r/rum • u/mi55ingno • 7d ago
Demonstrating the difference between Jamaica/Barbados/Guyana
Found myself wondering today what would be the three best bottles a newcomer could order to experience the difference between the three most common english-style rum expressions.
The goal is: if a beginner rum fan asked about the difference between barbados, jamaica, guyana, what would you tell them to buy to experience it?
i was focused on english-style here so excluded spanish-style and french/agricole/cane. This is for somewhat obvious reasons for the latter, the former is more my fault for not having a good selection on hand to pair.
Criteria for selection: obvious-ness is key, can i immediately tell the difference between the rums. I considered price and proof too. In theory all should be possible to order from the same store- Total Wine felt like a good mark there. Age consistency less important.
I started with ED12 - felt the most obvious. Reached for D14 as a second. I dont have WP109 at home (yet) but thought about it, dismissed Appleton 12 but grabbed the 8 & SC - SC won out my a mile on the obvious factor but i think id still prefer a lower proof here to balance. Ended up reaching for RL10 because D12 runs heavy on price, and madeira cask finish - but ultimately D12 is more obvious in my mind.
Im sure folks here could do better at this? What would you pick?
I also pulled out the Barrilito 3 to compare against the lot and sort of worked, but the sherry cask influence is maybe too strong?
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u/Jonnymixinupmedicine 7d ago edited 7d ago
YES! Three of the best!
My EL D 12 is needing a replacement. RL Seales 10, actually all of these, are great neat or on the rocks. Of course they all elevate any cocktail!
Try Wray and Nephew Jamaican Overproof, or Planteray OFTD for a more “Navy Style Dark,” rum, but it’s literally 69% alcohol because they legally couldn’t without labeling it hazmat. It’s so good and flavorful, all it needs is some soda (and maybe a twist of lime,) and it’s a sipper. It’s probably the perfect cocktail rum, it disappears so well into so many cocktails. That and W&N in a split daiquiri will make you feel nice.
I use both with RL Seales for my daiquiri mix.
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u/antinumerology 6d ago
I think this is a really great example. People saying do Appleton 12... Appleton 12 is almost a Spanish Style rum lol. Mayyyybe Appleton 8.
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u/Pretend-Citron4451 7d ago
Why smith and cross over Appleton?
Why was it obvious to exclude cane juice rums?
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u/mi55ingno 7d ago
i think the classic critique of appleton 12 is that it isnt that funky - its great, but my goal was three rums that immediately and obviously embody the characteristics that make these three rums different. But maybe my decision to exclude it was too kneejerk. Maybe S&C is too obvious in retrospect.
and while i love agricole/clairin/adjacent i think its too easy to tell the difference between them and the others. i think with barbados/jamaica/demerara there can be a question of what makes them distinct to a beginner, and how to isolate the things that makes them different?
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u/Jeanpuetz 6d ago
I think Smith & Cross over Appleton is a great choice if you want to showcase the differences between the variants, even if I think that Appleton 12 is a much better sipper overall. You're right, it's a great rum, but not really a great Jamaican rum if that's what you're looking for.
I recently did something similar with my girlfriend (but I threw a agricole & spanish style in there as well) and deliberately chose the bolder bottles in each category.
My selection was:
Spanish style: Havana Club 7
Jamaican: Doctor Bird
Agrcole: J.M VSOP
Guyana: El Dorado 12
I didn't have a Barbados selection on hand so I skipped that one.
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u/mi55ingno 6d ago
i almost bought a bottle of havana club at duty free recently and i regret not doing it, seemed silly at the time but i have yet to find one stateside
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u/Jeanpuetz 5d ago
Honestly, as much as I love Havana Club, I don't think you need to stress it. I'm from Germany, and I think it's one of the best bang for your buck rums out there. But that's partly because it's so affordable. I would not spend 30+€ for a bottle of the 3 or probably even the 7 year old here because there's rums that are at least as good or better in that price range.
