Aged~Aging Rum Question

I've seen the posts about rums, mostly how to make certain drinks, and what kind is a favorite, but I have a question about rum and its age (or aging?).

Let's say that you buy a 1, 3, 5, 10, or 15 year old (aged) rum.
~Does that mean that since the manufacturer aged it that the "aging" process stops after it has been bottled?

~Is my 10 year old bottle still considered only aged 10 years even after being in the bottle 5 years, or is it now a 15 year old including the time it's been on the shelf?

~Does my aged rum start its way to some sort of expiration if I've opened it, used 1/2 of the bottle and don't open it again for another year, 2 years, 5 years?

~Is there a benefit to keeping an unopened bottle of rum, like some wines, to help make it taste even better years from now? For example, will a standard Myer's Dark purchased now, taste exactly the same 5 or 10 years from now, or will it taste better/worse?

~Anyone actually have a Rum Cellar, like a wine connoisseur would have a Wine Cellar?

If this has been covered, please direct me to the exact link and I will read.

Any info you guys can give would help.

Here's some info.
http://www.ministryofrum.com/rum101.html

Rum stops aging when its bottled, which I believe is the same with all distilled liquors.

Rum is aged in Charred oak barrels, just like Bourbon. The charring kills off any bad odors and gives the rum it's gold color, while the oak mellows the rum and adds flavor. However, some rums, such as Myers's dark, have coloring added. I've read that rum won't age properly in stainless steel or glass. So I would think aging doesn't have much effect after it's bottled.

since Bamboo is harder than oak, I wonder what rum would taste like aged in Bamboo?

Thinking of starting up the distillery of Bamboo Ben('s)?

That's the same I've heard. The vintage stops at the bottling point and the aging too. Now, rum may mature itself via it's own chemistry in the bottle, and I'm only guessing that from having made my own pimento liqueur out of necessity, and by which the recipe I have requires 10 days in the bottle prior to dispensation (it's soooooo good!). Generally the longer a liqueur matures in the bottle prior to using the more mellow and subtle the character. I found a vintage bottle of Parfait Amour saturday and it has very, very nice taste and nose...it's been maturing in that bottle for 30 years; a close friend has a bottle of pre-Castro Cuban Banana Liqueur he breaks out on special occasions and it's quite fantastic as well. But all that is a guesser on something elemental like rum.

I know, blah, blah, blah, but I'm still all coffeed up at 11:30. :)

Kahuna~
Have you ever tried to make parfait amour? I've seen recipes with rose, cinnamon, coriander, almond, citron, thyme, vanilla, you name it. Have you found one that's anywhere near accurate?

On 2003-05-26 21:31, Basement Kahuna wrote:
The vintage stops at the bottling point and the aging too. [...] Generally the longer a liqueur matures in the bottle prior to using the more mellow and subtle the character.

According to Systembolaget (main swedish liqueur store), the Eldorado Demerara Dark Rum is an exception. Systembolaget's website has a remark that says that it doesn't benefit on maturing (Hållbarhet: Vinner inte på lagring). Not sure if those at Systembolaget always know what they're talking about though :D

I've never tried to make Parfait Amour but there are distributors more or less everywhere.. http://www.mariebrizardusa.com/live/index.php?selection=product&product_id=6# or you can order from this page...just scroll down to "Marie Brizard" products http://www.liquorama.net/subcatmfgprod.asp?0=200&1=208&2=-1&6=1

Here is another web that sells rum along with other spanish and international beverages. http://www.productsfromspain.net

[ Edited by: boujin 2006-04-20 04:26 ]

SCD,
My liquor store guy once told me that an open bottle of rum will oxidize and the flavor will weaken after 6mos to a year(noticeably to connoisseurs). He says if he doesn't drink it before then he usually gives it away, which I don't think I could do.