As much as any other spirit, it’s safe to say there’s a style of rum for everyone. Nations across the globe have made it for centuries, with regions and producers offering different interpretations via distinct base ingredients — fresh cane juice, cane syrup, and molasses — as well as varied fermentation and distillation techniques.
Expressions arrive unaged and uncut; matured but with color later stripped away; or following decades in casks old and new. Some bottles are specifically produced for cocktails; others, owing to the price tags that accompany them, demand to be sipped, whether neat, on the rocks, or proofed down to the drinker’s preference. Then there are flavored or spiced releases, which accounted for over 50 percent of the rum sold in the U.S. in 2023.
With all due respect to the fictitious sailors that typically adorn such bottles, we did not consider flavored selections for our annual roundup of the best rums to drink right now. But we did dive deep into the diverse range of examples listed prior, tasting more than 120 bottles from over 20 nations across the globe.
Those samples were sent to VinePair (free of charge) by producers, importers, distributors, and PR firms. We tasted each one non-blind because we recognize that price plays one of the most important roles when you’re shopping at the liquor store or online, and should therefore be considered when evaluating a product.
The final list does not represent the 30 highest-scoring rums from the tasting, and instead aims to showcase the best offerings at every price point and across every interpretation of the category. We’re confident that the final selection offers a solid option for every occasion, budget, and palate. After all, there’s a style of rum for everyone.
Table Of Contents
The Best Rums Under $50
The Best Rums Under $100
The Best Rums Over $100
FAQ
The Best Rums Under $50
9north Carta Blanca 4 Year White Rum
This Panamanian rum is aged for 4 years in second-fill bourbon casks and bottled after charcoal filtration (stripping it of color) but without chill filtration. Its profile is classically molasses- and vanilla-forward, with some hints of tropical fruit. The brand recommends it as both a sipping and cocktail rum, but we’d stick to the latter, specifically enjoying it in a Daiquiri or Mojito.
Average price: $30
Rating: 89
Uruapan Single Estate Blended Charanda
Produced by the Pacheco family in Uruapan, Michoacán, this Mexican rum employs a base of 50 percent fresh pressed sugar cane and 50 percent molasses. Profile-wise, it’s hard to pin it down to a traditional style of rum, though it leans closer to cane juice distillates than molasses-based rums. The nose is corny, ever so slightly grassy, and features muted raisin notes, intriguingly. The palate is similarly singular, with an enjoyable peppery-spiced finish.
Average price: $31
Rating: 92
Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin
The traditional spirit of Haiti, Clairin is revered by liquor enthusiasts for its minimal-intervention practices, which ultimately seek to capture a sense of place and allow base ingredients and production techniques to shine. This grassy, minerally offering, which also showcases under-ripe tropical fruit notes, includes a field blend of five cane varieties; was fermented for up to 10 days using wild yeast; and was distilled in copper pots before bottling at 100 proof.
Average price: $33
Rating: 92
Ten to One Caribbean White Rum
A carefully crafted blend, this Caribbean white rum is a celebration of column-still Dominican distillate and pot-still Jamaican rum. It starts off slightly funky and esoteric, while the more approachable aromas and flavors from the Dominican component follow, rounding things out and providing generous richness to the palate. This is a versatile all-rounder for your bar cart and cocktail hour.
Average price: $33
Rating: 91
Copalli Organic White Rum
Born and made in the heart of the jungle in southern Belize, Copalli’s Organic White Rum includes only three ingredients: freshly squeezed juice from locally grown cane, rainwater, and yeast. Fresh and minerally in character, the nose flits between earthy and vegetal notes — an experience that’s mirrored on the approachable 42 percent ABV palate.
Average price: $35
Rating: 92
Myers’s Reserve Dark Rum
From one of the better known names in Jamaican rum, this “Reserve” expression comes in at around $5 more than the brand’s more famous “Original Dark,” and those extra dollars are well spent, dialing up the flagship’s funky yet clean and fruity profile and bringing an additional 3 percent ABV to the equation. While it drinks a little hotter than its 86 proof, that will only help it shine in cocktails.
Average price: $35
Rating: 90
Transcontinental Rum Line High Seas
As the saying goes, “what one rum can’t do, three rums can.” Sure, you can craft your own blends, but why bother when the fine folks behind Transcontinental Rum have done it for you with this excellent mix of Panamanian, Jamaican, and Martinique distillates? Expressive and brimming with character, its savory, vegetal, slightly sweet profile offers a solid foundation for world-class cocktails.
