What's your latest rum purchase?

What's the name of that feeling when you open that box in your basement closet and realize that you had bought just a bit more than you had remembered?

Hamilton procured in Texas.

Wow, poor lighting. Went on a little spree today. Highlights include Clement XO (no longer bing produced), Don Pancho origenes 18yr, Hamilton St. Lucia, Angostura 1919, smith and cross, Abuelo 7, Hamilton gold Jamaican, lost spirits Polynesian, and the rest are for mixing.

Steve, any clue what a similar rum to Angostura 1919 is?

Angostura 1919 is fairly sweet and exceptionally smooth, with strong vanilla notes. I would compare it's simplicity to both el dorado 12 and diplomatico reserva, both of those having a lighter, sweeter profile. Angostura's 1824 definitely has more complexity, and is worth the extra few bucks.

A friend of mine just got back from a Caribbean cruise. He brought back 1 bottle of Havana Club 7 which I told him he MUST buy, and then four other bottles of CRAP he could have bought in the US for $3-4 more apiece. I was sooooo disappointed. I will blame his girlfriend - she wanted "fruity vodka" and they got it...

Things may be looking up in flyover country. We visited a newly-opened store yesterday and I picked up a bottle of Rhum Barbancourt 8 and a bottle of Ferrand Dry Curacao, neither of which I had seen in other local stores previously.

Some things I grabbed in Vancouver...

Talking to the locals, no one seems to be fond of the Lemon Hart. At all. Perhaps as reported on here, the Canadian versions are not the same as what we used to have in America. In fact, someone told me the Havana Club they have here is not even close to what they're serving in Cuba. And it's hella expensive in comparison. Bummer.

Was tempted by this but passed as my luggage is too heavy going back home as it is.....

Mike, your Canadian bottles of Havana Club have the stickers on the bottom from the Cuban government. I wonder if the local Canadian story is not correct? I can't imagine Havana Club bottling a different rum for a country from which it is legal to travel to and from Cuba. You have what, to me, appears to be the genuine article despite what they told you. May be possible that they were trying to discourage Havana Club sales in favor of some other local product. Did anyone attempt to foist Crown Royal or Malibu Rum on you? heheheh...

The Old Sam is intriguing - tough choice! The only solution would seem to be to travel more.

Rum buyers take note -- http://ferryexpress.com offers round-trip passenger ferry tickets to the Bahamas from Port Everglades at Fort Lauderdale, Florida. You can arrange an 8am departure from Fort Lauderdale, spend 8-10 hours in Freeport (NOT the most glamorous island city) but it has some decent rum shopping. (Rum prices are a few dollars lower in Nassau, according to a recent trip report from a friend.) The trip home is that evening, or you can spend one or more nights on the island. This is an opportunity to have some fun in the Bahamas, AND to do some rum shopping in a non-embargo country. US Customs has historically been quite "friendly" to tourists, so you can bring back at least one litre of your favorite rum. Hint, hint...

Check into it, especially if you're going to be at or near the Mai-Kai.

Boo on you if you come back with a bottle of something you can buy in the US for $3 or $4 per bottle more... When in the Bahamas, always consider buying something you cannot buy at home. This detail is lost on many US tourists, so it's up to folks like us to help travelers become more educated.

This is a public service message for the benefit of your liver. Life is too short to drink bad rum!

Why not?

Luna, check your pm.

Sometimes you gotta treat yourself to the good stuff.

So happy to have bought two of these guys! So very drinkable that I fear I'll drain them quickly.

This one's killin'! 23 Year Old rum from the Uitvlugt column still in Guyana at 54.9 percent...

Which Tiki Centralite made a rum run on their way home yesterday, directly from the Hukilau, to Ray's Liquors in Fort Pierce? You got there ahead of me, and you cleared out all the remaining Kohala Bay rum. Good for you!

I had to laugh when the lady behind the counter asked me if I needed help, I told her about my quest, and she specifically mentioned that a previous customer directly from the Hukilau in Fort Lauderdale beat me to it.

