FOOD NEWS
10 Central American Rum Brands, Ranked
BY KATIE FOWLER
10. Pirate's Grog
Pirate's Grog Rum carries a seafaring theme and relies heavily on themed storytelling and visuals. It offers an enjoyable taste that defies initial skepticism.
Pirate's Grog Five Years balances sweetness and subtle spice, with notes of vanilla and butterscotch, and Pirate's Grog No.13 offers a richer palette of chocolate and coffee.
9. Botran
Botran Rum is dedicated to quality craftsmanship, creating exceptional spirits with character and complexity. It uses an adapted solera system to age its rums.
With not one but three master blenders, the brand offers a gamut of styles, such as the lighter Botran Reserva Blanca, and standouts like the copper-distilled Botran Cobre.
8. Copalli
Copalli has a limited range but offers quality and promise. The Copalli White Rum evokes the spirit of a light-bodied agricole rhum with its clean, vibrant flavors.
Meanwhile, the Barrel Rested Rum has rich vanilla and subtle spiciness. Completing the lineup, the Cacao Rum is enriched with locally sourced cacao nibs and adds a unique twist.
7. Cihuatán
Cihuatán rums offer smooth, rich profiles marked by vanilla, caramel, and spice. However, many core bottles tend toward the sweeter side and seem to lack depth.
While the year-round offerings are mostly solid, the limited edition bottlings, such as the Nikté Limited Edition and the Cihuatán Sahumerio, are where Cihuatán shines.
6. Travellers Liquors
Out of Travellers Liquors' wide selection of rums, One Barrel Rum stands out. It offers rich vanilla and brown sugar notes and is ideal for cocktails.
Its premium line is aged in ex-bourbon casks and finished in ex-port barrels, creating a rum that's meant to be savored neat or on ice.