Average price: $35
Rating: 92
Probitas Blended White Rum
Another instance of a producer doing the heavy lifting for you, this blended white rum is a noteworthy collaboration between two of the Caribbean’s most esteemed distilleries: Barbados’s Foursquare and Jamaica’s Hampden Estate. The nose and palate deliver a delightful interplay of Jamaican funk and fruity sweetness, all harmoniously balanced for exceptional sipping and mixing experiences.
Average price: $35
Rating: 93
Worthy Park Estate Overproof Jamaican Rum
Unusual for a Jamaican white rum, this overproof blend was crafted from a mix of molasses and cane juice distillates. Bottled at 63 percent ABV, it might seem intimidating for an unaged spirit but rest assured the alcohol folds seamlessly into the nose and any heat on the palate only serves to tame some of its rowdier grassy vegetal notes. This spirit calls to be sipped slowly or floated atop a frozen Mai Tai.
Average price: $35
Rating: 92
Diplomático Rum Reserva Exclusiva
An aged rum from Venezuela, Diplomático opens with a medley of stone fruits cooked with Demerara sugar and vanilla, and follows with subtle licorice aromas. The palate leans a little more savory, with additional oak notes. While a couple extra proof points on its 40 percent ABV bottling strength would no doubt help dial up the definition, it’s hard to argue against this rum’s crowd-pleasing potential.
Average price: $40
Rating: 89
Old Line Spirits Case 1 Rum Whiskey Cask Finish
After seven years aging in ex-bourbon barrels in the Caribbean, this 50-percent-ABV rum matures for a further three years in Old Line American Single Malt casks in Baltimore. Somewhat akin to old wine or Cognac, that aging period comes across in “tertiary” notes (to use technical tasting parlance) of cedar and cigar box, which is a delightful addition to its toasted, vanilla-forward, caramel-rich core.
Average price: $40
Rating: 93
El Dorado 12 Year Old Rum
Crafted in a trio of historic stills, this molasses-based Guyanese rum ages for a minimum of 12 years in former whisky casks before blending and bottling. The nose delivers an enjoyable array of vibrant fruit aromas, which shift to a more concentrated, dried form on the palate. With generous body and enticing spice, this bottle begs to be mixed in Rum Old Fashioneds.
Average price: $42
Rating: 92
Holmes Cay Single Origin Réunion Island Agricole Rum
Umami, umami, umami! This agricole from the Indian Ocean island of Réunion is quite unlike any other expression tasted for this roundup. Produced at the Distillerie de Savanna and bottled in New York, it more closely recalls particularly complex mezcal (sans smoke) than rum. Olive, mushroom, and soy sauce scents transition to tropical fruit on the nose, with hints of wild flowers. The palate leans back to rum, arriving with searing intensity and closing with a finish that seems to last forever.
Average price: $43
Rating: 94
Rhum J.M. Terroir Volcanique
Stone fruits and passion fruit pulp set an invigorating early impression from this release, produced by the first recorded distillery to make rhum agricole in Martinique. Maturation in double-charred oak barrels adds a brûléed fruit character, as well as richness, depth, and vanilla sweetness. Nowhere near as grassy as typical agricole, take this for a spin in a Ti’ Punch.
Average price: $43
Rating: 93
Ron Zacapa No. 23
Most associated with the fortified wines of the Sherry Triangle and more recently adopted by smaller, niche producers, Zacapa has long utilized the solera method of maturation, which in this case takes place at one of, if not the world’s highest-altitude aging facility. That process leads to a rum with attractive and approachable aromas — sweet, fairly oaky, and with a pronounced mocha note. It’s a similar story on the palate, and when considering price and availability, this is a really attractive proposition.
Average price: $45
Rating: 91
Renegade Cane Rum Pre-Cask Cuvée Aura
With decades of experience in the spirits industry, Mark Reynier’s fairly recent Renegade Rum project focuses on terroir-driven expressions from the Caribbean island of Grenada. This “pre-cask” (read: unaged) release arrives with an expressive, intense nose that’s mirrored on the palate. It never fully commits to fruity, savory, or funky notes, but dances around them in a way that ultimately checks all boxes. While edging close to the pricey side for mixed drinks, your cocktails will benefit from this spirit. Don’t shy away from sipping it neat or over a large rock with citrus, either.
Average price: $49
Rating: 92
The Best Rums Under $100
The Spirit of Haiti Clairin Vaval
Bottled at a precise 53.5 percent ABV, this Clairin is produced by Distillerie Arawaks, owned and operated by Fritz Vaval, whose family has been in the farm distillery business for close to 80 years. Fermented using ambient yeasts and distilled on a proprietary still, the nose of this spirit juxtaposes papaya and mango with salty umami aromas. The palate commits to more fruity and vegetal notes, with an enjoyably abrasive finish that speaks to the hands-on, traditional practices that led to its creation.
