Here's what I've got so far. Happy to hear any suggestions of bottles I should keep an eye out for.

TCRL Guyana 2014

Alambique Serrano Cartier 30 Batch #09-24

Alambique Serrano Alambique de Cobre

Can't wait to get into the funk monsters that are these Alambiques. That Guyana is gonna go down smooooothly while i'm on the couch watching cricket.

A few years ago, when all this fuss started about the Santa Teresa 1796 Finish collection, the national excitement surrounding the topic was incredible. Much had been said and proven for years regarding the Venezuelan rum industry, specifically that aging in our country was the great improvement and the incredible differentiator of our rum compared to many other countries.

However, in almost every other respect, we had fallen behind. While other countries used different fermentation and distillation systems, different casks, aged in different places, and added different finishes, in Venezuela we continued to rely on long aging processes to improve our rums.

This gradually changed a bit, with Diplomático using ex-Scotch casks for aging, and ex-sherry casks for finishing. Roble Viejo also used ex-PX casks for aging, Cacique occasionally used other casks, and Caribú included French oak in its Solera Selection. But with the exception of the Single Vintage and Caribú finishes, none of this was advertised. Until Santa Teresa created the 1796 Speyside Cask Finish.

That edition also represented the union of Venezuelans' favorite drink (whisky) with the quality of Santa Teresa rum, perfectly combined and bottled at 46% ABV to make it even more interesting. Then came the Arabica coffee edition, because in Venezuela we are also proud of our coffee, and it too is bottled at 46% alcohol. After that, the Chuao Cacao version, because we are tremendously proud of our cacao, and this one is bottled at 43% and (in my opinion) is almost like a chocolate liqueur.

My point is that the first three editions of Santa Teresa's Cask Finish represent products deeply rooted in Venezuelan culture: whisky, coffee, and cacao. That's why I didn't quite understand the next product, finished in Irish whiskey barrels, which is also from a brand called Teeling, a relatively new company (it's only been around since 2015). But Irish whiskey is not a part of Venezuelan culture, at all.

The reason for this is that, in the eyes of the world, Santa Teresa is a Bacardi brand. Bacardi also (recently) owns Teeling, so this version doesn't seem to represent Venezuela like the others, but rather Bacardi's interests and the combination of two brands that have seen significant growth in recent years.

But what is bottled is the same old 1796 rum, which goes through its triple aging, and is then bottled in a Teeling brand Irish whiskey barrel, where it remains for 10 months and is finally bottled at 45% ABV.

Made by: Santa Teresa
Name of the rum: 1796 Teeling Whiskey Cask Finish
Brand: Santa Teresa
Origin: Venezuela
Age: 1796 Solera process + 10 months

Nose
On the nose it feels surprisingly sparse, with aromas that you have to put your nose in the glass and turn it around several times to appreciate, but which eventually include wood (to a point of varnish), nuts, molasses and orange peel.

Palate
On the palate, there's a pronounced alcohol note and flavors of molasses, barley, caramel, wood, and vanilla.

Retrohale/Finish
A floral note and some oak.

Rating
6 on the t8ke

Conclusion
The Santa Teresa 1796 Teeling Whiskey Cask isn't my favorite in the series, but it seems very much in line with Irish whiskey. Something I've noticed as a common trait among many Irish whiskeys is that they tend to be very subtle on the nose and much more assertive on the palate, mainly through the alcoholic punch. This pattern seems to repeat itself in this 1796 edition, where the nose is very quiet and the alcohol takes center stage on the palate.

I remain convinced that this edition of ST1796 is more of a marketing strategy than a genuine enrichment of the rum, as past editions might have been. I wouldn't be surprised to see a tequila barrel-finished version in a few months, specifically using Patrón tequila, since it's a Bacardi brand.

Got it for my birthday. Looking for rums that I can mix but also sip. Prefer sweet taste ( I have a sweet tooth). Typically a bourbon/beer/tequila drinker. Located in South Texas San Antonio region (if that’s relevant)

I hear Astor may be stocking these soon and wondering if anyone has seen a presale link. And of course if anyone has tried any yet bc the first batch blew me away 🥰

Rate top 5 Rum for 50$

I've been loving TDL recently so am excited to try this. These are my first Spinnaker rums, but I've heard good things.

