I used to make my own rum at home, and many of my friends prefered it to Bacardi. I'd keep an aging blend aside for my own consumption, but most of what I was sharing was less than a week old. I was using a reflux still, so it did come out quite pure with just a light touch of sweetness. Sometimes I would add a little sugar after distillation to make it a bit smoother, but not always, as most people were mixing it with cola anyway. Personally, I think the big commercial brands are at a disadvantage due to the quantities they produce. It would be very difficult to scale up the small batch method I was using to any sort of commercial scale without the cost becoming prohibitive, so they'll simply cheat and make an inferior product. Thanks to the loose rules, they can do what they want.
@Path Finder try Bundaberg rum black, red or over proof it's a beautiful Australian rum made with good sugarcane. Substation 41 is also another good dark rum. It's definetly worth trying a "normal" lighter rum aswell as dark, I prefer dark myself
This is spot on. Rum is complex and takes research. But once you know it well it is the best. It took me a while to learn all of these points on my own, so this is a great video for those just getting into rum
I quit drinking in nov '17 due to a cirrhosis diagnosis, but i did enjoy this vid. Very informative. Mind your livers, people! Take days off! My issue was 3-4 rum n diets every day for over ten years.
I've been a rum head since I was 15... yeah, I started a little young. I'm 50 now. I'm surprised I'm not an alcoholic. LOL! Anyway, I'm not a heavy drinker by any means. I love rum but it's more about flavor and the emotion it gives due to my memories growing up. I'm Puerto Rican and having been an avid traveler from main land to island every year, helped me create great memories with people and drink, rum being the choice spirit. I'm a MountGay rum fan. It has tons of flavor and it reminds of the rums of my youth. Rum has changed in the last 3 and a half decades and MountGay seems to have stayed the same. At least, that's the perception. LOL! I also love other rum from Puerto Rico that's hard to get state side. It's called Barrilito. All their blends, be it light or 3 star dark, is off the rails good.
You should write more about how things have changed in Rum. I have read a lot but not from someone with that experience. Sounds interesting and old history is always a cool subject as specially with Rum.
When i read "Dirty little secrets" i remember my childhood in Puerto Rico, in Catano right next to Bacardi. Even from grade school (40 something years ago), they took us on tours to the distillery and told us the history not only of Rum but of the Bacardi brand. I will only remember when as a child the coolest part of the tour was to guess why they have a Bat in the label, at that moment the guides made us look up and see the bats hanging from the ceiling, above the fermenting barrels, they explained that the bat's poop was in integral part of the process. Years later, the coolest part of the tour was the end when there was an open bar for everyone facing the bay. Gorgeous place, beautiful memories. And the creepy story about the bats pooping on the rum. Cheers.
This is the best content and editing of your videos that I've seen in many years. Derrick, I know you took a turn to do stuff "the way you wanted", but I miss having you on camera without the other people around; this was better and not as silly for me. Thanks for this video, I learned something! Sincerely a +10 year subscriber.
Thanks. Yeah, sitting in front of the camera by myself teaching people was less crazy and more serious. Unfortunately it never got me anything :-) The real issue is, after doing it for 11 years and realizing that most people are just going to take and never give back, it sorta makes you ask "why am I doing this?" I put in many hours of work and lots of editing for it and I really never get anything "for me" out of it. Having my friends help out and have a good time makes it more fun for me to do. And, if that sacrifices some bulk of potential subscribers... I gotta say, all they would have done is taken the content and given nothing back so it's not too huge a loss for me. Now, if it were for ego (to say "I have X number of subscribers") or something, that would be one thing. But, I barely make enough ad revenue to pay my car payment and our donations/support have not been what it used to be so... I do what I wanna do to keep me wanting to do it :-)
CJ R I got into whiskey right before it became so popular, however after going on a cruise with free drinks I took advantage of the opportunity to sample different rums.....as my whiskey collection begins to thin out I will be replacing bottles with rums
As a australian born and bred in queensland it's my duty to drink rum haha. Bundaberg black is defenitly one to try if you like your dark rum substation 41 is also good. If you like your liqueurs and milk try a "chocolate soldier" kahlua and milk with 30-60 mil of Bundaberg black 👌🏼
but whiskey is much more appreciated than rum because of this, rum rules are loose and u cant be sure of what are you drinking, whiskey is sooo much strict therefore more "legal", if u pay 100 bucks for a good whiskey u can be secure about your bought, with rum isnt like that, but there are sweet and cool rums ofc EDIT: and u cant say whiskey doesnt deserve the attention it has, bc ofc he deserves it with all that work between years
You think this is bad, you should look at the addatives they put into wine. Its not a natural product anymore. The lobbyists from the wine making industry have seen to that its perfectly legal to add all kinds of flavor boosters into the wine without having to declare anything
haha, thanks. Yeah, I've been doing this awhile, I've seen it all. And people that need to tell you you're wrong, too loud, too energetic, "too" anything, can go screw. It's also "too easy" to close the box if you don't want the information, you don't have to feeling share because you didn't get enough love as a child :)
It does not really blow anything, the fact rums are heavily doctored are a common knowledge among the rum aficionados - it was a shock when people like Captain Jimbo started his project aimed to making hydrometer readings on many commercial rums, finding out that the highly respected Eldorado 12 contained 42 g of sugar per liter, while before, such notions were dismissed stating that the sugar comes from the barrel, etc, but that was some 10 years ago. So it's not really knew information, and the autor of the video would be polite to quote his sources, but it's slowly trickling through the more popular channels and becoming public knowledge, which is good. It will result in a pressure on the producers to provide quality product.
Glad to see the low sugar content in Baccardi white: been diabetic more than 40 years and have been drinking it. Many years ago I drank dark rum - Captain Morgan, Lamb's Navy, Lemon Hart, but switched to Baccardi because it was the same everywhere I went - US, Canada, Mexico. Thanks for the video.
