By VinePair
When it comes down to it, sipping rum is the same as sipping wine or any other spirit — you won’t know what you like until you try it. Here are five sipping rums to try.
1. Clement VSOP Rhum
Rhum agricole is made from sugarcane juice, whereas rum is made typically from molasses. This rhum agricole (owned by Spiribam) is full-bodied, bright, and delightful to sip neat. Bryan uses this in an Old Fashioned variation she calls the “Chunky Monkey,” which combines 2 ounces Clement VSOP, 1/2 ounce amontillado or oloroso sherry, 1/2 ounce banana liqueur, three dashes Angostura bitters, and a tiny pinch of salt. Average price: $46
2. Appleton Estate 12-Year
Appleton is the longest-running distiller in Jamaica (dating back to 1745), and this 12-year bottle is a great one to try on its own, with notes of banana and mango. Average price: $40
3. Santa Teresa 1796
Santa Teresa, a Venezuelan namesake rum, is a favorite of Anderson and many others. It gets its flavor from the Spanish “solera” aging process, which produces a rich and dry rum that has flavors of toffee and some spice. Average price: $45
4. Don Papa Rum
Made in the Philippines, from a single island at the foothills of the active volcano Mt. Kanlao, Don Papa is one of the fastest-growing super-premium rum brands — and any of its offerings would do well over ice or neat. This one, aged 10 years in former American bourbon barrels that have been re-charred, is a darker, richer, more complex version of its rum, with hints of dried tropical fruit and vanilla. Average price: $65
5. Mount Gay XO Rum
Barbados created a rum standard in America, so it makes sense that the island country continues to have a presence in the rum trade here. Perhaps one of the most well-known Barbadian rums is Mount Gay, and the XO edition is full-bodied and round, with notes of caramel, fig, and spice. Average price: $70
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