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Rum vs. Scotch

Started by Merlin, January 07, 2011, 04:06:55 PM

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Merlin

I'm a scotch drinker... not sure I've had rum more than a couple times in college and I'm thinking of taking the rum-plunge.

Why?

Rum sounds like a fun thing to drink. LOTS of paytrons drink it. It must be good....right?

So let's discuss it here and decide which rum I should try. Now... granted... just because you like it in no way means I will like it based only on "It's good" so please help me pick one.

The scotch I drink is only single malt. My faves are Highland Park 18 and 12, Aberfeldy 21, Balvenie 21, and Macallan. What makes one scotch better or different than another?
Some are fruitier, some have more of a wood flavour, some are just smoother.
What makes 1 rum better than another and which brand leans which way?

Do you drink the rum straight up (neat).... on ice.... mixed with soda?

Which rums are better mixed...which better straight up?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Plus it's fun to talk about rum when getting ready for fair ! ! !
Anál nathrach- Breath of serpent
Orth' bháis 's bethad- Spell of death and of life
Do chél dénmha- Thy omen of making

Merlin the Elder

When I was your age, son—several centuries ago—I would drink the cheap stuff... Big mistake.  Your taste in good Scotch should carry over to good rum. But since I am a sour-mash (there can be only one...Jack of Daniels) wizard, I can offer little guidance.

When I did drink rum, it was as a Cuba Libre. Be assured that a proper Cuba Libre can only be made with Coca Cola, and that comes from the US court system! Really!
Living life in the slow lane
ROoL #116; the Jack of Daniels; AARP #7; SS# 000-00-0013
I've upped my standards. Now, up yours.
...and may all your babies be born naked...

Merlin

Crap.... dad caught me drinking...again!

I'm not a snob but I really only like "the good stuff" which usually means "the expensive stuff".

Many a time I've had a friend tell me.."You gotta try this stuff...it's better than Glen-whatever" and I sip it and I WANT to like it...but I never do.

Scotch is a weird drink.... the differences in one from another are HUGE.

Are rums the same way? I mean...is Bicardi (sp) really different from Captain Morgan?

In whiskey... I can tell the difference in my dads stash of Jack Daniels and Crown Royal but I like them both equally as much. One is Tennessee whiskey and the other is Canadian but they are somewhat similar and both tasty. Once mixed with coke.... the difference is minimal. (I know... whiskey drinkers swear there's a big difference but I bartended through college and trust me...after 2 drinks, they don't know the difference)

Anál nathrach- Breath of serpent
Orth' bháis 's bethad- Spell of death and of life
Do chél dénmha- Thy omen of making

Merlin the Elder

Good liquor is all about quality. I don't care much for Scotch in general, but like an expensive single-malt.

Jack Daniels is a sour-mash whiskey, while Crown is a bourbon (blended, I believe). Just as you (and I) can discern the differrence between Chevas Regal (now I know it's a cheap scotch!) and something as tasty as Macallan, JD and Crown, to me, are as different as Otis Knight and Susan Dey (and I can tell the difference in Coke, even after a couple, unless they are really weak).  Jack Daniels single barrel is a superb, albeit not particularly smooth, whiskey. It has a distinctive bite, but my gawd, it is so good!  Gentleman Jack is—well, as Col Potter would say, "there aren't enough O's in smooth to describe it!"  I used to drink a lot of Canadian Club...I can't get it down anymore.

There are some real rum drinkers out here.  We need to hear from them. 
Living life in the slow lane
ROoL #116; the Jack of Daniels; AARP #7; SS# 000-00-0013
I've upped my standards. Now, up yours.
...and may all your babies be born naked...

The Rabbi

My personal favorite would be Whalers Rum a bit hard to find herabouts but they have a Vanilla Rum that mixes very well with Coke. Personal opinion if you mix Rum it only mixes with coke. I do not care for dark or spiced rums but a buttered rum on occasions is rather nice. Of course I am also of the opinion that grease is good butter is better. Bacardi is a decent rum but I have never aquired a taste for Captain Morgan but again Ive only had Morgans spiced and as I stated do not care for spiced rum. I would recomend a clear Bacardi for a start and then Whalers flavored Rums. Coke is a must.
My sanity is not lost I sent it away
Proud member of FOKTOP

bran_gray

Where's Teach when you need him  ???

brier patch charlie

I go with  Scotch, I like it with a very lite peat and smokey taste. Rum to me has a taste that is like drinking cough syrup.
Charles Coleman

Amyj

I'm not the expert Teach is, but I have earned the nickname "Ms. Rum" at our local faire, so I will put my 2 shots in.... I only know spiced or dark rums, and I don't mix, so my opinions are for "sippers"...but:

I like Captain Morgan Private Stock when I am wanting a sweeter, more "molassesy" spiced rum.  It doesn't seem to be good for rum & coke...but it's fantastic in hot cocoa! 