@@cmcocktails, my favorite, is the Cruzan Black. I just wish it was easier to find. That being said, the Costco (Kirkland) spiced rum, at $16 and change a bottle, is pretty good. (I HATE the fact, that they switched over to a screw cap bottle!) steve
Great video! I'll have to look into getting a copy of _Smuggler's Cove_ for my bookshelves. As with any other spirit, the basic guideline for rum seems to be "try everything until you find something you like at a price point that's comfortable for you".
I like rum, it's my favorite alcohol next to scotch. I don't care if it has sugars or coloring, if it tastes good and is sold at a fair price I'm a fan. Ultimately alcohol is a luxury, not something I have often nor am I concerned about my health when I have it since it's unhealthy to begin with. I care only about how it tastes and if It's worth its price. That said I appreciate the breakdown and the info, it's certainly helpful. Knowing more is almost always a good thing.
This is cool. I’m like you & pretty much like most rums. Last year received as a gift a small bottle of an añejo rum that came out of Venezuela many years ago & have yet to open it. I do like to sip on a neat shot of a darker rum occasionally. Not really concerned with age, etc., but more with the flavor. New to your channel & really enjoying them. Thanks!
Something I wasn’t aware of until recently, Goslings is Guyana rum that’s been imported to blend and age in Bermuda. edit, a 2011 article by Fortune says it’s a blend of Jamaican, Barbados and Trinidad rums.
Goslings is my favorite dark rum. I was stationed in Bermuda and love Dark and Stormy's (Black Seal and Ginger Beer). Rum Swizzles are the other Bermuda favorite, but finding a true recipe is nearly impossible.
I enjoyed your video and you have a nice selection.I have a lot of these same rums on my bar.This year I found a good one on vacation in ST Lucia called 1931 if you see it give it a try it comes in 80,83 and 86 proof I liked the 83 the best.Cheers
This is an awesome video! I used to teach cocktail classes. I found your video very informative and my husband was cracking up the whole time your video was playing. Also, I have been to Smugglers Cove and have their book. I am just grateful I don't leave near Smugglers Cove or I would be a total drunk. It is a super fun place. You all do a great job!
After extensive traveling of the Americas and Caribbean I found my favorite to be Ron Abuelo 7 and 12 year old from Panama. Diplomatico from Venezuela is also very good. There were some rums from the Dominican Republic that we're good also, I just can't the names. I also like Captain Morgan's Private stock.
I just brought back a bottle of Bumbu rum from Jamaica last week. It's the sweetest and smoothest rum I've had. Close to a desert liquor. I wished he'd covered it since I've never heard of it.
Bumbu isn't from Jamaica, and the reason it's so sweet and smooth like a desert liqueur is that it is. It's only 35% ABV and has 40 g/l sugar. It's not a rum at all. It's a sweetened flavoured spirit made with rums from over the Carribean and bottled in Barbados to my knowledge.
Excellent video. So much info. Seems like ultimately you have to go by your own taste buds---but there can be other considerations like price & online reviews. Thanks.
This is exactly why rums are so interesting. Everybody does something different. As long as they're not doing anything legitimately shady to the spirit, I'm good, although I'm still not a fan of the additives and flavorings.
Rum is a wonderful awesome fantastic drink we must learn to drink it. Yours lecture is marvelous it's compel us to listen again and again.🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 cheeeeeeers
haha Ron Zacapa and the Legendary Solera Marketing Trick..still works until today :D i dont know from where they got so much 23years old rum haha. Super Video!
Just watched all your dirty little secrets videos. Awesome information. I was supposed to have them on while puttering around the apartment, not sitting here soaking it all up.
interesting post. I learned much. A sidebar... I go by carb gram count per serving. Has to be zero or very low, under 1 gram. You might say I like a dry rum. Good input, would like to hear more on rums. I am a fan of them.
Excellent information, thanks. At about 4:52 you note that Bacardi Light Rum is your current blind taste winner. If you can find it in your area, I suggest comparing it to a bottle of Naked Turtle. Naked Turtle is both cheaper and imo, tastier.
never heard of it and it's not accessible around here. However, my opinion is based solely on light rum blind tastings in which I had no idea which was bacardi so... the "in my opinion tastes better" isn't influenced (as I never pick bacardi when I know which is which). :) It's gone against many competitors at this point and it's always my #1. I used to be upset by that (that a large market cap brand wins my blinds), but I've come to terms with it :)
Sorry to hear it's not available in your area. I hadn't heard of NT until I moved to Florida, and started testing out various local spirits. Like you, my wife and I do blind tastings, just to try to remove brand bias; NT came in at #1 for both of us. (Incidentally, we've done the same thing for plata/blanco/silver tequilas. That's where we figured out that Siete Leguas was our favorite, and that Olmeca Altos was our favorite "budget" pick... see a comment I left several days ago on another video of yours.) Anyhow, thanks for the response!
Hi Derek 👋 it’s been a while. I’m enjoying catching up on your recent videos. Glad to see the CMC logo still holding strong. It’s a nice classic timeless design. ;) Hope you and the family and the guys are well. Cheers!
Ahh! Dunder! I don't remember where I first heard the Term, but now I know somewhat the origin of the insult "Dunderhead"- obviously someone connected with sugar cane or rum processing probably coined the Term🤔 See? I come here to get educated about Rum, and I've serendipitously learned a new etymology. Oh, and as for what rum i drink, i rotate Appleton's (any version, they're all good, mon) Bacardi Gold, and Bacardi "Light". No explanation necessary.😉Oops! Forgot about the Havana club i save for special occasions!
