What is your Holy Grail of Booze that you want to buy, or at least try

ok So I was looking around on this Booze website from England
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/
there may be others, but its pretty impressive. check it out.

So this is the most expensive Rum I have bought before. 92 dollars
and I really liked it a lot, but it's not a every day drink thing.
Special occasions only.
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-4479.aspx

I wanna get this one 47 pounds
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-4483.aspx
and this one at 78 pounds
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-6402.aspx
both pricey, but reasonable for really good rums

I have sipped some of these at a friends house
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-4412.aspx and
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-4550.aspx

I would really like to try/buy this one,at 195 English pounds
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-15260.aspx

and this one is really inciting, at 230 English pounds
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-7386.aspx
and this 30 Year Appleton at 499 pounds
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-15274.aspx

But the Holy Grail for Me,for the Price(1200 pounds),and because its from Cuba,and next to impossible to get here in the USA its this:
Havana Club,Maximo,Extra Anejo
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/selection/havana_club_maximo_rum.aspx

If you're in the states and feeling frisky with your dough and wanna splurge on something from the UK, note that from the states you don't have to pay the VAT. So the yankee prices on Whisky Exchange are the smaller gray numbers. Course you've got a whopper of a shipping bill though.

I think Havana Club is overrated as a sipper though, even at their top range. I've had the 15yr, and have a work acquaintance with the MAXIMO. Neither one really sends off fireworks. Some of the really cool holy grail stuff on TWE is the one-off old bottles that show up from time to time. Like right now there's a Barbancourt 5 star bottled in the 1940s, for a mere 582 pounds. Or this Cuban rum from pre-Castro time. Compared to the megabucks Maximo, a truly vintage Cuban rum offers some of the same mystique without supporting a dictator thug. If I were to order some premium rums from TWE, here's my short list...

Doorly's XO Rum
Widely considered a benchmark for good Barbados rum (as attributed to Stephen Remsberg by The Bum), but darn if I can find it stateside.

Mezan 1995 Panama Rum / Don Jose
Heard good things about the same (?) rum from Renegade, which is biggo buckso, but this looks more affordable and might be from the same batch.

Bermudez 1852 Aniversario
XM Banks Demerara 10yr
XM Banks Demerara 12yr
Already have these, but want to replenish stocks!

Randy

cool, thanks for the post Randy.

I admit that when I went to Canada a few years ago,
and got ahold of a bottle of Havana Club 7 year.
I was a bit disappointed.
but at the same time, me and a buddy polished it off,
by making a hybrid simple grog/dark Mojito
and we were very pleased with the outcome,
and completely bombed.
:wink:

I guess its a forbidden fruit kinda thing.

Jeff(btd)

On 2012-05-24 18:24, bigtikidude wrote:

I guess its a forbidden fruit kinda thing.

I think this sums it up very well. Most of the Havana Club range is readily available here and i've tried just about all of them, however, whilst i'd say it is definitely a good rum there are far better ones i'd rather spend my money on.

The Doorlys XO is one of them. I tried it once in a bar and then was able to order a bottle through a liquor store. It's now available at a couple of places but is not cheap.

As for the Appleton 30yo (and 21), I wouldn't waste my money. I personally do not like rums that have been aged for more than maybe 15 years as i find them to be too woody tasting. A friend of mine is the brand representitive for Appletons rum so i have fortunately been able to try them all. Whilst all the range do have slight differences in flavour you definitely know that you are drinking Appletons regardless of which one it is. There is a particular something that you can taste in each one.
I think with the 30yo you're only paying for the limited availability of it due to the extra ageing involved.

The Diplomatico Ambassador is AMAZING!!! Only had one tiny taste, but WOW.

The Ron Zacapa XO is ok, but i prefer the 23.

The El Dorado 21 is as i mentioned, too old for me. I like the 12yo the best. (That comment really doesn't sound right. :-? :lol:)

I haven't tried any of the others.

For a week I had two bottles of http://www.louis-xiii.com in my possession, then sold them on Ebay for a friend. Never tried any though but i guess that would be my most desired. This stuff sells for 1500 a bottle!

I'd like to snag some liqueurs that i just can't find down here-- Torani Amer being one. Senor Curacao. french or italian orgeat. also, can't find Smith & Cross rum round here.

I'm of a similar mind with Swizzle in that, altho the super aged rums are great, they leave me wondering why i didnt just buy a whiskey or cognac instead.

I would like to try the Louis XIII, or the Walker Blue King George though.

[ Edited by: thePorpoise 2012-05-25 09:46 ]

In no particular order (other than the Lemon Hart which stays at #1 until I get it)...

