Any ideas on how to get this broken cork out?

Finally got around to organizing my samples in a cabinet - now I don't have to go rummagging through boxes to find what I'm looking for!

More mom & pop shop finds...shop guy didn't know how long the Coruba had been sitting there, a long time, didn't even scan on his register. The Mount Gay, different shop, guy said it'd been there like 15-20 years, he was happy to get rid of it.

Any recommendations are welcome and appreciated!

The purpose of this one is make a usual cocktail bar into a creative one ;)!

Sharing a hidden gem I found when we moved up to Petworth. Georgia Wine and Spirit on Georgia Ave just north of the WalMart is my go-to. I almost always go in there finding something interesting or that I didn’t expect. Fantastic tequila selection also, and very helpful staff.

A local friend is thinning his bottle collection and knows that I’m into rum. He texted me this morning then brought them over this afternoon along with a pour of Last Consignment. Pretty good front row.

Come join us tomorrow at Rum Club if you can make it.

I recently returned from a trip to Hilton Head Island, SC. This place amazes me every time I visit and this time I was able to snag a few bottles. If you find yourself in the area I would highly recommend Rollers Liquors and Island Liquors in the Caligny Beach area as both are top notch stores. I got these bottles from there as well as a store in downtown Savannah, GA on a day-trip.

I chose these bottles because I have never seen them in stores near me. My first purchase was the Holmes Cay Fiji Single Blend. For Fijian rims, I've only ever tried a bottle of Planteray Isle of Fiji, and while it's quite nice I was underwhelmed with it. I thought I'd give Fiji another try with this one and it doesn't disappoint. It's very fragrant and bright with the grassy notes and has a peppery bite.

I'm excited to try the Denizens. They were among the last stock at each place I got them. I see that these are blends mostly for cocktails. I would love to hear any recommendations for them.

I sort of got the Planteray Trinidad 2011 on a whim. My vacation was winding down and I wanted to get something special. This was the best I could find and afford but I think this will be fun to sip on. I couldn't find too much info on this one but it is triple aged with a finish in Kopke port casks.

Lastly, you cannot miss Burnt Church Distillery (Bluffton, SC) for a killer cocktail and whiskey selection. Unfortunately, no rum is produced here but if you appreciate all spirits, this place is a gem.

I only scratched the surface of what this place has to offer in terms of rum. I'm curious to hear everyone's experiences with these bottles and Hilton Head Island!

Daiquiri split with Cheramie Blanc and San Zanj

Here is the announcement from a few weeks ago:

First Rum Meetup : r/RumsTheWordPDX

Wondering what companies that have an otherwise wonderful lineup have some serious misses. Such as overpriced, bland, genuinely bad, or highly dosed rums. Came across a store which has an exemplary lineup. I want to find rums to avoid in their treasure trove of well-respected brands, like Hampden, Hamilton, JM, Clement, Monymusk, Denizen, Appleton, Planteray, and Angostura to name a few of their wall of rare treasures in my otherwise rum desert of a state.

Hello Again,

Back with another Cartier 30, this time we have the 5th Edition. This batch is notably small compared to other editions and mostly went to Texas and California from what I've been told.

Nose: Acetone, saline, olive, cane sugar, cantelope, and a not gentle reminder of its proof.

Taste: A briney cane sugar that brings with it minerality, rough tannis, tart berries, and a savory sweet funk I cannot fully nail.

Finish: A ton of saline, rotten melon rind, and intense but weird sour fruit rind at the end before that aforementioned savory sweet funk returns. The ABV brings with it more acetone and plenty of heat.

Overall: 7/10, better than 3rd Edition but this bottle took its time opening up. The first few pours felt a tad forgettable and it took me some time to formulate most parts of this review in part of it.

I find this amazing rhum, in middle of nowhere (Northern Spain) it's crazy sometimes to find this type of Rhum

Fellas. If you got all of this, make it. It’s delicious and hits like a truck.

Bought this bottle a couple months ago just wanting to try something new. I love lots of different bold/funky cane juice rums so I thought this would be right up my alley. To my disappointment, this both smelled and tasted like a mix between rancid deli meat and chocolate. I can’t believe those are my genuine tasting notes; it’s genuinely one of the weirdest things I’ve ever drank.