Love your vids... I was always a beer head... but as I've aged (now an old fart), I prefer spirits... you are schooling me, big time. Gratitude. I recently discovered a real cheap vodka that even after a night of revelry, leaves the body and brain unscathed... $8 a fifth...
I love rum, that's my spirit of choice. I always assumed Bacardi "gold" was referring to the color because it's gold. I've tried quite a few rums and Bacardi Reserve (especial) is still my favirite if I just want to sip. I've never tried a light (clear) rum that I liked but darker isn't always better and flavor changes wildly across brands. I greatly dislike spiced rums, I think if you have a good quality rum you don't need the "spice", I feel like it's just covering up the taste of a shitty rum. Clear rum dies have it's place in some cocktails and such but those are mainly drinks that you don't want to add flavor to like egg nog for example (blech). Thanks for a great and informative video
Well, spiced rum isn't designed to hide a bad rum (in general), most brands have both a rum and a spiced rum. A spiced rum is to fill a category that people love and desire (esp. for rum and coke). It's really not designed to hide a crappy rum, but historically it's not unusual to "spice" your spirit because you love the fun and the recipe designs / flavors. Spiced rum, spiced whiskey (e.g. southern comfort), spiced ethanol (gin), and many others exist. People just love to do it.
@@cmcocktails OMG I absolutely hate spiced rum in rum & coke. I guess I like the taste of a dark rum and the spice ruins it for me. Spirits have been getting a little crazy with their "flavors" in recent years. Who the he'll wants birthday cake flavored vodka? LOL college girls I guess
Very interesting. I've been meaning to try more rum. Other than the two I use for cocktails (Plantation 3-Star and Plantation Original Dark) I've only tried the usual big names (Kraken, Captain, and Bacardi).
it's weird how I feel like I know more, yet at the same time know less about rum now. Great vid though, thanks a lot! Subscribed, and will be checking your channel a lot I can tell!
I think you might have a smudge on your center camera's lens. The lower right quarter of the screen has a blur to it. I've noticed in the past few videos how you can't clearly read the Havana Clubs on the back right of the bar or even the Flor de Cana right in front of the lower right screen. But you can still read the Kraken and Blue Chair Bay Rums on the Left. In your "The Last Word" video you can watch the AE/USA letters on your shirt blur as you lean towards an unreadable Luxardo bottle Screen Right.
Oops, I just noticed it now that I am using a nice new camera that I somehow seem to smudge every time I grab for photos. Still love your videos, not trying to complain.
Sad I don't still live in southwest Florida, where rum is definitely king and the weather is fine enough to sip Cuba Libres, mojitos, and boat drinks (Jimmy Buffett term.)
Fucking awesome video. Dense. No bullshit. No filler. I commend you to the maximum sir. Not many people are knowledgable and provide info so well. You're doing gods work. Thank you
Zed- Err, umm, ya might wanna let me taste test that 'un afore ye......you can send the bottle to me and I'll let you know for sure...But seriously, to me, Appleton's is best left unadulterated, or at most, use minimal fresh ice. In my humble opinion, this is a rum that is perfect to chillax with and sip "neat", or with one cube of ice in a short glass, and concentrate on thinking warm thoughts... While on vacation and getting ready to go out to dinner, I like to pour a double, and sip it neat while my wife and i are getting dressed in the hotel room getting ready to walk to the restaurant.... Talk about getting 'primed'.😀 And i always try to drink two or three glasses of water for every drink to avoid getting dehydrated. Oh, and BTW you have a nice friend to gift you a bottle of reserve.😁
Rum is my favorite spirit. I'm a fan of The Kraken or Pyrat. There's no mistaking the latter when you open the bottle. The aroma is unique in a good way. Part of what I like is there are so many totally different flavor profiles. To the point you could taste two different ones and wonder if they were both even rum. The other thing is unlike certain other spirits, the booze snobs haven't driven up the price.
You are correct about Zacapa, in my opinion, on of the best rums out there. There is VERY LITTLE 23 year old rum in Z23. This from a contact at their parent company Botran, which bottles "younger" rums. It is just a trick of the trade.
People think, most rum distillers are still growing the rum they distill, that is not the case. Many times it is bulk rum being bought and they tweaked, caramelized etc. you can age your own rum in the bottle just like how you make spiced rum. There are certain recipes that will be helpful especially when it comes to balance. But once you know the elements you can make a $10US bottle of rum taste like a $500US bottle of rum. Of course also when you know how to discern the elements you can tweak it to your own palette. Once you have the knowledge you can build up from there into any alcohol.
Do you recommend any rum that has a good barrel "oak" flavor? I've tried many and found them lacking for sipping rum. Amazingly enough, I liked Mount Gay. It seemed to have a decent flavor and a slight burn - which I enjoy.
@@cmcocktails honestly, just depends, but I love the vanilla and brown sugar notes. I'm a bourbon man, so that might say something. Thanks for the tip!
"It's not lying, it's a technique to bring more flavour into your drink" I'll admit, I was falling into the trap that "adding """fake""" colour means a bad drink" but thanks to rum have begun to realize that's just straight up snobbery.
Really great series! If buying, for example, a "Barbados" rum in the US and the label just says "imported by [some company]," is it safe to assume it is from Barbados? With the Dirty Secrets whiskey episode, it looked like bottlers went through all kinds of hoops to avoid disclosing where the actual product came from
By US law, it is required that a single importer import a single product (and most put their name on the bottle too). There cannot be two importers for the same product. That's a separate problem with the 3 tiered system for making and selling alcohol in the US.
