For additional descriptions of the world’s best rums see also The World’s Best Rum According to the 2024 IWSC Judging and The Rum of the Year According to the Beverage Testing Institute
ByJoseph V Micallef, Contributor. Forbes Magazine I write about wines and spirits and the hidden corners of the world
Here’s an overview and tasting notes of 12 top Caribbean rums that have consistently won gold medals at international spirit competitions, a testament to their exceptional quality and craftsmanship.
Featured Image: Homemade Mai Tai Cocktail with Pineapple Cherry and Rum getty images
Rum is produced worldwide, but the heart of rum is still the Caribbean. Here’s a detailed overview and tasting notes of 12 top Caribbean rums that have consistently won gold medals at international spirit competitions, a testament to their exceptional quality and craftsmanship.
Mt Gay, one of the oldest rum distilleries in the world, was established in 1703. The XO expression, a blend of rums aged 8 to 15 years, is one of their most celebrated offerings. The rum is distilled from molasses using both pot stills and column stills. It’s typically aged in ex-bourbon casks, although the distillery has been experimenting with maturing or finishing rums in various other cask types, including Cognac casks.
The rum features rich aromas of vanilla, toffee, toasted oak, and dark chocolate on the nose. The palate exhibits complex flavors of caramel, tropical fruits, especially bananas, and dried fruits. The oak influences create a warm, spiced character. The finish is long and smooth with lingering sweetness and a hint of spice.
Angostura has been producing rum since the early 20th century. This 7 YO rum mixes light and heavy rums distilled from molasses using a continuous still and aged in ex-bourbon barrels.
The nose features vanilla, dried fruits, and light, seasoned oak notes. It’s rich and smooth on the palate, with a noticeable viscosity and mouth weight, expressing flavors of caramel, spice, and a slight nuttiness. The finish is long and smooth, with lingering oak and spice notes.
Appleton Estate, founded in 1749, is one of Jamaica’s oldest and most famous rum producers. This 12 YO expression is a well-balanced blend of rums aged 12 to 18 years. The rum is distilled from molasses using a combination of copper pot stills and column stills and aged in ex-bourbon barrels.
The rum is rich and aromatic on the nose featuring candied orange peel, spices, and toasted oak notes. The palate has pronounced toffee, dark chocolate, coffee, and tropical fruit flavors. The finish is long and smooth, with lingering seasoned oak and dark chocolate flavors.
Rhum J.M is known for producing high-quality Rhum Agricole, rum made from fresh sugarcane juice. This XO expression is aged for at least six years and is an excellent example of Agricole rum’s complex flavor profile.
The rum is distilled from fresh sugarcane juice using a Creole column still and aged in oak barrels. Developed in Martinique, these stills are shorter than typical column stills and have fewer plates. They retain more of the congeners found in rum, producing a more intensely flavored spirit.
The rum is rich and aromatic on the nose, with vanilla, oak, and dried fruit notes. It’s smooth and full-bodied on the palate, expressing tropical fruits, spices, and toasted oak flavors. The finish is long and smooth with a slight peppery kick and lingering dried fruit and oak notes.
The Appleton Rum factory in Jamaica.
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Rhum Saint James, founded in 1765, is known for producing some of the Caribbean’s finest Rhum Agricoles. The VSOP expression is distilled from fresh sugarcane juice and aged in oak barrels for at least four years.
Aromas of vanilla, caramel, and light oak are featured on the nose. The palate is rich and smooth, expressing flavors of tropical fruits, vanilla, and a light touch of spice. The finish is crisp and smooth, with lingering dried tropical fruit notes.
Mount Gay Eclipse is a vibrant, medium-bodied rum crafted from a blend of 2-5 YO rums and is an excellent introduction to the Mount Gay portfolio.
The nose features aromas of vanilla, light tropical fruit, and seasoned oak. The palate features flavors of caramel, light spice, and a touch of banana. The finish is long, refreshing, and slightly sweet, with lingering notes of dried tropical fruit.
Barbancourt is a distinguished Haitian rum brand that produces Rhum Agricole. This 8 YO expression is celebrated for its smoothness and complexity. It’s distilled from fresh sugarcane juice using alembic, Charentais-style pot stills, then aged in oak barrels from the Limousin Forest.
