretty much any rum with a bit of age and/or color to it will take well to the old fashioned treatment. Meyer's in particular tidies up around the edges quite nicely.
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Nov 14, 2013 05:11
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How would Mt Gay do in an old fashioned? Does the technique differ at all? (Fruits muddled with sugar and bitters, and then booze, served on ice?) I only ask because I've been tasked with inventing / renaming / presenting and promoting cocktails for a theatre to help us hit our bar minimum, and that sounds like something we could really get our regulars to buy.
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Nov 14, 2013 16:13
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BevMo has some great rums on sale right now, or at least they did recently. A nice 8 year old rum for $12? I thought it was too good to be true but, eh, I'm a drunk and could afford the experiment. Wow, really great stuff. Also, Trader Joe's has some super cheap rums. The white is basically rocketfuel but if you'll take a 5%abv hit, the spiced rum isn't bad for $3.99. Sure, you gotta mix that poo poo but it works fine with coke or banana juice -- presumably other things as well.
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Nov 14, 2013 18:42
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Nicol Bolas posted:How would Mt Gay do in an old fashioned? Does the technique differ at all? (Fruits muddled with sugar and bitters, and then booze, served on ice?) I only ask because I've been tasked with inventing / renaming / presenting and promoting cocktails for a theatre to help us hit our bar minimum, and that sounds like something we could really get our regulars to buy. I never do muddled fruit in my old fashioneds (also I don't really believe in muddling in general). Mt. Gay would definitely do well in a classic old fashioned (sugars, bitters, spirits, ice). If you're looking to move some rum, there are a couple of good cocktail options I could suggest. Also try popping over to the cocktail thread for inspiration.
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Nov 14, 2013 21:20
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Kenning, have you tried K&L's St. Lucian Faultline rum? Just bought a bottle because I love giving all of their special stuff a whirl. Thought it was quite a nice sipper, but didn't love it in a Dark & Stormy. Going to Daquiri it up this weekend to see how it does since it was quite sweet. I was down in San Diego last weekend at Ballast Point and had their Barleywine aged in their Three Sheets rum barrels. Really enjoyed it. Can't wait until they open up spirits tastings at the brewery.
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Nov 15, 2013 04:59
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Kenning posted:Pretty much any rum with a bit of age and/or color to it will take well to the old fashioned treatment. Meyer's in particular tidies up around the edges quite nicely.
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Nov 15, 2013 14:45
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Above Our Own posted:Maybe I should ask in the cocktail thread instead, but what's the trick to a good old fashioned? Every one I've mixed feels off. http://oldfashioned101.com/
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Nov 15, 2013 19:11
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Yeah I'm having trouble with how much is in a "splash" or a "dash" because I AM RETARDED.
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Nov 15, 2013 19:27
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To taste. Start with maybe two or three shakes of the bitters and a teaspoon of simple syrup, I guess.
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Nov 15, 2013 19:52
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Butch Cassidy posted:To taste. Start with maybe two or three shakes of the bitters and a teaspoon of simple syrup, I guess.
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Nov 15, 2013 19:56
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Yeah, I use a tsp of granulated sugar or 2:1 syrup, or 1/4 oz. of 1:1 simple syrup. If you're using sugar get it a little wet and swirl it around to dissolve a bit. If you're using syrup, agitate it with the spirit a little bit before throwing in the ice to make sure it's all incorporated. An orange or lemon twist make a huge contribution to flavor, but can be omitted if circumstances are unfavorable.
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Nov 15, 2013 20:31
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Above Our Own posted:Thank you, I can compute these units I find the bitters shakers really inconsistent and count the drops instead, usually 3.
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Nov 15, 2013 20:46
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3 drops of bitters is like nothing. If you need to measure, use something like 1/4 tsp at least.
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Nov 15, 2013 20:55
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Kenning posted:3 drops of bitters is like nothing. If you need to measure, use something like 1/4 tsp at least. Yeah I recently learned that a dash is ~1 mL so I guess you can use that if you are metric.
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Nov 15, 2013 22:56
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Kenning posted:3 drops of bitters is like nothing. If you need to measure, use something like 1/4 tsp at least. Well, tastes vary. I go by the oldfashioned101.com saying a dash is arbitrary but 1 dash = 3 drops, and to add one or more dashes. 3 drops works for me and I feel like 1/4 tsp would be way too much, but I'll give it a try tonight for the hell of it. If anything I should be measuring the spirits and sugar more accurately but I just do it by eye and it comes out about the same each time.
