We all do!
Any rum lovers?
- Thread starter James78
- Start date
Thanks! I was looking at El Dorado 15 based on a few of the recommendations in the thread. That’s what I’ll grab first.
Had a rum and coke last night. I know- whoopdie do. Not a drink to impress the B&B crowd.
I was always surprised how differently this easiest of drinks to prepare can turn out depending on the ingredients. Pepsi is awful (feel free to search for my “Pepsi Challenge 1980 debacle story), Coke is good, while some of the Mexican style small production styles can be very good. Most surprising is the effect of the rum. Whites just don’t seem to do anything and the really dark ones can be a bit too assertive. Counterintuitively, a better rum doesn’t always make for a better drink. The qualities that make for a good sipping rum can get lost in the mix.
Yesterday I opened a bottle Old Brigand. It’s from RL Seale, so it has a good Barbados/Foursquare/no additives pedigree, but at 17 bucks I wasn’t expecting much. I thought it may provide a decent entry level drink if I was lucky, but it really popped. One of the best R&C’s I’ve had to date. It seemed to work better than some of the El Dorado or Plantations I tried, and reminded me a bit of Cockspur. I was really pleasantly surprised.
Now if I can only duplicate the experience next time.
I was always surprised how differently this easiest of drinks to prepare can turn out depending on the ingredients. Pepsi is awful (feel free to search for my “Pepsi Challenge 1980 debacle story), Coke is good, while some of the Mexican style small production styles can be very good. Most surprising is the effect of the rum. Whites just don’t seem to do anything and the really dark ones can be a bit too assertive. Counterintuitively, a better rum doesn’t always make for a better drink. The qualities that make for a good sipping rum can get lost in the mix.
Yesterday I opened a bottle Old Brigand. It’s from RL Seale, so it has a good Barbados/Foursquare/no additives pedigree, but at 17 bucks I wasn’t expecting much. I thought it may provide a decent entry level drink if I was lucky, but it really popped. One of the best R&C’s I’ve had to date. It seemed to work better than some of the El Dorado or Plantations I tried, and reminded me a bit of Cockspur. I was really pleasantly surprised.
Now if I can only duplicate the experience next time.
I do not know Old Brigand--although anything with Foursquare in the pedigree has my attention--but otherwise we are on the same page. Rum and Coke is a popular drink at my house, but it takes some care. (Some might say I am not easily impressed, and I admit that life it too short to drink poor quality drinks. But this is an excellent drink. Complex, balanced, refreshing, not cloying, interesting history, etc.) Absolutely the particular rum matters a lot. And re <Counterintuitively, a better rum doesn’t always make for a better drink. The qualities that make for a good sipping rum can get lost in the mix.> I think the qualities that make for a good sipping rum can get lost but they can also harm the flavor of a good rum and coke. For instance, I do not think a lot of wood in a rum enhances an r&c. I completely agree that whites do not have enough going on and that super dark rums do not much work either.
Stealing from the local tapas restaurant chain Chef Jose Andres' Jaleo, we do an r&c with Mexican coke, Angostura bitters, a fresh lime quarter or more (squeezed and dropped in the glass), and a stick of cinnamon, freshly charred over a gas flame. I occasionally put in a few drops of pastis. We often use Ron Abuelo, from Panama, if I recall, the base version not the more expensive expressions, which is relatively dark, but not super dark. My favorite for this purpose is probably Cuban Havana Club 7 anos, which I know goes a little against the idea that better rum does not equal better r&c, although I would not consider it a great sipping rum, but my supply of that is very limited. I have not found that high hogo/funk rums work very well for this, but sometimes I put some high hogo rum in the mix.
In any event, a great classic cocktail!
It’s this one. You are so right about too much wood ruining a drink.
Nice color!
<You are so right about too much wood ruining a drink.>
Nice to know its not just me who thinks "better" spirits do not necessarily make better drinks.
I do tend to think wood likely has a lot to do with it, if it is not the only factor. For me this applies outside of rum drinks, too.
