Calling Rum Lovers. Come join the Public part of my Discord Community; stblive.uk/discord The chat is fun, the banter is great, the Rum flows! Of course, to get full access, you need to become a Member of the Channel by clicking the Join Button. But it's totally free to hang out and chat Rum!
Hey Steve, one of the cocktails I'm interested in trying is the painkiller. I don't know much about rum just yet, so maybe you could tell me if you think this combo would work. I'd like to try a painkiller with 3/4 oz plantation pineapple to accentuate the pineapple in the drink, 1/2 oz each of xaymaca and plantation 5 year for a little funk and sweetness, and 1/4 oz oftd because I understand the flavors in that rum could overpower the other flavors. Thanks and cheers, mate!
As a beginner only just branching out from the very basics of starting my home bar, I'm really pleased to see that your selection pretty much mirrors what I'm going for -- or the other way round, I guess. R(h)um Agricole is about the only thing missing. Splendid!
This is incredibly helpful Steve! I could have done with this a couple of months ago when I picked up SC. As a UK based aspiring home bartender without hundreds to spend on expensive rums I found starting with SC a bit inaccessible but this has completely solved that problem.
I just pause the video at the 1:30 point, purchased the Kindle version of Smuggler's Cove, and thumbed through some of the recipes with a smile on my face. Now back to the video!
I’m also a newbie, mostly a whisky drinker. I started with Mount Gay XO and Appleton 12, wich I loved. Now I got a Flor de Caña 12, wich I felt a bit short but it’s ok. I also a rum from Madeira, 15 year old, cask strength, matured in Madeira wine barrels. Already tasted the El Dorado 15, wich I liked but was just a glass. I want rums to drink neat and without sugar or just a bit.
Thanks! This is hands down the best Smuggler's Cove real life breakdown on UA-cam. Also I can't stop being shocked apparently how cheap alcohol is in germany. A bottle of Plantation 3* goes for 15€ here (12 pounds)
Well, I didn’t do too bad with my early selections of Rum then and that was just going off your early recommendations, at least a couple of most categories, one of OFTD just missing the clement agricole which I’ll not bother with just yet 👍
I bought the S.C. Book a few years back and have been sourcing my own Rums. Wished I’d seen this video before! Pleased I have a few ‘match ups’ with the boss!! Mine are: 1) Smith & Cross 2) Appleton Estate Signature Blend & Plantation 3 Star 3) Mount Gay XO Extra Old Cask 4) Havana Club Anejo 7 & Angostura 1824 (12 yr) 5) Goslings Black Seal 6) Plantation O.F.T.D 7) Rhum J.M. Whiite 100 Proof 8) Clement VSOP
That’s a great solid list. I said I wasn’t gonna buy more…you’ll see what I mean from Sunday’s Live Stream…. But I kinda really do want a Smith & Cross at least. That Xaymaca is my only real experience from 100% Pot Still. But I ain’t gonna spend £50-£60 on it! Not for Cocktails.
There are so many possibilities to try!!! I kept seeing certain names coming up on different sites over and over. I’m sure this will continue to change over time but for me right now, I can make a delicious version of any of my rum cocktails with Plantation 3 stars, Appleton Estate Signature, Pusser’s Gunpowder Proof or some combination of them. I’ve had a number of interesting rums but these seem to mix best for me… so far… but always open to new ones.
Great video! I absolutely love Smith + Cross. A phenomenal rum, and at $35 USD? It's a steal. I have the Xaymaca, which is fine, but no threat to S+C in my home bar. BTW, I thought S+C was finished in the UK? It's OK to "slag" the Captain. He stole Ian Astbury's look. I agree about Smuggler's Cove, excellent book, but it is very serious alchemy LOL. Found you by searching for the OFTD. Keep up the excellent work and thank you.
I think SC could’ve added the lightly aged column still category I think It’s a really important category sure you can replace it with blended lightly aged but sometimes you want a more subtle less funky taste and I think a good bacardi carta blanca or havana club 3 años would be a good addition to the mix
So helpful. So awesome! Thanks for breaking that down so succinctly. It's a fun rabbit hole to go down but I am good with more economic Rum at first to see if I want to dive deeper.
