How to choose a rum to start with?
The essential criteria: softness, balance and accessibility
For many enthusiasts, entering the world of rum is also an entry into the world of spirits in general. Spirits mean power, concentration and explosion of aromas; everything that we will seek to find later, but which can be a little destabilizing at first.
We can then turn to the sweetness of round and sweet rums, typical of the Spanish tradition . In the countries of Central or South America, old rums are produced which are often blends of spirits of different ages, married to create a velvety, silky profile, sometimes enhanced by a hint of sugar which reinforces the aromas and considerably softens the sensation of "fire" on the palate. On the other hand, we consider that highly sweetened or flavored spirits ( spiced rums , rum-based spirits, etc.), even if they are very good ingredients for cocktails for example, do not allow us to enter the world of tasting great alcohols.
“Because the secret is not really in the sweetness of the spirit, but in the way of tasting it.”
The roundness of a rum, its smooth and oily texture do not necessarily come from the addition of a secret ingredient, and can be revealed at 60% alcohol as well as at 40%. You will discover more about this a little further on in the article 😉
Balance is a concept at least as important as smoothness when choosing your rum for beginners. It is a sought-after quality, which implies that the rum will be powerful without being aggressive, smooth without being too sweet, indulgent without being cloying, as elegant as it is expressive, as rustic as it is refined, etc. This research raises an important question: can I find this balance in an "entry-level" rum ? The answer is yes, but we still take the side of inviting you to choose a higher-end rum to start with, because the love at first sight will only be greater. The mistake that many budding tasters make is thinking that, as beginners, they are not capable of appreciating a good rum at its true value. This is completely false! Your palate deserves to be educated with beautiful things rather than with average liquids. And we would even say that it is by training on elaborate products that we are later able to find beauty in a simpler rum.
The term accessibility is also to be taken into account. Even if it seems to overlap in part with the previous notions of sweetness and balance, it also points to the question of the range of aromas. Rum offers such a variety of aromatic profiles that you probably have to take your time before looking for the extremes of the spectrum. To explore these profiles, do not hesitate to read the tasting notes present on most of the pages of our products, and turn to the most enticing ones according to you!
Agricultural rum vs. molasses rum: which one to choose?
This question raises an eternal debate that is impossible to reach a conclusion, since both categories are equally delicious! We sometimes hear that molasses rums (meaning Hispanic and a little sweet) are better for beginners, and that agricultural rums are the ultimate acquisition for the seasoned taster. Yes, a sweet, caramelized, vanilla-flavored, easy-to-drink rum will be unanimous in the sense that it is not likely to shock or be abrupt, but is that why it will arouse love at first sight, astonishment, emotion? The latter is the most important when talking about spirits, and each individual will find it in a different place, whether in the purity of cane juice, in the explosion of fruity notes, in the comfort of an elegant woodiness... Once again, our tasting notes are there to try to transcribe the emotions felt during the tasting, so do not hesitate to consult them to see if the connection is established.
Alcohol content: a key factor for beginners?
Logically, the lower the alcohol content, the easier the rum is supposed to be to drink. You see it coming: yes, but it's not that simple. It's the texture that matters above all, and therefore the quality of the spirit. A well-distilled, well-aged, well-blended, well-reduced rum can be as smooth as silk despite having around fifty degrees on the clock, just as the opposite can be true. Once again, to truly experience rum (which in our opinion is not without a certain "warmth"), it's about appreciating it in all its expression and generosity.
This is where some very simple tasting techniques come into play, which change everything when discovering a rum. First of all, simply take a few drops in your mouth; let them soak into your palate so that it acclimatizes. You will already notice that these few drops are enough to coat it with aromas. Then, take a slightly larger quantity, enough to swallow a little. This time, it is the throat that is acclimatized, and you are now ready to taste your rum, no matter its strength (caution is still required when you exceed a certain degree of course!).
Our selection of the best rums for beginners
Sweet and accessible rums
If there is an example of excellence in the assembly and the art of refining balanced and silky smooth rums, with which one does not get bored, it is Cuba. This Eminente Reserva 7 years is a model of the genre.
The Cuban Oliver family, based in the Dominican Republic, produces round but complex rums, such as this Exquisito 1995 , whose oldest rums included in the blend are 23 years old.
Who said that agricultural rums couldn't be smooth and accessible? This La Mauny VO Signature proves the opposite, with a blend of rums aged in port, cognac, bourbon and moscatel barrels, the cane juice becomes velvet.
The perfect white rums for a first approach
This Madeira rum is incredibly smooth, while being tasty and very close to its raw material, cane juice. A fine example of craftsmanship and excellence. Long live O Reizinho !
In terms of white rums, those made from molasses are not the easiest to tame. We often talk about very expressive and powerful rums, rather extreme, but this Samai from Cambodia is a delicious exception, gourmet and balanced.
The Depaz distillery, at the foot of Mount Pelée, offers us the opportunity to discover the exceptional know-how of Martinique, with a Cuvée Alizés with accents of citrus fruits and fresh herbs, to taste and savor quietly.
Original and aromatic rums for the curious
How can we ignore Jamaica when talking about aromatic bombs? This Papalin 5 year old Jamaica High Ester invites us to discover all the madness of this island with a blend of 3 distilleries with a full-bodied character.