I just recently tried a few barrel aged rums. I would love it if there were more companies that would adhere to some sort of strict guidelines, since even the one's that claim to do so, simply do not, or tend to "skip out" on certain batches, at least from what I've been told, and now have no reason to not believe. El Derado is sweetened, colored, and bottled, under the stated abv they claim on their label's, same with Ron Zacapa (which is even worse about honest bottling info, and costs far too much for what it is), and many, many others. Many that claim 12+ years, taste like they aren't a day over a few months, let alone a few weeks. Without any regulations, and rampant dishonesty, who is to say those age statements aren't a great big load as well? Definitely not my scene. Really wish it was the other way around, some interesting flavors and aromas in the more honest ones.
Are you sure El Dorado and Zacapa bottle at below their stated ABV? Because ABV is usually tightly regulated and bottling at anything but labeled ABV is tested for. Yes, a hydrometer will obviously show a lower ABV in a sweetened rum, but that's because it really measures density assuming there's only water and alcohol and not also sugar, only small amount if which will seriously affect the hydrometer reading
Thanks Derrick, good job. Flor de Cana has zero sugar and so does Doorly's, not that there's anything wrong with sugar. I had some Bumbu and man it was sweet. I decided I liked sugar free at that point. It's funny how people are about rules. We get more rules in this world everyday. The rules are tighter with Whiskey than Rum so you can trust when you spend a ton on Whiskey that it's ok. What ever happened to trusting your taste buds? It's alcohol folks! it's not like there might be bacteria or you'll gain weight if you drink Rum with added sugar. Please, please! Drink what YOU think tastes good and be at peace! Also try a Cigar with your Rum next time, another whole different experience there. Have a Rum & Cigar Night!
I love rum. The fact that the rules are so loose is why there are so many great rums at great prices.
yeah, pricing is not nearly as insane as other spirits.
And so much cheap sweet stuff.
I used to make my own rum at home, and many of my friends prefered it to Bacardi. I'd keep an aging blend aside for my own consumption, but most of what I was sharing was less than a week old. I was using a reflux still, so it did come out quite pure with just a light touch of sweetness. Sometimes I would add a little sugar after distillation to make it a bit smoother, but not always, as most people were mixing it with cola anyway.
Personally, I think the big commercial brands are at a disadvantage due to the quantities they produce. It would be very difficult to scale up the small batch method I was using to any sort of commercial scale without the cost becoming prohibitive, so they'll simply cheat and make an inferior product. Thanks to the loose rules, they can do what they want.
I am SO glad I don't have friends like you!@Happy McJoyjoy
@Path Finder try Bundaberg rum black, red or over proof it's a beautiful Australian rum made with good sugarcane.
Substation 41 is also another good dark rum.
It's definetly worth trying a "normal" lighter rum aswell as dark, I prefer dark myself
This is spot on. Rum is complex and takes research. But once you know it well it is the best. It took me a while to learn all of these points on my own, so this is a great video for those just getting into rum
Thanks!
Idk why I even watched this all the way, seeing as how I hate rum, but I like how knowledgeable this dude is. Keep it up!
Derrick, you fucking rock with these videos. It's always fascinating how the industry works behind the scenes.
Thanks
I quit drinking in nov '17 due to a cirrhosis diagnosis, but i did enjoy this vid. Very informative. Mind your livers, people! Take days off! My issue was 3-4 rum n diets every day for over ten years.
everything in moderation, yes.
@@cmcocktails Yes indeed, moderation is key. Like an idiot, i thought 3 or 4 a day was moderate!
Hope your getting better. The liver can heal !
my grandfather from Germany has been drinking heavily for the last 49 years. he's currently the age of 93 and kickin. he continues to drink every day.
I've been a rum head since I was 15... yeah, I started a little young. I'm 50 now. I'm surprised I'm not an alcoholic. LOL!
Anyway, I'm not a heavy drinker by any means. I love rum but it's more about flavor and the emotion it gives due to my memories growing up. I'm Puerto Rican and having been an avid traveler from main land to island every year, helped me create great memories with people and drink, rum being the choice spirit.
I'm a MountGay rum fan. It has tons of flavor and it reminds of the rums of my youth. Rum has changed in the last 3 and a half decades and MountGay seems to have stayed the same. At least, that's the perception. LOL! I also love other rum from Puerto Rico that's hard to get state side. It's called Barrilito. All their blends, be it light or 3 star dark, is off the rails good.
You should write more about how things have changed in Rum. I have read a lot but not from someone with that experience. Sounds interesting and old history is always a cool subject as specially with Rum.
Best thing about rum is that it has such a variance. Something dark and spicy just can't be beat
When i read "Dirty little secrets" i remember my childhood in Puerto Rico, in Catano right next to Bacardi. Even from grade school (40 something years ago), they took us on tours to the distillery and told us the history not only of Rum but of the Bacardi brand. I will only remember when as a child the coolest part of the tour was to guess why they have a Bat in the label, at that moment the guides made us look up and see the bats hanging from the ceiling, above the fermenting barrels, they explained that the bat's poop was in integral part of the process. Years later, the coolest part of the tour was the end when there was an open bar for everyone facing the bay. Gorgeous place, beautiful memories. And the creepy story about the bats pooping on the rum. Cheers.
Bat shit rum 😂 👌🏼
Best… rum… talk….EVER! Thank you!
As a sommelier I find these videos incredibly educational! Please keep them up!
thanks
This is the best content and editing of your videos that I've seen in many years. Derrick, I know you took a turn to do stuff "the way you wanted", but I miss having you on camera without the other people around; this was better and not as silly for me. Thanks for this video, I learned something! Sincerely a +10 year subscriber.
Thanks. Yeah, sitting in front of the camera by myself teaching people was less crazy and more serious. Unfortunately it never got me anything :-) The real issue is, after doing it for 11 years and realizing that most people are just going to take and never give back, it sorta makes you ask "why am I doing this?"
