I Tried 9 Bacardí Rums Neat And Ranked Them

"Pirates of the Caribbean" debuted in 2003, when I was nine years old — aka, the perfect age for Jack Sparrow's repeated question, "Why is the rum gone?" to be absolutely hilarious. Over two decades later, it's still all I can think about whenever I come across the decidedly tropical spirit. And when I'm presented with so many bottles at once? It basically calls for a rewatch of Johnny Depp at his finest. 

That should set the vibe for today's taste test: breezy, warm, and a little scandalous. The brand in question is Bacardí, and even just aesthetically, its bottles range from playful to mature and even a little evocative. I was not a Bacardí aficionado before doing the prep work for this piece — which, indeed, had me consuming near Sparrow-esque quantities of the spirit — but I'd like to become one now. The breadth of flavors the brand offers caters to every type of consumer, from one who'd like to spike some punch during a pool party to one who prefers to sip it neat beside a beach bonfire.

It's understandable, then, that ranking these spirits was difficult. I chose to place them primarily in order of how good they are when enjoyed neat, taking into consideration their depth of flavor, tasting notes, and overall palatability. Here's how they fared. 

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

First up (or last up, depending on how you look at it), is Bacardí Limón, a zesty spirit that will absolutely find its way into my next glass of spiked lemonade. However, it was my least favorite to enjoy as a solo sipper for a few reasons; in fact, this is the only spirit on this list that I downright wouldn't recommend enjoying neat. 

The biggest strength of this bottle is that its lemon flavor won't hide regardless of what you mix it into. Unfortunately, that's also its biggest downfall as a solo sipper. Namely, the lemon is so strong that it dominates the sip. There's a subtle bitterness to it that, again, would shine when mixed into a sweet drink. But if I had to pick a Bacardí bottle to drink as is, I'd go with one of the higher-ranked ones.

I was stoked to try Bacardí Mango Chile, and while I'd still adamantly say that its target audience will fall in love with it, I am not that target audience. I was wholly overwhelmed by the first sip. Some will adore the sharp, bright, unrelenting flavors that it offers, but I found myself wanting to mix it just to mellow it down a bit.

The rum is bright, sweet, fruity, and spicy, and all of those notes come across loud and clear. Had it been a little quieter, I think I would have enjoyed it much more; as it was, the rum was just a lot to take in. I'd love to see what it does when paired with something coconut-y to smooth out the sip a little bit. Bad? Hardly! But I'm much more likely to reach for one of the other bottles when I want a quick sip. 

Now we're talking! Bacardí Coconut was a bona fide treat, and it probably helps that I'm an avid coconut fan. Whenever I want to sip on something tropical without being my own mixologist, this is the bottle I'll reach for. I knew I'd be into it upon opening the bottle — wafts of pure coconut hit immediately, and obviously, coconut and rum together are a no-brainer. 

I wasn't at all disappointed by this bottle. The coconut tastes pure and potent. It's the perfect complement to the rum's warmth, and it leaves hardly any burn behind when you swallow it. I'll happily drink this straight. The only reason I'm not ranking it higher is because it isn't a very universal sipper. I don't think everyone will enjoy it straight, and I'll have to be in a specific (read: summery, tropical) mood to drink it straight. The higher-ranked bottles were just more versatile.

I mean, Bacardí Gold's appearance alone implies its decadence. I had a really difficult time deciding whether to rank this bottle or the following higher. Ultimately, Bacardí Gold took the lower spot because, like Bacardí Coconut, it was a less versatile sipper.

That said, I'm sure there's still an incredibly wide audience that enjoys Bacardí Gold on a regular basis. On the nose, it's a little sweet, and when sipping it, it has strong notes of brown sugar and is even a little malty. It's stronger and richer than the following and, as such, would make a fun swap for white rum if you want to dress up a daiquiri cocktail. The spirit almost rides the line between rum and whiskey; it's not as spiced or oaky as you'd expect from American whiskey, but its warm vanilla and brown sugar notes make it reminiscent of the spirit.