Mauritius, aromas of guava, quince, a hint of smoke, this New Grove 10 year Old Tradition ticks all the boxes of originality, while offering a beautiful harmony as well as a fruity and pastry delicacy that is simply irresistible.
Grogue is the traditional cane brandy of the Cape Verde Islands. Distilled from pure juice, it offers true-to-life sugar cane aromas, with a velvety touch and intense flavors. This M&G Grogue Velha is a version with a slight patina from aging.
How to taste your first rum?
Pure, with ice cubes or in a cocktail?
There is no real rule when it comes to tasting rum the way we like. When we want a slightly "analytical" tasting, where we dissect the rum to understand its specificity, we necessarily favor its simplest expression, pure and at room temperature. But sometimes we may want a good refreshment, to calm the strength of the beverage a little, to dilute it slightly, and ice cubes are essential. This is all the more true when we are starting out in the world of rum and we simply taste for pure pleasure, without intellectualizing the matter (an exercise that the most geeky should try more often by the way!).
For cocktail lovers, mixology can be a great way to discover rum. In very good bars where the art consists of showcasing the products, but also guiding you, the bartender will be able to accompany you and explain why you chose this or that rum to develop a recipe. You will then be able to start to identify your tastes: rather agricultural rum , distilled in a still or in a column, heavy or light, etc.
At home, rum is an all-terrain alcohol for cocktails. You can have fun creating, or even revisiting the classics by trying several types of rum, there is necessarily at least one that will work for each recipe!
The Best Rum Cocktails to Get Started With
How can we talk about rum-based cocktails without mentioning the simplest, most popular and emblematic of the French Antilles: the Ti'punch ? A few grains of brown sugar, a squeeze of lime juice to melt the sugar, a good shot of agricultural rum, swirl it all in the glass and there you have an express trip to the heavenly beaches of the Caribbean.
Another iconic cocktail in the world of rum: the Daiquiri . It is one of those that best showcases our favorite spirit. On the same principle as the ti'punch, the ingredients are simple: lemon, rum, sugar. The preparation just requires a little more equipment, that is to say a shaker with its filter and a strainer, ice cubes and a jigger (small metal measuring cup).
In the shaker, place 2cl of sugar syrup, 2.5cl of lime juice, 5cl of rum, ice cubes. Shake until it is very cold and serve in a double filter (filter + strainer).
To add a little spice and funk to your cocktail party, you can try the Dark & Stormy . Again, the recipe is very simple and does not require any specific equipment. In a tall glass, add half a lime cut into quarters and crush lightly. Then add 4cl of rum ( Gosling's Black Seal is traditionally used, but you can use any you like), 2cl of lime juice, 1cl of sugar syrup, 10cl of ginger beer and 5 ice cubes. Stir with a spoon for about ten seconds, and there you have it!
Where to buy a good rum to start?
In a specialist cellar or online?
When you start out in rum, good advice is important because the offer is plentiful! What makes the charm of cane brandy is its diversity that allows us to travel from one continent to another, from one culture to another, from one way to another to taste and appreciate it. But the first steps in this ocean of possibilities can be complicated, and a good professional is there to accompany you and find the key that will allow you to enter and then explore this rich universe.
The Rhum Attitude team is 100% made up of rum and spirits enthusiasts and specialists, whether behind the pages of the site, in customer service, in the warehouse, and of course in the physical store in Brussels . In the cellar or online, do not hesitate to come and see us or contact us for specific and personalized advice.
Pitfalls to avoid when buying
As we have seen several times in this article, rum and cane spirits (let's not forget cachaça for example!) represent an extremely vast and constantly expanding universe. You can imagine that some brands take advantage of the confusion that this can cause, even if the regulations tend to evolve and frame certain aspects, as much as possible given the global nature of this spirit.
The main trap is to pass off a "basic" rum, simple and very young, as an exceptional product. This involves a few tricks such as excessive coloring, a misleading age statement, flashy packaging, slightly heavy sweetening, etc.
Be careful, each tradition around the world has a different perception of what a good rum is. It is therefore not a question of denigrating certain brands or certain methods, but of situating the true value of things and therefore the price that must be paid for it. Similarly, everyone has different tastes, more or less sweet, more or less sensitive to the aesthetics of the bottle etc., but as a famous producer from Barbados says "Drink what you like, but know what you drink".
Here are a few simple rules to remember:
- Color does not indicate age or quality, so don't necessarily rely on it.
- Age statements accompanied by the term "Solera" indicate the age of the oldest rum in the blend. Thus, a 25 year old Solera can contain 99% 3 year old rum and only 1% 25 year old rum, to caricature.
- When packaging is tempting, try to find out a little more about the contents to be sure you are paying the right price.
- Take a look at the product's name: a "rum-based spirit" is likely flavored and very sweet, which doesn't make it a "premium" product.
You now have some leads to follow to get started in the world of rum. Don't hesitate to explore the content of our site: our product sheets, blog articles or tasting notes will allow you to enrich your rum culture, just like the thousands of references available in tasting samples, sometimes even grouped into discovery packs composed of references selected by us.