I put in many hours of work and lots of editing for it and I really never get anything "for me" out of it. Having my friends help out and have a good time makes it more fun for me to do. And, if that sacrifices some bulk of potential subscribers... I gotta say, all they would have done is taken the content and given nothing back so it's not too huge a loss for me.
Now, if it were for ego (to say "I have X number of subscribers") or something, that would be one thing. But, I barely make enough ad revenue to pay my car payment and our donations/support have not been what it used to be so... I do what I wanna do to keep me wanting to do it :-)
Epic video!! Love it!!
I knew most of this but still learned more depth on what I knew in this video. You've earned my subscription! Love more knowledge!
DANG! I just love this channel!
Cocktails and drinks everyday baby!
Whiskey gets so much attention, and rum doesn't get the appreciation it deserves
CJ R I got into whiskey right before it became so popular, however after going on a cruise with free drinks I took advantage of the opportunity to sample different rums.....as my whiskey collection begins to thin out I will be replacing bottles with rums
As a Scotsman I hate Whisky but love Rum.
As a australian born and bred in queensland it's my duty to drink rum haha.
Bundaberg black is defenitly one to try if you like your dark rum substation 41 is also good.
If you like your liqueurs and milk try a "chocolate soldier" kahlua and milk with 30-60 mil of Bundaberg black 👌🏼
but whiskey is much more appreciated than rum because of this, rum rules are loose and u cant be sure of what are you drinking, whiskey is sooo much strict therefore more "legal", if u pay 100 bucks for a good whiskey u can be secure about your bought, with rum isnt like that, but there are sweet and cool rums ofc
EDIT: and u cant say whiskey doesnt deserve the attention it has, bc ofc he deserves it with all that work between years
On the bright side that means rum is way cheaper than whiskey, I'm okay with rum staying a "secret"
Why did the Geneva Convention not address this very serious problem?
You think this is bad, you should look at the addatives they put into wine. Its not a natural product anymore. The lobbyists from the wine making industry have seen to that its perfectly legal to add all kinds of flavor boosters into the wine without having to declare anything
My sources say the Geneva Convention is afraid of various Rum- lobbies namely RUM.I.A RUM.J.B RUMOSSAD RU M-15 RU M-16 so on.. ..
“I’m giving you knowledge, you either take it or leave it. I don’t f..ing care”. Heard that, subscribed.
haha, thanks. Yeah, I've been doing this awhile, I've seen it all. And people that need to tell you you're wrong, too loud, too energetic, "too" anything, can go screw. It's also "too easy" to close the box if you don't want the information, you don't have to feeling share because you didn't get enough love as a child :)
Rum
The fun guy at every party 😂
in Spanish its called ron
@@Hey.bekind777y in French it's "rhum"
You are the best. So much information so ordering the book. Thanks,
Thanks
Once again you blow the roof off of the murky liquor industry! Excellent vid!
thanks
It does not really blow anything, the fact rums are heavily doctored are a common knowledge among the rum aficionados - it was a shock when people like Captain Jimbo started his project aimed to making hydrometer readings on many commercial rums, finding out that the highly respected Eldorado 12 contained 42 g of sugar per liter, while before, such notions were dismissed stating that the sugar comes from the barrel, etc, but that was some 10 years ago. So it's not really knew information, and the autor of the video would be polite to quote his sources, but it's slowly trickling through the more popular channels and becoming public knowledge, which is good. It will result in a pressure on the producers to provide quality product.
Glad to see the low sugar content in Baccardi white: been diabetic more than 40 years and have been drinking it. Many years ago I drank dark rum - Captain Morgan, Lamb's Navy, Lemon Hart, but switched to Baccardi because it was the same everywhere I went - US, Canada, Mexico. Thanks for the video.
nice, yeah, it's pretty consistent.
The 2 year old aged Cruzan is a great tasting inexpensive rum for mixing at $18 for a 1.75L bottle.
yep!
@@cmcocktails, my favorite, is the
Cruzan Black. I just wish it was easier to find.
That being said, the Costco (Kirkland) spiced
rum, at $16 and change a bottle, is pretty good.
(I HATE the fact, that they switched over to a
screw cap bottle!)
steve
I often buy it. Pretty reliable and cheap.
Great video! I'll have to look into getting a copy of _Smuggler's Cove_ for my bookshelves. As with any other spirit, the basic guideline for rum seems to be "try everything until you find something you like at a price point that's comfortable for you".
thanks!
I like rum, it's my favorite alcohol next to scotch. I don't care if it has sugars or coloring, if it tastes good and is sold at a fair price I'm a fan. Ultimately alcohol is a luxury, not something I have often nor am I concerned about my health when I have it since it's unhealthy to begin with. I care only about how it tastes and if It's worth its price. That said I appreciate the breakdown and the info, it's certainly helpful. Knowing more is almost always a good thing.
This is cool. I’m like you & pretty much like most rums. Last year received as a gift a small bottle of an añejo rum that came out of Venezuela many years ago & have yet to open it. I do like to sip on a neat shot of a darker rum occasionally. Not really concerned with age, etc., but more with the flavor. New to your channel & really enjoying them. Thanks!
I have a few Venezuela rums, yes, anejo is another way of saying "aged" :)
Love your confidence master
Great video I really didn't knew all those details although I drink rum for years!
Nice, and now ya know !
I love Rum so many diffrent flavors that go great with certain Cocktails. Where has the rum gone? Lol
Question is "Why is the rum always gone......"
Because I drank it all!
Thx for your emails about collecting Rum, you opened my eyes to a few points and I am glad you made this Vid, keep on rocking 👍
thanks!
Common Man Cocktails would have earned bonus marks for the pretty bottle designs out there 😬
Something I wasn’t aware of until recently, Goslings is Guyana rum that’s been imported to blend and age in Bermuda. edit, a 2011 article by Fortune says it’s a blend of Jamaican, Barbados and Trinidad rums.
not surprised, as I'd compare Goslings to a more traditional demerara rum. If it comes from Guyana it's probably from Demerara Distillers, Ltd.
