Post #251401 by thejab on Tue, Aug 29, 2006 11:00 AM

On 2006-08-28 18:16, pappythesailor wrote:
I know rum stops "aging" once it's bottled but does it keep for decades without changing?

This isn't a direct answer to your question, as I don't know how much rum changes in the bottle but it's related to the topic.

Recently I heard rum expert Edward Hamilton say that most rum has a optimal aging point at about 10 years or less, depending on factors like what container it's aged in, at what temperature and humidity, etc. So, most really old rums are actually blends of the oldest rums (which may not taste very good straight as they are too dry) with younger rums. When a rum says it's 21 years old on the bottle it most likely is a blend of 21 year old rums and younger rums. This may explain why many people (including Edward Hamilton) prefer Appleton VX over the older Appleton Extra, and Barbancourt 8 year (5 star) over 15 year (Estate Reserve).

Based on this it seems silly to me to spend that much money on rum, or drinks made with such rum. Some people just have money to throw away.