Rum seems to be making strong in roads in
the “top shield” area of brown spirits.
Many top quality rums can be purchased at a savings of 40 to 80 percent
savings over equivalent age Whiskeys and Cognacs. This is something that I have been telling
customers for years working behind the bar.
I have had the pleasure of introducing many bourbon, scotch, Irish and
Canadian whiskey drinkers to mid to upper end rums leaving most pleasantly surprised
hoe good that the rums really are. 
This is a scene that keeps repeating
itself around the world. Whiskey
drinkers are being turned to quality rums.
There are different rums that match up to different whiskeys and
Cognacs, you can’t just pick one rum to offer all brown spirit drinkers. I have surprised many bourbon drinkers with
a 12 year old El Dorado or Flor de Cana, and the Plantation Trinidad or Real McCoy 12 Year lends itself to Scotch drinkers. I
have also found that once you break the seal if I may, the are willing to do
some tasting other upper end rums.
In an article in Forbes, it was
noted. “The friction that has
manifested itself is due in large part to common misunderstandings among
consumers about rum. As with any spirit, ingrained perceptions are difficult to
break. Rum, with its history of having been marketed as a fun-time drink, best
mixed into cloyingly sweet and often fruit-heavy concoctions, or otherwise
infused with enough spices and flavorings to cover up whatever character the
spirit itself may once have possessed, has historically been uniquely susceptible
to this sort of stereotyping.” 
Read More at http://www.forbes.com/sites/brianfreedman/2016/05/19/is-high-end-rum-the-new-whiskey/#3383927d3402
I am glad to see so many people being
willing to take the brave step outside of their “Whiskey Box” and introduce
themselves to rum. Those with an open
mind will find that there are a number of great rums out there that ill fit
into their palate range and will continue to enjoy them at a later time.