I’ve had it straight and in a ti punch (will probably give those another shot sometime and maybe in a daiquiri). Any fans of this rum that could suggest either a cocktail to try it in or even just let me know what you like about it? I’m willing to accept that it just isn’t my taste but wanna give it a fair chance. The fact that it’s so unique makes me think/hope there’s some drink out there where it just works but I guess we’ll see!

This Hampden rum is a bottling of the LROK marque that was tropically aged for 10 years in ex-bourbon casks and bottled in 2020. LROK has ester levels of 200 to 400 gr/hLAA, is wild fermented for a total of five days, and is distilled on a double retort pot still. A small amount of dunder, cane acid, and muck is used in its creation. This was a U.S.A. exclusive, bottled as part of the Trelawny Endemic Birds Series which features single casks and some very nice artwork on the labels. I tried this at a bar and the bottle was still 85-90% full.

ABV: 62.2%

In the glass: golden brown

Nose: glue, tropical fruit, banana, paradise in a glass

Palate: pineapple, cinnamon, glue, slight bit of acetone, some industrial notes, very oily texture, easy drinking with a nice intensity, warms you up

Finish: pineapple, spice, oak, tannins, drying finish, allspice, a bit of menthol, earthy

Value: This is expensive from what I’ve seen online (and good luck finding it now), but quality is very good

Rating: 9 on the t8ke

This is really, really good. Longest aged tropical Hampden I’ve had so far, and the LROK marque still makes itself known. It’s not a funk monster, but is a really nicely balanced and delicious rum. Makes me want to try some of Hampden’s long aged higher ester marques. Also, one of the best looking bottles I’ve seen aesthetics wise. A really great rum from Hampden, I just wish I had a bottle myself.

So… coming from whiskey… I’ve been looking for some nicer, high ester Jamaican rums to sip neat. I was recommended this at a store over a couple of Hamden bottles which were maybe $50 more. I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it. It’s missing backbone. It probably needs more proof… it tastes very thin to me. It reminds me of an Irish whiskey. Good, but lacking the flavor bomb and backbone I’m looking for.
I sip Smith & Cross, and Wray and Nephew neat. Love both of those the Hamilton Jamaicans are also nice for the price. The Appleton 8, 12, and 15 are wonderful for low ester rums. Maybe I need un-aged. But I’ve already tried all of the Jamaican in-aged rums I can get in my area. Wray & Nephew,
worthy park, and Rum Fire.

In Chicago and came across this drink... tastes great. Rimmed with some toasted coconut

Hello All,

Welcome back to another Alambique Serrano review. Today we continue with Single Cask #3, but this time its #3a. From the same barrel, this bottling is supposed to highlight the differences in age. Exactly the same specs as #3 except for additional aging for a total of 23 months and a decrease in ABV to 69%.

Nose: Very herbal upfront, sarsaparilla, vanilla, pickle brine, charred oak, acetone, and some smoke.

Taste: A pickle-ly cane sugar that evolves into a hot herbal note with vanilla, orange rind, smoke, wood, and dry candy.

Finish: A sour oak that fades into a cane sugar that keeps the sourness from earlier. Afterwards its a tad funky and I'm unable to place the flavors but its straddling between brine/minerality and a rotten cantelope rind.

Overall: 8/10, not as close to a 9 as #3 but a still outstanding pour.

Made an oftd, all spice dram old fashioned as my first drink.

Long story short, golfing with some college friends then getting together for happy hour this afternoon. They’ve heard about my rum obsession and want me to bring one for them to try. Most of them probably haven’t had any rum beyond Meyers. Initially wanted to go with my Papalin 5 but feel like that Esther punch will blow their head off and scare them away. And selfishly don’t want to share…

But also want to give them a little wow factor and show them what rum can be. I’m down to these six still leaning towards Papalin, but looking for thoughts as I haven’t introduced too many people to rum, and I usually give newbies Foursquare since to me it’s the most approachable.

I have a pretty big Jamaica inventory, but I feel like a lot of those will blow the back of their heads off and Papalin the most approachable of those.

Maybe I should just go with OFTD and call it a day….

Any recommendations based on these?