I was lucky enough to score a bottle of Lemonhart 151 (I live in the USA), but the store stopped carrying it, so now I'm nearing the end of my bottle and trying to source another. It's pretty special, if you can find it, flavorful and funky, but also a lot of sweet heat from the alcohol and esters. I'm not sure where Wray and Nephew overproof falls on the category list, but it's great for making vanilla extract, allspice dram, or any other application where you want to make a tincture of herbs or spices in alcohol. It would probably be good in a zombie.... Anyway, I'm currently enjoying a mai tai with Appleton Estates 8 year, Plantation OD (fabulous!), and a float of Lemonhart, and loving every sip. I've never figured out how to use rum agricole and don't have it in my collection, but maybe I need to expand my horizons.
I enjoy Plantation O.F.T.D. I make a superb Old Fashioned variation with this rum! I also just use this rum to sip. 3 Stars and Original Dark, and Grande Reserve are excellent. Mount Gay and Appleton Estate 8 year Reserve are rums I am enjoying. I am still pretty new to rum. Kohana from Hawaii is excellent - Hawaiian Agricole Rum. I have read Smuggler's Cove and I did sense it didn't include the less expensive rums to start out with in learning about which are best to start trying. I sure do love Plantation O.F.T.D. though. Wow, so delicious. Talk about amazing flavour!!
How about Gosling's 151 for Black Overproof Rum? Seems widely available here in Europe. Or do you think it's more of a molasses based rum? Btw. Plantation is good, and so much styles that are actually very good.
Just stumbled across your video friend...I don't see any of the WONDERFUL Angostura rums on your back shelf. They have a number of options, but their best ones I've had are 1919 (for mixing), 1824 and 1787 for sipping. Check them out if you've never come across them. They are fantastic.
I've been using the Smuggler's Cove Book for several years now but I've always wondered about the unnumbered categories and have never received a satisfactory explanation of their application. I know that the Wray & Nephew (in the unaged overproof category) has many practical uses, as well as the sole bottle of the Black Pot Still designation, Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Black, which I've used to make the Dr. Funk cocktail. As for the others, I'm not sure. Also, are Cuban rums available in the UK (Havana Club etc.) I usually shop at places like Gerry's in London when I'm there.
Yeah, I know the guys at Gerrys well. Allan is a Legend! yeah we get Havana... You have to remember, the UK is one of the biggest Rum Markets in the world, so there isn't much we don't get. Except the likes of Hamilton. The one thing the UK has going for it though is Online. We can literally get 90% of All Rums (well spirits in general) Next Day delivery. So while Gerry's does well, it does well for the Londoners. People like me out in the Country... we'll just hop on line. Order by 5pm, you'll have it the next morning!
If I just use light rum, dark rum and spiced rum will it be allright? ;) you know... to substitute them. Or... what three rums would you recommend for this cocktails? I was thinking about Havana 3yo light rum, Plantation dark and maybe some spiced... Bacardi Spiced?
Impossible question to answer. They are totally different things and both vital. Yeah both Rum but you wouldn’t put dark Rum in a Daq or light Rum in a Dark & Stormy. It’s like comparing Cars to Trucks. Both are vehicles. But both have totally different uses.
Are you suggesting buying 2 bottle's per category? Would be Interesting to see your recommendation of 2-3 bottle's in total. I mean not really beginner level buying 15 bottle's.
It really depends. Admittedly when I filmed this video, I was thinking the niche I was aiming at was kinda at Tiki/Rum Cocktail levels, in which case knowing the Categories and how they differ in taste then Yeah, deffo 2-3 Rums in each category will give you huge differences within each Cocktail. But I have picked up a Lot of Rum Newbies, so I’m now gradually going through and doing Tests. Example a video I’m filming this week “The best White Rum under £20” and doing a Blind Tasting.
There dosent seem to be alot on the market for dark rum in the UK what is a good dark rum I can buy for a present for my dad and were is the best place to buy them from supermarkets seem very limeted captain morgans or Havana 7 year old is bacardi black better than captain Morgans although carnt find bacardi black in the supermarket would hafto buy it from on online retail
There’s LOADS of Dark Rums on the market in the UK. Just look on Master of Malt. masterofmalt.pxf.io/anAJAY Worthy Park 109. Pussers Gunpowder. Plantation OFTD. Skipper. Plantation OD. Pampero Anniversario. Myers. Goslings. They’re just for starters 👍
As in, should you buy it? A lot do. I'm not a huge fan. IF i had to though, I would pick Rum Bar OP. But i prefer something like Takamaka OP which doesn't have the high estery funky thing going on. Well, not as much anyway.
