Rating: 
www.roguespirits.com
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from Internet Wines and Spirits
I don’t generally take to white rums – and why would I? Dark rums, at best with their heady musk, oaky molassesy kick, and all-round manliness are pretty much nature’s perfect drink. White rums, on the other hand, are quite often flavorless, astringent, and at most suitable as mixers. But once in a while a decent white rum comes along, such as Rogue Spirits’ White.
The second half of their two-part line, the first being the Blackbeard-labeled Rogue Dark, the white rum features its own pirate on its face, this time being none other than Jean Lafitte (perhaps the least piratey-looking of all pirates, but we’ll forgive him because he was otherwise pretty awesome.) In the bottle, this rum is what most any other white rum would be – clear as water and indistinguishable from vodka, gin, or rubbing alcohol.
To the nose, however, Rogue White boasts some surprising qualities. Crisp and light in scent, it carries definite hints of melon and sugar cane. Also is something that reminds me of a swimming pool (although not chlorine, thankfully.)
The flavor of Rogue White follows the nose, with melon and sugarcane. The taste of alcohol is definitely there, but more robust and flavorful than many white rums.
All told, Rogue White makes for a surprisingly drinkable experience. Straight up, or perhaps on the rocks with a twist of some sort, it makes for a far more enjoyable beverage than I normally would expect from a white rum.
i will have to get a bottle and try it out
I’ve tasted a LOT of rums, both dark and white, and never have come across a non-flavored white that I would call “astringent” as in styptic or puckery or “flavorless”. Which ones have you tasted that earned these descriptions?
Astringent as in styptic? You’re quite right – I can’t even imagine how styptic would relate to taste or the sensation of consuming a beverage. Unless your gums are bleeding, so maybe it’s a scurvy thing.
But astringent can also be defined as sour, bitter, harshly biting, as well as that sensation of having the moisture sucked from the lining of your mouth. It was in these ways that I utilized the word – particularly in the “harshly biting” way, as many white rums taste little different than I would imagine rubbing alchohol to taste. Bacardi comes to mind, as do the many other white rums commonly found in liquor stores.
“Top shelf” white rums are still a rarity, although this does seem to be changing.