When it comes to versatile spirits, it’s difficult to beat the appeal of a well-made rum.
Whether it’s white rum, gold rum, dark rum, spiced rum, or even Agricole rhum, there are many uses for rum. You can drink it neat, on the rocks, or mixed into your favorite cocktail. This includes iconic classic cocktails like the Mojito, Daiquiri, Cuba libre, and the Dark ‘N’ Stormy. And while we could spend all day writing about the various rum varieties and their uses, today it’s dark rum’s turn.
Instead of being proofed and added right to the bottle (or gently aged), dark rum is matured in charred oak barrels for months and even years. The result is an amber to caramel-hued spirit with aromas and flavors of molasses, toffee, brown sugar, charred wood, vanilla, and gentle spices. Great for mixing and sipping neat or on the rocks, everyone should have a few bottles of dark rum on their home cart.
Fear not, we won’t make you find these aged gems yourself. We did the work for you. The best part? There are countless noteworthy dark rums available for less than $100. Keep scrolling to see some of our bartenders favorites.
Appleton Estate 8 Year
A Jamaican workhorse praised by bartenders for its versatility. It delivers honey, vanilla, oaky wood, island spices, and candied orange peel—great for sipping or mixing.
Flor de Caña 18 Year Centenario
A bartender’s favorite for its whiskey-like body without the burn. Expect candied nuts, vanilla, oak, toffee, and subtle spice—a luxurious pour under $70.
Rhum Barbancourt 5-Star
Made from sugarcane juice, this Haitian agricole rum offers crisp, grassy, tart, and vanilla-rich flavors. A go-to recommendation for its balance and mixability.
Santa Teresa 1796
This Venezuelan solera-aged rum brings complexity to cocktails—vanilla, caramel, dried fruits, toffee, and light spice make it a rich, smooth standout.
Diplomático Reserva
Balanced, smooth, and complex. Bartenders love its baked banana-forward palate, rich layering, and cocktail adaptability.
The Real McCoy 12 Year
This award-winning blended rum, named for famous Prohibition-era rum runner Bill McCoy, was matured for twelve full years. The result is a complex, bargain-priced rum with notes of candied orange peels, pipe tobacco, caramel, chocolate, and gentle spices. It finishes with a mix of butterscotch and wintry spices.
Ron Zacapa No. 23 Centenario
This iconic rum got its name because it’s a mix of rums matured between 6 and 23 years using the solera aging process. The barrels it spends time in are American whiskey, sherry, and Pedro Ximénez casks. This creates a complex, memorable sipping rum with notes of dried fruits, vanilla beans, toffee, cinnamon candy, pipe tobacco, and oaky wood.
Rhum Clement XO
Made traditionally with a base of sugarcane juice instead of molasses, it was matured for a minimum of six years in ex-bourbon barrels. The result is a rich, sippable, mixable rum with notes of dried fruits, brown sugar, vanilla beans, oak, ginger, chocolate, and island spices. It’s a notable bottle that deserves a permanent spot on your home bar or bar cart.
Brugal 1888
When it comes to bargain-priced dark rums, it’s hard to beat the appeal of Brugal 1888. Also known as Brugal 1888 Doblemente Añejado, it was double-matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and sherry casks. This creates an iconic, flavorful rum with hints of sticky toffee pudding, vanilla beans, chocolate, charred oak, and gentle spices.
Mount Gay Black Barrel
A Barbados beauty finished in heavily charred ex-bourbon barrels. Look for toffee, dried fruits, ginger candy, and spice—a textured, complex pour.
Bonus Pick: El Dorado 12 Year
If you’ve never had any expressions from El Dorado, you’re missing out. A good start is its 12-year-old expression. Matured for 12 years in charred oak barrels, it’s known for its aromas and flavors of brown sugar, vanilla beans, island spices, charred wood, and honey.
The post The 10 Best Dark Rums Under $100 According to Bartenders appeared first on Chilled Magazine.
Source: Mixology News
