Spiced-Flavored Rum
 

Best Spiced Rum & Flavored Rum

The Fifty Best Spiced Rum & Flavored Rum Tastings

 

The Tasting:
The Fifty Best held a “blind” tasting of 11 spiced and 6 flavored rums with 16 pre-qualified judges. The spiced rums and flavored rums were judged and scored separately. Strict tasting rules were applied. The order of service was established beforehand by lottery. Each of the rums were poured into fresh glasses from new sealed bottles, and served at slightly above room temperature. Only ice water, neutral unflavored crackers and chips were available to cleanse the palate.

The judges wrote down their impressions of each product on score sheets. The scoring was done on a 5-point system, with 5 as the best. Double-Gold, Gold and Silver medals are awarded according to a set range of final point scores received from the judges. There were no bronze medals awarded for this tasting.

The tasting notes that follow are summaries of the judges’ opinions, with all replicated commentary eliminated. The countries and states of origin are identified for each brand.

 

SPICED RUM TASTING RESULTS:



DOUBLE-GOLD MEDAL WINNERS

Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum
(St. Croix, V.I.)

Aroma: Vanilla, cream, whipped cream, caramel, praline, toffee, maple syrup, nutty, nutmeg.

Palate: Caramel, cookie dough, crème brûlée, vanilla, nougat, creamy, coconut, flora, lightly spiced, hint of cinnamon.

Finish: Butterscotch, creamy, clove, cereal, toast, vanilla notes, smooth.


Double Gold Medal
   Double Gold medal



   Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum



Rumson's Spice Rum
(Massachusettts)

Aroma: Caramel, toffee, dulce de leche, cream, butter, vanilla, vanilla extract, honey, sugarcane, molasses, burnt sugar, maple sugar, cotton candy, coconut, banana, cereal, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, coffee.

Palate: Molasses, honey, vanilla, orange, orange peel, cherry, rose, ginger, cinnamon, clove, pepper, licorice, black tea, nutty, nutmeg, coffee, silky, elegant.

Finish: Honeycomb, brown sugar, vanilla, clove, spicy, smooth, soft, silky, delicious.


Double Gold Medal
   Double Gold medal



Rumson's Spice Rum



GOLD MEDAL WINNERS

Bayou Spiced Rum
(Louisiana, U.S.)

Aroma: Cotton candy, vanilla, molasses, honey, cinnamon, allspice, green papaya, tea leaves.

Palate: Vanilla, buttery, cream, coconut candy, banana, pineapple, raisin, pecan pie, marzipan, cinnamon notes, nutmeg, clove, allspice, bay leaf, silky, well rounded.

Finish: Buttery, cream, coconut, nutmeg, soft, mellow.

Gold Medal
   Gold medal



Bayou Spiced Rum



Pusser's Spiced Rum
(B.V.I.)

Aroma: Coriander, turmeric, clove, cinnamon, ginger, citrus.

Palate: Dates, apple, orange, lemon, rose, mint, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, allspice, Indian spice, peppery, white pepper, well balanced.

Finish: Rose, citrus, ginger, allspice, very soft.


Gold Medal
   Gold medal



Pusser's Spiced Rum



Chairman's Reserve Spiced Rum
(St. Lucia)

Aroma: Intense orange peel, orange, tangerine, Grand Marnier, molasses, cola, sweet tea, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice.

Palate: Candied orange, orange rind, orange zest, citrus, tart apple pie, cinnamon, clove, baking spices, allspice, peppery, beautiful.

Finish: Orange rind, ginger, cinnamon, spicy, oats, lovely.


Gold Medal
   Gold medal



Chairman's Reserve Spiced Rum



Papagayo Organic Spiced Rum
(Paraguay)

Aroma: Brown sugar, molasses, hot buttered rum, butter, vanilla, honeysuckle, biscuit, nutmeg, coffee.

Palate: Vanilla, maple syrup, molasses, crème brûlée, butterscotch, toffee, green banana, cinnamon, nutmeg, herbal, anise, pepper, surprisingly dry.

Finish: Hazelnut, buttery, creamy, robust, smooth.


Gold Medal
   Gold medal



Papagayo Organic Spiced Rum



SILVER MEDAL WINNERS

Queequeg Spiced Rum
(Maine, US)

Aroma: Molasses, vanilla, candied lemon, grape jam, mixed citrus, apricot, orange, orange oil, orange peel, elder flower, herbal, grass, verbena, eucalyptus, cinnamon, ginger, anise, chocolate.

Palate: Orange, orange peel, Grand Marnier, lemon, peach, citrus, ginger, mint, black licorice, anise, allspice, clove, spice, tea leaf, Baker’s chocolate.

Finish: Brown sugar, citrus, orange, hay, clove, tobacco, tannic, balanced, very interesting.


Silver Medal
   Silver medal



Queequeg Spiced Rum



Local Choice Pixie Spiced Rum
(North Carolina, US)

Aroma: Brown sugar, molasses, cola, sugar cane, vanilla, cream soda, rum punch, mint, herbs.

Palate: Molasses, honey, maple syrup, creamy, dates, peach, apple, floral, cinnamon, clove, pepper, eucaluptus, oak, hint of allspice.

