El Dorado 5 or 12 for use in cocktails?

Is El Dorado 12 worth the extra $$ if I plan on using it in cocktails? I already have some 15 for sipping which I love, but would like to know which of the lower priced options will suffice in cocktails.

For most of my purposes, the 5 is great. It's inexpensive and tastes good. And since Lemon Heart is AWOL....

The 12 is good for a grog type drink where you can taste it and where it won't get lost. Sometimes, it finds its way into my mai tais.

My choice has been the ED12, which, to my palate, is "like LH80, but better." That said, some folks whose tastebuds I trust swear by ED8 as the ideal one.

Diluting the LH151 to 80 proof is the best option for standard proof Demerara rum that's currently available in the American market IMHO, as discussed in another recent thread. If that solution is not an option for you, I would blend the two ElDo rums together; 2 parts 5 yr to 1 part 12yr. You will get something approaching the impossible to find (in the USA at least) ElDo 8yr, and you will also have the best Demerara in terms of a quality to price ratio as well (save for the diluted LH151, which works out to about $13.25/750ml). ElDo5 is overly sweet and lacking in flavor (it lacks smokiness & spice to be precise), while the ElDo12 is rather pricey to pour on an everyday basis. ElDo15 is too oaky to work in many classic Tiki cocktails IMHO.

YMMV and all that......

Hi

I decided a few years back that life is too short to use mediocre booze, ever, so I have actually been using the El Dorado 12 as my go-to demerara in all drinks that require it. If you can afford it, I think it is a significant improvement over the El Dorado 5 or the Lemon Hart.

In my ancient mariner I use the El Dorado 5 year old. This rum is a great mixer.

when you think about it, the ED 12 is usually about twenty bucks, which is only a little more in cost than basic dark rums. nobody would hesitate to mix drinks with cruzan black strap or gosling dark rum at seventeen or eighteen bucks, so from a cost standpoint, why the heck not use the ED 12 in everyday pours?

I do agree with Jingleheimer though, I like 12 in something where the demerara flavor will stand out (like in a Queen's Park Swizzle), and if I have 5 i use that in drinks where its going to blend with a lot of other flavors.

On 2012-02-18 13:33, tikibars wrote:
I decided a few years back that life is too short to use mediocre booze, ever, so I have actually been using the El Dorado 12 as my go-to demerara in all drinks that require it. If you can afford it, I think it is a significant improvement over the El Dorado 5 or the Lemon Hart.

Bingo!! I don't have a lot of use for the 5, but the 12 is up to bat frequently. Life's short. Don't use cheap booze.

Hey, where are you guys finding ElDo12 for 20ish dollars? Around these parts its over $35 per bottle (when you can find it at all). I agree, if you're able to get the 12 for about $20 use it liberally!

around here the ED 15 is in the 35 dollar range.

my liquor store was out of ED 12 today!

What're you all whining about!? $20? 35? El Dorado 12 year is, like, $50 up here! But then we can get LH80 at EVERY corner liquor store. For the record, I found ED12 for about $15 at some sketchy little liquor store in Dallas. I still use it sparingly. It's not quite a sipping rum, but definitely more appropriate for top-shelf-type cocktails, where you really want the flavor of the rum to stand out. I also have ED15, which I use even more sparingly because it's ridiculously expensive on this side of the border!

The El Dorado 12 is also $30+ here in Chicago.

Unrelated:
Last night I wandered into some random crappy corner liquor store, and spied two bottles of the old-style Ron Zacapa 23, the kind with the wicker completely covering the bottle, not just the one wicker band like they use now. They were on a shelf behind the counter. I asked how much they were, and the wasted guy at the counter said $14.99. Naturally, I bought them both and asked if they had more (they didn't). When I got outside I noticed they were tagged $41.99. The dope had read the prices wrong.
Always pays to shop at booze stores where the employees are wasted.

On 2012-02-18 22:56, tikibars wrote:
The El Dorado 12 is also $30+ here in Chicago.

Unrelated:
Last night I wandered into some random crappy corner liquor store, and spied two bottles of the old-style Ron Zacapa 23, the kind with the wicker completely covering the bottle, not just the one wicker band like they use now. They were on a shelf behind the counter. I asked how much they were, and the wasted guy at the counter said $14.99. Naturally, I bought them both and asked if they had more (they didn't). When I got outside I noticed they were tagged $41.99. The dope had read the prices wrong.
Always pays to shop at booze stores where the employees are wasted.

You, sir, are my new hero!!

I guess "Honesty" is not in your playbook?

At my local (Miami) Total Wines & Liquor, ED12 is $19.99 which was not any special sale price.