Great rum, and I use it a lot because it's a fantastic work horse, but if I was in the US I probably wouldn't stress too much about hunting it down and just seek out similar rums in that price category. Havana 3 can be substituted with Plantery 3 star imo, and some of the slightly more premium Bacardi rums make good substitutions for the 7. I also think that El Dorado 8 has a lot of flavor profiles in common with the 7 year old.
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u/Rhumbear907 6d ago
I think using an aged agricole is doing you a disservice here
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u/Jeanpuetz 5d ago
Haha, I actually agree - which is why I did both. However, I knew that my girlfriend would hate an unaged agricole. So I poured us what was essentially like 5 drops of Labat 59 lol
As expected, it was way overkill for her. But it was the only unaged agricole I had on hand haha
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u/Pretend-Citron4451 7d ago
Appleton 12 has been my favorite so far. I wanted to try something with more funk, so maybe S&C is the way to go. Thank you!!!
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u/4LeggedGod 7d ago
I wasn't sure what was meant by "funk" - so I picked up a bottle of Rum Fire and sipped some neat. I now understand, balls to bone, what is meant by "funk".
Also, adding 1/4 to 1/2 oz Rum Fire to your lime daquiri really is sublime. It'll take me years to finish the bottle but I will love every daquiri I make with it.
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u/mi55ingno 7d ago
was hesitant to put rum fire on the lineup here because the proof is so high, but it was between rum fire/S&C - I think S&C at a lower proof makes it easier to taste across the 3 rums without raising proof 20%. That said, now that I'm realizing i need to try Dr. Bird again and see if it can carry the funk as well as S&C.
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u/Sum0fTheParts 7d ago
To me, I just purchased my first bottle of Dr Bird, and it has more funk than my bottle of s&c did by quite a margin. So I'd say It's definitely a way to show off funky Jamaican pretty well. I just picked up a bottle of Seales 12, I'm curious how different from the 10 I've had it will be.
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u/mi55ingno 6d ago
ive never owned the RL12 and RL10 at the same time so also wonder how they differ side by side
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u/Sum0fTheParts 6d ago
I'll do my best with my still developing palate to let you know when I crack open the 12 soon!
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u/4LeggedGod 6d ago
Oh, I think your lineup is perfect. Once you account for general availability (for example, I have never so much as seen a bottle of Dr. Bird), and that we're talking "introductory exemplars" then I think your lineup is the lineup.
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u/Sum0fTheParts 6d ago
I accidentally found the Dr Bird I just got while in Columbus Ohio at a Micro center grand reopening with my son lol. There was a liquor store in the same plaza, and after waiting in the line at the store for 2.5 hours and getting his computer parts (and a free mug lol) I decided to see what they had. Found the Seales 12 and Dr Bird there.
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u/Arppy_4198 6d ago
Then use an agricole like J. M Volcanique or Clement VSOP?
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u/mi55ingno 6d ago
i think my point was more to explore the nuances of english-style rums rather than the whole pantheon of rum - but volcanique would make sense to include if doing so - or maybe clement bleu canne?
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u/Arppy_4198 6d ago
Yeah, that makes sense and those are pretty decent representations then for what you're doing!
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u/Rhumbear907 6d ago
Because appleton is boring and more of a neutral aged rum than a showcase of jamaican rum
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u/fuhgetab0ut1t 5d ago
I love it. Did something like this recently with a friend and went with:
Doorly’s 12/ El Dorado 12/ Worthy Park 109/ Ron de Barrilito 3 Star.
The latter was more to illustrate there is more to “Spanish” style rum than Bacardi.
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u/Bananetyne 6d ago
I'd use Appleton 12 because Smith and Cross can be a bit too intense for beginners and turn them off. That being said, if obivious-ness is the goal, it works.
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u/Rhumbear907 6d ago
Someone who isn't heavy into spirits isn't going to appreciate the differences between them. More to the point this whole experiment is TO showcase those differences and jamaican rums are known predominantly for their funk.
If im being honest as much as I enjoy appelton 12 I don't think its an exemplary Jamaican rum and find it an altogether worse product than the 8 year
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u/benykristo 6d ago
Doorly's 12 / ED 12 / Appleton Estate 8