Average price: $50
Rating: 94
Privateer True American Bottled In Bond Rum
Magical things are happening in the rum realm up in Massachusetts, specifically at the premises of Ipswich-based Privateer Rum. Fusing American traditions with Caribbean-style spirits, this molasses-based bottled-in-bond release might seem initially shy on the nose, but that’s only a reflection of its refined, nuanced character. Where aromas of molasses, mocha, and caramel arrive softly, they explode on the palate, landing with a rich, borderline syrupy mouthfeel. Ideal for bourbon drinkers, this is a bona fide sipper.
Average price: $50
Rating: 93
R.L. Seale’s 12 Year Aged Barbados Rum
For a quintessential example of aged Barbados rum, turn to R.L. Seale’s 12 Year. Crafted at the renowned Foursquare distillery, it arrives at an easily sippable 46 percent ABV and packaged in an instantly recognizable bottle. R.L. Seale’s delivers a captivating profile of rich molasses and warming baking spices, and culminates in a delightful, toasty finish. With equal parts balance and complexity, this expression is a standout on every front.
Average price: $54
Rating: 94
Papalin 7 Years Old
A blend of two Jamaican pot still rums, this release features spirits distilled and aged at Worthy Park and Hampden Estate. The nose reveals classic Jamaican funk alongside hints of underripe stone fruit and grassy notes. The palate shifts to savory, umami character, with a Band-Aid note emerging on the finish that evokes a touch of peated Scotch. A complex rum that makes for a great sipping experience with or without ice, at 46 percent ABV, most drinkers won’t find the switch in temperature and dilution necessary, but it certainly isn’t unwelcome on a warm summer’s day.
Average price: $58
Rating: 94
Rhum Barbancourt Estate Reserve 15 Year Old
This rhum agricole hails from one of Haiti’s oldest distilleries and undergoes aging in three different types of oak cask. A 15-year-old cane juice distillate, it showcases only the subtlest hints of green, grassy character, instead allowing sweet honeycomb notes to take center stage. Bottled at a relatively modest 86 proof, the finish hangs around for a hot minute, bringing textural tannins into play.
Average price: $60
Rating: 91
Black Tot Aged Caribbean Rum
An expertly crafted blend of Barbados, Guyana, and Jamaican rums, this expression offers exceptional balance and remarkable nuance. The nose opens with funky, earthy notes, leading to a savory, spicy, and peppery palate. While it more than delivers on the sipping front, don’t hesitate to use it in cocktails — its vibrant character will shine through, especially in spirit-forward, stirred creations.
Average price: $65
Rating: 93
Thrasher’s Rum Queen’s Share
Licorice meets coffee on the nose of this sourced rum from Washington D.C.-based Thrasher’s, with dried apricots and molasses following soon thereafter. The depth and complexity only intensifies on the palate, with coffee taking a back seat allowing the full potential of the equal parts molasses and Demerara sugar distillate to shine.
Average price: $68
Rating: 93
Beenleigh Artisan Distillers 2013 Single Blended Rum
Beenleigh, Australia’s oldest operating distillery, was founded in 1884 in the sugar cane-rich northeastern state of Queensland. Those 140 or so years of experience have translated to a fruity and energetic spirit here, with oak and vanilla aromas raising the curtain, followed by more pronounced notes of tropical fruit and melon. At 10 years old, the palate is similarly lively, with ginger syrup and pomegranate molasses leading the charge. This is an elegant but easygoing sipper.
Average price: $80
Rating: 94
Hampden Estate HLCF Classic
A flagship expression from one of Jamaica’s most renowned producers, HLCF is shorthand for “Hampden Light Continental Flavoured.” Production features ambient yeasts, extended fermentation periods, 100 percent pot still distillation, and four years aging in tropical climates, which the brand notes is “equivalent” to 11 years in Europe. What does that translate to? Plenty of funk on the nose with added aromas of papaya, tart/savory tropical fruits, and molasses. A classically Jamaican profile on the palate, this rum certainly sips above its modest age statement.
Average price: $89
Rating: 93
The Best Rums Over $100
Rolling Fork Single Cask 12 Year Old Rum Distilled in Jamaica
Based out of Borden, Ind., independent bottler Rolling Fork Spirits sourced this 12-year-old pot still rum from Jamaica’s Clarendon distillery. Not as earthy and funky as you’d expect, the aromatic profile is fruity and floral, and the influence of oak seems to have died down over time, with just a whiff of vanilla remaining. It’s impossible to ignore the searing 66.8 percent ABV on the palate, but that does allow you to proof it down to your preference and delight in its depth of flavor.
