The Caribbean will always be the heartland of rum, but it is no longer the whole story. Distillers in Asia, Central and South America, Africa and the UK are making rum with their own cane, their own yeasts and their own methods. The results are some of the most interesting bottles on the shelf.
These ten come from Japan, Mexico, Paraguay, Thailand, the Philippines, India, the Dominican Republic, Mauritius and the UK. If you already know your Jamaican funk from your Bajan polish and want something new, start here.
This post contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you.
At a glance
| Rum | Country | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Two Drifters Signature | England (Devon) | Pot still, molasses, Madeira cask |
| Kiyomi White Rum | Japan (Okinawa) | White, copper pot still |
| Paranubes Rum | Mexico (Oaxaca) | Agricole, wild fermented |
| El Supremo 12 Year Old | Paraguay | Cane juice, column still |
| Chalong Bay Pure Series | Thailand (Phuket) | Cane juice, white |
| Don Papa 7 Year Old | Philippines | Aged, Negros cane |
| Amrut Two Indies | India | Indian and Caribbean rum blend |
| Matusalem Gran Reserva 15 | Dominican Republic | Solera aged |
| Ninefold Pure Single Rum | Scotland (Dumfries and Galloway) | Unaged, pot still |
| Penny Blue VSOP | Mauritius | Single estate, mixed casks |
The list
1. Two Drifters Signature Rum
Devon, England · 40% ABV
Fermented, distilled and aged in Devon, Two Drifters is a single traditional pot still rum made from molasses and matured in French oak casks that previously held Madeira. It is marketed as a carbon-negative rum. Honeycomb, orange, banana bread and brown sugar run through the palate and finish, and it works well in cocktails or over ice.
Two DriftersSignature Dark RumDark rum | United Kingdom | 40% ABV | 70cl
£30.95
View at Master of Malt2. Kiyomi White Rum
Japan · 40% ABV
Made on Okinawa by the Helios distillery, Japan’s oldest rum producer, which has made rum since 1961. Kiyomi is distilled from locally grown cane molasses, fermented for three weeks and run through a copper pot still. The style is clean and mineral, with a saline edge. It is an excellent way to see what Japanese rum is like.
KiyomiJapanese White RumWhite rum | Japan | 40% ABV | 70cl
£47.89
View at Master of Malt3. Paranubes Rum
Mexico · 54% ABV
Made in a cloud forest in the Mexican state of Oaxaca by master distiller José Luis Carrera, from sugarcane grown without pesticides or fertilisers on his family’s farm. The juice is wild fermented and the result is a rhum agricole style, with fresh cane juice, mint and apricot, and a slightly grassy character. It is bottled at a strong 54%.
ParanubesRhum AgricoleRhum agricole | Mexico | 54% ABV | 70cl
£47.50
View at Master of Malt4. El Supremo 8 Year Old
Paraguay · 40% ABV
A single column still rum made from sugarcane juice. The juice is reduced over an open fire for five hours into a cane “honey”, then the rum is matured in native hardwood vats and finished in French oak. It contains no added sugar, additives or colouring. Expect butterscotch, milk chocolate and vanilla, with a touch of red pepper on the finish.
El Supremo8 Year Old Dark RumDark rum | Paraguay | 40% ABV | 70cl
£49.99
View at Master of Malt5. Phraya Gold Rum
Thailand · 40% ABV
Phraya Gold Rum comes all the way from Thailand, taking its inspiration from the four elements. Fire refers to the charring of the barrels used to age the rum, while earth pays tribute to the locally grown sugarcane from Nakhon. Air comes into the picture as the rum matures above cool-water lagoons, and water, naturally enough, is represented by the local water used in the final blend.
PhrayaGold RumGold rum | Thailand | 40% ABV | 70cl
£45.95
View at Master of Malt6. Don Papa Single Island Dark Rum
Philippines · 40% ABV
Don Papa takes its name from Papa Isio, who played a big part in the late 19th century Philippine revolution. This Single Island Rum spends seven years maturing and has a reduced sugar content.
Don PapaSingle Island Dark RumDark rum | Philippines | 40% ABV | 70cl
£42.95
View at Master of Malt7. Old Monk The Legend Dark Rum
India · 42.8% ABV
It is part of the Old Monk range produced by Mohan Meakin in India. It is a well-aged blended rum presented in a bottle said to be shaped like the head of the company’s founder, H.G. Meakin.
Mohan Meakin BreweryOld Monk The Legend Dark RumDark rum | India | 42.8% ABV | 100cl
£52.50
View at Master of Malt8. Matusalem Gran Reserva 15
Dominican Republic · 40% ABV
Matusalem began life in Santiago de Cuba in the 1870s before the family moved production to the Dominican Republic, and it still follows a Cuban-style approach. The Gran Reserva 15 is aged using the solera method, where younger and older rums are blended through a series of barrels. The style is dry, woody and refined.
Matusalem15 Gran Reserva Dark RumDark rum | Dominican Republic | 40% ABV | 70cl
Original price was: £37.90.£33.90Current price is: £33.90.
View at Master of Malt9. Ninefold Pure Single Rum
Scotland · 46% ABV
Made at Dormont Home Farm in Dumfries. Ninefold Pure Single Rum is pot-distilled and unaged. Presented in a beautiful cut glass-style bottle.
NinefoldPure Single Rum 46% RumScotch Rum | Scotland | 46% ABV | 70cl
£35.95
View at Master of Malt10. Mauritius Dodo Gold Rum
Mauritius · 40% ABV
Mauritius Dodo has bottled its gold rum in a stunning dodo-shaped glass bottle. Expect light baking spice, vanilla, marshmallow and a black peppercorn finish.
Mauritius DodoGold Rum Dodo Bottle RumGold rum | Mauritius | 40% ABV | 100cl
£124.50
View at Master of MaltWhich one should you buy?
For a first taste of rum outside the Caribbean
Two Drifters Signature or Penny Blue VSOP
For cocktail enthusiasts
Kiyomi White Rum or Paranubes Rum
For fans of bold, fresh sugarcane flavour
Paranubes Rum, Chalong Bay Pure Series or El Supremo 8 Year Old
For sweeter sippers
Don Papa
For whisky drinkers
Amrut Two Indies
