In this article, we are going to discuss the 15 best rums for beginners in 2024. If you are short on time, you can see the Number 1 Rum for Beginners here.
Many of the finest rums are made in the Caribbean. Sugarcane was introduced to that part of the globe in the late 1400s by Europeans, and it quickly took root. Colonialists started sugar plantations that used forced labor by enslaved people from Africa, and from these plantations came rum. The spirit’s popularity quickly spread to Colonial North America. It is estimated that prior to the American Revolutionary War, the men and women of the American colonies were drinking an average of three imperial gallons of rum each year.
Global Rum Market:
As we mentioned in our article – 20 Best Rums in 2024 – the global rum market was estimated at $17.4 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $24.5 billion by 2033, with a CAGR of 3.5% during the forecast period.
Rum is building momentum and getting more popular in U.S.A. Today, the category is one of the most steadily growing and continues to benefit from several intersecting popularity shifts. In recent years, distillers have experimented with flavored rums, making the category much more versatile in offerings, and so today, flavored and spiced offerings account for over 57% of all rums sold.
Recent Developments in the Rum Industry:
The growth of premium rum has also been reflected in the merger and acquisition space recently. It was announced last year that Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B) had completed the acquisition of the Diplomático Rum brand and related assets from Destillers United Group S.L. (Spain), for an estimated $725 million. The spirits giant announced its agreement to purchase the brand in October 2022, giving it an entry into the growing super-premium rum category.
As part of the acquisition, Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B) added a Panama-based aging, bottling, and shipping production facility to the company. Destillers United Group S.L. will continue to produce and age the unique, carefully-crafted, and complex Diplomático Rum in their original distillery at the foot of the Andes mountains.
Shares of Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B) were held by 30 hedge funds at the end of Q1 2024. Fundsmith LLP held the largest stake of almost 11.46 shares, valued at $591.5 million.
Another industry giant that has recently been busy making deals in the rum industry is Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO). It was announced in 2023 that the spirits behemoth has completed the acquisition of the Don Papa Rum brand. The upfront consideration was $276 million, with a further potential consideration of up to $188.6 million through to 2028 subject to performance, reflecting the brand’s current growth potential. Available in over 30 countries worldwide, Don Papa Small Batch Rum is a super-premium dark rum from the Philippines.
Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) made headlines recently after it announced new plans to trial sustainable paper bottles to hold its Irish Cream Liqueur Baileys. The company has partnered with PA Consulting and PulPac to trial a dry molded fiber bottle which is 90% paper, with a thin plastic liner and a foil seal. Alongside this, the spirits giant is also developing an original spiral-wound paper-based bottle with its Don Papa rum brand. The bottle is in feasibility testing and is expected to be 90% paper-based.
The stock of DEO was also held by 30 hedge funds at the end of Q1 2024 in the Insider Monkey database, with a collective stake value of around $634.21 million. Orbis Investment Management boasted the largest stake of a little over 1.54 million shares, valued at $229.2 million.
Both Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B) and Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO) are ranked among the Most Valuable Alcohol Companies in the World.
With that said, here are the Best Rums to Try for Your First Time.
Methodology:
To collect data for this article, we have referred to a number of sources, such as RumX, Master of Malt, Tasting Table, Reddit etc., looking for the Best Rums for Beginners. To make sure we give you the best of the best, we shortlisted rums that appeared multiple times in the aforementioned sources, assigned them a score of 1 each time they were recommended on these websites, and then summed up the scores and ranked our list accordingly. When two or more rums had the same score, we ranked them by the price (excluding tax) of their 750 ml bottles.
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15. Plantation Barbados 5 Years
Insider Monkey Score: 3
This subtle and tropical Barbadian-style rum is first aged in American oak barrels for three to four years, and then in Ferrand French oak casks for another one to two years. While it is great for sipping on its own, it is also a great rum for mixing into cocktails.
Available in over 68 countries around the world, the Plantation Rum brand is owned by Maison Ferrand. It was announced recently that the famed brand is finally undergoing the name change that it first promised way back in June 2020. The new name – Planteray Rum – ‘pays homage to sugarcane, the PLANT that gives birth to the rum, and the sun’s RAYs that are essential for sugarcane growth and ripening’.
14. Rhum J.M V.S.O.P.
Insider Monkey Score: 4
A favorite amongst the biggest rum connoisseurs in the world, the V.S.O.P is first aged in spent Bourbon barrels for three years, before being matured in lightly burned new American oak barrels for an additional year. Thanks to its pronounced fruity notes and sweetness, the Rhum J.M V.S.O.P. is one of the Best Rum for Newcomers According to Reddit.
Since 1845, Rhum J.M has been regarded as one of the Caribbean’s most prestigious rum brands, and is also included in our list of the Highest Quality Rums in the World.
13. Bacardí Reserva Ocho Rum
Insider Monkey Score: 4
Made from a blend of rums aged between 8 and 16 years, Bacardí Reserva Ocho is a complex golden offering with a deep, layered, and mellow flavor of dried fruits, spices, and oaky vanilla.
Bacardí announced earlier in April that it had inked its biggest celeb deal yet, with the Grammy-nominated artist Camila Cabello as the global face of the brand. All in all, about 26% of spirit drinkers in the United States drink Bacardí.
12. The Real McCoy 12 Year Old
Insider Monkey Score: 5
Named after the famed rum runner whose Prohibition spirit was renowned for its quality, The Real McCoy 12 is a small batch single blended rum artisan crafted in copper stills and authentically aged for 12 years in American oak Bourbon barrels with no added sugar or flavor.. Constellation Brands acquired a minority stake in The Real McCoy rum brand in 2018.