I know a couple Space Coast Hukilauers who could have done this. Congrats to you, whoever you are, on your fine rum purchase! I still ended up buying $100 bucks worth of other good stuff they had, and am sure glad that Roy's orders some of the special stuff us cocktailians search far and wide for.

I understand Roy's stock of Kohala Bay should be replenished within the week.

It sure was a great Hukilau. Cheers to you and your liver!

Here's another option, in addition to my earlier post if you're looking for some Caribbean rum. http://grandcelebration.com offers low-cost cruises to the Bahamas from West Palm Beach, Florida.

This is an opportunity to have some fun in the Bahamas AND to do some rum shopping in a non-embargo country. US Customs has historically been quite "friendly" to tourists, so you can bring back at least one litre of your favorite rum. Hint, hint...

This is a public service message for the benefit of your liver. Life is too short to drink bad rum!

On 2015-06-15 07:38, AceExplorer wrote:
Which Tiki Centralite made a rum run on their way home yesterday, directly from the Hukilau, to Ray's Liquors in Fort Pierce? You got there ahead of me, and you cleared out all the remaining Kohala Bay rum. Good for you!

Doh! somebody here at TC who will remain nameless (Heyward) posted a link to my super secret stash store for LH 151-- then when I stopped by it was all gone! and they never got more bc this was right when the 2014 red-label discontinuation took place. Doh! now I'm skurred to make any drinks requiring me to use my lonely remaining half bottle of Lemon Hart!

[ Edited by: thePorpoise 2015-06-15 11:53 ]

That's too funny Frank. You shoulda stopped on your way down, not back up! Atleast it's not too horrible of a drive for you to go back again when they restock. And it's not like it's gone forever like LH151 was for thePorpoise. Two times ago when I was traveling from south to north FL I picked up two handles of Kohala Bay at Ray's. That 1.75 sure goes a long way. Nearly done with the first one now but have to start strategizing my return for more. Maybe I'll have you grab me some since Jax is probably where I'll be going next trip, whenever that may be. Is it still only available at two places in FL?

Glad you had a great time at Huki. I celebrated at home. Was a lot cheaper. But sure wish I coulda seen some of those symposiums.

Yeah, Mike, you're right, except I left at about 5:30pm on Wed night and arrived in Fort Lauderdale at 10:15pm, so I didn't have time to stop otherwise would have missed the opening night at the Molokai bar. You're right, the Hukilau tickets plus lodging is expensive. At least the quality of the symposiums and the accommodations are very good. As busy as I was, and as hot as it is in June, I did come back home feeling surprisingly rested and refreshed.

With regard to the Kohala Bay, my strategy now will be to see if I can get my local "awesome" store (Riverside Liquors) to special-order some. If they say yes, then I'll check with you first and get some for you as well. If my local "awesome" store cannot order it, then I'll consider a drive down to Fort Pierce and do some kayaking while in the area. That whole area of the coast, anything near and south of the Space Center, has a lot to offer, so I could easily justify the drive by combining it with some other activities. Glad to help you out if I can!

On the way down I picked up the two 1.75L bottles Brian Miller made his symposium planters with, but there were still a couple on the shelf. I wonder who cleared 'em out on Sunday.

SUPER HAPPY to find a bottle of Stiggin's Fancy! Thanks Keith! Also I am so excited about this Rhum JM 1997. I have been looking for this for so long, but I don't know how long it will take me to open it if ever. I wish I had more access to the JM around here. Seems like everywhere else in the world it is very common.

Aloha! I have really enjoyed this chat and others about rum here on TC. I found Plantation 5 Year at the Point Loma BevMo in San Diego CA for 15.99 today, so I have added this to my collection. This one sounded good to me by what I have read in previous posts here and my enjoyment of other Barbados rums and I do love it! Ridiculously smooth and tasty for the price. It's wonderful to sip with no other help at all. And very nice in Mai Tai's with an equal amount of Coruba Dark (one ounce of each), 1/2 oz Orgeat, 1/2 oz Curacao and the juice of one fresh squeezed lime! Thanks everyone for the info and inspiration on the great rum cocktails! The adventure continues!

