Having run the gauntlet with all three rums, I’d say that any would make a decent mixer or even a surprisingly gentle shot, but none is something I’d recommend in a snifter or mug by itself – but that’s no different than the majority of their flavored Malibu, Bacardi, or Cruzan competitors. I began with Jolly Roger Coconut & Key Lime Rum, which comes packaged in Three-D’s distinctive coffin-shaped bottle. I’ve seen plenty of coconut rums before, as well as lime rums, but I don’t know that I’ve often found both in a single rum, so that’s definitely a fun twist. In the glass, Jolly Roger is clear, and smells of coconut and lime, along with a definite dose of alcohol. To the taste Jolly Roger is much the same, although the alcohol is far more subdued than I’d have expected – it actually reminds me of one of those gently flavored mineral waters that were so big in the 80′s.

Next I tried Redrum, which purports to be a blend of “Premium Caribbean Rum & Natural Tropical Flavors.” This time the rum smelled fruity and candy-like, although distinguishing individual fruits is a bit difficult – it’s more like that all-encompassing fruity smell of tropical punch. To the taste Redrum is again surprisingly gentle, although a bit cough mediciny for my taste.

Last up was Voodoo Spiced Rum. It’s actually my belief that my receiving of this rum package was in direct response to my favorable opinions of Kilo Kai, and more recently Kraken spiced rums, both of which have handily raised the bar for spiced rum everywhere, and truly achieved the level of premium, sippable spiced rums. Voodoo, however, just doesn’t measure up in this regard. It smells of vanilla and faintly of spices, but they only barely mask the alcohol. On tasting, Voodoo is light and tingly, but tastes very much of bargain mixer rum with a spicy finish.

Of the three, I think Jolly Roger and Redrum could certainly have a place amongst any basic mixologists cabinet – both offer some unique flavor combinations, are surprisingly easy on the gullet, and could give that perfect kick to your fruity concoctions. Voodoo could also nicely serve for a basic mixer spiced, although unlike its two peers it offers little to set it apart from the vast array of basic spiced mixers that are also available these days.

www.neworleansrum.com

Back in 2006 I reviewed New Orleans Cane Amber Rum. Since that time, Cane Rum has been discontinued over apparent confusion between itself and 10 Cane Rum. In its place we now have Old New Orleans Rum, which I think is actually a much better label anyways as it not only highlights itself as being one of the few continental US rum distilleries, but in a pirate town ta boot

Now I would generally expect that in such cases, while the bottling has changed, the rum might not. My bottle of Cane Amber is long gone (I have a second, but refuse to break the seal for this review – sorry!), so I can’t really do a side-by-side comparison. I do recall Cane Amber as being rather more scotch-like than rummy, but this is really all that I have to go on.

In the bottle, Old New Orleans 3 Year Aged Rum is a nice, basic brownish amber. The bottle is clean and classy, and corked in the manner of all self-respecting rums (with a few exceptions.) To the nose, Old New Orleans smells of sweet sugar cane, vanilla, and just a hint of over-ripe fruit. It comes across as being light-bodied, and perhaps a little alcoholly.

This rum indeed tastes of sugarcane and vanilla. It’s syrupy sweet and has a bit of an alcohol finish. My perference is for full-bodies rums – musky oaks and heady molosses. Old New Orleans is more in the fashion of east indian rums such as Old Monk or Khukri – decent, but not quite in the style you’d expect if you’re mostly accustomed to British, Spanish, or French styled rums. As to the scotch-like qualities I remember from Cane Amber? None whatsoever this time around – I’d say that this rum has been reinvented along with its packaging.

Old New Orleans 3 Year Rum is decent, but not of the quality I generally prefer in my sipping rums. Its lightness might work well on the rocks on a hot day, but not so much in a snifter next to the fire. Or if you’re into mixers, it would make a fine upgrade from the more typical grocery store rums, who shall remain nameless.

Exhibit A:

They have a whole line of strange little videos (Exhibits B-F, or near enough) on YouTube, or you can check out a select few in higher quality at www.10cane.com.

Less demented (but still worth mentioning) is the new 10 Cane Mojito Kit. Being as I can’t remember how to mix a drink to save my life something like this is right about perfect. Looks classy too:

It will retail for around $35, and includes the rum and mojito mix.

A couple of brief tasting notes on four American produced rums – two from Rogue, and two from Dogfish Head. I’ve only tasted one from each thus far, and neither were what I’d call stellar. But the article is still very interesting.

Pirate’s Choice is an unusual rum. It bears special consideration in several respects. First, it was first distilled in a makeshift (and very illegal) contraption built on the second story of a scuba shop in Key Largo. This is highly braggable. Now created in a more professional (and legal) distillery, the rum is sold in classy squat bottles, complete with labels featuring a silhouette of a pirate ship at rest as a storm approaches. This is beautiful. And, most noteworthy of all, no rum since the golden age of piracy has gone through such effort to introduce, insert, and endear itself to the pirate community. And this, my friends, is remarkable and admirable. In fact, I first met the president of Pirate’s Choice at PyrateCon 2008 in New Orleans, where he was giving away t-shirts, stickers, temporary tattoos, and countless samples of his product to every rogue, wench, and scalliwagg he could find (and being PyrateCon, he found lots of them.) However, this wasn’t the first I’d tasted Pirate’s Choice – I’d had a sample some months prior – at Pirates in Paradise in Key West. As I write this review, Pirate’s Choice is currently promoting itself at the Hampton Blackbeard Festival, with plans to attend the Port Washington Pirate Festival in turn just one week later. In short – Pirate’s Choice Rum is busting its hump to be noticed by the pirate community, making it the first and only rum to look at modern day pirates and see a viable market worth persuing. I suppose this could be seen as a cold business strategy, but I actually view it as heartening. I mean, when’s the last time Captain Morgan gave a squat about us? And HE’s supposed to be a pirate!

OK, enough about Pirate’s Choice pro-piracy campaign – it’s brilliant, it’s awsome, so let’s talk about the rum.

In the bottle (which, as stated, is very pretty – and surprisingly solid feeling) Pirate’s Choice Molasses Reef is a deep, rich amber, with just enough red to imply some fire within. To the nose, however, this rum is immediately disarming. Strongly smelling of toffee and vanilla, I would venture to say this is indeed a flavored rum, as I can’t envision such prominent flavor coming from a “natural” aging process. In fact, very little “rum” makes it to the nose at all, leaving in its place a rich creaminess.

On the lips and tongue, Pirate’s Choice is a unique experience – I struggled to taste, well, anything really – my tongue literally sensed nothing by way of flavor. And yet, it also sensed a growing chill. As the rum reached the back of my mouth, I again began to pick up on strong vanilla, followed by a long, warm finish that crept down my throat and then jumped back out to my lips – a tiny roundhouse kick of sensation, really.

Pirate’s Choice is definitely noteworthy. What it lacks in traditional “ruminess” it more that makes up for in dueling sensations and toffee tastes and aromas. It can be enjoyed straight, but I think this rum likely shines best in carefully chosen mixers. It’s dark nature and rich taste set it apart from all the white flavored mixer rums, while its simplicity and lack of alcohol taste seperate it from so many spiced rums. This rum is liquid candy, true, but it’s candy made by a skilled confectioner rather than some Hershey’s hack. So I guess that makes Pirate’s Choice’s president the true Willy Wonka of the Pirate World. Sorry Johnny.