# What is the best Rum for sailing?



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I'm a new skipper and want the best sailing Rum for my crew and guests.

I've never drank and sailed yet, but I do have a little on-shore Rum experience. Mostly as Rum and Cokes (Meyers, Appletons, Bicardi) and several rum coctails, my favorite being the Rum Runner.

I don't think mixed drinks work well on the J/22 or J/24 that I will typically sail though. I heard that the Royal Navy was issued a pint a day of Rum, and imagine they drank it straight. I think giving each of the crew their own pint would be too much though, since we're typically out only a few hours. Maybe I should just throw a few pints in my duffel bag and pass one around until it's empty before opening the next. What's the recommended brand for boating?

Most advice is appriciated, but if you want to preach against boating and drinking, please start your own thread somewhere else.


Ray


----------



## cardiacpaul (Jun 20, 2006)

the best rum is the one someone else brings aboard and leaves your good stuff alone.


----------



## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

Over here on the right coast, you're not a sailor unless you have Goslings Black Seal Rum and Barritts Ginger Beer - both from Bermuda. Dark & Stormy please.


----------



## Parley (Jul 13, 2006)

Let's see. I have two favorites and you hit on one of them, sort of. You are correct about the Royal Navy and the pint of rum. That rum is still made in BVI - Pussers. Definitely excellent and no doubt belongs on a sailing vessel.
Additionally, there is the oldest known rum still being made: Mount Gay. That claim is based on a deed dated 1700 something. 
Now, go the fight club thread and read the recipe for a dark and stormy. Good luck finding it as there are 2000 something posts there. The recipe was from a time long, long ago...........


----------



## Johnrb (Sep 21, 2002)

Here is the authoritative source. Personal preferences include the well aged Mount Gay, Appleton Estate or El Dorado.

http://www.ministryofrum.com/


----------



## Parley (Jul 13, 2006)

TB - you beat me to the punch. Arghh. Knew I took too long writing that.

I gotta go find some of that Goslings Black Label. I've never even seen it. But then, I'm a left coaster.


----------



## Johnrb (Sep 21, 2002)

Four responses within 18 minutes. Must be a record of sorts.


----------



## btrayfors (Aug 25, 2006)

For REAL sailors who are REAL rum drinkers, there's only one: Mt. Gay. It goes well with coke and some like it with tonic. Always with a slice or two of lime.

Mt. Gay makes some special grades, too, one of which is a marvelous sipping rum. Definitely too expensive for mixing, but unmatchable.

Acceptable substitutes: none, really, but if you're really hard up try the Virgin Islands dark rum (Cruzan).

Definite no-no's: Pussers (you can't GIVE the sh__ away...that's why they've got the fancy mugs); Meyers (that's for mixed cocktails); Bacardi (pedestrian); Appleton's (dull); any of the "flavored" rums; etc., etc.

Some of the Martinique rums and the Haitian Betancourt Five-Star are quite good for sipping, too.

No doubt these choices will invoke some invective ) 

But, if you offer your crew and guests Mt. Gay, nobody's gonna complain!

Bill


----------



## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

A friend of mine went to Cuba a while back to cover the pope visiting the island...and brought back some Cuban rum... Good stuff.... don't remember the brand name though....


----------



## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

If you are going to mix it with Coke then buy the cheapest garbage you can find. Waste of decent hooch to mix it with that muck. 

Straight then go Gay !! Tish Boom . Aged Mt Gay which sadly is impossible to find in Australia is pure liquid gold and not be mixed with anything on pain of keelhauling. Standard Mt Gay is still my favourite for general consumption and can be drunk straight or mixed. I like either tonic or dry ginger with a big squeeze of fresh lime juice.


----------



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Thanks for all the advice. Sounds like I should try Mt Gay. I wonder if the Washington State Liquor stores carry it in pints? A J/24 doesn't have much room for mixing drinks.


----------



## Jotun (May 4, 2006)

My three favorites in no order (two have been mentioned, one, a stand out, has not)

Goslings Black Seal
Mt. Gay
Matusalem (try the Clasico)

http://www.matusalem.com/home.html#home


----------



## roborider (Sep 26, 2006)

Back in my racing days......
we used to drink what was called a "muddy" (Australian concoction) which is Dark Rum (Myers maybe), orange juice and a bit of lime!

Mt. Gay for me usually!

robo


----------



## Gary M (May 9, 2006)

*Havana Club*

Sailing Dog if it was from Cuba it was Havana Club made in the original Bacardi distillery. It comes as 3, 5 or 7 year old. 
Being a Canadian I have several bottles of 7 year old in the cupboard. It is good stuff.

I find that each island's rum has a distinctive flavour, each one worth imbibing. 

Gary


----------



## Johnrb (Sep 21, 2002)

I'll second what Gary said about Havana Club. The LCBO in Ontario carries the 7 year old. A friend recently gave me a bottle of 12 year old Appleton Estate (Reserve I think). Guests were warned to not dare ask for a mixer with that one. There seems to be agreement on Mount Gay - you can't go wrong with that choice..


