Look for this mellow, made-in-Cuba rum when you travel, but be warned: It's not part of the Puerto-Rico-distilled Havana Club line from Bacardi. | Havana Club
ByIslands StaffSept. 13, 2013
Picking the 10 best Caribbean rums is impossible. During my on-the-ground search, I found a rum that was more than 50 years old, one that cost $25,000 a bottle, and one that's 73 percent alcohol (146 proof!); rums that took my breath away, and ones I wanted to sip and savor. I asked for help from Juan del Busto — an international rum judge and collector with 1,500 different bottles on his shelves — to help me choose 10 top surprising rums that are 1) well-priced (maybe even undervalued) for their quality, 2) available in the U.S., and 3) distilled in the Caribbean. — Ann Vanderhoof
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Jamaica's Appleton Estate has been winning gold medals since the 1862 London Exhibition. A blend of 20 rums from traditional copper pot stills, the Reserve is up to double duty as a mixer and a sipper. | Appleton EstateThe buttery 8-year-old is my preference for its value; Juan prefers the 15-year-old Reserve du Domain. These Haitian rums can be hard to find in North America, though, since production is low. | Rhum BarbancourtAn alternative to Mount Gay's Extra Old, this sipper is also well-priced for the taste. It's aged in used whiskey barrels and then finished in Orolosso sherry casks. | Doorly'sRich with vanilla-toffee flavor, this Nicaraguan kicks cocktails up a notch. If you find it a little rough for sipping, step up to Flor de Caña's Cenetario 12 or 18 year old rum. | Flor de CañaSurprisingly complex for a mixing rum, this Puerto Rican rum is hard to beat for cocktails. It's aged at least a year, then filtered for a "clean" taste. | BacardiLuckily, Guatemala has a teensy sliver of Caribbean coastline, so we can include this special-occasion rum from Zacapa. A blend of 6–25 year-olds, it's given extra aging in French Cognac barrels. | Zacapa RumA perfectly balanced blend of aged Panama rums, brought together by a master blender from Cuba. It's a terrific taste at a terrific price. | Zafra RumA sleeper from Trinidad, this smooth, smoky 12 year old rum fooled me into thinking it was older. Originally distilled in Guatemala. | ZayaGuyana's only producer ages blends from its traditional column and pot stills in whiskey and bourbon casks. I'll take the rich spicy-sweet 12-year-old over the 15-year-old any day. Others prefer the 21-year-old. | El Dorado Rum
