If you think of rum, what do you immediately envision?
If you’re a casual rum drinker, you might think of no-frills, crystal clear, unaged rums that were more or less crafted to be mixed with. And while that’s all well and good, there’s so much more to this sugarcane-based spirit than that. Gold rum, dark rum, navy strength rum, overproof rum, blackstrap rum, spiced rum… it’s safe to assume that rum is just as vast of a category as whiskey.
The best part? Each makes for a nuanced, complex base for your favorite cocktail.
Rum is a great mixing spirit, regardless of which variety you decide to work with. The slightly vegetal, bright, fruity character of white rum makes excellent daiquiris; the sweet, vanilla, caramel, and oaky wood flavors of aged rums work beautifully in dark ‘n’ stormies. It’s also a spirit well-known for its value. There are countless well-made, versatile rums for less than $35 (and usually much less) just waiting to be snatched up and added to your home bar cart.
To find the best rums for mixing, we asked a few well-known bartenders to tell us the best value rums to mix with. Keep scrolling to see them all.
Havana Club Blanco
Donny Largotta, beverage director at Gansevoort Meatpacking in New York City
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $20
The Rum:
Havana Club Blanco is my favorite value rum by far. Hemingway daiquiris and Pain Killers are my favorite rum drinks, both of which are great with Havana Club Blanco.
Tasting Notes:
It has a great flavor profile (vanilla, oak, and banana) and is very versatile.
Smith & Cross
Colin Berger, bar manager at Rare Society in San Diego
ABV: 57%
Average Price: $32
The Rum:
I am partial to rum with a punch. Even when mixing classic lighter rum cocktails, I gravitate toward rum that has funk and character. A bottle of Smith & Cross meets those criteria and then some. It won’t break the bank and it will add depth and a noticeable kick to any rum cocktail you are accustomed to making with light rums.
From a classic daiquiri to an incredible rum old fashioned, Smith & Cross is the bottle I reach for most often.
Tasting Notes:
It’s fruity and complex with a nice mix of sweet molasses, dried leather, citrus, and warming spices.
Cruzan Black Strap
Erica Dimmig, lead mixologist at Pendry in Chicago
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $15
The Rum:
If you’re looking for a rum to impress on flavor but save yourself some dollars, I highly recommend Cruzan Black Strap. It pairs well with a simple Cuba Libre, makes a Pina colada richer, and is absolutely killer in a daiquiri.
Tasting Notes:
It has complex molasses-based flavors and is exceptional for mixing cocktails. Sweet, spicy, and highly memorable.
Chairman’s Reserve Spiced Original Rum
Acencion Mendez, bartender at Alma Negra in Brooklyn, New York
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $24
The Rum:
As beverage director and part owner of Alma Negra, we believe that fresh ingredients with great spirits always taste better. At Alma, we love to use the value rums like Chairman’s Reserve Spiced Original Rum from St. Lucia.
Tasting Notes:
Chairman’s with great spice flavors of cinnamon and clove to mention a few, inspires us to use it with fresh pineapple juice, fresh mandarin cordial, and fresh ginger to create a cocktail that transitions from winter to spring. It’s when you still need your vitamin C for winter but also enjoy the fresh and tropical taste associated with the beginning of spring.
Amrut Two Indies Rum
Kylie McCalla, bartender at Lírica at the Sable Hotel in Chicago
ABV: 42.8%
Average Price: $28
The Rum:
Amrut Two Indies Rum is my favorite value dark rum. I was first introduced to this gem working in an Indian restaurant in Chicago’s Logan Square, a neighborhood with a similar dime-store diamond vibe. It’s a pot still rum that blends spirits from the East and West Indies. Caribbean rums from Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana are blended with Indian rum and the fusion is tasty and versatile.
Tasting Notes:
Its secret weapon is the jaggery base – an unrefined sugar, that gives this rum a delicious molasses and caramelized banana flavor with a mouthfeel to match. This funky rum sings in a classic daiquiri or can provide a complex spicy twist to any classic rum drink.
Don Q Reserva 7 Year Old Rum
Sly Augustin, bar owner of Trailer Happiness in London
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $28
The Rum:
I think Don Q Reserva 7 Year Old Rum is a real gem of a rum especially for mixing. Because of how spirit ages in the tropics, seven years gives you a lot more complexity than you might expect.
Tasting Notes:
It beautifully balances light oak vanilla with stone fruits, caramel, and cocoa. Enjoyable as a sipper and versatile enough to be used in various styles of rum cocktails, whether classic Daiquiri or Mai Tai.
Bacardi Superior
Sarah Clark, bartender at The Dearborn in Chicago
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $15
The Rum:
Our well starts at call brands, so we use Bacardi Light Rum Superior for our go-to rum. It’s cheap and readily available, but surprisingly complex and flavorful.
Tasting Notes:
It is relatively inexpensive and gives you the characteristics rum drinkers look for: smoothness, viscosity, and lovely caramel and honey notes. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.
The Real McCoy 3-Year-Old
Brandon Ristaino, co-founder and beverage director at Good Lion Hospitality in Santa Barbara, California
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $19
The Rum:
The Real McCoy 3 Year. It’s a lightly aged blended rum with both pot still and column still juice in it, distilled by one of the world’s best rum distillers. The combination of value, integrity, and ‘mix-ability’ is hard to match. It holds up in exotic cocktails, daiquiris, and can work as a modifier in a light-stirred cocktail. If you prefer a bit more age, the Real McCoy 5 Year is also quite solid.
Tasting Notes:
This rum is a nice mix of fruity, spicy, and sweet with citrus peels, oak, vanilla, and peppery spice making appearances.
Papa’s Pilar Blonde Rum
Inga Tantisalidchai, bartender at OLEA Cellar Craft Cook in Irvine, California
ABV: 42%
Average Price: $29
The Rum:
In my opinion, Papa’s Pilar Blonde Rum is the best value rum I like to mix with. This pale yellow-hued rum was made to pay homage to Ernest Hemingway and his love for rum.
Tasting Notes:
It’s the only blonde rum on the market and its subtle hints of vanilla and lemongrass add more complex notes that you won’t find in other light rums.
Brugal 1888
Gabriel Urrutia, bartender at Gramps in Miami
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $35
The Rum:
The rum category and its diversity of rules have allowed it to slip under the radar in terms of price. I love Brugal 1888 Rum, made in the Dominican and focused on aging barrels under the Puerto Plata sun.
Tasting Notes:
That combined with first-fill American barrels as well as first-fill Oloroso Sherry barrels allows for a truly unique marriage of flavors. Sweet sherry, chocolate, vanilla, toffee, and oak flavors make for an impressive cocktail base.