I just bought some El Ron Prohibido to give to a friend as a birthday gift. I've never tried it, so hopefully he'll decide to open it at his party this weekend :D

My town finally got a BevMo. The whiskey section is nice but the rum section is pretty disappointing!

Its not very sexy, but I finally found some Coruba in a shop here in town. It was like finding hens teeth!

Specs on Airport has Coruba. All the time.

On 2015-07-01 11:28, mikehooker wrote:
Specs on Airport has Coruba. All the time.

last two times i was in there... nada

i bat zero every time in that one.

Bask in the almighty glow of the $6 handle of Kozi Bay rum!!

On 2015-06-25 21:32, Corie wrote:
I just bought some El Ron Prohibido to give to a friend as a birthday gift. I've never tried it, so hopefully he'll decide to open it at his party this weekend :D

My town finally got a BevMo. The whiskey section is nice but the rum section is pretty disappointing!

I just bought the Prohibido, too and almost passed it up because of the 'habanero' on the label. I'm not a huge fan of the Solera style rums, and I feel that this one is low on the list. I'm not even sure how I would mix it, because it made a horrible daiquiri. Of course, every time I don't like a rum and I let it sit on the shelf for a bit, it becomes a bit more appealing. Also, the cork looked a little off and I feel it will break in two before I'm done with the bottle. Good presentation on the label, though.

Papa’s Pilar dark. Very nice nose, reminded me of the now unavailable Pyrat Pistol. A bit sweet on the tongue with a nice lingering finish. Not a bad sipper-I think it would get lost in most tiki drinks. Bout 33/34 bucks at Hi-Times.
Cheers

Bacardi (hangs head in shame...).

This is from a micro-distillery in Pasadena called Stark Spirits.

Not bad, really. Has a smooth sweetness, with a hint of that vegetal pungency you get from an agricole.

Appleton 12, Flor de Cana 4, and Deadhead

3 new additions:

Rhum Barbancourt 5-Star (aged 8 years)

A few folks here already know I'm gonna be making the 1862 Rhum Punch from Kern's recipe at the Mai-Kai as posted on Hurricane Hayward's site. The party's at my pad!

By the way, dontcha hate it when you print out cocktail recipes at work and then leave them on the printer overnight? Doh!

On 2015-07-13 05:47, Poltergeist wrote:
3 new additions:

those look like some rambunctious spirits, poltergeist...

4 bottles of Coruba (sorry I bought out Hi-Times :wink: )
Smith & Cross
Rhum JM
Old Harbor Navy Strength - new distillery here in SD. I think I am going to age it before I drink it and see how I like it.

[ Edited by: lunavideogames 2015-08-04 15:24 ]

On 2015-07-14 21:05, thePorpoise wrote:

On 2015-07-13 05:47, Poltergeist wrote:
3 new additions:

those look like some rambunctious spirits, poltergeist...

I hope so (haven't opened them yet).
Along with these three new fellas, I'm looking forward to some excessive weeks of Mai Tais.

Kill Devil Rum from Outer Banks Distilling.
http://outerbanksdistilling.com/

I picked up a bottle of Plantation's Stiggin's Fancy Pineapple Rum yesterday. Haven't opened it yet though.

Open that guy up Kedex :)

On 2015-08-07 11:01, lunavideogames wrote:
Open that guy up Kedex :)

I'm thinking about saving it until next month when I have a party to celebrate the completion of my home bar. I might have to open it early and try it though.

On 2015-08-07 11:30, Kedex wrote:
I'm thinking about saving it until next month when I have a party to celebrate the completion of my home bar. I might have to open it early and try it though.

It will go fast no matter when you open it. Cheers and I hope your bar opening is great!

Help, I'm addicted to Painkillers!