Lemon Hart 151
Ransom Old Tom Gin
Smith & Cross
Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
a good agricole
a good blanco mezcal
a good reposado mezcal

Nothing exotic or expensive but all unavailable where I live. If I ever get this list taken care of, I'll look into finding something that I know I'll never get to put up on the pedestal.

On 2012-05-25 09:45, thePorpoise wrote:
I'd like to snag some liqueurs that i just can't find down here-- Torani Amer being one. Senor Curacao. french or italian orgeat. also, can't find Smith & Cross rum round here.

Sheesh! Really? Don't you have a fancy bottle store that can order for you? Tell you what: I'll fill up some shampoo bottles with Senor and Torani and you can send over some ripe key limes and white grapefruit.

I have a hankerin' for good brandy (love Sidecars) every now and then. These guys are fairly local to me http://craftdistillers.com/index.php?action=brandsite.brandDetail&id=4&PHPSESSID=7e4f3c0167d018cdf7b88a93e413c8b6. Apparently, Germain-Robin will fill an oak cask with a case of booze for you. I can only imagine how much that costs. Then, I reckon that you let it sit in the closet for 20 years.

On 2012-05-25 14:40, jingleheimerschmidt wrote:

On 2012-05-25 09:45, thePorpoise wrote:
I'd like to snag some liqueurs that i just can't find down here-- Torani Amer being one. Senor Curacao. french or italian orgeat. also, can't find Smith & Cross rum round here.

Sheesh! Really? Don't you have a fancy bottle store that can order for you? Tell you what: I'll fill up some shampoo bottles with Senor and Torani and you can send over some ripe key limes and white grapefruit.

heh. that's a deal! i dont have any fruit trees tho, would have to go grocery, or one of the groves here that ships.

FLA has tough restrictions re liquor distribution tiers.

On 2012-05-25 14:04, poutineki wrote:
In no particular order (other than the Lemon Hart which stays at #1 until I get it)...

Lemon Hart 151
Ransom Old Tom Gin
Smith & Cross
Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
a good agricole
a good blanco mezcal
a good reposado mezcal

Nothing exotic or expensive but all unavailable where I live. If I ever get this list taken care of, I'll look into finding something that I know I'll never get to put up on the pedestal.

I've tried that Ransom gin, wasnt what i was expecting, had quite a whiskey character to it iirc. i'm curious how Hayden's Old Tom compares.

Laird's tastes like a calvados with a little whiskey mixed in.

On 2012-05-25 15:03, thePorpoise wrote:
I've tried that Ransom gin, wasnt what i was expecting, had quite a whiskey character to it iirc. i'm curious how Hayden's Old Tom compares.

Laird's tastes like a calvados with a little whiskey mixed in.

I've had the Hayman's, the LCBO used to carry it. The Ransom has been described to me by others as less sweet and more flavorful. If the LCBO still carried Hayman's, I'd just use it... but they discontinued it a couple years ago. The Laird's isn't a top-tier want, I have calvados, but I'd like to check it out. I just recently managed to get my hands on a couple of good U.S. ryes or that would be on my list. The LCBO brought in a limited run of Sazerac 6 and Rittenhouse Bonded. I grabbed both. I've even considered an order from K&L Wine and Spirits. They'll ship to Ontario via the LCBO but at the end of all the red tape the prices essentially end up around double. They usually come pretty close to that anyway when the LCBO brings something in but 12 bottles (has to be case quantity) at ~double cost is a big chunk of change to lay out at once. I've been talking to a few friends to see if 1 or 2 of them might want to go in at 4 - 6 bottles each.

as much as some of the super expensive rums intrigue me.

I'd also like to get some of the dark Navy and Demararea (sp?) rums
that are not available here in the US,

such as

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-4509.aspx

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-7152.aspx

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-12637.aspx

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-4569.aspx

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-16338.aspx

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-16993.aspx

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-12547.aspx

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-15949.aspx

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-16988.aspx

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-15998.aspx

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-13349.aspx

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-16590.aspx

Jeff(btd)

Martell Cordon Bleu for me, I can never find it on discount but eventually I will pony up the $130 for a bottle.

I went to a good liquor store on a recommendation last night and found a few of the things that are on my hard to find list, so here's what's left:

St James Hors d'Age, which I love, and haven't seen since I left California.
Lemon Hart 80 would be a nice thing to locate. Same story as the St James-- I just haven't seen it anywhere.
15 year aged Pusser's rum.

