The 3 Best Rums in the World
Why you’ll never order Bacardi again.
Alright… Yes, I grew up in Europe and yes, rum wasn’t widely available on the Old Continent. In case you didn’t know: rum is made out of sugarcane, which only grows on tropical climates, as shown on this worldwide production map:
However, having been on seven Caribbean cruises, getting married in Barbados, traveling to Central America, India and the remaining Carib Islands, and with a worldwide network of family & friends, I had the opportunity to not only sample but truly appreciate this brown beauty over the years.
Now, before you ask: no, I still haven’t tried every rhum in the world and no, I am not wasting your time highlighting super high end stuff that costs hundreds of dollars aged for centuries. What I am revealing here are the 3 best, most surprising and affordable rums that everybody must experience.
#1 — Mount Gay XO
By far the best aged rum I have ever had. For those of you new to naming conventions: XO stands for eXtra Old. This liquor is so good it was the only rum we served during my wedding. But you wouldn’t expect anything less from the oldest rum makers in the world, Mount Gay Distilleries. Established in 1703, these guys know what they are doing and have been doing it for a while. Whenever you are in Barbados, take a tour inside their factory and try all of their flavors!
This blended bottle contains rums aged between 12 to 17 years. It has a beautiful, bright, golden amber color. The aromas are gorgeous bananas, oak and vanilla spice. Just the smell of it exudes class, finesse and exceptional richness.
How to drink it? This is a sipper: put ice into a highball or old fashioned glass, pour in the XO and enjoy! Or try my favorite: a classic rum & Coke cocktail.
#2 — Marigot Bay Coconut Rum
Whaaat? A clear rum? With coconut flavor? And only 25% alcohol level???
Yes, absolutely! This isn’t your cheap Bacardi or Malibu Coconut Rum, people! If you already liked those, then you will love and worship this one. Produced in beautiful St. Lucia, this clear rum oozes with heavenly clean coconut creaminess. It is exceptionally flavorful yet simply stunning when mixed in cocktails.
How to drink it? Here is a lady favorite: take a martini or margarita glass. Fill it 1/3 with Marigot Bay Coconut Rum. Fill the remaining 2/3 with coconut water (e.g: Vita Coco). And if you want to go fancy, then sprinkle the top with with cinnamon, nutmeg or chocolate powder for that extra oomph.
#3 — Old Monk Gold Reserve 12 Year Rum
Old Monk has been an iconic Indian dark delicacy for decades. Although most Indianos (especially Goans) consume its less illustrious little brother, the basic Old Monk Rum , I came across this aged beauty while visiting Mumbai in 2017.
In case you are surprised that India — a mostly Whiskey place— creates quality rum, then take a look at the map above again. By some estimates, India is already the second largest sugarcane supplier on the globe.
With all that raw material around, Mohan Meakin breweries figured out how to make an excellent product. However, the company famously doesn’t advertise and relies entirely on word of mouth! It’s probably why you never heard of Old Monk in the first place.
How to drink it? This beautiful ruby red is best enjoyed the Indian way. Take an old fashioned rock glass. Fill it with ice. Pour in the Old Monk Gold Reserve half way, and fill the other half with either Thums Up (the cola of India) or Limca (the sprite of India). Enjoy!
There you have it! The 3 best rums in the world that don’t break the bank, from the Caribbean all the way to India. I would like to finish up by giving credit to the incredible people that introduced me to these charmers:
- Mount Gay XO: shout out to my best man & friend, Mark Boyce
- Marigot Bay Coconut Rum: big ups to my St Lucian brother, JC Charlery
- Old Monk Gold Reserve: health & happiness to Awdesh Krishna, Global Head of HR at Nomura
So who’s drinking rum?