Been to their facility in Hamilton. Met the current family member / Master Blender.
Fascinating process and crazy interesting guy.
Goslings is my favorite dark rum. I was stationed in Bermuda and love Dark and Stormy's (Black Seal and Ginger Beer). Rum Swizzles are the other Bermuda favorite, but finding a true recipe is nearly impossible.
I enjoyed your video and you have a nice selection.I have a lot of these same rums on my bar.This year I found a good one on vacation in ST Lucia called 1931 if you see it give it a try it comes in 80,83 and 86 proof I liked the 83 the best.Cheers
thanks
This is an awesome video! I used to teach cocktail classes. I found your video very informative and my husband was cracking up the whole time your video was playing. Also, I have been to Smugglers Cove and have their book. I am just grateful I don't leave near Smugglers Cove or I would be a total drunk. It is a super fun place. You all do a great job!
Outstanding information and presentation. Thank you!
After extensive traveling of the Americas and Caribbean I found my favorite to be Ron Abuelo 7 and 12 year old from Panama. Diplomatico from Venezuela is also very good. There were some rums from the Dominican Republic that we're good also, I just can't the names. I also like Captain Morgan's Private stock.
not a fan of most dominican rums, Lemba is good, but their big rum in that country (Brugal) is not so great.
Good to see you mention Ron Abuelo, good Panama Ron.
I just brought back a bottle of Bumbu rum from Jamaica last week. It's the sweetest and smoothest rum I've had. Close to a desert liquor.
I wished he'd covered it since I've never heard of it.
you mean, this: ua-cam.com/video/AWZnpx_GTaA/v-deo.html :)
Bumbu isn't from Jamaica, and the reason it's so sweet and smooth like a desert liqueur is that it is. It's only 35% ABV and has 40 g/l sugar. It's not a rum at all. It's a sweetened flavoured spirit made with rums from over the Carribean and bottled in Barbados to my knowledge.
Just came across your video this morning. Great content and very informative . I look forward to watching all your other videos .
Thanks
Thanks
Excellent video. So much info. Seems like ultimately you have to go by your own taste buds---but there can be other considerations like price & online reviews. Thanks.
This is exactly why rums are so interesting. Everybody does something different. As long as they're not doing anything legitimately shady to the spirit, I'm good, although I'm still not a fan of the additives and flavorings.
Using Brown sugar to colour it to make it look aged. Got to be classed as shady. If not, then i dontk now what is.
@@skalmaa he mentions dark color=/= age....
Superb information pertaining to Rum and its hidden details. Best wishes from your subscriber from India.
Thanks and welcome
Mount gay is my favorite of all he talked about. Kraken isn’t bad, Appleton is nice with a cigar.
Mount Gay is an awesome Rum in my opinion. I passed it by for so many years and was very surprised when I finally tried it.
Kraken is a crap
I still need to try Mount Gay and Appleton Estate.
idk how many times mt gay distills their product.
Rum is a wonderful awesome fantastic drink we must learn to drink it. Yours lecture is marvelous it's compel us to listen again and again.🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 cheeeeeeers
Thank you for this video. Rum is definitely not a keto drink but it is very interesting to learn about how it’s made.
Amber and dark rums are my favorite. Added sugar don't care just enjoy it!
haha Ron Zacapa and the Legendary Solera Marketing Trick..still works until today :D i dont know from where they got so much 23years old rum haha. Super Video!
:)
this is a great series you have going. would be interested in seeing you keep this up for other spirits.
already got 3 spirits finished :)
Just watched all your dirty little secrets videos. Awesome information. I was supposed to have them on while puttering around the apartment, not sitting here soaking it all up.
ha ha, thanks!
Amazing job you did here, mate! Please keep up with your good work. Cheers!
thanks
interesting post. I learned much. A sidebar... I go by carb gram count per serving. Has to be zero or very low, under 1 gram. You might say I like a dry rum. Good input, would like to hear more on rums. I am a fan of them.
Love your videos!
thanks
Excellent information, thanks. At about 4:52 you note that Bacardi Light Rum is your current blind taste winner. If you can find it in your area, I suggest comparing it to a bottle of Naked Turtle. Naked Turtle is both cheaper and imo, tastier.
never heard of it and it's not accessible around here. However, my opinion is based solely on light rum blind tastings in which I had no idea which was bacardi so... the "in my opinion tastes better" isn't influenced (as I never pick bacardi when I know which is which). :) It's gone against many competitors at this point and it's always my #1.
I used to be upset by that (that a large market cap brand wins my blinds), but I've come to terms with it :)
Sorry to hear it's not available in your area. I hadn't heard of NT until I moved to Florida, and started testing out various local spirits. Like you, my wife and I do blind tastings, just to try to remove brand bias; NT came in at #1 for both of us. (Incidentally, we've done the same thing for plata/blanco/silver tequilas. That's where we figured out that Siete Leguas was our favorite, and that Olmeca Altos was our favorite "budget" pick... see a comment I left several days ago on another video of yours.) Anyhow, thanks for the response!
@@cmcocktails Did you include Wray & Nephew White Overproof in your blind panel? That stuff is a fantastic mixing rum.
Great video dude! I’m going to Barbados in August and super excited to bring some rum home.
sweet
Hi Derek 👋 it’s been a while. I’m enjoying catching up on your recent videos. Glad to see the CMC logo still holding strong. It’s a nice classic timeless design. ;) Hope you and the family and the guys are well. Cheers!
where is mt. gay?