@Swizzle-- I got a bottle of the El Dorado 12 yr last night. The place I was at also had the 15 (which I've had) and 21 yr (which I haven't tried) and the Appleton 21. I appreciate your info-- I wouldn't have thought about the older rums being too woody since I think 15 year old is the most I've ever splurged on. I'll definitely be careful if I ever decide to spring for a bottle of any of them.

Wray & Nephew 3 Dagger Rum Punch.

After living in the UK for a few years and travelling to the US several times and therefore having easy access to all sorts of rums, I'm now dying down here in Aust where the rum variety is disastrous and the cost of anything imported is staggering.

How I long for:

An agricole for mai tais
A Demerara at

After living in the UK for a few years and travelling to the US several times and therefore having easy access to all sorts of rums, I'm now dying down here in Aust where the rum variety is disastrous and the cost of anything imported is staggering.

How I long for:

An agricole for mai tais
A Demerara at

I've actually tasted real okolehao, mahalo to Swanky. But I want more.

[ Edited by: pablus 2012-05-30 14:22 ]

My partner picked up a bottle of okolehao from HiTimes when she was out in California visiting family and friends earlier this year. I couldn't believe they had it. And actually, now I think about it, HiTimes will ship, provided it's legal in your state. There's a link on their front page with a list of places they can ship to. Try hitimewine.net.

On 2012-05-30 13:11, harro wrote:
I'm now dying down here in Aust where the rum variety is disastrous and the cost of anything imported is staggering.

If any Aussies can give me a heads up I'd be grateful.

harro, what state are you in? Your comment above about cost i think is probably the biggest issue.

Shoot me a P.M. and i'll give you my suggestions.

P.S. If you can find it, as it is available here in Aus, i personally think 10 CANE makes a great substitute for an agricole and makes a great Mai Tai with an amber/gold rum like any of the Appletons for example.

I'm dying to try real, honest to goodness Okolehao. I have a vintage bottle of the Okolehao that was sold to tourists in the 1970's and earlier (brandy infused with Ti root), and I can get the Maui Distillers Okolehao liqueur. But what I want is the old moonshine. Kauai had what was known as the Okolehao Trail and I asked my dad what he knew about this shine since he grew up there. I was bowled over when he casually told me, "Oh yea, the guy across the street used to make it". I wonder if anyone is still distilling batches of the stuff.

On 2012-05-30 14:27, Iscah wrote:
My partner picked up a bottle of okolehao from HiTimes when she was out in California visiting family and friends earlier this year. I couldn't believe they had it. And actually, now I think about it, HiTimes will ship, provided it's legal in your state. There's a link on their front page with a list of places they can ship to. Try hitimewine.net.

The Maui Dsitiller's Oke is a far distant taste to what I have. I have a variety of them bottled in the 60s and 70s. I missed the chance to taste the 19th century bottle at Smuggler's Cove. If there is a true one to taste, that is it. But I must say the old stuff I have is exquisite!

I have a vintage ceramic jug of Appleton 20YO. I imagine that when that rum was first made and started life, my parents were young! And it has the distinctive Appleton taste.

I much prefer the less aged for sipping. I find aged rums have a harsh bite. But, I get this stuff out and sip regualrly too. Need to try a Mai-Tai with it and some St. James H'ors D'Age.

On 2012-05-31 09:27, Swanky wrote:

The Maui Dsitiller's Oke is a far distant taste to what I have. I have a variety of them bottled in the 60s and 70s. I missed the chance to taste the 19th century bottle at Smuggler's Cove. If there is a true one to taste, that is it. But I must say the old stuff I have is exquisite!

I'm not surprised that the Maui Distiller's Oke would bear little resemblance to older stuff. I cracked it open last night and it reminded me more of an herbal brandy than anything else, very sweet. I wish I had the option to get to Smuggler's Cove without flying cross country. =(

In reply to those who say they don't like older rums for sipping.
to each his own.

I know that there is a cost to age ratio, but I think the reason that any booze
that is aged in varying amounts of years, is that the taste gets better with age.
YMMV of course.

I really like the older/darker rums,
and while I am not opposed to mixing with the more expensive rums,
I think that most wouldn't use a El Dorado 21 to mix with,
that its more intended for sipping.

Jeff(btd)

You mean I should not use my El Dorado 21 in my Rum & Cokes?
Oh Nooooooo!

only if you want Really Good Rum n Cokes,
and I suggest that you use only real sugar cokes,
from Mexico in Glass bottles.
:wink:

Jeff(btd)

I quite often use the whisky exchange, They have an amazing selection but the most difficult rum to get seems to be St James Hors d'Age, Cant find it over here at all normally,I tried those mexican sugar cokes on our last US trip and they are so different to the normal stuff