Everyone has at least one purport bankrupt for them in college . For me , it was rummy . After one badly - notify dark boast injection of gasoliney white rum poured from a family - sized plastic bottle , I arouse the next afternoon queasy and impoverished . And a workweek later on , when someone provide me rummy , I got a whiff and gagged .

On graduation daytime , if you asked me whether I would ever sip rummy straight , I would have express joy in your face ( before frame a wicked jinx on you behind your back — keep your evil rummy away ! ) . But today , rum is one of my favorite liveliness , both neat and in cocktails . All it took were a few expectant bottleful . If you ’re looking to discover your way back to rummy , or recover it for the first metre , here ’s your roadmap .

Brugal Especial Extra Dry ($23)

Learning to accept snowy rummy back into my life was no easy project . I learned that I could tolerate aMojito , but anything — even aDaiquiri — that did n’t beat rummy into compliance with the sugar stick was tough for me to digest . Brugal ’s white rummy was a turn point . Unlike the plastic - bottle white rummy of my past ( get thee behind me ) , Brugal is pernicious , smooth and eager to collaborate with other flavors in cocktails , act as a lightly tropical spine . On its own , with just a spritz of unslaked lime and glass , it ’s a gross summer Nox refresher .

Flor de Caña 12 Year ($35)

As I got comfortable with rum , I begin to work up a small , but true static . I cogitate I had the base cover when a friend importune I try Flor de Caña . After I did , I realized I postulate more rum in my life . Many more . Starting with this one . Though it ’s a fantastic sipper on its own , its flavors of fertile , overripe dry fruit also lend themselves to cocktails likeDark ‘ N ’ Stormies , Rum & Tonics and rumManhattans .

Lost Spirits Navy Strength Rum ($65)

I ’ll admit I was skeptical when a bartender presented me with a California - made rum . Though America has rum distillation roots , we are n’t much known for it any longer . This bottle makes a convincing argument we should give it another go . At 68 % ABV , it packs serious heat , followed by a cozy coat of brownish clams and a funky finish . Lost flavor Navy Strength adds complexness to fruity cocktails likePiña Coladasor evensimple rum punches . Bear in mind , though , this rummy is a bit scarce , so if you come across it , make trusted to grab some .

Santa Teresa 1796 ($36)

Uniquely of age in the solera panache ( à la sherry ) , this is the first rum I ever loved . Its nutty sweetness and pineapple - esque fruitiness are cancel by subtle campfire undertones . With a bottleful of orangish bitterness at your side , it ’s shockingly easy to make your way through a bottle . One of my desert island cocktail is this simple : a bullet of Santa Teresa over a orotund glass cube with a few dashes of orange bitters . determine to spearfish and make firing , and your deserted island could get downright comfy .

Rhum J.M. Agricole Blanc ($30)

Just when I thought I knew what rummy tasted like , I encountered this unknown wolf . An innocent - looking , unassuming clear spirit , it hits your palate with a prisoner of war ! full flavor reset . Overripe papayas and newly - ignore grass jump around with linden tree - comparable tartness . As with fish sauce , a lilliputian go a long way , but in cocktails it can be transformative . hear it in a tiki drink likeThree Dots and a Dash .

I do n’t rue my years liquidate ( literally and figuratively ) on bad rum . I had a lot of sport . But I am glad I found the path to rum salvation . Today , I crispen young me , throwing back plastic dig glasses of gasolene - rummy . And I sip . Slowly .

Rum Corner

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