Rum is always in season. White rum (and cocktails like the classic daiquiri) is perfect for warm weather. Spiced rum is great for adding an extra kick to your Cuba libre or other go-to mixed drinks. Dark rum (regardless of its age) is a great pick all year long. That’s why this is the variety that will be highlighted today. If you’re a whiskey drinker and you’ve never given dark rum a chance, what are you waiting for?
Before moving on, it’s important to get a little background on this popular spirit. Popular all over the world, its heart is in the Caribbean where the likes of Appleton Estate, Bacardi, Cruzan, Mount Gay, and countless others are located. In the most basic terms, rum is a distilled spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice or sugarcane molasses. The process can be over at this point if the end product is white rum (un-aged). Otherwise, it’s cask or barrel-aged for a defined period of time to create dark rum. Like whiskey, this imparts flavors like vanilla, dried fruits, caramel, oak, and various others.
And, just like whiskey, there are myriad long-aged, well-made, nuanced dark rums available at reasonable prices. Specifically, less than $100. Since nobody wants to see you randomly scrolling around online retailers or spending an afternoon meandering around the aisles of your local liquor store with no idea what to look for, start with these dark rums under $100.
The Best Dark Rums Under $100
The Real McCoy 12
Named for Bill McCoy, one of the most famous Prohibition-era rum runners, The Real McCoy is one of the most popular rum brands for good reason. Specifically, because of well-made rums like The Real McCoy 12. Aged for at least twelve years, this blackstrap molasses-based rum is known for its flavors of oaky wood, sweet vanilla beans, and gentle spices.
Ron Zacapa No. 23 Centenario
This elegant, nuanced, complex dark rum is a blend of rums that were matured between six and twenty-three years using the solera aging process. The barrels used to age this popular rum previously held American whisky, various sherries, and Pedro Ximénez sherry. This slow-sipping rum is known for its flavors of dried apricots, oak, fresh leather, vanilla beans, and cinnamon spice.
Mount Gay Black Barrel
Barbados’ Mount Gay is the oldest rum distillery in the world with a genesis in 1703. Over the years, its distillers have perfected the art of crafting rum. One of the best expressions under $100 is its Black Barrel Rum. Distilled using traditional column and double retort pot stills, it’s matured American whiskey barrels before being finished in heavily charred ex-bourbon barrels. This creates a complex rum with notes of sticky toffee, ginger candy, dried fruits, and gentle spices.
Pusser’s Aged 15 Years
Pusser’s is a well-known, historical name in the rum world. Its Gunpowder Proof is one of the most popular mixers. But, if you only stick to that expression, you’ll miss out on something special with its 15-year-old, small-batch expression. This easy-drinking, award-winning rum is well-known for its palate of brown sugar, molasses cookies, dried fruits, and island spices.
Barrell Tale of Two Islands
You might know Barrell because of its bourbon, but you definitely shouldn’t sleep on its aged rum. Barrell Take of Two Islands is a 132.8 proof Jamaican pot still rum matured in casks that formerly held peated single malt Scotch whisky from Islay (hence the two islands name). The result is a subtly smoky, peaty rum with notes of dried fruits, honey, vanilla, oak, and spices.
Ten to One Caribbean Dark Rum
This highly complex dark rum is a blend of eight-year-old Dominican and Barbados-made rums. They’re married with Trinidadian rum and Jamaican pot still rums before being aged in ex-bourbon casks. This creates a mellow, rich rum with notes of pipe tobacco, caramel apples, charred oak, and a gentle, nutty sweetness. It’s a unique rum that needs to be tasted to be believed.
Santa Teresa 1796
Santa Teresa 1796 gets its name because this is the year the Venezuelan-located Hacienda Santa Teresa was founded. Launched in 1996, this solera-aged rum was crafted to celebrate the hacienda’s bicentennial. A blend of old and new rums, it begins with a nose of dried fruits, oak, and vanilla and moves into a palate of cinnamon sugar, vanilla cookies, dried fruits, fresh leather, sweet honey, and peppery spice.
Appleton Estate 12-Year-Old Rare Casks
Another big name in the rum world, Appleton Estate is the kind of brand that seems to only produce award-winning rums. A great example of this is its 12-year-old rare casks expression. This blend of hand-picked column and pot still Jamaican rums is known for its flavors of coffee, vanilla, dark chocolate, toffee, orange peels, and baking spices. It’s a great, value, sipping rum. The kind you’ll come back to again and again.
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The Real McCoy 12
Named for Bill McCoy, one of the most famous Prohibition-era rum runners, The Real McCoy is one of the most popular rum brands for good reason. Specifically, because of well-made rums like The Real McCoy 12. Aged for at least twelve years, this blackstrap molasses-based rum is known for its flavors of oaky wood, sweet vanilla beans, and gentle spices.
Ron Zacapa No. 23 Centenario
This elegant, nuanced, complex dark rum is a blend of rums that were matured between six and twenty-three years using the solera aging process. The barrels used to age this popular rum previously held American whisky, various sherries, and Pedro Ximénez sherry. This slow-sipping rum is known for its flavors of dried apricots, oak, fresh leather, vanilla beans, and cinnamon spice.
Mount Gay Black Barrel
Barbados’ Mount Gay is the oldest rum distillery in the world with a genesis in 1703. Over the years, its distillers have perfected the art of crafting rum. One of the best expressions under $100 is its Black Barrel Rum. Distilled using traditional column and double retort pot stills, it’s matured American whiskey barrels before being finished in heavily charred ex-bourbon barrels. This creates a complex rum with notes of sticky toffee, ginger candy, dried fruits, and gentle spices.
Pusser’s Aged 15 Years
Pusser’s is a well-known, historical name in the rum world. Its Gunpowder Proof is one of the most popular mixers. But, if you only stick to that expression, you’ll miss out on something special with its 15-year-old, small-batch expression. This easy-drinking, award-winning rum is well-known for its palate of brown sugar, molasses cookies, dried fruits, and island spices.
Barrell Tale of Two Islands
You might know Barrell because of its bourbon, but you definitely shouldn’t sleep on its aged rum. Barrell Take of Two Islands is a 132.8 proof Jamaican pot still rum matured in casks that formerly held peated single malt Scotch whisky from Islay (hence the two islands name). The result is a subtly smoky, peaty rum with notes of dried fruits, honey, vanilla, oak, and spices.
Ten to One Caribbean Dark Rum
This highly complex dark rum is a blend of eight-year-old Dominican and Barbados-made rums. They’re married with Trinidadian rum and Jamaican pot still rums before being aged in ex-bourbon casks. This creates a mellow, rich rum with notes of pipe tobacco, caramel apples, charred oak, and a gentle, nutty sweetness. It’s a unique rum that needs to be tasted to be believed.
Santa Teresa 1796
Santa Teresa 1796 gets its name because this is the year the Venezuelan-located Hacienda Santa Teresa was founded. Launched in 1996, this solera-aged rum was crafted to celebrate the hacienda’s bicentennial. A blend of old and new rums, it begins with a nose of dried fruits, oak, and vanilla and moves into a palate of cinnamon sugar, vanilla cookies, dried fruits, fresh leather, sweet honey, and peppery spice.
Appleton Estate 12-Year-Old Rare Casks
Another big name in the rum world, Appleton Estate is the kind of brand that seems to only produce award-winning rums. A great example of this is its 12-year-old rare casks expression. This blend of hand-picked column and pot still Jamaican rums is known for its flavors of coffee, vanilla, dark chocolate, toffee, orange peels, and baking spices. It’s a great, value, sipping rum. The kind you’ll come back to again and again.
Learn More
