What Rum(s) do I still need

I'm not new to making cocktails at home, though I am new to making Tiki drinks. My wife has always been big into Tiki drinks/bars and for Christmas I ordered her both the Smugglers Cove book and Beachbum Berry Remixed (though this one is on backorder and has not arrived). I had a pretty well stocked bar (both liquor and mixers), but I added a few extra rums and make a few of the syrups (honey, vanilla, etc). I do enjoy sipping rum, so most of what I had was stuff I liked to sip. I was a little thrown off by the way the Smugglers Cove book categorizes their rums, but I only had to buy a couple to fill all the holes but one or two. Here's what I've got:

Pot Still Lightly Aged
Smith and Cross (just purchased)

Blended Lightly Aged
Denizen (this is unopened but saw it on sale and was a fan of the 8)
El Dorado 3 (I used this as "silver" rum previously)

Blended Aged
Denizen 8 (had in a rum flight and bought as a sipper)
Doorly XO (tasted at Total Wine and More and bought as a sipper)

Column Still Aged
Ron Abuelo 7 (had in a rum flight and bought as a sipper)
Bacardi 8 (this was my "gold" rum mixer)

Black Blended
Hamilton 86 (just purchased)
Pampero Anniversario (one of my favorite sippers)
Cruzan Blackstrap (Not sure it fits here, but I had it for making jungle birds)

Black Blended Overproof
Plantation Original Dark Overproof (not on the list, but I only have access to this and Lemon Hart)

Martinique Blanc
Bull Run Pacific Rum (this doesn't technically qualify, but it sure tastes like Agricole to me)

Martinique Vieux
I don't have any of these. I have access to Clement VSOP, Neisson Eleve Sous Bois, Rhum JM VSOP, and JM Rhum Gold. I have hesitated to buy any of these because of the cost (all over $60/bottle)

As to other alcohols I've got Campari, loads of Bourbon (my first love), Maraschino, Cointreau, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, Absinthe, Cheery Heering, Vodka, Gin, Pimms, Aperol, Cocchi Americano, Tequila, and various vermouths.

Are there any holes that need to be filled? Should I be buying a real white agricole, an aged agricole, the lemon hart, or something else? I know that I am also missing a black Jamaican Rum. I've got access to Meyer's (which makes me think of college in a bad way), Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still, and Blackwell.

Since I'm sure the Beachbum Berry remixed book is layed out with the rums organized more traditionally I want to make sure I'm equipped to make most anything when my wife gets the book and sees a drink and asks for it.

Aloha, welcome aboard!

The SC book has been my focus since it was released. You have a pretty strong lineup there, I do have a couple suggestions:

1. I recommend having two different rums from most the Categories, as even though you might have one that is strictly listed, I have found that a particular drink can taste totally different using a different rum from the same category (this may be cost prohibitive though).

2. Black Blended Overproof, you MUST have either Hamilton or Lemon Hart 151. Similar to above, but more specific, the drinks that call for it (Zombie, Rum Swizzle etc), will not taste right.

I didn't see an Allspice Dram, you need that too.

You also need:

• Falernum
• Orgeat
• Cinnamon Syrup
• Passion fruit Syrup
• Real Grenadine (not Rose's)
• Demerara Syrup
• Honey Syrup

I always have allspice dram (My favorite cocktail has always been the lions tail). I make it myself, but might try buying the commercial one when it's out.

I bought the John Taylor's Velvet Falernum, and I also have the Latitude 29 falernum and orgeat syrup (though I just found out that total wine and more carries all the BG Reynolds stuff so I'll probably be switching over to those).

All the other syrups in the book I was able to make (I had some of them already).

Get yourself a bottle of the Clement VSOP--a gold Martinique rum makes for a damn good Mai Tai. Clement pairs well with Appleton 12-year which brings us to:

The Black Blended category... Appleton 12 year is an excellent choice, but Coruba or Myers work great as well. Pampero is a good sipper but too sweet for mixing and the flavor gets lost. Blackwell is terrific as well, if you have access to it. It has its own, drier character though, I wouldn't only rely on it as a black blended mixing rum.

