There’s no wrong time of year to get into rum. If you enjoy fruity, tropical cocktails, there’s a rum for you. If you prefer to drink your rum aged like your favorite whiskey, the options abound. There is also spiced rum, rhum Agricole, gold rum, overproof rum, and more.
Sure, you can find your fair share of overly expensive, long-matured rums. But there are also countless inexpensive bottles just waiting to be added to your home bar. There are also a handful of bargain bottles that land in (or near) the bottom shelf in terms of price, but not in terms of quality and flavor.
Okay, so you’re looking for a specific number, right? Well to our mind, bargain booze means under $30. Unless you’re already an avid rum drinker, you might be surprised by the number of surprisingly complex, balanced rums in the price range.
Luckily, you don’t have to stroll through your local liquor store or peruse the online retailers to find these proverbial rum-soaked diamonds in the oak-aged rough. The hard work (a fair amount of drinking) has been done for you. Below, you’ll find the absolute best rums for mixing and sipping for less than $30.
Photo via The Edrington Group
Brugal Extra Viejo
If you’ve never tried any run from Dominican Republic’s Brugal, you’re really missing out on some exceptional expressions. While its Añejo can’t be beat for the price. The true bargain is Brugal Extra Viejo. Blended by Brugal’s expert Maestros, it’s made up of rum matured in American oak ex-bourbon barrels. This well-balanced rum is loaded with flavors like candied orange peels, toasted vanilla beans, oaky wood, and gentle spices. The price makes you think this rum is only for mixing, but it’s also a tremendous rainy-day sipper.
Photo via The Real McCoy
The Real McCoy 5 Year
Named for infamous Prohibition-era rum runner Billy McCoy, this line is made up of outstanding rums. This award-winning rum is distilled in column and retort pot stills before being matured in heavy charred American oak ex-bourbon casks for a minimum of five years. The result is a sublimely mellow rum filled with flavors like dried fruits, charred oak, butterscotch, toasted vanilla beans, cinnamon candy, caramelized sugar, toasted coconut, and just a wisp of pipe tobacco at the finish. This rum won’t get lost in your favorite cocktail, and it’s also a great slow sipper on a cool evening.
Photo via Ten to One
Ten to One Caribbean White Rum
Simply put, this is an exceptional, mixable, multi-layered white rum. Ten to One Caribbean White Rum is an award-winning blend of Dominican Republic column still rum and high ester pot still Jamaican rum. Perfect for Daiquiris, Mojitos, and your favorite rum cocktails, it’s known for its notes of citrus peels, vanilla beans, cracked black pepper, honey, and light floral notes. For a white rum, it’s surprisingly balanced, complex, and flavorful.
Photo via R. L. Seale
R. L. Seale's Finest 10 Year
Crafted by renowned rum-maker Richard Seale at the Foursquare Distillery in Barbados, this is a true bargain bottle. This blend of pot and column still rums are matured in a combination of American oak ex-bourbon casks, ex-madeira, and even French oak ex-brandy barrels. This creates a surprisingly nuanced rum loaded with flavors like candied orange peels, butterscotch, vanilla beans, cinnamon, and gentle island spices. This unforgettable rum is the perfect addition to your favorite cocktail or on its own.
Photo via Foursquare Distillery
Doorly’s 12 Year
This popular rum is distilled in Barbados at the renowned Foursquare distillery. It is matured for at least twelve years in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels before being transferred to ex-Madeira casks. This creates a truly memorable rum filled with epic flavors like dried fruits, island spices, tropical fruits, vanilla, and oaky wood. It’s a great addition to your home bar to be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or mixed into a Mai Tai.
Photo via J. Wray & Nephew Limited
Appleton Estate Signature Blend
Appleton Estate is one of the most well-respected names in the rum world—and for good reason. While you can’t go wrong with any of its flagship expressions, its best under-$30 offering is the Signature Blend. This blend of column and pot still distilled Jamaican rums is matured for a minimum of four years. This results in a well-rounded, highly mixable, sippable rum that features flavors of toasted oak, dried fruits, molasses cookies, vanilla beans, island spices, and citrus peels. This is the kind of rum that you’ll try once, and then it will find a permanent spot on your home bar.