Ummmm, not really. It's a Spiced Rum. Not a Rum. HOWEVER... if you're asking whether you can make a Cocktail with it... yeah of course. You're your own boss, you're in charge. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. it's just NOT a Black Blended Rum. It's a Spiced Rum...aka Spirit Drink becasue of the Sugar Levels.
Calling Rum Lovers. Come join the Public part of my Discord Community; stblive.uk/discord The chat is fun, the banter is great, the Rum flows! Of course, to get full access, you need to become a Member of the Channel by clicking the Join Button. But it's totally free to hang out and chat Rum!
Hey Steve, one of the cocktails I'm interested in trying is the painkiller. I don't know much about rum just yet, so maybe you could tell me if you think this combo would work. I'd like to try a painkiller with 3/4 oz plantation pineapple to accentuate the pineapple in the drink, 1/2 oz each of xaymaca and plantation 5 year for a little funk and sweetness, and 1/4 oz oftd because I understand the flavors in that rum could overpower the other flavors. Thanks and cheers, mate!
As a beginner only just branching out from the very basics of starting my home bar, I'm really pleased to see that your selection pretty much mirrors what I'm going for -- or the other way round, I guess. R(h)um Agricole is about the only thing missing. Splendid!
Yes! This was my suggestion on the recent q and a!! Thanks for following up 👍
I second that! 😜
This is incredibly helpful Steve! I could have done with this a couple of months ago when I picked up SC. As a UK based aspiring home bartender without hundreds to spend on expensive rums I found starting with SC a bit inaccessible but this has completely solved that problem.
Glad it was helpful! Cheers for watching Brad!
I just pause the video at the 1:30 point, purchased the Kindle version of Smuggler's Cove, and thumbed through some of the recipes with a smile on my face. Now back to the video!
Nice 👏👏
I’m also a newbie, mostly a whisky drinker. I started with Mount Gay XO and Appleton 12, wich I loved. Now I got a Flor de Caña 12, wich I felt a bit short but it’s ok. I also a rum from Madeira, 15 year old, cask strength, matured in Madeira wine barrels. Already tasted the El Dorado 15, wich I liked but was just a glass. I want rums to drink neat and without sugar or just a bit.
Yesssss. Thank you, Steve. Perfect video
Thanks! This is hands down the best Smuggler's Cove real life breakdown on UA-cam. Also I can't stop being shocked apparently how cheap alcohol is in germany. A bottle of Plantation 3* goes for 15€ here (12 pounds)
Why Thank you! Thats awesome praise! And WOW, thats way too cheap. Thats not even covering their cost prices!
Well, I didn’t do too bad with my early selections of Rum then and that was just going off your early recommendations, at least a couple of most categories, one of OFTD just missing the clement agricole which I’ll not bother with just yet 👍
I bought the S.C. Book a few years back and have been sourcing my own Rums. Wished I’d seen this video before! Pleased I have a few ‘match ups’ with the boss!!
Mine are:
1) Smith & Cross
2) Appleton Estate Signature Blend
& Plantation 3 Star
3) Mount Gay XO Extra Old Cask
4) Havana Club Anejo 7
& Angostura 1824 (12 yr)
5) Goslings Black Seal
6) Plantation O.F.T.D
7) Rhum J.M. Whiite 100 Proof
8) Clement VSOP
That’s a great solid list. I said I wasn’t gonna buy more…you’ll see what I mean from Sunday’s Live Stream…. But I kinda really do want a Smith & Cross at least. That Xaymaca is my only real experience from 100% Pot Still. But I ain’t gonna spend £50-£60 on it! Not for Cocktails.
@@StevetheBarmanUK cheers Steve. I think I paid around £35 for Smith and across on MOM. 👍
There are so many possibilities to try!!! I kept seeing certain names coming up on different sites over and over. I’m sure this will continue to change over time but for me right now, I can make a delicious version of any of my rum cocktails with Plantation 3 stars, Appleton Estate Signature, Pusser’s Gunpowder Proof or some combination of them. I’ve had a number of interesting rums but these seem to mix best for me… so far… but always open to new ones.