Bacardí Superior is a classic and incredibly versatile bottle that's worth sipping on its own as well as using in your favorite rum-centric cocktails. I was surprised I liked this one neat as much as I did. I usually opt for darker liquors, but this was a satisfying solo spirit. 

Bacardí Superior smells incredibly smooth and bright, without lots of alcohol on the nose, which endeared me to it immediately. It tastes like pure sugarcane without being at all sweet — it just has the rich flavor that you get from really high-quality sugar. I also got some light herbal and floral notes, which just made it a really beautiful spirit to drink neat. Though I'm still more likely to use this as a mixer, I enjoyed how much it surprised me, and it'll be a go-to when I want to sip on a spirit that's bright and not too warming. 

I knew from the second I opened Bacardí's Spiced Rum that I was in for a treat. Again, as a whiskey lover, I was particularly endeared to this bottle, which exhibited many of the same characteristics as my favorite spirit. It had a heavily spiced smell; cinnamon and oak were present on the nose, and there was a heavy vanilla scent.

Its smell gave me a good idea of what I was in for. I absolutely adored my first sip, which was warm enough to read like whiskey and was, indeed, heavy on the vanilla. I'll be drinking this neat; however, it would also be a lovely pairing for several mixers perfect for spiced rum. Its "spiced" component would make you assume that it would have a more noticeable burn than the other rums, but that wasn't the case. Rather, it was a smooth, incredibly flavorful sip that wasn't at all overwhelming. I was really pretty enchanted by this one. Still, given the following choices, it comes in fourth place. 

It's obvious just from looking at the Bacardí Gran Reserva Diez that it deserves a prime spot on your bar cart. It's aged for 10 years in oak barrels, promising a deep maturity that only comes from time and patience. And it indeed delivers. 

It would be a crime to drink this in any way other than as a neat sipper. Its full flavor profile can only really be enjoyed neat, and it has a lot to deliver, with both spiced and tropical fruit notes apparent throughout the sip. You'll get hit with some warm spices and vanilla first, and it's not as smooth as the higher-ranked bottles (which is why I had to rank it lower). After swallowing, you're left with a full, warm, and tropical fruit flavor. It's complex, well-rounded, and very rewarding if you're in the mood for something on the more potent or spicier side. 

Bacardí Reserva Ocho is another aged bottle from the brand. I enjoyed it slightly more than the 10-year bottle, though both are still enviable entries in their category. The first thing that hit me from this bottle was an incredibly smoky smell full of wood and nutmeg. 

When tasting it, I got a fullness that I didn't experience with many of the other rums on this list. It tasted like the wise old grandfather of rum, if you will. I got some mild fruity notes (nothing like the 10-year, though), but what really blew me away was the stunning warmth of smoky spices. And, surprisingly, it also wasn't a hard sip, which floored me. You'd expect a woody, spicy rum to hit fairly hard, but this one didn't. I was incredibly impressed by this one, which was only surpassed by the following. 

If you can get your hands on a bottle of Bacardí Gran Reserva Limitada, don't hesitate to buy it. This bottle presents the best of both of the previous two bottles, which is why it easily earned first place. If you can't decide between the previous two, just grab the Gran Reserva Limitada.

It smelled warm, balanced, and more subtle than the previous two rums. It was absolutely gorgeous to sip. The rum went down very smoothly but was unrelenting in its flavors. I got ample vanilla and caramel, with a little more spice than the Reserva Ocho. There were plenty of dark tropical fruit notes and woody flavors at the end of the sip. It will hit your throat a bit, but it leaves with a lot of fanfare. It'll be hard to stop sipping after you've tried it. It's simply stunning. 

I ranked these rums based on how much I'd like to drink neat. The most drinkable and highest-ranked rums had a substantial body and depth of flavor and, perhaps uncoincidentally, had some of the same smoky and oaken characteristics that I love in other spirits, like whiskey.

The rums at the bottom of my list aren't bad, but they don't make for the best solo sippers and are best paired with your mixer of choice. That said, I'm happy to have all of these bottles on hand for the next happy hour that arises; I'll certainly have plenty to play around with!