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Nov 15, 2013 22:57
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Hey guys, need a rum recommendation for a drink I'd like to make for Thanksgiving since I know zero about rum minus the OP. What would be a good dark rum for fairly cheap for the following recipe? http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/the-new-england-express
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Nov 17, 2013 18:42
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Use Coruba if you can find it (and look hard, it's worth the search!) and Meyer's if you can't. Those are going to be most similar in style to an Old Medford-style New England rum, very few of which are still produced (or rather, very few of which have begun to produce again – there's a nascent craft scene up there). If you can find/afford something like Thomas Tew it would be pretty appropriate.
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Nov 17, 2013 22:23
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I picked up a bottle of Bacardi Reserva Limitada a few days ago. I would highly recommend it. It is a deliciously rich and flavorful rum. Wonderful to have neat. Probably in my top 3-5 favorite in my collection right now.
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Nov 23, 2013 21:19
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I don't think I've ever gone through a bottle of anything faster than I went through that recently purchased bottle of Smith and Cross. (Granted, I've been making everybody we've had over try it out in an old fashioned.) A+ will drink again.
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Nov 24, 2013 09:39
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Smitty is my desert island spirit 
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Nov 24, 2013 10:08
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Alright rum thread, my buddy had a birthday a couple weeks ago and I got him the Barbancourt vertical – the white, the 3-Star, the 5-Star, and the Estate Reserve. He was pretty pumped, and we've all been drinking a lot of rum lately. Figured now was as good a time as any to do a writeup. Btw I didn't get him the Barbancourt Pango cause I felt like Pineapple/Mango-infused rum wasn't quite his bag. First up, the white: Color: Clear. This is an unaged rum. Nose: A bit hot, some rubbery funk. Not as much twang as in a Jamaican, but some hogo here. Palate: The rubber on the nose shines through, along with a bit of vague sweetness. Pretty full texture for an unaged rum. Some woodiness. Finish: Hot finish. Pretty lengthy woody/rubber finish. Not sweet at all on the finish. Overall: Not a sipping rum. Has some structure that could be interesting in mixed drinks, but a bit rough around the edges. 3-Star Color: A bit darker than straw-gold. This is 4 years, so there's color, but it's light. Nose: More muted than the white. A bit of honey and spice, and some funk on the edges. Palate: Brown sugar at the front, a bit of orange peel and spice, leading down to woody char and that characteristic Barbancourt rubber quality (it's actually quite nice in the more aged expressions). Finish: Warm on the finish, but not aggressively so. A softened wood character. Overall: Drinkable, somewhat lacking in focus. This is actually harder to place than the white. It's hard to say what it's really trying to be. 5-Star Color: Rich gold with some light brown. At 8 years in the barrel, this is Barbancourt's flagship offering. Nose: Fresh wood, brown sugar. A touch of cinnamon and allspice. The bouquet gets sweeter as you spend time with it, but isn't as heady as some other rum styles. Strong oaky/rubber backbone. Palate: Very pleasing texture – the aggressive body of the white is mellowed by the barrel and is getting silky. Cinnamon, brown sugar, and wood are the big notes here. The flavor profile is very well put-together. Also some notes of clove and black pepper. Finish: Nice smooth finish with heat returning up slowly in a very pleasant fashion. The more esoteric flavors play around a bit, and then settle into the hallmark wood/rubber which stays the longest. Overall: Honestly, Barbancourt 5-Star is one of the finest mid-shelf rums available. It's got a robust, masculine character that is appropriate to sipping or simple mixing – I like the 5-Star in an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan/Negroni-style application best. Estate Reserve Color: Lovely golden-brown with some red. This is a very special rum – 15 years of age. Nose: Warm brown sugar and toffee notes predominate, along with a bit of vanilla and oak. Quite sweet and pleasant on the nose. Palate: Silky, decadent texture. A distinctly cognac-like flavor profile, with oak and vanilla. That firm rubber backbone is somewhat softened, and feels almost refined – more like tobacco and leather. Cinnamon and clove around the edges, along with a return of the orange peel. Finish: Almost no heat until the very very end. Long, long finish, a real pleasure to have hang around as well. Some moderate sweetness, but mostly rubber-cum-tobbaco and oak. Overall: Honestly, I consider the Barbancourt Estate Reserve to be one of the most consistently satisfying premium rums going. A lot of old rums lose too much character to the barrel and end up tasty but predictable, and often over-sweet. The Estate Reserve stays robust, but is just a true pleasure to drink. If you've got a spare $50 and can find it, I recommend it heartily. I have a great deal of respect for Barbancourt. Their younger expressions are a bit puzzling, frankly, but the 5-Star and the Estate Reserve are masterfully-crafted, and worthy of a place in any serious rum collection.