The nose features vanilla, oak, and dried fruit notes. It’s smooth and creamy on the palate with caramel, spice, and light fruit flavors. The finish is long, with a slight peppery note and a lingering oak flavor.
Zaya Gran Reserva is a premium rum known for its rich, complex flavor profile. It’s a blend of rums distilled from molasses and aged for up to 12 years in ex-bourbon oak barrels.
The rum is rich and intensely flavored, featuring caramel, vanilla, and dark chocolate aromas on the nose. The palate features pronounced flavors of toffee, molasses, and spices with a hint of oak. The finish is long, smooth, and slightly spicy, with lingering sweetness and dark chocolate notes.
Pyrat XO Reserve is a premium rum known for its distinctive blend of aged rums. It offers a refined taste with tropical fruit and oak influences. It’s distilled from molasses and aged in bourbon and sherry casks.
The nose features orange peel, honey, and tropical fruit aromas. It’s smooth on the palate, expressing vanilla, citrus, and a touch of oak. The finish is long with a pronounced candied citrus note and a mild but lingering touch of wood spice.
Two Cuban cigars with two glasses of rum getty
Ron Zacapa 23 is a Guatemalan rum aged 6 to 23 years, renowned for its smooth and rich flavor. It’s distilled from sugarcane honey and aged in ex-bourbon, sherry, and wine casks. Sugarcane honey is a concentrated form of sugarcane juice that has a slight licorice taste and a touch of bitterness.
The nose features rich brown sugar, vanilla, and dark chocolate aromas. It’s smooth and satiny on the palate, featuring dried fruits, toffee, and oak flavors. The finish is long and silky, with lingering sweet and spicy flavors.
For a detailed look at Ron Zacapa see also, How Zacapa Crafts One of the World’s Best Rums.
The Real McCoy 12 YO is a premium rum distilled from molasses at the Foursquare Distillery in traditional pot stills, then aged in heavily charred oak barrels.
The nose features vanilla, oak, and light caramel aromas. The rum is smooth and flavorful on the palate, featuring flavors of honey, vanilla, and a touch of fruitiness. The finish is long, smooth, and slightly spicy.
The Foursquare 12 YO Cask Strength is a limited-edition release that showcases the distillery’s ability to produce an intense and flavorful rum. It’s bottled at cask strength, creating a powerful yet refined rum. This rum has earned multiple gold medals for its bold flavors and smooth, potent finish.
Like many other Foursquare rums, it is produced from molasses using a blend of pot still and column still distillation and aged 12 years in American oak casks.
The rum is bold and aromatic on the nose, with pronounced notes of caramel, honey, dried fruit, and dark chocolate. There is a distinctive oak spice and a touch of smokiness. It’s rich and intense on the palate, featuring flavors of toffee, vanilla, dark fruits, and warm spices. The high alcohol content is apparent but well-integrated, offering a smooth texture. The finish is full-bodied, sweet and long-lasting, with lingering spicy, oak-driven flavors.
These rums are renowned for their quality, complexity, and craftsmanship. Made from various sugar cane-derived materials and distilled using a combination of pot and column still distillation and extended aging in multiple types of oak barrels, these award-winning rums offer a range of aroma and taste profiles and a rich, smooth character that is appreciated by rum aficionados worldwide.
For additional descriptions of the world’s best rums see also The World’s Best Rum According to the 2024 IWSC Judging and The Rum of the Year According to the Beverage Testing Institute
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Joseph V. Micallef is a journalist covering food, wine, spirits, and travel. He is also a historian, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and syndicated columnist. He has been a Forbes Contributor since 2017. Joe has written extensively on wines and spirits and judged many of the leading international wines and spirits competitions. In his spare time, he makes wine in Oregon.
He holds the Wines and Spirits Diploma from the WSET and is an original member of the Advisory Board of the Council of Whiskey Masters. In 2023, the Academia Mexicana de Catadores de Tequila, Vino y Mezcal A.C. awarded him the honorific of Maestro Tequilero. Among his recent books is Scotch Whisky: Its History, Production and Appreciation.