2 oz Pico canoa
Just over 3/4 ounce acid adjusted fresh strawberry juice, cleared with pectinase
Just under 3/4 ounce simple syrup

Really wish they had more of the pico! Getting a 3anos second edition which has some similarities

Tomorrow 4-7pm come hang w me and try Banter White & Amber at Hi-Lo in Culver City CA 🤠

Especially if you haven't been yet... Highly curated store with employees who care what's in the stuff they stock.

Yes, I reused a cheesy IG image I made. But no AI 🥲

Is it any good and is it worth anything?

Almost done with my bottle of APS as a newby to rum and am thinking about moving to Probitas as a blended light age mixer. How does it compare for mixing in Tiki drinks? For reference, my favorite mixing rums are Appleton 12 for age/depth and Smith & Cross for flavor.

i usually sip rum neat, but i want to delve a bit more into rum cocktails and even deep dive into tiki. smuggler’s cove is already on its way to me! that said, i think these three rums will be delicious in cocktails. one of which - wray & nephew - being a jamaican cocktail classic, despite never actually trying it before myself. i’m thinking 1 simple and 1 complex cocktail. whatever your definition of “simple” and “complex” is will be just fine. also feel free to mix these rums together if you think they’d do well. cheers!

I just picked this up on a trip to New Mexico. Anyone ever try it? I can’t open it yet until I get back home. I’m wondering what the wild fermentation does vs a standard Agricole.

I've generally really enjoyed this blend, but the latest bottle I picked up is really unpleasantly phenolic. Straight burnt rubber. Any one else experiencing this?

I saw a recipe on YouTube that calls for an ungaged high or overproof that isn’t a Jamaican. Assuming it means a light overproof rum, the closest that I can think of available in my area is Don Q 151 but it is aged. So I need recommendations for light overproof rums that are unaged available in the US.

recipe video

Hi !

I am new to the wonderful world of jamaican rhums, I just received my Rum Fire.

What is your best receipes to taste it ?

Any opinions about this rum? I can’t find much about it online.

My collection so far. I've been at it for awhile, but rum is very hard to come by locally in my state so my accumulation has been pretty slow, as I've gotta pay the additional costs that come with ordering. I'm realizing now that I have a whole lot of Jamaican or part-Jamaican blends, and as much as it is the best place to get rum from, I want to branch out for a bit before I come back around.

Second slide is my list so far. I'd appreciate anything you might recommend that's not already on there, and cost doesn't fully matter within reason. I'll be adding everything on the list to a wheel and choosing a few at random whenever I have extra cash to spend so I can expand my collection a bit. Thanks!

So i'm starting a very humble collection, because ... midlife re-orientation phase ... I know little yet in practice, but theoritizing a lot so far, so consider me a beginner with some urge to do it right for the sake of it.

Bought these two to start with. Very different tastes, I like them both, but can't say if i understand anything yet:
- Hampden Estate Pure Single Jamaican Rum 46% vol. (63€)
- Eminente Reserva 7 YO 41.7% vol. (53€)

Now I'm wondering which primary directions in Rum i'm still missing. Can be obvious classics everyone should know, or suprising ones.

I guess i want to stay clear of added sugar or spices, except if this is a real concept from the start. Also i'm open to "modern" concepts instead of tradition, if the result still is quality and not just for the sake of it. As a graphics designer, i'm into distinct bottle and label designs, that have graphical quality - that can be minimal artwork with graphics and type only, or well done illustrations.

So: if i bought 2 more cornerstone rums for sipping pure, thinking and exchange with friends: what would you suggest?

Price range per bottle is between 45 and 80€/$ (prices i payed in Europe see above) ... anything above feels like reaching out of my deserved range as a beginner, anything below makes me somewhat wonder if it's worth. I should be able to buy it in Europe (EU), anything else just doesn't make sense.

Thanks for your patience with a beginner!

First time poster here.

I made a semi special trip to Party Source from my home state of Ohio this past weekend. I got the Echo QSR a couple of weeks ago elsewhere, but decided to include it anyway. I'm honestly excited to try all of them for different reasons.

They had the Caña Dura & Cristallina, and I was deciding between one of those and the Holmes Cay, but decided on the HC because it was $10 cheaper. I primarily drink neat but will probably try some of these in a daiquiri. Any of these I should go out of my way to try in a drink? I hear the HC might do well in a martini so I'll probably try that eventually.