The Best Rum: White, Aged, Jamaican, Agricole and Spiced, Matched to the Drink in Your Hand
Rum is the most varied spirit on our shelf. A crisp white rum for a daiquiri, a funky Jamaican pot still rum for a Mai Tai and a 15-year-old Guyanese rum for sipping barely seem related. We sort rum the way we do at the counter: first by where and how it's made, then by how you plan to drink it. Every bottle below ships nationwide.
In This Guide
Our Picks at a Glance
- Best rum overall: Appleton Estate Signature. Jamaican character, smooth enough to sip, great in cocktails.
- Best rum to sip: Appleton Estate 12 Year Rare Casks. Toffee, orange peel and a little Jamaican funk, dry enough for whiskey drinkers.
- Best rum for a daiquiri: Planteray 3 Stars. A white rum with real flavor.
- Best rum for a mojito: Bacardi Superior. Light, clean and lets the mint and lime lead.
- Best rum for a Mai Tai: Planteray Xaymaca Special Dry. Funky Jamaican pot still rum with no added sugar.
- Best rhum agricole: Rhum J.M VSOP. Grassy, elegant aged rhum from Martinique.
- Best spiced rum: Sailor Jerry. Vanilla and spice at a higher proof.
- Best rum under $20: Ron Abuelo Añejo. An aged Panamanian rum for the price of a mixer.
- Best splurge rum: Ron Zacapa 23. Sweet, deep solera-aged rum from Guatemala.
The Best Rums, Compared
ABV is the producer's published US strength. Flavor is how each bottle drinks neat.
| Bottle | Style / Origin | ABV | Flavor | Price tier | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bacardi Superior | White / Puerto Rico | 40% | Light, clean, citrus | Under $15 | Mojito, rum and Coke |
| Planteray 3 Stars | White blend / Caribbean | 41.2% | Fresh cane, banana, citrus | Under $20 | Daiquiri |
| Appleton Signature | Gold / Jamaica | 40% | Orange peel, molasses, spice | Under $25 | All-purpose, rum punch |
| Planteray Xaymaca | Pot still / Jamaica | 43% | Funky, tropical fruit, dry | Under $40 | Mai Tai, tiki |
| Smith & Cross | Navy strength / Jamaica | 57% | Big funk, banana, spice | Under $40 | Mai Tai, tiki floats |
| Rhum Clément VSOP | Agricole / Martinique | 40% | Grassy, vanilla, dried fruit | Under $50 | Ti' Punch, sipping |
| Barbancourt 8 Year | Cane juice / Haiti | 43% | Grassy, oak, caramel | Under $40 | Sipping, value |
| Appleton 12 Year | Aged / Jamaica | 43% | Toffee, orange, spice | Under $50 | Sipping, Mai Tai |
| El Dorado 15 Year | Demerara / Guyana | 40% | Toffee, raisin, coffee | $50 to $75 | Sipping |
| Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva | Aged / Venezuela | 40% | Sweet, caramel, orange | Under $40 | Sipping, beginners |
| Ron Zacapa 23 | Solera / Guatemala | 40% | Honey, raisin, cocoa | $50 to $75 | Splurge, gifts |
| Goslings Black Seal | Dark / Bermuda | 40% | Molasses, caramel | Under $20 | Dark 'n Stormy |
Best Rum to Sip
A good sipping rum should taste like it spent real time in a barrel: toffee, dried fruit, oak and spice, not just sugar. Some popular "sipping" rums are sweetened after aging. That's not a flaw, but it's worth knowing. We note the sweeter ones below.
Demerara rum aged at least 15 years, from Guyana's historic wooden stills. Rich and deep with toffee, raisin, coffee and baking spice. If you like bourbon, this is the rum we'd hand you. For a lower price, the El Dorado 12 Year is close behind.
A blend of pot and column still rums aged at least 12 years in Jamaica's Nassau Valley. Orange peel, toffee, cocoa and a little of the tropical funk Jamaican rum is known for. Dry enough for whiskey drinkers, flavorful enough for a top-shelf Mai Tai.
Distilled from fresh sugar cane juice rather than molasses, then aged in oak. It's grassy and bright like an agricole, with caramel and oak from the barrel. One of the best-value sipping rums around. Step up to the Barbancourt 15 Year for a special occasion.
Rich, round and sweet, with caramel, orange and vanilla. Our pick for someone new to sipping rum, or anyone who likes dessert in a glass. It's on the sweeter side, so pour it over a big ice cube.
Made from concentrated sugar cane honey and aged in a solera system at high altitude. Honey, raisin, cocoa and soft spice. Plush and sweet, a crowd-pleaser and a classic gift. Read more in our Zacapa guide.
Best Rum for a Mojito or Daiquiri
Both drinks are built on white rum, lime and sugar. A mojito adds mint and soda, so a light, clean rum works best. A daiquiri has nowhere to hide, so a white rum with more flavor really shows.
A blend of white rums from three islands. Clean but not empty: fresh cane, a little banana and bright citrus. It makes a daiquiri that tastes like rum, not just lime. The bartender's favorite white rum at this price.
Light, crisp and clean, with a hint of almond and citrus. In a mojito it stays in the background and lets the mint and lime do the talking. It's also the easy pick for a rum and Coke.
A white blend from Foursquare in Barbados and Hampden in Jamaica, bottled with no added sugar at a cocktail-friendly proof. Rich, fruity and a little funky. It makes a serious, bar-quality daiquiri.
A dry, lightly aged white rum from Nicaragua that's filtered clear. Smooth and clean with a hint of vanilla. A reliable mojito rum at a fair price.