Average price: $100
Rating: 94
Isautier Traditional Rum 16 Year
Another stellar inclusion from the small island of Réunion, this rum was put into barrel in May 2006 and bottled in September 2022. Its producer, seven-generation family-run Maison Isautier, unusually makes both cane-juice- and molasses-based rums. This release falls into the latter camp, arriving at 57 percent ABV — not that you’d guess that from the nose or palate, though. Instead, aromas of dried stone fruits, vanilla, and used oak shine through, while the flavor profile leans mineral-rich, with accents of roasted coffee, dried licorice, and Dmerara syrup.
Average price: $130
Rating: 94
Appleton Estate 21 Year Old Nassau Valley Casks
Despite maturing in climates that often accelerate the influence of oak and time, rum often offers much better value than bourbon, Scotch, or rye if lofty age statements are your thing. This 21-year expression from Jamaica’s lauded Appleton Estate offers ample evidence, and is also just a great all-rounder, period. Bottled at 43 percent ABV, it serves just enough depth and intensity but also won’t intimidate drinkers who don’t regularly sip neat spirits. The profile runs the gamut of sweet and dry, fruity and savory, and doesn’t hold back on the finish. All of which brings us back to that price/age statement ratio: At $150, this is something of a steal, albeit an expensive one.
Average price: $150
Rating: 96
Foursquare Rum Distillery Exceptional Cask Series “Equipoise”
This twice-aged rum was produced in both pot and column stills and spent 10 years in ex-bourbon barrels before an additional four years in Cognac casks. The influence of the former brandy barrels is profound, and not something you regularly encounter in this category, with cigar box, damp moss, and potpourri slowly giving way to aromas of dried apricots and orange peel. Honey and toffee notes on the palate nudge the profile to a slightly sweeter spot, while the 60 percent ABV bottling strength ensures the finish lasts an age. Exceptional casks indeed!
Average price: $151
Rating: 95
La Maison & Velier Flag Series 24 Year Old Guyana Rum 1998
La Maison & Velier’s “Flag Series” aims to showcase remarkable bottles from regions where extended aging periods are an option. Guyana rum aged for almost a quarter-century definitely fits that bill, and in this case, the lengthy maturation was only possible because the initially bourbon-barrel-aged spirit was transferred at 2 years old from its tropical home to Europe, where it was then transferred to Port casks. The profile of the final spirit is understandably dense and concentrated and we found that it benefitted from a few minutes to fully open up. At which point, a stunning array of tropical fruit (particularly pineapple husk), oaky sweetness (vanilla), and red berry compote emerge. The palate follows with cacao, salted caramel, and zesty citrus notes, as if to remind us that this fine sipping rum is still remarkably full of life and energy.
Average price: $300
Rating: 95
FAQ
What is the smoothest rum?
Some brands of rum are better suited for sipping and enjoying neat or on the rocks. These tend to be smoother expressions of the spirit. Examples and particular expressions from this list include Diplomático Rum Reserva Exclusiva, Black Tot Aged Caribbean Rum, and El Dorado 12 Year Old Rum.
Is rum stronger than vodka?
Most vodkas clock in around 40 percent ABV while many of the types of rum brands that appear on this list come in higher — Rivers Royal Grenadian Rum, for example, arrives at over 60 percent ABV.
Which rum is best with Coke?
Depending on your taste preferences — do you like spiced rum? Dark rum? White rum? — most rums will pair well with Coke. Among all the rum names out there, look for mass-market expressions priced for cocktails (think $40 and under) that won’t get lost in the flavor of the Coca-Cola. Myers’s Reserve Dark Rum is a good place to start.
VinePair’s Tasting Methodology
Throughout the year, VinePair conducts numerous tastings for our popular Buy This Booze column, and wine and spirits reviews. Our mission is to provide a clear, reliable source of information for drinkers, providing an overview applicable to day-to-day buying and drinking.
Tastings are not typically conducted blind. In alignment with our reviews mission, we believe in purposefully tasting all products as our readers typically would, with full knowledge of the producer, the region, and — importantly — the price.
For Buy This Booze roundups, we typically include a maximum of one expression per brand, though we do allow multiple products from the same production facility (i.e., released under different labels).
For this rum roundup, we considered a number of different factors before finalizing the list. Our overall aim was to provide a complete overview of the myriad styles and origins of rum that define the category. That means entry level, “approachable” bottles feature alongside limited-edition releases that spirits geeks go to great lengths to seek out. We are confident that every single bottle that made this final ranking delivers appropriate levels of flavor, balance, depth, and complexity for each of their respective price points.
The article The 30 Best Rums for 2024 appeared first on VinePair.