AlaskanAg99 said:

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El Dorado is easy to come by in Houston, all 3 age stated versions. Can't speak to the others.

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I rarely am in Houston, and sometimes rarely in the states much at all, but I will have to try this rum thanks for the info.

Picked up a bottle of Kirk and Sweeny. Very good pour, cocoa finish.

Ttt. Wife is pregnant, so I am exploring good rums.

Done Zacapa 23, El Dorado 12, and Diplomatico reserva is about halfway gone. Next up to try is Zaya I think. El Dorado was too sweet. Diplomatico, there wasn't really anything there. Zacapa was fantastic.

p-wonk01 said:

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Milwaukees Best Light said:

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Ttt. Wife is pregnant, so I am exploring good rums.

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Given the username may I suggest Malibu Coconut

Seriously though...congrats

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Thanks!

Back in my beast drinking days my mixing rum of choice was Admiral Nelson. Not a half bad substitute for the captain; but that belongs on a separate thread.

Milwaukees Best Light said:

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Done Zacapa 23, El Dorado 12, and Diplomatico reserva is about halfway gone. Next up to try is Zaya I think. El Dorado was too sweet. Diplomatico, there wasn't really anything there. Zacapa was fantastic.

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I'm the opposite on Diplomatico and El Dorado. But I agree that Zacapa is amazing stuff.

Milwaukees Best Light said:

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Done Zacapa 23, El Dorado 12, and Diplomatico reserva is about halfway gone. Next up to try is Zaya I think. El Dorado was too sweet. Diplomatico, there wasn't really anything there. Zacapa was fantastic.

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Zacapa 23 is pretty good - sweet, smooth and easy to drink.

I"m the opposite on Diplomatico and El Dorado - I'm a huge fan of Diplomatico, great earthy profile with a solid molasses finish with a hint of tobacco. El Dorado was, to me anyway, absolutely bland. Started off OK, but had no body and absolutely no finish at all. I have a bottle of 15 year I'll keep for guests, but that's about it.

Others that are really good:

Kirk & Sweeny 18 - great underrated rum. I have an 18 year that is heavy on tobacco and cocoa and a really good pour. Only complaint is that it is a bit of a dry finish. They make a 12 year and 21 year as well.

Zafra 21 - absolutely great all around bourbon. Sweet, earthy, hints of vanilla and tobacco. Right now it is my go to.

Ron Cartavio XO - Buttery smooth, starts with butterscotch and finishes with spice and tobacco. Great pour.

Papas Pilar - Dark rum that is finished in Spanish sherry casks. Molasses and tobacco with some earth tones and spice. The sherry casks give it a sweet finish that isn't sugar sweet, hard to describe for me. Great pour though, I always have a bottle in my cabinet.

Dos Maderas PX 5+5 - Very simlar to Ron Cartavio XO to me. Very smooth, butterscotch and vanilla up front with tobacco, oak and spice on the backside. Great every day bottle type of bourbon - neat, over ice, doesn't matter to me. Wife loves it, which means I'll keep a bottle handy.

Flor de Cana 18 - Smooth, no burn at all, tobacco and vanilla notes, great lingering aftertaste

Flor de Cana 12 - Smooth, no burn at all. Surprisingly I got more oak and less vanilla on the 12 year than I did on the 18 year. Not as much body, weaker finish. But overall a solid rum.

Plantation OFTD - Hot (something like 160+ proof) and very dark. The heat dissipates pretty quick, heavy tobacco and spice. I wasn't a huge fan of how this finished - but it's a good pour overall.

Foursquare Zinfandel - Interesting rum IMO. Grape on the nose, initial hit is a sweet rum but it quickly turns into spice. At first I was kind of disappointed in the finish because it seemed to tail off to me, but by the end of the glass I was really happy with it. I think a little water or ice really opens it up and I didn't give it enough time, hence the weak initial finish.

Foursquare Port Cask - I liked it better than the Zinfandel. Not a heavy drink - butterscotch and spice with a really solid body that doesn't overpower you. Great finish. One of my more likeable rums.

Bayou Spiced Rum - Surprisingly not a bad rum. A tad bit rough IMO for a neat pour, but let it blend over an ice ball and it's solid. Kind of one of those tweeners that is too good for a mixer, but not quite good enough to be a stand alone rum. I wish they would produce some with a bit more aging as I think it would be pretty good. Starts sweet, spices take over and linger on the finish. Some tobacco and every now and then I get a bit of butterscotch or vanilla in there as well.

Bayou Select - Not as good as the spiced. I had high hopes, this is finished in bourbon barrels. But it just seemed weak to me. Maybe not enough aging or maybe I wish the proof was higher, can't tell. Flavor is OK, heavier on the oak than their spiced, but just no body to it.

Barrel Rum - A Tale of Two Islands - Meh. Finished in scotch barrels, very malty and peaty flavor. Not my style at all to be honest.

Diplomatico 2002 - Probably the best overall rum I've had. Can't say enough good things. Thick syrupy juice, very dark, starts off with a sweet/vanilla opening and then rolls into tobacco and a hint of citrus/fruit. Finish is awesome - just kind of lingers there and melts away with a touch of molasses. Just enough to make you smile.

Diplomatico Anejo - OK rum, nothing special. Kind of like Bayou Spiced IMO - better than a mixer, but for me it's just not up to par for a neat pour. Lots of citrus, younger aged I think. Some vanilla. If i remember the finish was a bit short and seems like it was ever so slightly bitter. A bit longer in a barrel would probably change it a bit, just a guess though.

