The Gift of Rum

I hear it all the time. “So and so is so hard to buy for, I have no idea what to get them for Christmas or any other gift giving occasion.” Have no fear, RumShopRyan is here!

If the person you’re buying for likes good rum (Who doesn’t?!), then I have the perfect list of gift ideas for you.

I just got back from Total Wine & More to do a little rum research. Here are some rums and their prices that I think would make excellent gifts. Pricing is always relative, so I kept these rum gift ideas between $35 – $99 dollars.

Let’s get to it!

Plantation Rums – Barbados

You can never go wrong with Plantation Rum. It is consistently rated as one of the better rums on the market. I’m a fan of the Plantation Barbados price at $46.99 and their 20 Year Anniversary edition.

Papa’s Pilar Rum – Key West

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Papa’s Pilar Rums. How can you not be! The rum is a somewhat of a new-comer to the market, but you could never tell by the taste.  This rum is branded after Ernest Hemingway and his unique lifestyle of adventure. Here you can see the the brand’s Dark Rum and their limited edition Sherry Finished Rum. Both are amazing rums and will make a fantastic gift.

Also, the Papa’s Pilar Rum Distillery is back open in Key West! It was shut down do to repairs following Hurricane Irma, but it’s back open and giving tours. Go check it out if you find yourself in the Conch Republic!

Don Pancho Rum – Panama

Don Pancho, or Francisco Jose Fernadez Perex, is a Cuban born rum maker. He spent over 50 years learning, researching and perfecting the craft of making rum. But after making rums for his customers for so long, he decided it was time to put his name on a bottle. Don Pancho Origenes 8 or 18 will make a great gift for any rum drinker or collector. And if you can find it, the Origenes 30 year old, jump on it! It’s a little pricy though. It’s going to set you back anywhere between $345 to $$420.

Mount Gay Extra Old – Barbados

Mount Gay is one of the oldest rum brands in the world. I think they actually claim to be the oldest, which means they know a thing or two about making good rum. Mount Gay Extra Old is a great sipping rum at a relatively low price point. This makes a great gift for anyone who is just getting into sipping good rums.

Angostura – Trinidad & Tobago

I absolutely love Angostura Rums. They have a smooth yet bold flavor, making them great rums to sip. The Angostura 1919 and the 1824 are my favorites.

Appleton Estate – Jamaica

No rum list is complete without adding a little Appleton to it. Here you can see the Appleton Estate 12 priced at an affordable $34. This is a good sipping rum and can be used for some top-shelf cocktails. This was the oldest they had at Total Wine, but Appleton definitely has rums aged even longer that will blow your socks off. One of those being the Appleton Estate 21, priced at $149.

El Dorado Rums – Guyana

El Dorado Rums are another brand you just can’t go wrong with. During the rum tasting competitions I’ve been a judge in, El Dorado 15 and 21 consistently place in the top 3.

Caribbean Rums You Can’t Buy In Stores

With any gift, it’s the thought that goes into it that means the most. If you like to bring island rums home with you when vacationing in the Caribbean, pick up a couple extra bottles of those hard to find bottles. Local rums make great additions to any collection and probably have a good story to go with it from the giver. Like, “I was stranded on Jost this one time, so I spent the night hanging with Foxy at his bar and we drank Fire Water Rum till the sun came up!” Sign me up for a story like that!

I hope this list of rums will help you with your gift giving this season. If you have any questions or want to know about any other rums, feel free to message me on the RumShopRyan Facebook page.

Cheers!

RumShopRyan