It’s gift giving season once again so that means it’s also time for our Holiday Gift Guides! As is the case each year, we’ve done the “tough” part of tasting to make our recommendations. To make your shopping excursions a bit easier, we’ve organized our lists by category and price. Furthermore, we’ve made suggestions on who on your shopping lists we thought the picks would best suit.
For our rum gift guide you can expect to see various rum styles like silver, aged, and spiced as well as rhum agricole picks which are made with fresh sugarcane juice. On the whole, most of our picks are widely available without any super rare releases suggested. Also, in addition to rum releases that are new for 2023, we’ve also included some core expressions you can find year-round.
Please note that prices listed for our Rum Gift Guide are the suggested retail price (SRP) for purchases in the US. Of course, prices may vary depending on your location. Happy shopping!
Budget Rum Picks (Under $40)
Botran No. 12 Ron de Guatemala
$24.99
What to Know: The first press of sugarcane (aka virgin sugar cane honey) is used for distillation rather than traditional molasses. For the No. 12, rums aged 5-12 years are blended that have matured in American whiskey and sherry casks.
Tasting Notes: mix of sweet dried fruits, caramel and sweet cola spices lead to a medium-sweet finish
Best gift for: A friend looking to stock their home bar with a crowd pleaser
Other Budget Rum Options: Chairman’s Reserve Original Rum $30, Flor de Cana 4 Extra Seco $15
Beginner Rum Picks (Under $50)
Brugal 1888 Doblemente Añejado
$45
What to Know: This rum is made with a double cask aging process using both sherry and bourbon barrels. Founded in the Dominican Republic in 1888, Brugal celebrates the 135th anniversary of its founding this year.
Tasting Notes: candied fruits, coffee, and tobacco along with rich sherry notes and a woody, earthy background
Best Gift for: your younger sibling looking to graduate from shots to sips.
Other Beginner Rum Options: El Dorado 12 Year $34, Ten to One Caribbean White Rum $30
Aficionado Rum Picks (Under $100)
Santa Teresa 1796 Speyside Whiskey Cask Finish
$49.99
What to Know: Taking inspiration from Venezuela and the Scottish Highlands, Santa Teresa Maestra Ronera Nancy Duarte finished maturing the rum for an additional 13 months in casks which previously held Speyside whisky.
Tasting Notes: salted caramel espresso notes with dried fruits, sweet spices and a roasty finish
Best Gift for: a loved one who prefers obscure finds rather than the most popular labels
Other Aficionado Rum Picks: Clément 10 Year Grand Reserve $89.99, Equiano Rum $59.99
Santa Teresa 1796 Speyside Whiskey Cask Finish /Photo Credit: Santa Teresa
Splurge Rum Picks (Over $100)
Mount Gay Single Estate Series 23_01
$400
What to Know: This is the first edition in Mount Gay’s Single Estate Series which celebrates Barbados and its history. This release is blended from rums from the 2016 and 2017 sugarcane harvests from the brand’s own estate in Barbados.
Tasting Notes: dark vanilla, molasses and dried fruit along with an herbal top note flavors with a lightly sweet, tangy profile
Best Gift for: your significant other who is growing their rum collection.
Other Splurge Rum Picks: Diplomatico Ambassador $275, Appleton Estate 17 Year Legend $500,
Rum Picks for Mixing Cocktails:
Canerock Jamaican Spiced Rum
$30
What to Know: Canerock is a spiced rum from Maison Ferrand featuring 100% Jamaican aged rums. The natural spices used here are vanilla from Madagascar, coconuts from the Caribbean, and ginger from Jamaica.
Tasting Notes: sweet and rich with sherry, coconut cream, molasses and spice
Best gift for: your co-worker who likes to shake things up!
Other Rum Picks for Mixing Cocktails: Rhum J.M Agricole Blanc White Rum 40% $35.99, Banks Rum Golden Age 7 $40
With Distiller, you’ll always know what’s in the bottle before you spend a cent. Rate, Review and Discover spirits! Head on over to Distiller, or download the app for iOS and Android today!