HTownAg98 said:

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Milwaukees Best Light said:

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Done Zacapa 23, El Dorado 12, and Diplomatico reserva is about halfway gone. Next up to try is Zaya I think. El Dorado was too sweet. Diplomatico, there wasn't really anything there. Zacapa was fantastic.

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I'm the opposite on Diplomatico and El Dorado. But I agree that Zacapa is amazing stuff.

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The Diplomatico is growing on me.

I've always been more of a bourbon guy. Never had a good rum before. I read this thread and just bought a bottle of Ron zacapaa 23. Pretty good stuff, still on my first drink. Also got a bottle of diplomatico reserva.

Diplomatico reserva is good too, sweeter than Don zacapa

I really like Zaya 12 that I got based on recommendations on this thread. I can't act like I have a refined palate, but it's great to sip.

IJones23 said:

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Never tried it, but my buddy drinks Flor de cana 12 and he said it's the best rum he's ever had. He's a pirate in his spare time so he should know.

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I "found" Flor de Cana on vacation in Nicaragua, where they sell about a dozen "grades" of it. The best ones are outstanding. Only a few of them make their way here, and not the best ones.

Bulldog73 said:

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I really like Zaya 12 that I got based on recommendations on this thread. I can't act like I have a refined palate, but it's great to sip.

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Zaya changed their formula a few years back. The older stuff was really good, the newer stuff not so much.


If the label is written in cursive, it's an older bottle and worth picking up. If it is in the newer block letters, hard pass.

Older label:



Newer label:

On Dos Maderas 5+3 right now. On the fence so far with it. I have discovered that rums get better after you open the bottle. First pour is rough. The Diplomatico got really good after a few days. Hopefully this Dos does the same thing. Was looking for the Zaya, but Specs was cold out when I went.

Picked up a bottle of Bacoo 12 year today. Has anyone else tried this?

Price was good for a 12 year at about $25. Was not quite as smooth as other 12's I have had, but ended up pretty good with the big ice cube in it.

Dos Maderas 5+3 is not good. Smooth as gas station toilet paper. Gonna use the rest with diet coke. Oh well. Next up, Zaya.

Superdave1993 said:

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Picked up a bottle of Bacoo 12 year today. Has anyone else tried this?

Price was good for a 12 year at about $25. Was not quite as smooth as other 12's I have had, but ended up pretty good with the big ice cube in it.

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Grabbed one of these the other day, largely in part because you mentioned it. I like it, especially for the price.

Has an interesting finish on it - at first I wasn't a huge fan, but it grew on me. I agree on the ice - seemed that towards the end of my drink as it had time to mesh with the melting ice, it really changed the flavor profile and smoothed it out considerably.

Has anyone had Rhum Clement? They are coming to Austin Wine Merchant tomorrow, and I'm wondering if it is worth my time to try it. Free booze is free booze, but it's a royal pain to get out of downtown Austin if I go do this.

Glad it wasn't just me, and I will revisit my bottle after Lent.

One thing I am noticing is that once a bottle has been opened for a while the rum gets smoother. Does rum need to breathe or something? I am not talking a out leaving it open. I am talking about you open the bottle, have a drink, then a couple nights later have another and you keep up this pace. About the time the bottle is half gone, in a couple weeks but sometimes faster, the rum has gotten noticeably better. This has been true for the last three bottles I have tried. Is this a thing? If it is a thing, any way to get the top half to be like the bottom half?

Sometimes just getting a bit of oxidation or air to allow some volitization of the alcohol can really change a drink. If you like the bottom half better, keep an empty bottle and fill it halfway up, let them sit for a few days and then start drinking?

Grabbed a Kirk & Sweeny 23 today. I have some 18 year at the house that is great, hope this is in the same ballpark.

For $28, Zaya is hard to beat. Got about a quarter bottle left. Not sure what I will try next. I am trying to keep under $40 x bottle, just in case I really like it. I don't need another booze I only buy on 'special occasions', and 40 is about my tipping point between drinker and special occasion drink.

Went with Kirk and Sweeney 18. Holy crap that is good!

Milwaukees Best Light said:

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Went with Kirk and Sweeney 18. Holy crap that is good!

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Yes it is, I grabbed one several months back on a whim. Oh so glad I did too. Picked up a K&S 23 the other day, but haven't opened it yet.

I was not a big fan of the Zaya, it wasn't as smooth as the Zacapa or Dorado

Keeper of The Spirits said:

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I was not a big fan of the Zaya, it wasn't as smooth as the Zacapa or Dorado

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Can't argue with you on that point. However, at almost half the price it is a really good value.

Fifteen cokes and a bottle of rum...

What does the zaya run I can usually find the Zacapa for 38

Picked up Kirk and Sweeney 18 today and really impressed.

I am jonesing for a nice glass right now, I am on day 20 of the annual month without booze, and that sweet nectar is calling my name.

Keeper of The Spirits said:

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What does the zaya run I can usually find the Zacapa for 38

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Total wine has Zaya for $28. The Kirk and Sweeney is $36 I believe. Damn that K&S is good.

Dammit now I will have to try this. The Zacapa 23 is my current favorite followed by the El Dorado 15. Is the K&S that much better than the Zacapa 23?

It has been over a year since I had Zacapa. I remember it being great. I would not throw out any you have left, but consider K&S next time you are reloading. Better/worse is too subjective to call. Both are great.