Rum is a category, not a style
Rum is anything distilled from sugarcane or molasses. That is enormous. White rum, gold rum, dark rum, spiced rum, rhum agricole, navy strength, Demerara, Jamaican funky, all real and all different. There is no single ‘rum flavour’.
For cocktails the broad rules are: white rum for Mojitos, Daiquiris, Pina Coladas. Gold or dark for Mai Tais. Aged for sipping or stirred drinks. Spiced for Dark and Stormy variants. Agricole for tropical and grassy cocktails.
What rum suits which drink
Mojito, Daiquiri: white rum (Bacardi, Havana Club).
Pina Colada: white plus dark, blended.
Mai Tai, Hurricane: gold rum + dark rum float.
Dark and Stormy: ginger beer + dark rum (Goslings is the spec, legally).
Sipping: aged rum (Mount Gay XO, Diplomatico, Plantation 20th).
Tiki cocktails: a multi-rum blend, almost always.
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Rum bottles, reviewed
Newest pages first. White through aged.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people ask about the Bottle Library.
What is the best rum for cocktails?
Depends on the cocktail. White rum (Bacardi Superior, Havana Club 3yo) for Mojitos and Daiquiris. Gold or dark rum for Mai Tais. Spiced (Captain Morgan, Sailor Jerry) for fun. Aged sipping rum (Diplomatico) for stirred drinks.
Bacardi vs Captain Morgan?
Different categories. Bacardi is a brand that makes white, gold, and aged rum. Captain Morgan is mostly known for spiced rum. Bacardi Superior makes the best Mojito; Captain Morgan owns Rum and Coke.
What is dark rum?
Rum aged longer in oak (or coloured with caramel, depending on the brand). Richer, more molasses-forward, more body. Goslings, Myers’s, Mount Gay XO are widely available examples.
Is spiced rum real rum?
Yes, but with added flavouring. Cinnamon, vanilla, citrus peel, allspice, and other spices are infused or added after distillation. Captain Morgan and Sailor Jerry are the famous brands. Cocktail purists scoff; everyone else enjoys it.
What is rhum agricole?
Rum made from fresh sugarcane juice instead of molasses. Mostly French Caribbean (Martinique, Guadeloupe). Grassier, more vegetal, more complex. Tropical cocktails benefit from a touch of agricole.