11. R. L. Seale’s 10 Year Old Rum
Insider Monkey Score: 5
Distilled and blended at the Foursquare Distillery in Barbados, this is an excellent rum aged for a minimum of ten years in oak barrels, and bottled by Richard Seale – arguably the greatest rum maker in the world.
10. Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum
Insider Monkey Score: 6
Distilled and bottled for nearly 200 years in Jamaica, this highly potent spirit is handcrafted in the Caribbean country’s Nassau Valley, produced via small batch distillation, and un-aged at 125.5 proof.
Established in 1825, J. Wray & Nephew (JWN) was acquired by the Italian Campari Group in 2012, in a deal worth $415 million. Wray & Nephew is not only popular in its home country, but is also the Top-Selling High Strength Rum in the World.
9. Appleton Estate Signature Blend
Insider Monkey Score: 7
Crafted with Jamaican limestone-filtered water and no added flavors, Appleton Estate Signature Blend is a delicious blend of pot and column still rums, aged for an average of 4 years. Mildly sweet and full-bodied, this is a Great Entry Level Rum in 2024.
With 255,000 9-liter cases sold in America in 2021, Appleton Estate ranks among the Most Popular Rum Brands in the U.S.
8. El Dorado 15 Year Old
Insider Monkey Score: 8
The El Dorado 15 is made by marrying spirits from the EHP Wooden Coffey, the Metal Coffey, the Port Mourant Double Wooden Pot Still, and the Versailles Single Wooden Pot Still. All the spirits are blended and then aged in Bourbon oak casks before bottling. This remarkable expression won the award for the Best Rum in the World at the International Wine & Spirits Challenge for an unprecedented four years running.
7. Smith & Cross Jamaica Rum
Insider Monkey Score: 8
A mix of heavy-bodied Wedderburn style rum and medium-bodied Plummer, this exceptional Jamaican rum has not been chill-filtered in order to retain its full flavor. Included among the Top 10 Rums for Novice Drinkers, this pure pot still expression delivers a tour de force of flavor that historically made it a cornerstone of classic rum drinks.
6. Doorly’s 12 Year Old Gold Rum
Insider Monkey Score: 9
Produced at the iconic Foursquare distillery in Barbados, Doorly’s 12 is a blend of rums, 90% aged for 12 years in Kentucky Bourbon and 10% aged for 12 years in Madeira cask. R. L. Seale acquired Doorly’s in 1993 and, in keeping its history, decided that it would become an export brand.
With its initial hint of sweetness and the dry oaked flavor, Doorly’s 12 Year Old ranks 6th in our list of Best Rums for First Timers.
5. Mount Gay XO Triple Cask Blended Rum
Insider Monkey Score: 10
Mount Gay Rum, the oldest, most storied rum in the world, has been produced in Barbados with passion and unparalleled craftsmanship since 1703, thus earning it the title ‘the rum that invented rum’. This beautifully round and complex expression is a fine blend of pot and column still rums matured in a combination of American whiskey, Bourbon, and Cognac casks, and then bottled at 43% ABV. A great rum to drink straight over ice, Mount Gay XO Triple Cask is included among the Top 5 Best Rums for Beginners in our list.
In 1989, the French spirits company Rémy-Cointreau acquired the majority ownership in Mount Gay Distilleries, Ltd, and still owns the brand to this day. The alcohol giant has invested heavily in Mount Gay over the last decade, including a $19 million refinery in 2014 and a $9.7 million plantation the following year.
4. Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva
Insider Monkey Score: 11
Marrying a unique body with excellent balance, this multi-award winning, refined, and elegant blend of exclusive rums is a true reference for fine spirits lovers throughout the world. Due to its sweet and easy-going nature, the Reserva Exclusiva is ideal for someone taking their first steps into the world of rum.
Hailing from Venezuela, the super premium Diplomático rum brand was awarded Wine Enthusiast’s prestigious ‘Spirit Brand of the Year’ accolade in 2018 – the first-ever rum to win in this category. Distributed in over 100 countries around the globe, Diplomático Rum consists of three ranges of complex rums, including the Traditional Range, Prestige Range, and the Distillery Collection.
3. El Dorado 12 Year Old
Insider Monkey Score: 12
A blend of several barrels aged for a minimum of 12 years, the El Dorado 12 possesses a rich fruity bouquet of explosive flavors, owing largely to the estery richness acquired from the EHP Wooden Coffey and Metal Coffey Stills.
Since its launch, El Dorado has produced a range of rums aged from 3 to 25 years old. Run by Demerara distillers, the Guyanese brand has shown significant growth in recent years and is now an internationally recognized producer of award-winning rums with a range of 20 varieties.
2. Doorly’s XO Rum
Insider Monkey Score: 14
Produced in Barbados by master distiller Richard Seale, this is a beautifully dark-colored blended rum aged for at least 6 years and finished in Oloroso sherry casks before bottling.
Originally registered in 1908 and then acquired by R. L. Seale in 1993, Doorly’s is synonymous with Barbadian rum history.
1. Appleton Estate 12 Year Old Rare Casks Rum
Insider Monkey Score: 16
A true expression of Master Blender Joy Spence’s passion, this single estate spirit is made from hand-selected, rare golden rums aged for a minimum of 12 years in the tropical climate of Jamaica. Perfect for sipping or mixing into extraordinary cocktails, AE 12 Rare Casks is the No. 1 Rum for Beginners in our list.
Appleton Estate, the oldest sugar estate and distillery in Jamaica, produces over 10 million liters of rum annually, 80% of which is destined to be exported.
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