It seems in the past few years white rums have been pushed back to the role of :red-headed step child" of the rum business. It was the mass produced mixer, not something that you could sip or savor on its own. It was just something that you used to produce a buzz. Today many of the rum producers have put some real effort into creating new white rums that are truly sipable.
One of the first that I got to enjoy as a stand alone white was Diplomatico Blanco. This is a truly fine white rum that will stand on its own and yet quite flavorful. This is an aged rum that is filtered to remove the color and still retain the flavor of the barrel. Tito Cordero has put a lot of effort into the rum and the results are "clear" when you decant it into a glass, either neat or on the rocks and sip it. Plantation 3 Stars rum is another fine example of the sipable white rum. Alexander Gabriel has skillfully blended the best rums from Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad. The distinct rum styles of these islands developed over centuries of rum production has brought its own special character to Plantation 3 Stars Silver Rum Aged Trinidad rum imparts its classic elegance, Barbados delivers sophistication with a balanced mouth feel and Jamaica conveys its unmistakable structure and rustic edge.
Bacardi has brought a couple of truly shippable rums to the table as well. Bacardi
Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron launched initially into Duty Free market earlier this year. This blend of rums up to three years old, filtered through
coconut shell charcoal, offers a sophisticated flavor that can be enjoyed over ice. The Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron followed the
launch of NEO, a carbon-filtered white rum aged up to eight years and part of
the op of the line Facundo Rum Collection.Santa Teresa, Matusalem, Havana Club, Flor de Cana, Brugal, and 10 Cane have all brought a shippable white rum to the table in the past few years. I wonder if this is going to be a new trend for the category. ;o)