Pyrate XO is my "go to rum".  To me, it's complex...I get a burst of citrus, then a light mollasses taste and a spicy, almost black peppery finish.  (my sweetie and I got the Pyrate Cask 1623 once and it is even better, but expensive...XO is affordable and a pretty dead-on sub).

Goslings Black is pretty good...to me it was not as sweet as Captain, and had an almost....coffee? chocolate? woody?  flavor...hard to describe...It was an interesting taste...good for a diversion, but not a go-to.

I personally prefer my rum room temp (or should I say from-the-flask-that-has-been-carried-around-faire temp)...but I would suggest experimenting, rums have different nuances (or whatever the term is) at different temps.

(I have been told that for mixing rum & cokes, Admiral Nelson spiced rum is a good, economical alternative to regular Captain Morgan spiced...but I didn't find it to be as good straight up)

I recently got some rum in Nassau (Ole Nassau Dark and Ole Nassau Coconut, Appelton Estate Reserve and Fire In De Hole "Erotic Rum"...I'll let y'all know how those go...gonna need to do a tasting party.

Anyhoo, there you go. :)
I'm not fat, it's just that a skinny body couldn't hold ALL THIS PERSONALITY! ;)
Historically Accur-ISH

Zardoz

I was gonna reply to this thread but Merlin said everything I would have!


Quote from: Merlin the Elder on January 07, 2011, 04:55:23 PM
Good liquor is all about quality. I don't care much for Scotch in general, but like an expensive single-malt.

Jack Daniels is a sour-mash whiskey, while Crown is a bourbon (blended, I believe). Just as you (and I) can discern the differrence between Chevas Regal (now I know it's a cheap scotch!) and something as tasty as Macallan, JD and Crown, to me, are as different as Otis Knight and Susan Dey (and I can tell the difference in Coke, even after a couple, unless they are really weak).  Jack Daniels single barrel is a superb, albeit not particularly smooth, whiskey. It has a distinctive bite, but my gawd, it is so good!  Gentleman Jack is—well, as Col Potter would say, "there aren't enough O's in smooth to describe it!"  I used to drink a lot of Canadian Club...I can't get it down anymore.

There are some real rum drinkers out here.  We need to hear from them. 

About the only rum we keep around the house is Railean http://www.railean.com/home.html ,
We use it to make Sailor Jacks, a shot of rum and a shot of Jack Daniels in a pint glass of Coke  ;D
"Pants are for guys with ugly legs"
Member of Clan McLotofus,
IBRSC# 1619,
As seen in Renaissance Magazine

*Teach*

Scotch is ok when there there isn't rum available...

There are a ton of rum options though that just don't work with scotch. With rum you can have straight, flavored or in elebenty bajillion different mixed drinks.
My favorite straight rum is Pyrate XO reserve based on a combo of price and taste. My favorite just for flat out incredible taste has a new winner though, Ron Zacapa Centenario 23. Hands down the best rum I have ever had but definitely on the pricey side.
Flavored rums were an awesome invention. When it comes to mixing a quick drink nothing compares to the simplicity of coconut rum and Mountain Dew. For those of you who think I am crazy, try it. You will be quite amazed. I mix mine about 1 part rum to two parts Dew but I like a LOT of rum in my drinks. I have tried every flavored rum I can get my hands on and like most of them. The ones I don't like are the mango kind of things. Just not my taste there. At faire I usually start off with a fifth of either coconut or vanilla rum stashed on my person for mixing with soda during the day. I am not a huge beer drinker and paying faire beer prices galls me. Soda I am willing to pay for. Scotch does mix with soda but to me it always has an odd twang when you do that so... I don't.
As for mixed drinks... scotch just can't compare. Yes there are mixed drinks that use scotch but by flat out numbers the amount of mixed drinks made with rum far exceeds scotch. If I am at a new bar the first drink I ask for is a Hurricane. That is my standard bartender test. If they make that one well then I will just ask them to make me a mixed drink with rum in it and let the surprises happen. I can't begin to tell you how many new rum drinks I have found with that method.
OK all that being said here are a few rum recommendations:
Ron Zacapa Centenario 23- Pricey but the best sipping rum I have found ever
Pyrate XO reserve- Excellent sipping rum and a decent  price
Captain Morgan Private Stock- My "go to" for spiced rum if I am not mixing with soda
Sailor Jerry- My "go to" spiced rum for when I AM mixing it with soda
Parrot bay Coconut- My favorite flavored. Excellent with hot chocolate on a cold faire morning.