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Nov 25, 2013 08:15
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It's loving cold outside, so I decided to try some hot buttered rum. Ended up making this with El Dorado 5-year, since I didn't want to risk any Smith and Cross on a failed experiment. It came out pretty tasty, but the batter might've drowned out the rum's flavor a bit. I'll have to play with the proportions next time. Does it seem like a reasonable recipe? Any other hot rum drinks I should know about?
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Dec 9, 2013 06:41
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Mount Gay Extra Old is my go to, but Smith and Cross... Wow. The description is perfect in the OP. I actually have a friend who runs a liquor store and ordered some of that, along with my favorite whiskey. Smith and Cross is a rather thick rum. Its like drinking velvet. Its coats your mouth, has a very nice finish, and tastes of heaven. If anyone ever has the chance to go to Barbados, go do the rum tour at Mount Gay. They explain the process, they give you a tasting, and they let you explore a little. Sugar cane is amazing. Travel to the place if it is in your budget.
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Dec 9, 2013 17:49
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cbirdsong posted:It's loving cold outside, so I decided to try some hot buttered rum. Ended up making this with El Dorado 5-year, since I didn't want to risk any Smith and Cross on a failed experiment. It came out pretty tasty, but the batter might've drowned out the rum's flavor a bit. I'll have to play with the proportions next time. Does it seem like a reasonable recipe? Any other hot rum drinks I should know about? Did the batter really prevent the butter from pooling at the top? It seems like the butter would just melt out like it always does, but if not, it would be awesome. I've been experimenting with emulsifiers in my HBRs, specifically xanthan gum because it's fairly easy to come by and I had it in the kitchen already. It keeps the butter in the drink, but it changes the mouthfeel and will thicken the drink ferociously if you use too much, so the search is ongoing.
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Dec 9, 2013 20:20
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Aaaah my favorite booze, I'll share a few things I haven't seen here. First, I love to mix a nicer aged rum as a sazerac. Absinthe rinse, some raw sugar, 2 dashes of peychauds, ice, lime twist or wedge. The result is tasty without covering up the rum, and works well with the barrel flavors just like it does with whiskey. Next, my favorite rum dessert has to be bananas foster, and it has to be made with Meyers. As for a holiday rum cocktail, there's a whole thread on egg nog! My amazing wife brought a bottle of bundaberg OP back to the US from Australia, as it is unavailable here. I do appreciate the unique flavor, can anyone recommend their favorite way to mix it? Is this just the Australian equivalent of Bacardi that I should save to "impress" my friends while saving the good stuff for myself? I have most of the mixing rums mentioned, but need to get more sipping ones- this thread has been great at helping me choose from the dozens available. Zaya and Barbancourt seem popular and span a good spectrum, so I'll have to get both! I just finished an excellent bottle of cruzan estate, and am excited to try something new.
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Dec 10, 2013 08:05
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pgroce posted:Did the batter really prevent the butter from pooling at the top? It seems like the butter would just melt out like it always does, but if not, it would be awesome. A thin layer of spices and butter does form at the top, but it definitely doesn't look as thick or oil slick-y as any of the pictures I see on a Google image search. (Not much HBR experience, as you can see)
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Dec 10, 2013 16:13
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So a lot of the recommended rums in this thread aren't available where I live. This is the top shelf of one of the liquor stores nearby, what's worth trying?   I've only gotten to the Mt. Gay Eclipse and the cheaper Appleton Estate so far and liked both of them.
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Dec 12, 2013 02:54
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Viperix posted:So a lot of the recommended rums in this thread aren't available where I live. This is the top shelf of one of the liquor stores nearby, what's worth trying? I see Bacardi 8, Flor De Cana, and Pussers. Start there!
