Exploring Aged Rum

Rum, with its base of fermented sugarcane—in the form of molasses, sugarcane juice, or cane syrup, depending on the style—and roots in the Caribbean, is often associated with sweet tropical drinks enjoyed on vacation. And for good reason: Mai Tais are delicious! But there’s a wide world of barrel-aged rums out there that have quite a bit more in common with whisky; they are meant to be sipped and savored just as you would a coveted bourbon or scotch.

“Much like scotch, rum is aged in second-fill bourbon and American whiskey barrels—approximately 99% of rums have been aged that way since the 1940s, after it became a requirement for bourbon to be aged in new charred [oak] barrels,” notes Alexandre Gabriel, owner of and master blender for Maison Ferrand and the Barbados-based West Indies Rum Distillery, which produces the Planteray (formerly Plantation) line of rums.

Gabriel adds that double aging is also very common in rum production. “Double aging is a historical way of aging rum: Rum was first aged in its country of origin—called tropical aging—then carried in its barrels by boat to undergo a secondary aging—called continental aging—usually by the coast, either in France or in the UK, where it would age further in local barrels such as madeira, port, cognac, and armagnac.”

Many of the flavors an aged rum gets from the barrel will be familiar to whisky drinkers, including vanilla, spice, and oak. But beyond the barrel notes there are many other intriguing flavors that will differ depending on several factors, including raw materials, length of fermentation, and country of origin—just as whisky flavors differ depending on these same factors.

“If it’s a full-bodied, rich molasses rum, you’re going to have, for example, ripe fruit-forward elements such as pineapple, mango, banana, and very exotic dried fruit elements, all of which will intertwine with vanilla and light elements of coconut, and of course the sweet molasses notes,” Gabriel says. “If it’s a pot still rum, you could have more raw chocolate and ginger notes intertwined with the elements of the wood.”

Gabriel adds that aging rum is about accentuating the flavors of the spirit that are developed mostly during fermentation and distillation. “It’s like polishing a piece of wood to make the grain shine; it’s not another layer that’s going to be put on,” he says. “It’s really an element where you bring forward the characteristic of the rum—you don’t add main characteristics, you just make it shine.”

For a whisky drinker experiencing aged rum for the first time, Gabriel advises recognizing that you’re entering a new world. “It’s important to look at rum for what it is, the same way that you look at whisky for what it is,” he says. “Whisky drinkers have a very educated palate for spirits, so actually, the bridge between the two is easy and very enjoyable. You may want to start with a rum that’s more wood-forward and go from there. Start with a Barbados rum, for example. Barbados is going to be elegant, balanced, with elements of molasses and slightly sweeter notes of vanilla. Then you can compare this with a Jamaican rum, which will have exotic rich fruit notes. If you really want to blow your mind, compare these with a rum from Fiji, which will be extremely structured and rich. Then you’ll get it. It’s a whole new world of adventure for people who are fascinated by taste experiences, and rum has so much to offer for that.”

5 Aged Rums to Try

Brugal 1888 Doblemente Añejado, 40%, $45

This molasses-based rum from the Dominican Republic is first aged in bourbon barrels for up to 8 years and then in first-fill oloroso sherry casks. The mouthfeel is full-bodied, with flavors of sweet toffee and vanilla balanced by peach, cocoa, and cloves, leading to a long-lasting finish with a hint of honey.

Chairman’s Reserve Legacy, 43%, $43

This St. Lucian rum is a blend of two column still molasses rums aged 5-6 years, one pot still sugarcane juice rum aged 5 years, and two pot still molasses rums aged 6 years, all aged in bourbon barrels. Crème brûlée, sultana, vanilla, and candied ginger flavors lead to an intense, complex, and lingering finish.

Planteray O.F.T.D. Overproof, 69%, $32/1 liter

This “Old Fashioned Traditional Dark” rum is a pot still-driven blend of molasses rums, double-aged in bourbon barrels and cognac casks, including a Barbadian rum aged 2-5 years, Guyanese rum aged 1-2 years, and two Jamaican high-ester rums, one aged 1-2 years and other aged 10-15 years—all blended for 3-6 months in a wooden vat in southwest France. The palate bursts with caramel cream, chocolate, and vanilla, plus cinnamon, raisins, nutmeg, oak, and molasses, with smoky accents. The long finish offers dark chocolate, clove, and caramel.

Santa Teresa 1796 Speyside Whisky Cask Finish, 46%, $60

Venezuela’s oldest rum brand, this limited-edition bottling begins as the flagship solera-aged molasses rum—a blend of column still and pot still rums aged between 4 and 35 years in bourbon barrels—that is then aged for up to 13 months in Speyside whisky casks. Flavors of toffee and cane syrup blend with apricot, dried fruit, almonds, and dark chocolate, then malted barley and wood, with a hint of smoke and a lasting dry finish with tingling black pepper.

Zacapa No. 23, 40%, $50

This Guatemalan rum is a blend of 6 to 23 year old solera-aged rums made from virgin sugarcane syrup that is aged in American whiskey, sherry, and Pedro Ximénez wine barrels. The full-bodied palate offers dried fruit, apricot, savory oak, nutmeg, leather, and tobacco, plus coffee and vanilla, balanced with a touch of cinnamon and ginger.