Awesome Rum

Leave it to The Kraken Rum to spawn an anti-Valentine’s Day gift for the blackest of hearts… like your ex, probably. The Beast’s Desolate Rose Bundle pairs a preserved black rose in a delicate glass dome (made by Holy Chic Los Angeles) with a bottle of The Kraken Black Spiced Rum.

For 2023’s special release, master blender Trudiann Branker crafted Mount Gay Rum PX Sherry Cask from pot and column still rums that were aged in American whiskey casks for 20 years. Barbados’ tropical heat and humidity worked like magic, especially while the rum spent an extra year in Pedro Ximenez Sherry wine casks.

Since 1865, Don Q has consistently delivered great rums. Don Q Reserva 7 is a robust Puerto Rican blend of rums aged in American white oak barrels for seven years. Rich in flavor, it’s just the ticket for seasonal hot drinks like Hot Buttered Rum and many other tasty cocktails.

Trick or treating is for kids, but these decadent Halloween treats are not. For its limited-edition Kraken Dark Donuts, NYC’s Dough Donuts spiked its cream filling with Kraken Black Spiced Rum, and decorated the dark chocolate icing with a purple beast from the deep. Available through October 31 at Dough Donuts locations and via Goldbelly shipments.

There are booze cruises, then there’s the 40-week, 60,000 nautical-mile voyage taken by American white oak barrels carrying what would become Goslings Spirited Seas Ocean Aged Rum. Goslings is the Official Rum of US Sailing, so the experiment kinda makes sense. Regardless, the Goslings Spirited Seas rum blend really floats our boat.

The world’s first carbon-neutral and fair trade certified rums by Flor de Caña are as exceptional as the distiller’s 130-year history as a family-run enterprise. Flor de Caña 12-Year Rum is naturally aged without sugar in white oak bourbon barrels sealed with plantain leaves, creating a premium rum with tropical notes.

A treasure trove of pirate puns comes to mind when Kraken Gold Spiced Rum entices ye hearties to drink until three sheets to the wind. With notes of cinnamon and vanilla, this smoky-sweet 70-proof gold rum (AKA amber) from the Dominican Republic is lighter in color and flavor than its darker cousin.

Ernest “Papa” Hemingway wrote about lots of adventurous things, like bullfighting, hunting, and skiing. But there’s nothing he had more experience in than drinking, with rum being his go-to. Papa’s Pilar Rum honors the adventurer’s spirit by blending premium rums from the Caribbean, Central, South, and North America.

One of the world’s favorite cocktails is the classic Dark ‘n Stormy, created in 1920s Bermuda when British Navy officers used Goslings Black Seal Rum to spike their seasickness cure: ginger beer. A century later, the drink gets its own holiday; June 9, 2020 is the first official Dark ‘n’ Stormy Day. Celebrate with the official recipe.

A newborn rum is here, pa rum pum pum pum. Crafted by Trinidadian entrepreneur Marc Farrell – a former Starbucks VP and a Harvard, Cambridge, and MIT grad – his Ten to One rums challenge perceptions of tropical spirits. Light and dark expressions blend premium rums from the Dominican Republic, Trinidad, Jamaica, and Barbados.

The always compelling documentarians at MEL Films visited Cuba to create a puff piece about the country’s rum production and its plans to repay an old international debt with booze. But things took a dark turn as they attempted to scratch beneath the surface of the story.

Fans of the Discovery show Moonshiners will want to grab a jar of Sugarland Shine’s sweet and aromatic concoction, based on Mark and Digger’s recipe for rum with real hazelnut flavor, and hints of vanilla, cinnamon, and honey. Tasty by itself, and spectacular in coffee.

In all honesty, we we’re pretty cynical about yet another pumpkin spice flavored thing, but Captain Morgan’s latest spiced rum concoction is truly delicious. You’ll want to sip this spirit all the time, not just in the Fall. Great alone, with apple cider, or ginger beer and lime.

A wonderfully flavorful and smooth premium white rum with oak, pear and honeysuckle notes, created through a special double-aging process in white oak barrels. Try with lemon, sugar and soda for a fantastic Maestro Collins.

Beloved readers, if you want a shot with a citrusy kick and a hint of warmth at the finish, go get yourself the newest libation in the coolest bottle from Captain Morgan – which they’ve just released with an explosive launch (literally).

While the first commercial in this trilogy was pretty lighthearted, this epic spot for Captain Morgan rum looks like something out of an HBO drama – or Assassin’s Creed IV. Though for a second, we weren’t sure if he was Batman.

Professor Cornelius Ampleforth’s Rumbullion! is a high-proof Carribbean rum that’s been infused with vanilla and orange, along with notes of cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Comes wax sealed in a brown paper and twine wrapper.

The natural citrus, vanilla and spice flavor profiles in this 4-year aged rum create a bold and dynamic drink. Great in tropical drinks, it stands up in a glass with a couple of ice cubes, a rarity for rum.

An “exceptionally well-balanced 7-year old rum”, Ron de Jeremy was made by the legendary Master Distiller, 72-year old Francisco “Don Pancho” Fernandez. You had us at Ron de Jeremy.

We’re with the Drinkhacker: the versatile French St. Germain spirit can elevate a wealth of cocktails with its sweet/uncloying lychee character, balanced with lavender, summer herbs, and lemon finish.

Drink up for science: the methodical minds of RND Vodka use a continuous glass column distillation method to create their small batch spirit, and are donating 5% of profits to science education.

Attention pyro wannabes: please make sure there’s sober supervision before making any of these drinks you can set on fire; we want you to continue to live – and to read The Awesomer afterwards.

Kraken Black Spiced Rum is as opaque as the ink from its namesake, but this spicy 94 proof drink will put hair on your peg leg and is good both alone and as a mixer; review here.