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Dec 12, 2013 03:07
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You've got some nice selection of sippers and mixers actually. For straight sippin' try Mt. Gay Extra Old and Ron Zacapa. They're both soft, rich, and velvety. Bacardi 8, Pussers, and Appleton Estate are representative of gold Cuban, Navy-style Barbados, and dark (but not black) Jamaican rums, respectively. I don't see a white rum up there I'm super keen on – look for Flor de Caña 4 or Cruzan light. It's weird that they have Barbancourt 3 star. I would hold out for the 5. Let us know what you end up getting!
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Dec 12, 2013 05:15
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So I found myself at a different liquor store which only had the Flor de Cana 7-year, and cheaper than the other store too, so I went with that one. Initial tasting I find it comparable to the Eclipse, similarily floral but a little sweeter. I like the aftertaste of the Flor better, though. (Side question, is 'finish' the right term for that, by the way? I don't know liquor tasting lingo.) Finally got some bitters too so I'm going to try and make Old Fashions with my 3 current rums (Myers, Eclipse, and now Flor 7-year.) See which I like best. Oh I think the other liquor store does have Cruzan, if I recall correctly. Would it make sense to be on the cheaper end? As for the Mt. Gay Extra Old or the Ron Zacapa, I just don't know if I can bring myself to spend $45 on a bottle of liquor. Though with my rum fascination these past few months, I'm sorely tempted...
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Dec 13, 2013 05:33
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Yes on he finish, and $45 bucks for a good liquor is worth it. If you are on a tight budget like me, just make that price range a special occasion treat. 
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Dec 13, 2013 21:08
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Yeah, I like to keep a couple special bottles around. Recently it's been the Plantation Barbados 20th Anniversary and the Barbancourt Estate Reserve, but sometimes it's a fine bottle of Scotch or a 12-year apple brandy. It's nice to have something really fine to break out occasionally.
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Dec 14, 2013 11:17
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My rum saga continues this week. I finally got down to a liquor store on the other end of town I had somewhat forgotten about and found they had a huge rum selection. I think they had most of what's been mentioned in this thread so far. Unfortunately, it was all picked over, and for a reason apparently - they were getting bought out. It will stay a liquor store, but it'll be another franchise that's already in town and their selection is poor, so we'll see. On the plus side, they did have a bottle of Barbancourt 5 star left, so I picked that up and it is fantastic. Other bad news though, I must have misremembered because apparently I don't really care for an Old Fashioned. No matter how I made it the bitters were just too strong for me. Oh well, the Barbancourt I can drink straight, and I'll come up with something to put the Flor de Caña 7 year in. You guys have convinced me to pick up one of the expensive sippers, but it'll have to wait till after the holidays as a late gift to myself, I think.
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Dec 14, 2013 20:30
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Barbancourt 5 star is possibly my favorite go-to spirit. The price:quality is perfect.
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Dec 15, 2013 02:40
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There was a lot of talk about Oronoco earlier in the thread. Apparently, it's been discontinued?
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Dec 15, 2013 17:59
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Anyone else tasted the New Grove rum from Mauritius? I had their 'Oak Aged' a while back and it was a very positive surprise. Young, slightly rough on the edges but very very nice berries @ spice in it. Fairly cheap too so massive value. I'm curious to know if their other rums stand up to the quality but haven't been able to find them anywhere.
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Dec 16, 2013 23:34
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Zacapa is $5AUD right now at the closest bar to my work, this is not a drill, holy gently caress E: if there are any bris Vegas goons with this thread bookmarked, seriously get to la ruche in the valley and ruin these guys for having such a ridiculous Sunday special
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Dec 22, 2013 11:04
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So I got some cash for Christmas and have decided to treat myself to a more expensive bottle, preferably a good sipper. I've only tried a modest selection of rums and I've said before. Here are my top shelf choices: Ron Zacapa, Zaya, Barbancourt Grand Reserve, El Dorado 12 and15 yr, and Plantation Barbados Grand Reserve. I'd prefer a good sipper and I find myself preferring richer, more molasses-y rums to the more herbal/floral ones. My current bottle of Barbancourt 8 year is the best rum I've had.
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Dec 26, 2013 23:04
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If you like the Barbancourt 8 year then you'll love the 15. It's a very similar flavor profile, just fuller and more refined. I would get that and the Plantation Barbados Grande Reserve, since the Grande Reserve (the 5 year) is fairly inexpensive. If instead you mean the Plantation Barbados 20th Anniversary then I would recommend Ron Zacapa. Nothing against the 20th Anniversary, it's just quite sweet and mellow, and I prefer Spanish rums for that sort of style.
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Dec 27, 2013 00:25
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