The 2013 Rum Howler – Top 10 White Rums
Last year in December, I published my 2012 Rum Howler – Top 30 Rums list based upon a series side by side tastings that my Rum Chums and I completed last fall. All of the rums upon the final list were aged sipping rums, and the list included some of the most expensive (Appleton Estate 50 Year Old) rums in the worlds, as well as some of the best rum bargains (Plantation Guatemala Gran Anejo Rum) in the world.
This Summer, I completed a similar list for those clear (what we call ‘white’) rums we love to mix in fruited cocktails like Daiquiris, and Mojitos. I am not going to pretend this is some sort of definitive list. I just haven’t sampled enough white rums to be definitive. But over the past five years I have reviewed about 20 White Rums and written out tasting notes for at least 30 more based upon samples I received at various rum festivals and events in Canada and the USA. In order to compile this list I reviewed my tasting notes, and my website reviews, and then narrowed my list of rums down to 18 candidates. Then I went about obtaining samples of any I did not own such that I could do side by side comparisons.
With a few friends of mine to help me, I made both a Mojito and a Daiquiri cocktail with each rum. We all tasted and scored the cocktails, and we also sipped each rum neat in a glass with no ice. Each cocktail was scored out of 33 points, and we scored each rum neat in the glass out of 34 points. From those scores I compiled my Top 10 list. About 2/3 of the final score was determined by the rums performance in the cocktails, and about 1/3 of the score was based upon the flavour of each rum neat in a glencairn glass.
So it is that I began with a rough list of about 50 rums; I whittled the list down to 18 of the very best; and then through my judging process, I determined the top 10.
And so it is that I finally come to the point, here is the final list. The Rum Howler 2013 – Top 10 White Rums. In brackets beside each rum is the Average Score each rum received in the competition.
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10) Potter’s Superior White Rum (Judges Average score = 84)
09) Newfoundlander’s White Rum (Judges Average score = 84.5)
08) Mount Gay Eclipse Silver (Judges Average score = 85)
07) Pumpkin Face White Rum (Judges Average score = 86)
06) Diplomatico Blanco Reserva (Judges Average score = 86.5)
05) El Dorado Deluxe Silver 6 Year Aged Rum (Judges Average score = 87)
04) Flor de Caña Extra Dry 4 Year Old Rum (Judges Average score =87.5)
03) Plantation 3 Stars Silver Rum (Judges Average score = 88.5)
02) El Dorado 3 Year Cask Aged Demerara Rum (Judges Average score = 89)
01) Brugal Titanium (Judges Average score = 91)
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Note: Hera are a few other fun (and more current) Countdown lists:
- The Rum Howler 2014 – Top 25 Rums
- The Rum Howler 2014 – Top 25 Canadian Whiskies
- The Rum Howler 2014 Gin and Tonic Challenge
- The 12 Cognacs of Christmas
The Rum Howler Blog 
Shane said
Can you tell me where I can get ahold of a bottle of the Brugal Titanium? I’ve searched and searched. Is it only available in Canada? I live in Dallas, Texas and haven’t found in Texas at all.,I’d really love to try it, as I’m already a fan do the 3yr El Dorado.
Arctic Wolf said
As indicated in the review, the Titanium is only available in the Dominican Republic. However, I have been informed by the producer that the new Brugal Extra Dry is the North American version of the same rum.