Just filmed the Best for 2023 video. Drops on the 27th December. Looking forward to people seeing that.
Agree with Plantation OD choice.
Great video! I absolutely love Smith + Cross. A phenomenal rum, and at $35 USD? It's a steal. I have the Xaymaca, which is fine, but no threat to S+C in my home bar. BTW, I thought S+C was finished in the UK? It's OK to "slag" the Captain. He stole Ian Astbury's look. I agree about Smuggler's Cove, excellent book, but it is very serious alchemy LOL. Found you by searching for the OFTD. Keep up the excellent work and thank you.
Yeah Smith & Cross is a Jamaican Rum…from the UK. Cheers for watching 👍
Honestly like the perfect rum video
Great stuff as always, Steve! Cheers
I think SC could’ve added the lightly aged column still category I think It’s a really important category sure you can replace it with blended lightly aged but sometimes you want a more subtle less funky taste and I think a good bacardi carta blanca or havana club 3 años would be a good addition to the mix
My new favorite is Doorly's 12. Great in lemon daiquiri.
chairman rum is what got me serious about rum
So helpful. So awesome! Thanks for breaking that down so succinctly. It's a fun rabbit hole to go down but I am good with more economic Rum at first to see if I want to dive deeper.
Cheers. Stick with us though, as I do mainly focus on under £50 Rum
I was lucky enough to score a bottle of Lemonhart 151 (I live in the USA), but the store stopped carrying it, so now I'm nearing the end of my bottle and trying to source another. It's pretty special, if you can find it, flavorful and funky, but also a lot of sweet heat from the alcohol and esters. I'm not sure where Wray and Nephew overproof falls on the category list, but it's great for making vanilla extract, allspice dram, or any other application where you want to make a tincture of herbs or spices in alcohol. It would probably be good in a zombie.... Anyway, I'm currently enjoying a mai tai with Appleton Estates 8 year, Plantation OD (fabulous!), and a float of Lemonhart, and loving every sip. I've never figured out how to use rum agricole and don't have it in my collection, but maybe I need to expand my horizons.
Cheers for that. So intrigued about Lemon Hart as no one really mentions it.
This is exactly the video I was looking for to start my collection, awesome work!!
Cheers Ben. Probably need to massively update this video now, but stick with me. I've learned soooo much more since filming this!
I use Novo Fogo Cachaca(silver or Chameleon(aged)) in place of Rhum Agricole.
Thanks Steve
I went out and got all that I needed now. The only thing I can’t find is the agricole
Great video, glad I found it. Would love a similar video following Beachbum Berry’s classic rum classifications used in his books and apps.
We talk about it A LOT in lots of videos and Live Shows. its too big a subject to cover in one video. Plus there's loads of stuff in my Discord.
I enjoy Plantation O.F.T.D. I make a superb Old Fashioned variation with this rum! I also just use this rum to sip. 3 Stars and Original Dark, and Grande Reserve are excellent. Mount Gay and Appleton Estate 8 year Reserve are rums I am enjoying. I am still pretty new to rum. Kohana from Hawaii is excellent - Hawaiian Agricole Rum. I have read Smuggler's Cove and I did sense it didn't include the less expensive rums to start out with in learning about which are best to start trying. I sure do love Plantation O.F.T.D. though. Wow, so delicious. Talk about amazing flavour!!
There's some great Rums there. Agree OFTD is so good. But so is the whole Plantation Range. We're chatting Agricole tonight on the Live Show
@@StevetheBarmanUK I'm looking forward to tuning in, Steve!! Thanks!!
Another great video Steve 👍
How about Gosling's 151 for Black Overproof Rum? Seems widely available here in Europe. Or do you think it's more of a molasses based rum? Btw. Plantation is good, and so much styles that are actually very good.
I'll admit, I haven't tried the Goslings 151, purely as i keep getting told that its really not that great. I admit i should try for myself though!!
Well I better get ordering
amaizzing Categories of RUM I LOVE RUM¡¡
You need to try Stillwrights Spiced Rum! Best Spiced I've ever had!
Not heard of that, I'll check it out. Cheers
Just stumbled across your video friend...I don't see any of the WONDERFUL Angostura rums on your back shelf. They have a number of options, but their best ones I've had are 1919 (for mixing), 1824 and 1787 for sipping. Check them out if you've never come across them. They are fantastic.