For instance, I will make a Margarita out of the best blanco or reposado tequilas, and I do not think I have ever thought the Margarita was not better with better blanco/reposado tequila. And I will sip a blanco or reposado tequila from time to time. (Although as I write that, I am thinking I like a little burn to my tequila, and if "better" means less burn, or no burn, that does not necessarily mean "better" to me.) However, I have not found that to be true about anejos. To me some anejos make a good Margarita, but while I generally like--or, at least, "understand," I guess I am not that big on anejos, anyway--the extra wood and age in a tequila to sip, I do not love those tequilas in a mixed drink.
The other example that leaps to mind and may not be the same thing, is that I really like Whistle Pig Rye as a sipper. So smooth, excellent flavors. But I think something like the much cheaper, much lower quality as a sipper, Rittenhouse, for instance, is better in a Manhattan. I do not know if it is the wood. I think Peerless is probably my favorite rye, but I do not like it in an Manhattan either. In an old-fashioned, heck yes.
<You are so right about too much wood ruining a drink.>
Nice to know its not just me who thinks "better" spirits do not necessarily make better drinks.
I do tend to think wood likely has a lot to do with it, if it is not the only factor. For me this applies outside of rum drinks, too. For instance, I will make a Margarita out of the best blanco or reposado tequilas, and I do not think I have ever thought the Margarita was not better with better blanco/reposado tequila. And I will sip a blanco or reposado tequila from time to time. (Although as I write that, I am thinking I like a little burn to my tequila, and if "better" means less burn, or no burn, that does not necessarily mean "better" to me.) However, I have not found that to be true about anejos. To me some anejos make a good Margarita, but while I generally like--or, at least, "understand," I guess I am not that big on anejos, anyway--the extra wood and age in a tequila to sip, I do not love those tequilas in a mixed drink.
The other example that leaps to mind and may not be the same thing, is that I really like Whistle Pig Rye as a sipper. So smooth, excellent flavors. But I think something like the much cheaper, much lower quality as a sipper, Rittenhouse, for instance, is better in a Manhattan. I do not know if it is the wood. I think Peerless is probably my favorite rye, but I do not like it in an Manhattan either. In an old-fashioned, heck yes.
I know I've chimed in with my current favorite of El Dorado 15. But when I finished off a bottle last week, I decided I didn't want to crack the other bottle I had in reserve. My wife keeps 1.75l bottles of Bacardi light and amber as well as a 1.75l bottle of Goslings dark rum for her vacation in a glass or whatever mixed drinks she makes with lots of rums. So I decided to pour myself a Goslings on the rocks. I can't remember the last time I tried it alone before. All I have to say is this stuff is delicious by itself. There's a bit of smokiness to it that I like. No surprise since I love Lagavulin. Anyway, I'll probably keep my bottle of El Dorado for next summer and just drink the Goslings for the small amount of summer remaining. Good stuff.
I don’t think anyone is going to use the Black Seal in a daiquiri, but in a Dark ‘N Stormy it’s so good I can see why Gosling’s pursues trademark violators. It’s such a unique product.
I have read a lot of recipes from the most famous mixologists (hate that term) calling for Rittenhouse in a Manhattan. I would imagine that repeatability is a primary concern.Nice color!
<You are so right about too much wood ruining a drink.>
Nice to know its not just me who thinks "better" spirits do not necessarily make better drinks.
For instance, I will make a Margarita out of the best blanco or reposado tequilas, and I do not think I have ever thought the Margarita was not better with better blanco/reposado tequila. And I will sip a blanco or reposado tequila from time to time. (Although as I write that, I am thinking I like a little burn to my tequila, and if "better" means less burn, or no burn, that does not necessarily mean "better" to me.) However, I have not found that to be true about anejos. To me some anejos make a good Margarita, but while I generally like--or, at least, "understand," I guess I am not that big on anejos, anyway--the extra wood and age in a tequila to sip, I do not love those tequilas in a mixed drink.