Really good informative video! Subscribed
thanks
You are at your best with these educational videos
thanks. Unfortunately those video's take a hell long time to research and produce. And, not nearly as fun. I just do them to make a bit of ad money :)
Ahh! Dunder! I don't remember where I first heard the Term, but now I know somewhat the origin of the insult "Dunderhead"- obviously someone connected with sugar cane or rum processing probably coined the Term🤔 See? I come here to get educated about Rum, and I've serendipitously learned a new etymology. Oh, and as for what rum i drink, i rotate Appleton's (any version, they're all good, mon) Bacardi Gold, and Bacardi "Light". No explanation necessary.😉Oops! Forgot about the Havana club i save for special occasions!
nice :)
Ron Zacapa has been my favorite for years. Now I know why. Sugar.
That's why I have it with my coffee!
I agree. Great stuff. I visit the city where it is aged, stay right next to the aging plant, and the smell is awesome at night.
One of mine as well, especially the 23 year old. Desert in a a glass.
If you like that one also try Plantation XO 20th, QRM XO, or Diplomatico. Think those four is my top ones.
Love your vids... I was always a beer head... but as I've aged (now an old fart), I prefer spirits... you are schooling me, big time. Gratitude.
I recently discovered a real cheap vodka that even after a night of revelry, leaves the body and brain unscathed... $8 a fifth...
VERY interesting video. I can conclude that cuban rum and cuban rum tradition seems to typically dissallow added sugar afterwards
Not at all. Havana Club 3 has 8 g/l sugar, Especial even has 17 g/l. Only their 7, Seleccion de Maestros and Ritual Cubano are sugar free.
He said it
Rum tastes better than vodka
That would imply that vodka has a taste
Vodka just makes other drinks alcoholic. People who sip vodka...I don't know...
I love rum, that's my spirit of choice. I always assumed Bacardi "gold" was referring to the color because it's gold. I've tried quite a few rums and Bacardi Reserve (especial) is still my favirite if I just want to sip. I've never tried a light (clear) rum that I liked but darker isn't always better and flavor changes wildly across brands. I greatly dislike spiced rums, I think if you have a good quality rum you don't need the "spice", I feel like it's just covering up the taste of a shitty rum. Clear rum dies have it's place in some cocktails and such but those are mainly drinks that you don't want to add flavor to like egg nog for example (blech). Thanks for a great and informative video
Well, spiced rum isn't designed to hide a bad rum (in general), most brands have both a rum and a spiced rum. A spiced rum is to fill a category that people love and desire (esp. for rum and coke). It's really not designed to hide a crappy rum, but historically it's not unusual to "spice" your spirit because you love the fun and the recipe designs / flavors.
Spiced rum, spiced whiskey (e.g. southern comfort), spiced ethanol (gin), and many others exist. People just love to do it.
@@cmcocktails OMG I absolutely hate spiced rum in rum & coke. I guess I like the taste of a dark rum and the spice ruins it for me. Spirits have been getting a little crazy with their "flavors" in recent years. Who the he'll wants birthday cake flavored vodka? LOL college girls I guess
Very interesting. I've been meaning to try more rum. Other than the two I use for cocktails (Plantation 3-Star and Plantation Original Dark) I've only tried the usual big names (Kraken, Captain, and Bacardi).
it's weird how I feel like I know more, yet at the same time know less about rum now. Great vid though, thanks a lot! Subscribed, and will be checking your channel a lot I can tell!
Great stuff.
thanks
more more about rum just love the drink all the flavors just amazing. also loved this video made me subscribe
This was exceptional.
thanks
Variety is the spice of life.
I think you might have a smudge on your center camera's lens. The lower right quarter of the screen has a blur to it. I've noticed in the past few videos how you can't clearly read the Havana Clubs on the back right of the bar or even the Flor de Cana right in front of the lower right screen. But you can still read the Kraken and Blue Chair Bay Rums on the Left. In your "The Last Word" video you can watch the AE/USA letters on your shirt blur as you lean towards an unreadable Luxardo bottle Screen Right.
it's not a smudge, it's the camera (a known gripe with some people), it's been there since...hmm... 8 years or so. :-)
Oops, I just noticed it now that I am using a nice new camera that I somehow seem to smudge every time I grab for photos. Still love your videos, not trying to complain.
yeah, I can't really smudge the lens, in a hood and mounted on the wall (it never moves) :)
Sad I don't still live in southwest Florida, where rum is definitely king and the weather is fine enough to sip Cuba Libres, mojitos, and boat drinks (Jimmy Buffett term.)
My favorite rum is Sugar Daddy distilled by Prohibition Spirits in Sonoma CA, try it & you'll be hooked too.
You deserve way more subscribers, keep up the good work
thanks, I don't care about subscribers, I care about views :)
@@cmcocktails haha then you deserve more views!
Loads of info ... thanx ...
yep, thanks
You have an really good style and deep knowledge...Congratulation
Lots of parallels to the wine industry. Great video.
thanks
Great video!
Thanks
Pretty good video, you taught me a few things.
thanks
Fucking awesome video.
Dense. No bullshit. No filler.
I commend you to the maximum sir. Not many people are knowledgable and provide info so well. You're doing gods work. Thank you
thanks
Wonderful awesome fantastic marvelous video good information well done keep it up 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷cheeeeeeers
Thanks
Love the vid. I was curious what your views were on Appleton reserve. I got a bottle as a gift from a Jamaican friend and am looking to try it.
That's one of my go-to bottles for a mai tai, I like to blend that with a Martinique rum (1 oz of each) like Trader vic used to do.
