One of the younger offerings from El Dorado, this blend made of rums of a minimum of 8 years old is sweetly spicy and thick with molasses and toffee flavours. There’s a festive feel to this rum, with Christmas cake spices working together to create a strong and enjoyable flavour. Honeyed vanilla, toffee and butterscotch are rich on the palate with syrupy orange marmalade coming through too, creating a rich and enjoyable rum which is perfect when enjoyed neat or with mixers.

A St. Lucian rum with real character, Chairman’s Reserve is a classic golden rum that blends together both pot still and continuous still rums. Fruity on the nose with just the right balance of sweetness it hits the palate with a zing and slowly fills the mouth with fruitiness, creamy depth and sweet spice which blends wonderfully with mixers. The overall feel of this rum is creamy, medium-bodied and wonderful for mixing into cocktails and enjoying with your favourite sparkling mixer.

Appleton Rare 12 Year Rum brings together rums of ages between 12 and 18 offering one of the finest quality aged rums that Jamaica has to offer. The age of this rum is apparent from the moment you open it, with a thick and rich nose packed full of buttery vanilla and nutty spice notes. It is rich and creamy on the palate with an oaky biscuit flavour. The oaky notes are the most prominent to the end.

15 individually distilled pot and column rums come together to give us Appleton Signature . Medium-sweet in flavour with a smoothness on the palate, Appleton VS is perfect on the rocks, is complemented by ginger beer and hasa true taste of the Caribbean. Brown sugar, light spices and dried currants and raisins are prominent on the palate and the flavour remains sweet and mellow from beginning to end.

Appleton Estate 8 Year Rum blends together 20 different rums to create a dark sugar concoction which is intensely enjoyable. The sugary nature of this Appleton offering is tempered by warm honey and despite the seeming sweetness it is sharp on the tongue with a satisfying hit of citrus peel and caramelised apple. Caramel and hazelnut flavours come through on tasting and this one rum that should be enjoyed neat.

 A truly exceptional Guatamalan rum, Zacapa Centenario XO is a premium offering which doesn’t disappoint when it comes to flavour. Beautifully delicate, the flavour of Zacapa Centenario XO is matured in a mix of bourbon and sherry casks which together deliver a flavour which is exceptionally sweet and sugary, without being sickly. The softness on the palate of this mature rum is surprising and very welcome, with only a hint of smoke coming through in the finish.

One of the top navy rums around, Lamb’s is a well-known brand with a recognisable flavour. 18 rums are brought together and are distilled in pot stills to deliver maximum flavour. Maturation takes place in oak casks and this delivers a treacle-deep flavour, pungent in molasses, toffee and nutmeg. The flavour is fruity with Christmas cake notes and espresso coffee intensity. Mild clove spice ensures a traditional rum complexity to Lamb’s, making it one of the most popular dark rums around.

Blended to perfection, Captain Morgan’s is a golden rum which has been enhanced by sweet and mellow spices. A drink that just cries out to be mixed with cola, Captain Morgan’s uses only premium Caribbean rums to create its distinct flavour. The natural hues of the rum blend with specially selected spices to create the amber hues the drink is known for and a hint of oak smokiness can be tasted due to the rum’s maturation process.

Bacardi is best known for their world famous white rum but here Bacardi 8 Year Old is an intense, red-gold offering which is exceptional when added to spiced cocktails or enjoyed neat. The aroma is awash with buttery caramel, orange marmalade and banana leaf notes which lead to a medium bodied flavour which allows sweet Demerara sugar, apricots and gingerbread to take centre stage. Butterscotch and vanilla notes linger throughout with just a touch of nutmeg spice finishing it off.

Another classic from the famous Appleton Rum Distillery, a blend of Jamaican rums come together to deliver the flavour of Appleton 21 Year. Matured for that full 21 year period, this Appleton rum is a rarity and is only released once a year, making it highly sought after. Burnt fruit cake and leathery notes are the most prominent in this rum closely followed by bitter spiced oak, that classic Demerara sugar flavour and vanilla and ginger spices. The tannic oak flavour remains long after drinking and is indicative of the premium quality of this rum and its maturity.

Another exceptional rum from one of Mauritius’ finest producers Green Island, Green Island Light is a highly drinkable and wonderfully subtle offering. Grassy and herbaceous on the nose, hints of pepper and sweet honey also come through tempting you to taste it. The flavour is surprisingly creamy for a white rum and has distinct notes of exotic coconut, bitter cocoa and golden syrup, as well as sharp lime and black pepper. It’s this final note than lingers once the drink is done.

With a couple of awards under its belt El Dorado 3 Year rum is a fine example of a mixing rum which a crispness that lends itself to sharp citrus cocktails and even exotic punches. Coconut is ever-present from first opening and hints of sugary sweet icing sugar are also apparent in the nose. On drinking El Dorado is surprisingly dry with notes of intense brown sugar, a nutty edge and of course that coconut coming through strongly. The end note blends vanilla with the coconut for a fresh finish.

Setting the standard in white rum, Bacardi is known worldwide. In 1862 it became the world’s first premium aged white rum and using charcoal filtration was key to its original development. Bacardi is a necessity for many world famous cocktails and without we’d not have the classic Daiquiri, the Mojito or the Cuba Libre. Smooth and gentle on the palate it’s wonderful however you choose to mix it and offers a taste of Cuba which can’t be compared.