Best Rum for a Mai Tai and Tiki Drinks
The original Mai Tai was built on aged Jamaican rum, and it still tastes best that way. Look for pot still rum from Jamaica: it brings the overripe banana and tropical "funk" that makes the drink.
100% Jamaican pot still rum with no added sugar. Tropical fruit, banana and a dry finish. Use 2 oz in a Mai Tai with lime, orange curaçao and orgeat, or split it with an agricole for a classic two-rum Mai Tai.
Navy strength Jamaican pot still rum from Hampden Estate. Big, bold and very funky. A half ounce adds depth to any tiki drink, and it makes a punchy Mai Tai for people who like intensity.
Pot still rum from Worthy Park Estate, selected by rum expert Ed Hamilton. Funky and fruity with a little smoke. A great rum for the tiki crowd.
Jamaica's everyday white overproof rum. Unaged, very strong and full of fruit. In Jamaica it's the rum for rum punch. In tiki drinks, a small splash goes a long way.
Best Spiced and Dark Rum
Vanilla, cinnamon and toffee, bottled at 92 proof. The higher proof means it tastes like rum first and spice second, and it holds up in a rum and Coke.
A step up in spiced rum, built on real pot and column still rum and spiced with local botanicals. Less sugary than mass-market brands, with orange peel and clove. Good on ice.
Dark, rich and full of molasses and caramel. The rum for a Dark 'n Stormy with ginger beer and lime. Our Dark 'n Stormy Kit has everything you need.
Best Value Rum
Aged rum from Panama with honey, vanilla and light oak. Smooth enough to sip on ice, cheap enough for a rum punch. One of the best values in rum.
A blend of 15 rums from Appleton's Nassau Valley estate. Orange peel, molasses and a hint of Jamaican fruit. The most versatile rum we sell: daiquiris, rum punch, Mai Tais or on ice.
Seven years in ex-bourbon barrels gives it vanilla, caramel and dried fruit without much added sweetness. An easy, affordable everyday sipper.
Rum Styles Explained
All rum comes from sugar cane, usually molasses, sometimes fresh cane juice. What happens next (the still, the island and the barrel) decides how it tastes. For the basics, see What Is Rum Made From?
White rum
Unaged or lightly aged and filtered clear. Light, clean and built for cocktails. The Spanish-Caribbean style (Puerto Rico, Cuba, Nicaragua) is the lightest.
Aged (gold and añejo) rum
Rested in oak, usually ex-bourbon barrels. The tropical climate ages rum fast, so a 12-year Caribbean rum can taste much older than a 12-year Scotch.
Jamaican rum
Heavy, flavorful and often pot-distilled, with long fermentations that create esters: the overripe banana and pineapple notes people call "hogo" or "funk." The classic tiki rum.
Rhum agricole
Made from fresh cane juice, not molasses, mainly in Martinique and Guadeloupe. Grassy, vegetal and bright. Rhum J.M VSOP and Clément VSOP are aged versions worth sipping.
Demerara rum
From Guyana, often distilled in historic wooden stills. Dark, rich, with notes of brown sugar, coffee and dried fruit.
Spiced and dark rum
Spiced rum is flavored with vanilla, cinnamon and other spices. "Dark" or "black" rum is often colored with caramel or molasses for a richer look and taste. Both are made for mixing.
How to Serve Rum
- Neat or on one big cube: best for aged rums like El Dorado 15, Appleton 12 and Zacapa.
- Daiquiri: 2 oz white rum, 1 oz fresh lime, 0.75 oz simple syrup. Shake hard, strain into a chilled coupe.
- Mojito: muddle mint gently with lime and sugar, add 2 oz white rum and ice, top with soda.
- Mai Tai: 2 oz aged Jamaican rum, 0.75 oz lime, 0.5 oz orange curaçao, 0.5 oz orgeat. Shake and serve over crushed ice with a mint sprig.
- Ti' Punch: the Martinique way to drink agricole. Two ounces of rhum, a coin of lime and a little cane syrup, stirred in the glass.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best rum?
Appleton Estate Signature is the best all-around rum for most people. For sipping, Appleton 12 Year. For a daiquiri, Planteray 3 Stars. For a Mai Tai, Planteray Xaymaca.
What is the best rum to drink straight?
El Dorado 15 Year and Appleton 12 Year are the best rums to drink straight if you like a drier, whiskey-like profile. Diplomático and Zacapa 23 are best if you like it sweeter.
What is the best rum for a mojito?
Bacardi Superior is the classic mojito rum. It's light and clean, so the mint and lime come through. Flor de Caña Extra Seco is a good alternative.
What is the best rum for a Mai Tai?
A Jamaican pot still rum is best for a Mai Tai. Our picks are Planteray Xaymaca and Appleton 12 Year, with a splash of Smith & Cross for extra depth.
What's the difference between light and dark rum?
Light (white) rum is unaged or filtered clear and tastes clean. Dark rum is often aged longer, sometimes with added caramel or molasses, and tastes richer and sweeter.
What is rhum agricole?
Rhum agricole is rum made from fresh sugar cane juice instead of molasses, mainly in the French Caribbean. It tastes grassier and brighter than most rum.
Shop Rum at The Liquor Barn
White, aged, Jamaican, agricole, Demerara and spiced rums, from mojito staples to rare sippers. Ships nationwide. Family-owned since 1982.
Shop All Rum Dark and Aged Rum White RumThe Liquor Barn operates three retail locations in Vernon Hills, Wheeling, and Niles, Illinois. We are a licensed Illinois retailer and ship to states where direct-to-consumer alcohol shipping is permitted. Prices and availability change; the product page always has the current price. Questions about shipping to your state? Contact us here. Please drink responsibly.
