Greeting from San Diego

Yes, the obligatory introductions section, but serves a good purpose - like a good, soft toilet paper - used only once but truly wonderful! "Here's to you and here's to me, may we never disagree - if perchance we ever do, here's to me and to hell with you!"
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PassionForTravel
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Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 1:22 am

Greeting from San Diego

Post by PassionForTravel »

I've been a wine drinker for quite a few years and after developing my palette on wine I decided to branch out into spirits. I tried scotch, then bourbon and while I like them occasional they didn't really do it for me. Then someone I work with mentioned he liked sipping rums, it was the first I had heard that such a thing existed. Up to that point I knew that cocktails with rum in them were my favorites.

About a year ago I was in Kauai and I was on a diet so I was minimizing the number of Mai Tai's I was drinking. I heard about Koloa distilery, paid them a visit and really enjoyed their dark rum, so I started drinking it on the rocks and bought a bottle when I got home.

About nine months ago I decided to branch out and searched the internet for rum reviews. I came across a certain Canadian's site, read allot of his reviews and bought a few of the rums that he liked over the next few months. Such as Flor de Cana (7 & 12), Appleton Extra 12yo, Ron Zacapa 23, Zaya, and finally Diplomatico Reserva Exclusivo which turned out to be the turning point. I couldn't believe how sweet it was and it's his second top rated rum.

So I started doing more research while we were on a weekend getaway, came across this site and stumbled upon the forum posts about sugar in rum. I was shocked, I had no idea that they could do that without labeling it. I read the reviews of some of the rums that your site likes and realized that if I went a certain way home I could drive by a Total Wine (which we don't have in San Diego). I picked up R.L. Seales 10yo, Doorley's 5 & XO, Pusser's Blue, Smith & Cross, Barbancourt 8 yo, Dos Maderas 5+5 (accidentally, thought it was the 5+3). I stopped drinking the sweet stuff except for occasionally as desert (since I need to use them up) but they won't be repurchased (except for the Koloa Dark to me it's kind of a unique burnt toffee taste and it was my first sipping rum even if it probably has sugar added). My current favorites are Appleton 12 yo, R.L. Seales 10yo, Doorley's XO and Flor De Cana (finished the 7 only the 12 yo left which might be a little to gentile). The Dos Maderas is too sweet so I put it into the desert category. The Pusser's, Smith & Cross, and Barbancourt I'm having a harder time with but I keep going back to them occasionally.

Ian
da'rum
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Post by da'rum »

Welcome. Nice to hear that you went out and bought these rums to make up your own mind. Appleton 12 is one of my favourite rums as well. The S&C and Pussers will grow on you, they are both robust rums.

As for sugared and flavoured rums you'll notice that here most of us don't have a problem with them per say, the problem is the con. Labelling must reflect the product accurately full stop. Drinking sweet rum is fine though. However it may be better to buy an unsweetened version and add your own sugar syrup drop by drop than buying premix bottled candy.

You could try sweetening your S&C to ease into it.

Cheers
in goes your eye out
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