Finish: Allspice, clove, pepper, soft, mellow.


Silver Medal
   Silver medal



Local Choice Pixie Spiced Rum





Corsair Spiced Rum
(Kentucky, US)

Aroma: Brown sugar, molasses, buttery, licorice, cardamom, clove, cinnamon, allspice, herbal, lemon, citrus, pine.

Palate: Cinnamon, clove, coriander, pepper, spicy, anise, grassy, vanilla, fresh wood, oak.

Finish: Mint, orange, cinnamon, clove, tarragon, pepper, buttered rum.


Silver Medal
   Silver medal



Corsair Spiced Rum





Black Coral Spiced Rum
(Florida, US)

Aroma: Molasses, butterscotch, caramel, vanilla cream, buttery, cream, maple syrup, banana, apple cider, orange, date, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, mocha, nutmeg, clove, hay, rice.

Palate: Butterscotch, caramel, treacle, cream, vanilla, walnut, almond, marzipan, coffee, chocolate, sweet baking spice, cinnamon, black cardamom, pepper, woody, clean, well balanced.

Finish: Caramel, cream, butter, mocha, coffee, cocoa, hay, spicy, nutmeg.


Silver Medal
   Silver medal



Black Coral Spiced Rum





Daufuskie Island Spiced Rum
(South Carolina, US)

Aroma: Date, dried fruit, cream custard, cream soda, floral, sandalwood, mown lawn, anise, peppermint, cola, cocoa, nutty, leather, wood, cork.

Palate: Citrus, mint, peppermint, eucalyptus, clove, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, anise, black licorice.

Finish: Pepper, clove, nutmeg, allspice, flavorful.


Silver Medal
   Silver medal



Daufuskie Island Spiced Rum



FLAVORED RUM TASTING RESULTS:

GOLD MEDAL WINNERS

Blue Chair Bay Coconut Spiced Rum
(Barbados)

Aroma: Coconut, coconut syrup, buttery, butterscotch, sugar, cinnamon notes.

Palate: Candied coconut, Coco Lopez, cotton candy, creamy, hint of pineapple.

Finish: Lovely coconut.


Gold Medal
   Gold medal



Blue Chair Bay Coconut Spiced Rum



Rumson's Coffee Rum
(Massachusetts, US)

Aroma: Molasses, maple, burnt sugar, crackerjack, vanilla, butter, mocha, coffee, coffee bean, espresso, brewed coffee, dark coffee, cocoa, chocolate, triple sec.

Palate: Honey, fruitcake, buttery, vanilla, mocha, café au lait, coffee, espresso, chocolate, cocoa, clove, tobacco, flavorful, very mixable.

Finish: Sweet coffee, black coffee, pepper, spicy, rich, warm, well-balanced.


Gold Medal
   Gold medal



Rumson's Coffee Flavored Rum



Dictador Rum Orange 100 Rum
(Colombia)

Aroma: Butterscotch, burnt molasses, sunset orange, orange peel, orange blossom, orange, pineapple, citrus, fruity, clove, allspice, flan, clean, bright.

Palate: Orange, lemon, tangerine, citrus, Fanta, triple sec, almond, spicy, allspice, tobacco, toast, sweet, complex, nice for straight drinking, elegant.

Finish: Orange, bitter orange, citrus, spicy, clean, great.


Gold Medal
   Gold medal



Dictador Rum Orange 100 Rum



Blue Chair Bay Banana Rum
(Barbados)

Aroma: Caramel, praline, butterscotch, banana, coconut, toasted coconut, cinnamon, nutmeg, mint, spearmint.

Palate: Vanilla, sweet cane, caramel, butterscotch, coconut, candied pecan, praline, pineapple, banana, pear, coffee, nutmeg, mint, tea.

Finish: Custard, banana. tea.


Gold Medal
   Gold medal



Blue Chair Bay Banana Rum



Blue Chair Bay Coconut Rum
(Barbados)

Aroma: Coconut, chocolate, cocoa powder, butterscotch, hint of vanilla.

Palate: Coconut, toasted coconut, dates, sugar, chocolate, cream, buttery, toast.

Finish: Coconut, caramel, clean, smooth.


Gold Medal
   Gold medal



Blue Chair Bay Coconut Rum



SILVER MEDAL WINNER

Gubba Silver Organic Coconut Rum
(Massachusetts, US)

Aroma: Sugar cane, meringue, 7 Up, subtle citrus, faint coconut.

Palate: Coconut, coconut syrup, citrus, floral, grass, natural flavor, excellent base rum.

Finish: Lemon, lime, herbal, grassy, spicy, soft.


Silver Medal
   Silver medal



Gubba Silver Organic Coconut Rum

 


 

What is spiced rum?
The history of Spiced Rum is vague, but today's style began when the former president of Seagram’s Sam Bronfman visited the Caribbean in the 1940s, and was suddenly enamored by the flavors of spiced rum. He then proceeded to buy a distillery in Jamaica, as well as a rum recipe from two local pharmacists, the Levy Brothers. That unique recipe featured the flavors that inspired Captain Morgan Spiced Rum. We are currently in the midst of a spiced rum explosion, with close to 100 brands being produced worldwide.

 

 

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