Theres plenty of Angostura, don't worry! Reserva, 7yo, 1919, 1824, Amaro, Bitters...
@@StevetheBarmanUK glad to hear it ;)
I've been using the Smuggler's Cove Book for several years now but I've always wondered about the unnumbered categories and have never received a satisfactory explanation of their application. I know that the Wray & Nephew (in the unaged overproof category) has many practical uses, as well as the sole bottle of the Black Pot Still designation, Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Black, which I've used to make the Dr. Funk cocktail. As for the others, I'm not sure. Also, are Cuban rums available in the UK (Havana Club etc.) I usually shop at places like Gerry's in London when I'm there.
Yeah, I know the guys at Gerrys well. Allan is a Legend! yeah we get Havana... You have to remember, the UK is one of the biggest Rum Markets in the world, so there isn't much we don't get. Except the likes of Hamilton. The one thing the UK has going for it though is Online. We can literally get 90% of All Rums (well spirits in general) Next Day delivery. So while Gerry's does well, it does well for the Londoners. People like me out in the Country... we'll just hop on line. Order by 5pm, you'll have it the next morning!
If I just use light rum, dark rum and spiced rum will it be allright? ;) you know... to substitute them. Or... what three rums would you recommend for this cocktails? I was thinking about Havana 3yo light rum, Plantation dark and maybe some spiced... Bacardi Spiced?
Really up to you Damian. Alls i can suggest is follow the videos after. So many are on a Rum journey! And there's so many to chose from.
Which is best rum white or dark?
Impossible question to answer. They are totally different things and both vital. Yeah both Rum but you wouldn’t put dark Rum in a Daq or light Rum in a Dark & Stormy. It’s like comparing Cars to Trucks. Both are vehicles. But both have totally different uses.
@@StevetheBarmanUK Thank you
Are you suggesting buying 2 bottle's per category? Would be Interesting to see your recommendation of 2-3 bottle's in total. I mean not really beginner level buying 15 bottle's.
It really depends. Admittedly when I filmed this video, I was thinking the niche I was aiming at was kinda at Tiki/Rum Cocktail levels, in which case knowing the Categories and how they differ in taste then Yeah, deffo 2-3 Rums in each category will give you huge differences within each Cocktail. But I have picked up a Lot of Rum Newbies, so I’m now gradually going through and doing Tests. Example a video I’m filming this week “The best White Rum under £20” and doing a Blind Tasting.
There dosent seem to be alot on the market for dark rum in the UK what is a good dark rum I can buy for a present for my dad and were is the best place to buy them from supermarkets seem very limeted captain morgans or Havana 7 year old is bacardi black better than captain Morgans although carnt find bacardi black in the supermarket would hafto buy it from on online retail
There’s LOADS of Dark Rums on the market in the UK. Just look on Master of Malt. masterofmalt.pxf.io/anAJAY Worthy Park 109. Pussers Gunpowder. Plantation OFTD. Skipper. Plantation OD. Pampero Anniversario. Myers. Goslings. They’re just for starters 👍
Great video...can't wait to start my rum journey.(Hopefully not to the liver clinic👍)
Cheers for watching Eric. Stick with us. Join us on a Sunday Night Live 👍
So I have something in each category apart from the Xaymaca
Ok I got those!!! And Lemonhart 151 !!!
I want to try Lemon Hart.... although I seen comments in both camps, loving and hating it!
What do you think of Cruzan rum?
We don’t really get it in the UK. It’s not imported here properly.
What about the wray n nephew overproof ?
As in, should you buy it? A lot do. I'm not a huge fan. IF i had to though, I would pick Rum Bar OP. But i prefer something like Takamaka OP which doesn't have the high estery funky thing going on. Well, not as much anyway.
Could kraken fit into black blended rum category? Sorry for the noob question.
Ummmm, not really. It's a Spiced Rum. Not a Rum. HOWEVER... if you're asking whether you can make a Cocktail with it... yeah of course. You're your own boss, you're in charge. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. it's just NOT a Black Blended Rum. It's a Spiced Rum...aka Spirit Drink becasue of the Sugar Levels.
Lemonhart is terrible for sipping. It can be amazing in a cocktail tho.
I love Lemon Hart in cocktails, both 151 and 1804.
Human? 🤣