----------



## trantor12020 (Mar 11, 2006)

Here in Singapore, its Mount Gay rum. During races result ceremony, many skippers get free shots of Mt Gay by making "silly mistake" whilst racing. Maybe they're thristy, maybe its really a msitaek ...who knows. When you serve Mt Gay, people will do anything to get it.


----------



## kwaltersmi (Aug 14, 2006)

I would whole-heartedly agree that Mt. Gay is a great choice for widely distributed rums. 

However, a great choice for sailors is Callwood's Rum from Cane Garden Bay in the BVI's. Problem is, it's very difficult to get unless you happen to be in the BVI.


----------



## ehmanta (Sep 12, 2006)

*Ahhh.......Rummmmmmm*

I do like rum. Well The Gosslings is great on the rocks but not strong enough. Mt Gay is good for mixed drinks. Cruzan single barrel estate rum is more like a fine scotch wiskey. Pussers is very good as well. But the best that I've experienced thus far is from Nicaragua. It is Flor de Cana. Make sure you get the seven year old stuff, its quite smooth and sugary and stiff. Good for straight on the rocks or mixed with a bit of pinapple/orange/coconut juice mix.


----------



## Doug_53 (Dec 1, 2002)

Pyrat Rum or Cockspur. Morgans privat reserve is OK too. The rest is just swill.


----------



## Fareast (Nov 15, 2006)

Why, Cruzan of course. Except for the flavored ones.


----------



## labatt (Jul 31, 2006)

Doug_53 said:


> Pyrat Rum or Cockspur. Morgans privat reserve is OK too. The rest is just swill.


I agree on the Morgans although I'm sure others will disagree. Captain and OJ is a great drink. The new Morgans private reserve is decent to sip.


----------



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*Eclipse?*

Wow! Apperantly there is a lot of great rum I haven't tried yet. I don't drink much myself, so it will probably take me over a month to empty a bottle of Rum. I guess I'll have to drive my crew harder to make them thirstier and help me get to the next bottle.

These are the ones I found available on the Washington State Liquor website that I haven't tried:
* MOUNT GAY ECLIPSE RM
MOUNT GAY EXTRA OLD RUM
MOUNT GAY SPECIAL RESERVE RUM 
MOUNT GAY SUGAR CANE BARBADOS RUM

* GOSLING BLACK SEAL BLACK RM

RON MATUSALEM CLASICO RUM 
RON MATUSALEM GRAN RESERVA RUM 
RON MATUSALEM PLATINO RUM

* CRUZAN ESTATE SINGLE BARREL RUM

* PYRAT PLANTERS GOLD XO RESERVE RM
* PYRAT XO RES RUM W/HUMIDOR

* COCKSPUR 12 RM

* CAPTAIN MORGAN PRIVATE STOCK RM

I put a star by the ones available in my town, Everett, and the others are just 45 mins away in Seattle.

Since so many people recommended Mt Gay, I'd like to pick up a bottle of the Eclipse first. Is that any good? I didn't hear anyone mention Eclipse.

If not, what's a good first bottle from Everett and from Seattle?

Thanks,

Ray


----------



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Well I am not sure about drinking a lot while operating anything with a large boom, I will have to put my two cents in about the best rum I have ever encountered.

Ron Zacapa Centenario. Its a 20 year old rum that is actually made in Guatemala. However, I think it is so good that it is a sin to mix this rum with anything other than a couple of cubes of ice.


----------



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Drinking while sailing with a large boom is a good way to get a look at your keel, if you're lucky,

drinking any rum with cocal cola makes it bilge juice, 

I've had some of the original bicardis , it is excellent stuff. Its well worth going to Canada if you are near the border. I prefer it on the rocks with a squirt of lime juice, but have had it with fresh mango juice and that was good.


----------



## Bill Mc (Apr 10, 2006)

Many good choices. I have to admit rum is one of my favorite vices. For everyday consumption my choice is Bacardi 151 with enough Diet Coke to color it. This stuff is rocket fuel and comes with a flame arrestor on the bottle. I have used it as an antiseptic, astringent and as a general anesthesia. Another favorite that has not been mentioned is Jamaican Over Proof Rum. OSHA is not inforce in the Islands, therefore no Flame Arrestor on this bottle.

Fair Wind and best regards,

From a Professional Drinker with a Sailing problem.


----------



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

RON RICO 151. After the first drink, you can't taste anything anymore anyway. AND it makes a great charcoal starter!


----------



## mstern (May 26, 2002)

TXS-ALAMO said:


> RON RICO 151. After the first drink, you can't taste anything anymore anyway. AND it makes a great charcoal starter!


Hah! You hit the nail on the head there! One of my knucklehead friends bought a bottle of that stuff on a camping trip. It had the kick of grain alchohol and the taste of tropical lighter fluid. And we used to start the campfire. Woooooosh!

