What's your opinion?

[The Sheriff]

I'm looking for a mid priced good quality white/silver rum for mixing. My standard used to be Cruzan light but I'm ready for something new. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance,

John

[bluewave6]

I recently started adding some new white rums to my collections. I have really enjoyed

Appelton White $12
Don Q Cristal $10
Stubbs Extra Dry $15
Orocono (sp?) $12
C.J. Wray Dry $15
Pyrat Blanco (a bit sweeter) $15
Myers Platinum $11
Barbancourt White (my favorite ) $15

[Scottes]

Flor De Cana 4-year-old Extra Dry is definitely very dry, and quite good.

I've heard lots of good things about the Matusalem Platino. Aged for 10 years, then filtered to remove the color. Interesting. It's the next white on my list to get.

I can not recommend the Prichard's Crystal. It's unbelievably smooth, but rather tasteless. With an ice cube it tasted like strong water. Mixed 3:1 with ginger ale it simply disappeared. And for the price you can get 2 bottles of almost anything else.

[Edward Hamilton]

Originally Posted by Scottes

I've heard lots of good things about the Matusalem Platino. Aged for 10 years, then filtered to remove the color.

I don't know who's spreading that rumor but I can tell you with certainty that Matusalem Platino isn't aged 10 years and then carbon filtered.

I tried Appleton White last night for the first time in a few years and I was very impressed with the flavor and the finish which is tends to have a bite when the raw ingredient is molasses.

I used to really like the Flor de Cana extra dry but it seems to have lost some flavor in the last few years.

[Hank Koestner]

Mount Gay Special Reserve white rum. It is a great mixer.

As far as Platino White, it is interesting, Very distinct cocoa nose and the same on the palate. It does not mix well, and does not even handle ice well. It loses it's flavor with water. It is best neat, has a unique taste.

[Scottes]

Originally Posted by Edward Hamilton

I don't know who's spreading that rumor but I can tell you with certainty that Matusalem Platino isn't aged 10 years and then carbon filtered.

Here: http://www.sptimes.com/2005/03/14/ne...over_rum.shtml

The company produces three rums: its "original" Gran Reserva, a 15-year-old dark rum; Clasico, a 10-year-old golden rum; and Platino, a white rum that is aged 10 years but has the color taken out.

Matusalem's web site does state that the Platino is filtered, but makes no mention of the age.

This site says it's aged for 6 months, a bit more believable.
http://www.barnone.com.au/Rum.html

[Edward Hamilton]

Among the misconceptions about Matusalem is the idea that their 10 Solera Blender and 15 Solera Blender are aged 10 and 15 years respectively. If these rums were aged that long they would make an age statement. Though I respect the St Petersburg Times, they got sucked into printing something they thought was true.

If you haven't discovered by now you should know that there is a lot of misinformation in the spirits industry. I don't want to pick on Matusalem, I know many of the people who are involved in that brand, but this is a glaring example of statements which simply aren't supported by the facts or the taste in the glass.

If the 10 Solera Blender is aged 10 years it is the only 10 year old rum which has so much vanilla up front and so little body and finish.

[The Sheriff]

Thanks for your thoughts, I have tried the Matusalem Platino and thought is was quiet good. I just bought a bottle of the Myers Platinum and I was pleasantly surprised by it. It reminds me of the Myers Original Dark but more muted and cleaner tasting. I'm a big fan of Barbancourt so I would love to try their white rum but I have never seen it.

It's been years since I tried the Mount Gay Special Reserve white rum, I'll have to revisit it since I like some of their other offerings.

I would like to hear more opinions on this subject, so keep them coming.

John

[mbanu]

I may be in the minority here, but I prefer my aged rums aged and my white rums white. It certainly helps a person keep true to the recipes. In that vein, I'm a fan of inexpensive barely-aged Puerto Rican whites, like Castillo, Palo Viejo, or Ron Rico.

[Edward Hamilton]

The rums you listed from Puerto Rico are aged at least a little, as you pointed out. If you're looking for a white rum which hasn't been aged at all you're have to go to the French islands or down island where a few strong rums are bottled nearly straight from the still.

Here's another article, What's the color of your rum?