The other example that leaps to mind and may not be the same thing, is that I really like Whistle Pig Rye as a sipper. So smooth, excellent flavors. But I think something like the much cheaper, much lower quality as a sipper, Rittenhouse, for instance, is better in a Manhattan. I do not know if it is the wood. I think Peerless is probably my favorite rye, but I do not like it in an Manhattan either. In an old-fashioned, heck yes.
Boy, do I love tequila. A classic margarita may be improved with any number of higher end orange components (Cointreau, Bauchant, Pierre Ferrand, Grand Marnier), but an anejo gets completely lost. I used to prefer reposados, thinking aged is always better, but over the years I have come to believe that a margarita is a perfect showcase for the bright, forward flavors of a blanco.
It is good in a dark and stormy but I prefer it neat with a cube or two of ice. So freaking good. Almost as good as my favorite, El Dorado 15. I also want to try Flor de Cana 12.
Flor de Cana is my "go to" Rum these days. Visits to Cuba have me tapped out on Havana Club. Not going to refuse it, but I want something different at home. Only Rum I bring home from Cuba these days, if I can find it, is the 11 YO Santiago de Cuba. It drinks neat, with ice, and it mixes very well. What else do you need?
I am really enjoying this "conversation." I do not love the terms "mixologist" or "mixology," either. Either for the true expert, such as Sasha Petraske, or the at home hack. Studying up on drink mixing seems to have become a hobby of mine. What is a good term for that "hobby"? I suppose, one could say the same thing about wines. There there is at least "oneophile." I think that is less loaded term than "connoisseur." One could say "I have a consuming interest in these things," as one of my true oneophile friends like to say.
I was just using Rittenhouse as an example of a less expensive rye, although I sure do like it in a Manhattan. Bulleit Rye would be a good example for me, too. I just Googled best rye in a Manhattan and a list of seven came up that included those two, but also Whistle Pig, which they picked as the very best!!!???, and Old Overholt, which I think is truly awful, including the B-n-B version. Truly awful. Mileage varies I suppose.
Thinking about it a bit. I could have written your paragraph on tequila. Although I seem to be having trouble finding a great, bright blanco. It seems to me that Casa Noble blanco used to be just that. Now it seems vegetal to me. Seems to me I used to get El Teso blanco that worked. My gut feeling is that Don Julio reposado may be my favorite widely available tequila for a Margarita. I had had ones I have liked more over the years, but I cannot even remember the names!
This thread inspired me to go to the DC Costco, which is the only one in the area that has liquor. The Kirkland Anejo for under $20 a liter was highly recommended to me and seems excellent based on a couple of sips first thing this morning. I do not understand how they can sell it for that price. Although not intensely anejo. My guess is that it would work in a Margarita. The regular Costco blanco seems rather characterless. The reposado better.
I been looking for Havana Club and no luck. Bacardi makes a version I been trying to find. The real deal Cuban stuff I’ll likely never get. One liquor store acted like they never heard of it.
If you can find it, this is one great rum. A wondeful sipping rum.
I am learning a lot from this thread. Love it!
Fortaleza? Cascahuin?
Looks like I can get Fortaleza locally. Not seeing Cascahuln. Not inexpensive, but life is too short to drink bad tequila.
I infuse some of my cigars with Capt Morgan Spice Rum. I don't drink the stuff myself. Does that count?
I couldn’t find the ElDorado 15. I did find a bottle of Zacapa 23. Spectacular sipper with an ice cube. I really like it. A bottle of Goslings also found its way home to try a couple Dark and Stormys tomorrow at a cookout.
Total Wine and Bottle King, both chains in my area of NJ, alway have the El Dorado 15. I've had the Ron Zacapa 23 and it is a nice one. I prefer the ED15 but I'd never refuse a RZ23. And you should definitely try the Goslings Black Seal neat or with a couple cubes so you can get a sense of how good it is.
Similar threads
