The Best Rums in the World
These are the rums RumX members rate highest of all: connoisseur bottlings from legendary distilleries, every one still available to buy.
Rums in this list
Velier Caroni 39th Release (The Last) Heavy Trinidad Rum 1996
Velier Caroni 39th Release (The Last) Heavy Trinidad Rum 1996Dirty, fruity Caroni many call their best ever
Best for: Caroni lovers and collectors chasing the peak
Near-universal awe — repeatedly called the best Caroni people have tasted. Round, complex, endlessly long. A few wish it were a touch dirtier or more raw, but that's splitting hairs.
Velier Uitvlugt ULR ULR 1997
Velier Uitvlugt ULR ULR 1997Coconut-and-glue Demerara, light yet deeply complex
Best for: Demerara fans chasing coconut-and-solvent complexity
Adored across the board — coconut, solvent, caramel and wood in a light-but-complex Demerara. A few felt the finish tails off, and fruit lovers noted it's not their profile.
West Indies Rum Artesanal Barbados Rum Rockley Style BBR 1986
West Indies Rum Artesanal Barbados Rum Rockley Style BBR 1986Honeyed, smoky old Rockley, whisky-like and complex
Best for: collectors chasing rare, whisky-like Rockley rum
Close to a desert-island bottle for most who try it — deep honey, smoke and tropical fruit with flawless integration. If you want loud ester funk, this stays elegant instead.
Enmore Rum Artesanal Guyana Rum REV 1994
Enmore Rum Artesanal Guyana Rum REV 1994Oily, plum-and-leather Enmore, deep and balanced
Best for: Demerara fans who love dark, woody, tobacco-heavy sippers
Loved almost across the board as a top-tier REV — oily, complex, beautifully integrated alcohol. The main quibble: it's dark and bitter-leaning, so those wanting bright fruit may want more.
Enmore Rumclub Private Selection Ed. 22 REV 1994
Enmore Rumclub Private Selection Ed. 22 REV 1994Deep, oily Enmore: plum, black tea, dark chocolate
Best for: Guyana and REV lovers who like dark, dry, wood-driven sippers
Adored by REV and Guyana fans — dark, oily, complex, with well-hidden alcohol and less bitterness than usual. Needs air to open. One taster found it dry and a bit flat.
Hampden Rum Artesanal Jamaica Rum (HD Distillery) C<>H 1990
Hampden Rum Artesanal Jamaica Rum (HD Distillery) C<>H 1990Rounded, fruity 30-year Hampden with tamed funk
Best for: Fans of aged, mellowed Hampden funk
Near-unanimous love: a rounded, complex old Hampden where fruit, ester, wood and spice balance beautifully. The odd taster finds one sample flatter or slightly astringent late, but that's the exception.
Habitation Velier Hampden C<>H 2010
Habitation Velier Hampden C<>H 2010Massive, funky tropical Hampden, beautifully integrated
Best for: Hampden and high-ester funk devotees
Something close to a consensus favorite among Hampden fans — huge esters and tropical fruit with the ABV shockingly well integrated. The only real gripe: hard to find and very intense for newcomers.
Velier Hampden Warren Khong <H> <>H 2010
Velier Hampden Warren Khong <H> <>H 2010Intense, creamy Hampden ester bomb
Best for: Devoted fans of tropical-aged high-ester Hampden
Near-unanimous love here — an intense, creamy ester bomb of pineapple, glue and pastry that hides its 62% well. The main gripes: real heat up front and a steep price.
Velier Caroni 100% Trinidad Rum 21 1996
Velier Caroni 100% Trinidad Rum 21 1996Tar, rubber and tropical fruit in balance
Best for: People wanting a balanced way into tropical Caroni
Loved almost across the board as the classic, well-balanced Caroni. A few find it a touch too tame or too oak-heavy, but most call it their reference bottle.
Skeldon El Dorado Rare Collection SWR 2000
Skeldon El Dorado Rare Collection SWR 2000Rich chocolate-caramel Demerara, dangerously drinkable
Best for: Demerara fans who love dark chocolate, coffee and caramel richness
Widely loved as a chocolate-coffee-caramel Demerara that drinks far smoother than its ABV. The recurring quibble: it's so round and balanced that some want more edges or depth.
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