Zed- Err, umm, ya might wanna let me taste test that 'un afore ye......you can send the bottle to me and I'll let you know for sure...But seriously, to me, Appleton's is best left unadulterated, or at most, use minimal fresh ice. In my humble opinion, this is a rum that is perfect to chillax with and sip "neat", or with one cube of ice in a short glass, and concentrate on thinking warm thoughts... While on vacation and getting ready to go out to dinner, I like to pour a double, and sip it neat while my wife and i are getting dressed in the hotel room getting ready to walk to the restaurant.... Talk about getting 'primed'.😀 And i always try to drink two or three glasses of water for every drink to avoid getting dehydrated. Oh, and BTW you have a nice friend to gift you a bottle of reserve.😁
Great informative video.
Thanks!
Rum is my favorite spirit. I'm a fan of The Kraken or Pyrat. There's no mistaking the latter when you open the bottle. The aroma is unique in a good way. Part of what I like is there are so many totally different flavor profiles. To the point you could taste two different ones and wonder if they were both even rum. The other thing is unlike certain other spirits, the booze snobs haven't driven up the price.
island bay- only pure rum
Wait bacardi is aged, though they just re-bottled paint thinner
nope
Bacardi smells like it’s contaminated with benzene. I’m sure it’s not. I just dislike it.
Guess you've never had the Bacardi 8? Or Reserve?
@@mszoomy not neat, only as a zombie
learned a few things thank you
no prob
Love this video, well said!
Thanks!
Cruzan makes nice room a bit skanky in taste but you start to like it. But its smell is very strong
Nice shout out to Smugglers Cove!
You are correct about Zacapa, in my opinion, on of the best rums out there. There is VERY LITTLE 23 year old rum in Z23. This from a contact at their parent company Botran, which bottles "younger" rums. It is just a trick of the trade.
that reminds me, I gotta post my blind rum tasting tomorrow, which has Ron Zacapa in it.
Drunken Sailor is in my opinion one of the best rums on the market. Super smooth and tastes great.
People think, most rum distillers are still growing the rum they distill, that is not the case. Many times it is bulk rum being bought and they tweaked, caramelized etc. you can age your own rum in the bottle just like how you make spiced rum. There are certain recipes that will be helpful especially when it comes to balance. But once you know the elements you can make a $10US bottle of rum taste like a $500US bottle of rum. Of course also when you know how to discern the elements you can tweak it to your own palette. Once you have the knowledge you can build up from there into any alcohol.
Appreciate the video :). This definitely helps!
thanks
Do you recommend any rum that has a good barrel "oak" flavor? I've tried many and found them lacking for sipping rum. Amazingly enough, I liked Mount Gay. It seemed to have a decent flavor and a slight burn - which I enjoy.
I love Mount Gays barrel aging, how much oak do you want? Try Don Q Signature Releases, they're vintaged, I love them too.
@@cmcocktails honestly, just depends, but I love the vanilla and brown sugar notes. I'm a bourbon man, so that might say something.
Thanks for the tip!
"It's not lying, it's a technique to bring more flavour into your drink"
I'll admit, I was falling into the trap that "adding """fake""" colour means a bad drink" but thanks to rum have begun to realize that's just straight up snobbery.
Great video, reminded me I need to pick up a bottle of Mount Gay
that's entirely why I made it :) I figured you wanted to remember.
Learned more here than 6 years of schooling.
The Internet...who knew :)
thanks for clearing things up! so much more straight forwards now :P
:)
I'm so much more confused now lol
YOSHI B. Ditto
You sound like a student at the back of the class.
Really great series! If buying, for example, a "Barbados" rum in the US and the label just says "imported by [some company]," is it safe to assume it is from Barbados? With the Dirty Secrets whiskey episode, it looked like bottlers went through all kinds of hoops to avoid disclosing where the actual product came from
By US law, it is required that a single importer import a single product (and most put their name on the bottle too). There cannot be two importers for the same product. That's a separate problem with the 3 tiered system for making and selling alcohol in the US.
Very informative. Thank you for this & the dirty little secret of the whiskey industry video.
thanks
and the vodka one too, right? :)
@@cmcocktails Yes, watched the vodka 'dirty secrets' video afterward. It wasn't in my feed yet when I responded. Thanks again.
I just recently tried a few barrel aged rums. I would love it if there were more companies that would adhere to some sort of strict guidelines, since even the one's that claim to do so, simply do not, or tend to "skip out" on certain batches, at least from what I've been told, and now have no reason to not believe.
El Derado is sweetened, colored, and bottled, under the stated abv they claim on their label's, same with Ron Zacapa (which is even worse about honest bottling info, and costs far too much for what it is), and many, many others.
Many that claim 12+ years, taste like they aren't a day over a few months, let alone a few weeks. Without any regulations, and rampant dishonesty, who is to say those age statements aren't a great big load as well?
Definitely not my scene. Really wish it was the other way around, some interesting flavors and aromas in the more honest ones.
Are you sure El Dorado and Zacapa bottle at below their stated ABV? Because ABV is usually tightly regulated and bottling at anything but labeled ABV is tested for. Yes, a hydrometer will obviously show a lower ABV in a sweetened rum, but that's because it really measures density assuming there's only water and alcohol and not also sugar, only small amount if which will seriously affect the hydrometer reading
Thanks Derrick, good job. Flor de Cana has zero sugar and so does Doorly's, not that there's anything wrong with sugar. I had some Bumbu and man it was sweet. I decided I liked sugar free at that point. It's funny how people are about rules. We get more rules in this world everyday. The rules are tighter with Whiskey than Rum so you can trust when you spend a ton on Whiskey that it's ok. What ever happened to trusting your taste buds? It's alcohol folks! it's not like there might be bacteria or you'll gain weight if you drink Rum with added sugar. Please, please! Drink what YOU think tastes good and be at peace! Also try a Cigar with your Rum next time, another whole different experience there. Have a Rum & Cigar Night!
It would be super cool to see you go tour distilleries and breweries.
lol, yeah, that'd be fun. Won't happen, but fun!