Check out Appleton offerings in general--the Signature and Reserve are staples of the Mai Kai.

Your rum collection looks pretty solid overall

I've heard great things about Coruba, but haven't seen it on a shelf in any store around me (Seattle). I might ask my local store if they can order it, as I have seen it in bars, so it is probably distributed here. If I can't find it, do you think Hamilton Pot Sill Black or Blackwell makes a better one to have around.

I'll definitely pick up the Lemon Hart 151. I have not seen the Hamilton 151.

I want to pick up the Clement VSOP, but the $ for it seems so high. Part of the reason I stopped drinking so much bourbon is that the bottles I loved kept creeping up in price or became impossible to find.

I see the Appleton White, Special, Signature and Reserve all the time. And my local store has the 21, but I haven't seen the 12 on any shelves.

One of the things I noticed missing in my collection once I purchased that book was apricot and/or peach brandy/liquor, which shows up a few times in the book.

I'd be careful with that Hamilton black pot still rum, it's pretty funky, and may throw off a drink (if I remember right he lists it as "black unaged pot still rum")

Really find the coruba if you can, I had to search to find it near me.

[ Edited by: ArchTiki 2017-01-03 16:37 ]

I usually have peach, apricot, and cherry liquor. When the fruits are in season, I buy up seconds at the farmers market and make a batch. One little batch of each tends to last a whole year. I'm not sure they're as great as the commercial ones, but they work.

Myers is closer in character to Coruba than the other options. Hamilton Pot Still Black is VERY different. It's good, but not a substitute for any blended black. You can use it in small quantities as an ingredient to create a Kohala Bay substitute however (see Kohala Bay thread).

Appleton Reserve is also somewhat similar to Coruba and a very good mixer.

On 2017-01-03 15:41, arbeck wrote:
I've heard great things about Coruba, but haven't seen it on a shelf in any store around me (Seattle). I might ask my local store if they can order it, as I have seen it in bars, so it is probably distributed here. If I can't find it, do you think Hamilton Pot Sill Black or Blackwell makes a better one to have around.

I'll definitely pick up the Lemon Hart 151. I have not seen the Hamilton 151.

I want to pick up the Clement VSOP, but the $ for it seems so high. Part of the reason I stopped drinking so much bourbon is that the bottles I loved kept creeping up in price or became impossible to find.

I see the Appleton White, Special, Signature and Reserve all the time. And my local store has the 21, but I haven't seen the 12 on any shelves.

I second Coruba. Also I would do JM over Clement as far as agricole. You should be able to find the gold JM for cheaper or order it and Coruba from Hi-Times if you can. Coruba in a Jungle Bird will make you want to pour that Black Strap down the drain :wink:

Plantation rums are great and can range from cheap to pricey going from mixers to sippers. Plantation Pineapple is so diverse that it can be used in so many recipes and costs around $30 a bottle.

[ Edited by: lunavideogames 2017-01-04 12:31 ]

And create an account on the Grogalizer, which will have the Smuggler's Cove recipes soon.

I couldn't find Coruba anywhere local, and the price of shipping wiped out the price difference between it and Blackwell here (which was onsale/closeout). I picked up the Blackwell and if it needs a little extra funk, I can always mix it 3:1 with Smith and Cross.

I also bought the Lemon Hart 151 and the Clement VSOP. I was able to find JM and Neisson Rhum's but they were both more expensive, even accounting for the fact that they come in liter bottles.

I think I'm done buying for a bit. I might try Appleton 12 when my Denizen 8 runs out. And will order some Coruba and another Agricole when I work through what I have.

Thanks everyone for you help.

You can pick up Coruba if you ever get down to Portland. It's my favorite mai tai rum.
And I would try the Clement Canne Bleue. It's a bit cheaper. Won't work for a mai tai but you'll get hooked on the Ti Punch

I also really recommend Batiste Rhum Agricole, love the flavour. For years I enjoyed it rather sparingly as it was hard for me to come by but in the past couple of months I am starting to see it around quite a bit, and just last week I saw it at Trader Joe's for the first time so their distribution has definitely improved. Very much worth a punt, IMO.