The 20 Best Rums That Make the Case for Sipping

Ten to One's backstory might sound more like a tech startup than your average rum brand, but don't let that fool you, it's got plenty of authentic cred. Sure, founder Marc Farrell got into MIT at 16, then went to Cambridge and Harvard and became Starbucks's youngest VP, but he was born and raised in Trinidad, and it was his passion for revamping rum's "spring break" reputation that led to the brand's creation.

Tasting notes: Vanilla, core fruit, leather, nuts

This blend of Guatemalan rums from 6 years to 25 years old is made with virgin sugar cane (instead of molasses, like most rums) to impart a smoother texture. It's then aged in French oak barrels that previously held cognac and is best served neat or over one ice cube.

Tasting notes: Warm spice, chocolate, coffee, caramel

When St. Lucia's last sugar plantation closed in the 1960's, the Island's rum industry was forced to consolidate into St. Lucia Distilleries. Now, sourcing molasses exclusively from the British Guyana, Chairman's Reserve has risen to prominence as a signature bar staple. Their hero blend captures flavors of stonefruit and dried fruits thanks to aging in ex-bourbon barrels.

Tasting notes: Tropical fruit, vanilla, clove, dried fruits

Aged in barrels that have been infused with native cacao beans during the toasting process, this 100% Dominican rum brings forth a rich and complex palate of vanilla and dried fruit notes with a whisper of nuttiness and, of course, the bittersweet bite of chocolate.

Tasting notes: Caramel, vanilla, chocolate, dried fruits

The Reserva Exclusiva from Diplomatico—distilled in copper pot stills and aged for 12 years— is considered among the best rums from Venezuela, a country which was, itself, way ahead of the US on the rum renaissance. Straight, its prominent flavors are caramelized banana and roasted tropical fruits but with ice McCoy says the rum "comes alive with subtle spice, dry vanilla, and smooth chocolate."

Tasting notes: Roasted tropical fruit, vanilla, caramel, chocolate

More: The Most Delicious Rum Cocktails to Make at Home

Everyone knows Mount Gay—and its famous red hats—but this XO version is far from standard. It's a blend of rums from 8 to 15 years old, and McCoy recommends adding a cube of ice to bring out its "dry banana sweetness, light spice, and complexity."

Tasting notes: Banana, warm spice, chocolate

Unlike rum, which is made from molasses, Rhum Agricole is made using fresh sugarcane juice for a brighter, more botanical flavor that fans love for its distinctive terroir (the Brazilian spirit cachaça is also made from sugarcane juice, but the production methods differ.) They're known for being potent, but this VSOP hits notes of coconut, banana and dried spices and fruits for an elegant finish.

Tasting notes: Vanilla, spice, dried fruit, herbaceous

In order to make what's been called one of the smoothest rums on the market, Brugal, in the Dominican Republic, double-distills and double-matures this liquid in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels and then first-fill Spanish sherry oak casks. The resulting blend of rums, from four to 14 years old, has candied apricot on the nose along with dried fruits and vanilla with a dry, slightly tannic finish that will appeal to red wine devotees.

Tasting notes: Stonefruit, vanilla, dried fruit

Looking to switch up your nightly snifter-of-brandy routine? This gold medal-winning blended dark rum from the Bacardi spirits family is made from four different rums (carefully chosen from 300 options) some aged as much as 23 years. The rums are mixed, carbon filtered, and then rested in French oak casks for a smooth rum that's redolent of vanilla and caramel with just a hint of spice.

Tasting notes: Vanilla, caramel, baking spices

Distilled in Martinique from sugarcane grown on the volcanic slopes of Mt. Pelée this rum offers a sweet start with notes of caramel and bananas foster and then turns grown-up with the bite of warm spice on the tip of your tongue and a smooth coffee and cocoa finish that's like a long, lazy tropical vacation in a glass.

Tasting notes: Toffee, vanilla, cinnamon, cocoa

This top-selling Puerto Rican rum is an elegant entry into the world of rums for dedicated whiskey drinkers. That's because the blended spirit is aged for a minimum of 7 years in American white oak barrels—the same type that gives bourbon its distinctive flavor. Expect similar notes of vanilla, deep caramel, and spice along with the grilled stonefruit and tropical fruit notes that keep rum fans coming back for more.

Tasting notes: Vanilla, tropical fruit, baking spices

One of Jamaica's most lauded distilleries, Appleton Estate's signature blend features both column and pot distilled rums made from their own estate-grown sugar cane. The result is filled with notes of stone fruit and a delicate hint of molasses that is rich without overpowering.

Tasting notes: Stonefruit, molasses, dark caramel

"I couldn't leave my namesake out of it," McCoy says. The 12-year-old rum from Barbados is "exceptionally smooth and lush, and you can taste hints of bourbon, dried spice, and banana." With a cube of ice or a cigar, the hooch—inspired by Prohibition-era rum runner Bill McCoy—becomes even more of a pleasure to drink.

Tasting notes: Dark chocolate, spice, tropical fruit

Using the original 1934 recipe created in Cardenas, Cuba (the rum is now distilled in Puerto Rico) the rum's toasted tropical fruit notes will give you a taste of old school Cuban glamour.

Tasting notes: Tropical fruit, toasted nuts, vanilla

"Sugarcane Flower" as it's translated, Flor de Caña is extremely affordable, even in its older expressions. Sippers should prepare for what McCoy calls "a rich, lush rum with notes of banana, caramel, and sex. Add a cube and watch the world go by in hues of dried fruit, vanilla, and cinnamon." He describes this 18-year-old Nicaraguan rum as "truly outstanding."

Tasting notes: Dried fruit, caramel, warm spices

Because of the warm climates it's usually made in, rum isn't often aged as long as some spirits like whiskey. This Columbian bottle is something of an exception with a 20 year age statement that lends it a lush silkiness on the palate with deep notes of coffee and chocolate.

Tasting notes: Dark chocolate, coffee, toffee

If you want to really drink like a sailor, open a bottle of this high-proof rum from the British Virgin Islands, modeled on the precise recipe that the British Royal Navy used for its sailors daily rum ration (before the practice was discontinued in 1970.) At over 100-proof, it's a powerful sip (tone it down with an ice cube if you're not feeling naval) but balanced by notes of brown sugar, vanilla, and citrus rind.

Tasting notes: Caramel, vanilla, citrus

This small batch rum is made in an original double wooden pot still that the brand says in the only one of its kind still in operation in the world. The still imparts unique aroma of toasty spices and tropical fruits to the rum, balanced out by notes of toffee.

Tasting notes: Warm spices, tropical fruit, toffee

This women-owned brand puts a new twist on their spirit, cutting Guatemalan rum that's been aged in white oak barrels with fresh coconut water. Though the innovation may sound like a piña colada, the actual flavor is subtle and easy drinking with just a whiff of saline for a faintly salty-sweet effect.

Tasting notes: Coconut, salted caramel

Made in Barbados and aged in oak barrels for a least 10 years, this rum's buttery sweetness matches hits of toasted nuts with vanilla and caramel for a tropical twist on your usual nightcap. Bonus: the unusual shaped bottle is modeled on the leather flasks sailors once used to store their daily allotment of rum, bringing a quirky touch to your bar cart.

Tasting notes: Toasted nuts, vanilla, caramel