You want to offer a rum , what a great idea! Here is a gift that always has an effect. Rum is synonymous with joy, taste, refinement, elegance, and sometimes madness, depending on the mood of the moment. It is a very vast universe, and that is precisely what makes us passionate. But we can well imagine that we can get lost in the hundreds of bottles available. We offer to guide you in your purchases by identifying the type of amateur you want to please. You will thus choose the best rum for a perfect gift.
We made this article in a fun way in the form of a game of the goose , but taking as mascot the famous Dodo of Mauritius , one of our favorite destinations for rum. This Dodo game also works if you want to treat yourself to a rum of course!
To give you a little personal culture (which will also help you in your choice), we advise you to read our article on the production of rum and the different styles of rum .
Let's go!
You have an idea of his level of knowledge of rum, go to the corresponding box. Box 2 for a beginner, box 3 for an experienced amateur or box 4 for an expert.
If you know exactly his favorite rum(s) then go to box 5 .
Don't know any of these parameters? Then do your own research, snoop around his bar a bit or ask a friend to do it.
If the rums present are rums from Martinique or Guadeloupe, you are dealing with a lover of agricultural rum or pure cane juice. If the rums have Spanish overtones, there is a good chance that the person prefers sweet and sugary traditional Hispanic rums . Go to box 6 .
You really don't know how to answer these questions? Your case is not hopeless and go to square 7 !
The beginner
Is your gift intended for someone who is just discovering rum ? We offer individual boxes or subscription packages. The tasting packs offer you an overview of all the styles, in several tasting boxes. The box of the month is an original gift that you can choose to offer for the duration you want.
Do you prefer a good bottle? Some bottles are unanimous among enthusiasts and are perfect gateways to the world of rum:
El Pasador de Oro XO from Guatemala comes in a beautiful carafe, perfect for giving as a gift. It has gourmet aromas, finely woody, and roundness in the mouth.
El Dorado 12 is a rum of English tradition (Guyana). It is also a very smooth rum, with slightly more spicy and full-bodied aromas. It has more body in a way.
Doorly's XO is also a traditional English rum. It is drier in the mouth but just as delicious. It offers an authentic tasting experience.
JM VSOP is an AOC agricultural rum from Martinique. Distilled from pure cane juice, it reveals the vegetal side of sugar cane as well as a finely worked woodiness.
The confirmed amateur
If you want to please someone who already knows rum well and who has favorite bottles , go directly to box no. 5. If it is someone who has a preference for a particular style of rum , from a certain tradition, go to box no. 6 .
If you don't know what he likes, here are some interesting and original bottles for someone who already has a little experience: you can offer without fear a Doorly's 14 year old or a Hampden 8 year old .
A confirmed amateur is also looking for new sensations. You can surprise him and offer him a rum with very original origins like Samai from Cambodia, Ryoma from Japan, or even a Mhoba rum from South Africa.
The expert
The experts category is probably the hardest to please. But don't worry, we have something to delight the most discerning palates. As for the confirmed amateur, you can go to box n°5 (for advice based on very specific rums) or box n°6 (for advice based on a particular style).
You can also select the latest new releases , with limited editions and single casks (single barrels limited to around 300 bottles).
Prestigious rums like this carafe for the 250th anniversary of Saint James are the stuff of dreams for amateurs and collectors, just like this very old 40-year-old Demerara, a true cult object.
For a birthday , offering a rum from the same vintage as the person's year of birth is a nice gift. Its budget tends to climb with seniority. Thus, one can start with a Trois Rivières Millésime 1999 and go up to the very beautiful 1960 vintage of HSE , or even further.
He/she likes very specific rums
If the amateur in question already has well-established tastes and a favorite brand or bottle, you can go to the page of this specific product, where you will find our suggestions . These guide you towards similar rums in terms of aromas and flavors, or things from the same family, to discover in order to perfect your culture.
For example, on the Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva page, you will find a Millonario 15 which is just as sweet and gourmand. You will also find a Santa Teresa 1796 which is from the same family but which has a drier, less liqueur-like character.
You can also browse within a brand and try things a little different. For example, the person likes HSE rums, and they are familiar with VO or VSOP. Why not move upmarket with the excellent XO, or try a variant with a Port cask finish.
He/she likes rums of a particular style
To put it simply, because of course there are many exceptions, there are 3 main traditions of rum production. These traditions come from the former colonizing countries of the islands or the countries concerned.
The French tradition (Martinique, Guadeloupe , Guyana, etc.) is often limited to agricultural rum produced from pure cane juice. The English tradition (Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana, etc.) includes traditional molasses rums that are rather full-bodied and structured. As for the Spanish tradition (Cuba, Venezuela, Panama, Guatemala , etc.), it produces light molasses rums that are rather round and gourmet. Here are some worthy representatives of each tradition:
The French tradition
We can discover it with old agricultural rums . The Victor Depaz cuvée is a nice compromise between sweetness and spices, woody and fruity. To continue the exploration, the La Mauny VSOP is an excellent choice, very balanced and subtle. Let's approach the exceptional rums with a Depaz 2002, a little masterpiece of aging. Then let's go crazy with this extremely gourmet brut de fût rum , selected at Manutea by the Rhum Attitude team.
The English tradition
It is largely linked to the British Navy. This Pusser's Gunpowder Proof is precisely a tribute to these Navy rums, with a strong and authentic character. The Plantation Xaymaca approaches this style with a lot of fruitiness, it deploys its aromas with intensity and sweetness at the same time. Let's not forget Barbados , with the RL Seale's 10 years old and its more sober but perfectly executed style. For the more seasoned, Jamaica is a must, with its explosions of fruits typical of the Hampden distillery. Finally, for the most knowledgeable, the legendary Caroni rum is a must.
The Spanish tradition
Its main ambassador is the Diplomatico rum, a very sweet rum that seduces the palates of the most gourmet. In the same family, we have the Rum Nation Peruano, a less sweet but equally gourmet rum. It leans towards woody and caramelized notes. The Coloma rum from Colombia is also an example of the genre, concentrated, sweet but not too sweet. The Abuelo 12 rum from Panama is a rum that is very light, fine and delicate. We also find in this category very beautiful bottles like that of Zacapa XO , a real dessert rum. There are also very authentic rums like La Progresiva, a true witness to Cuban tradition .
I still can't figure out what he/she is likely to like, help!!!
In this case, so as not to leave you without an answer, here are some bottles that will have every chance of pleasing and that are good value for money, which we have classified according to your budget:
Less than 30 euros : Saint James VSOP rum from Matinique, unbeatable value for money
30-50 euros : The Fair Belize XO, a model of balance in molasses rum
50-100 euros : The Appleton 15 years , all finesse and fruit
More than 100 euros : El Dorado 21 years old, a gourmet rum from one of the most legendary distilleries
Still not inspired? Contact us! contact@rhumattitude.com , 0175514619 or the small white square surrounded by an orange disk at the bottom right of your screen. See you soon!