*Pyrat Cask 23 is also an incredibly wonderful sipping rum but I refuse to pay the kind of prices (275-500 bucks) it demands for a bottle that wont last past the first day in my house*
*Got more Rum?* "Here, Try This!"
http://forums.wearephoenixrisen.com

DonaCatalina

Quote from: Merlin on January 07, 2011, 04:06:55 PM
So let's discuss it here and decide which rum I should try. Now... granted... just because you like it in no way means I will like it based only on "It's good" so please help me pick one.

The scotch I drink is only single malt. My faves are Highland Park 18 and 12, Aberfeldy 21, Balvenie 21, and Macallan. What makes one scotch better or different than another?
Some are fruitier, some have more of a wood flavour, some are just smoother.
What makes 1 rum better than another and which brand leans which way?

Plus it's fun to talk about rum when getting ready for fair ! ! !
Quality aged Rums are judged pretty much in the same way that brandies are.
White Rums are generally light-bodied (although there are a few heavy-bodied White Rums in the French islands). They are usually clear and have a very subtle flavor profile. If they are aged in oak casks to create a smooth palate they are then usually filtered to remove any color. White Rums are primarily used as mixers and blend particularly well with fruit flavors.

Golden Rums, also known as Amber Rums, are generally medium-bodied. Most have spent several years aging in oak casks, which give them smooth, mellow palates.

Dark Rums are traditionally full-bodied, rich, caramel-dominated Rums. The best are produced mostly from pot stills and frequently aged in oak casks for extended periods. The richest of these Rums are consumed straight up.

Añejo and Age-Dated Rums are aged Rums much in the same manner of age dated single malt whiskeys. Does that help?
Aurum peccamenes multifariam texit
Marquesa de Trives
Portrait Goddess

Merlin the Elder

Quote from: *Teach* on January 08, 2011, 09:20:56 AM
....When it comes to mixing a quick drink nothing compares to the simplicity of coconut rum and Mountain Dew. For those of you who think I am crazy, try it....

I no longer question questionable mixers. I jumped on my wife's back for desecrating Jack Daniels by mixing with Fresca. Now I use Fresca as often as I use Coke as a mixer...when I mix.  I love straight, but it's easier on my stomach with a mixer. But back to the story, Fresca makes for a really quick-and-dirty whiskey sour type highball. And it saves me a few calories so I can watch my girlish figure...
Living life in the slow lane
ROoL #116; the Jack of Daniels; AARP #7; SS# 000-00-0013
I've upped my standards. Now, up yours.
...and may all your babies be born naked...

Bob of the Lake

I enjoy both scotch and rum. (Come to think of it, I like pretty much anything that has alcohol in it!) I used to drink a lot of single malts (The Macallan, Glenlivet, Laphroaig, and Balvenie were favorites) but that was back before the single malt boom of the 90s that pretty much priced them out of reach for me. I've now traded down to blended scotch for everyday with the occasional bottle of single malt if I've been good. Same thing with rum. I love high end sipping rums but can't drink them regularly so shoot for the middle--Cruzan, or sometimes Mount Gay.  I have to agree with other posters that rum beats scotch hands down when it comes to mixed drinks--especially in the summer! A Scotch and Soda just doesn't hold a candle to a Mojito when it's 90 degrees and 90 percent humidity out!
I came, I saw, I skipped to my lou.
            - Hammy the Squirrel

Merlin

CRAP ! ! ! Poor planning ! It's now Sunday and I can not go get a bottle of rum to try out.

Oh well.... guess I'll have a snort of Highland Park 12 on this cold wet dreary day. That'll warm me up !
Anál nathrach- Breath of serpent
Orth' bháis 's bethad- Spell of death and of life
Do chél dénmha- Thy omen of making

SirRichardBear

Teach the reason you don't mix scotch much is because most people know not to mess with perfection.  On the other hand its ok to mix rum after all you can only improve rum.  :P
Beware of him that is slow to anger: He is angry for something, and will not be pleased for nothing.
Benjamin Franklin