My favorite real rum: Meyers Dark. It seems that not too many of the other posters here agree, but I like it, both mixed and on the rocks. I also have a bottle of Goslings for special occasions and guests who know the difference. And yes, I do like Mt. Gay as well.


----------



## JD Jamieson (Feb 13, 2006)

The pint has not been issued for several hundred years. Until the practice was terminated in the early 1970's, the RN and RCN issued a daily tot (2.5 ounces) of overproof rum to Chief and Petty Officers and ratings who were of legal drinking age . The ratings either drank it neat (stright up) or with water or coke in front of the issuing officer (I was one of those). The Chief and Petty Officers were allowed to consume theirs in the privacy of their mess. 

Best rum as far as I am concerned is Black Seal. Pusser's tries to emulate the original but doesn't quite make it. Lamb's sells something that they call Navy rum but is not as good as Black Seal. The rum issued in the RN and RCN was was well overproof and not really a social drink. Not recommended for a pleasant afternoon sail although I admit to imbibing some from time to time on a cold December day sail on the east coast. Just to keep warm of course.

John


----------



## Waymar83 (Jun 5, 2006)

Well,

I do more reading of the threads than writing in. This is one I could not pass up. Having lived in Haiti and currently now Guyana, I have to say for sipping straight up:
1) Guyana's El Dorado 15 yr old (also available in 12 and 21yr old) is alltime favourite. Very smooth. NOT TO BE MIXED.

2) 2nd goes to Haiti's Barbancourt 5 star. "Réserve Spéciale"

I've had several rums from Barbados and Jamaica. Nothing beats the El Dorado 15 yr old.


For mixing go for an El Dorado 5 yr old or a Barbancourt 3 star.


----------



## Bill Mc (Apr 10, 2006)

I'm reading this thread like a Menu. Drooling at work is unbecoming of me. For those of you that have named the Rums that I still have not Quaffed. Thank you, I now have to go shopping to increase my Knowledge.

The Good Lord allowed man to discover alcohol so the Irish wouldn't take over the world.

Erin go bragh..

Bill


----------



## Johnrb (Sep 21, 2002)

Waymar83:

The brother of a good friend brought up a bottle of 15 year old El Dorado from Guyana. My first time but not my last although it's not in every store in Ontario.


----------



## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

I repeat - Goslings Black Seal Rum. Accept no substitutes


----------



## Waymar83 (Jun 5, 2006)

Well to each his/her own. I'll try any rum, once.

Johnrb: You are right, Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) , makers of El Dorado is not a huge operation.*Probably never will be. But they are looking at expanding their international market. So now when I move back to Canada I will still havew access.


----------



## bhhewett (Nov 28, 2000)

Only one rum need be pursued...Havana Club, over rocks...but, until such time as our esteemed "Gov'ment" gets their heads out of dark places and allows commerce with our good neighbors, Appleton Estate with a splash of tonic will have to suffice. In moderation, mind you...your liver is a filter, and you can't see the vacuum gauge......


----------



## sanctuarysam (Sep 16, 2006)

*entertainment..and a laugh*

for those that have never seen or tried it...Coyopa...besides being very tasty as a sipping rum..when you pick up the bottle it plays steel drum music and the bottle lights up...
so..music and libation..what could be better than that..(ok nekkid dancing girls..but..comes close)


----------



## phibbard (Nov 13, 2006)

*Rum*

Pussers is great. This is the original British Navy issue. It is in production for the public but a little hard to find. Down in the BVI's it is readily available and they have a great recipe for a drink you can mix up ahead and put in a small beverage cooler. "Painkiller". I would reserve this drink for after the race.

Enjoy!


----------



## empresa (Nov 8, 2006)

Pusser's Admirals Blood.
There is nothing remotely like it...


----------



## gc1111 (May 13, 2004)

For a recommendation from a REAL sailor, see www.yachtfiona.com. This is Eric Forsyth's web page and when he leaves on a voyage he usually heads for St. Martin first specifically to purchase a supply of rum for the trip. Watch his videos for some footage of him loading up.


----------



## Jotun (May 4, 2006)

RayMetz, from the rums that are available in your town, I would go for the Gosling's Black Seal. It is excellent rum and is moderately priced.


----------



## bmunse (Feb 17, 2006)

This last memorial day I was racing in the Leukemia cup in Lake Carlyle (just east of St louis) As I was shoping for stores for my crew, one is named Jerry, I found "Sailor Jerry" spiced Navy Rum. Easy to serve, no mixing required, just pour over ice and enjoy. The hula girl on the label is easy to look at too. It is now being sold in local groceries here in St Louis. I don't know how available it is in other parts of the country. The web page gives the background of Sailor Jerry who was a tattoo artist in Hawaii before wwII. A good nautical background and at $13 a bottle a cheap buzz to boot. www.sailorjerry.com


----------

