It's important to keep an open mind about alcohol tastes. It may appear that I focus a lot on aged whiskies, but I prefer the non-grain distilled spirits to be unaged. This is probably due to the fact that when a drink comes from sugars like sugarcane or agave that the unaged spirit captures some of the original taste of the fermented energy. Sad to say, but unaged grain spirits have a tendency to taste like gasoline. Granted that one can glean a fine vodka from distilled rye spirits, that requires multiple distilations in a column still in order to make it smooth. Sugar-based distillates seem to do fine after a couple runs though a pot still and have a lot more character as a result.
From the sugar cane plant come two popular distilled spirits: Rum and Cachaça. The former ought to be produced from molasses but recent introductions like 10 Cane are derived from sugarcane juice and blends of flavors that suggest a molasses base. Cachaça typically comes from Brazil and is a disilate of sugarcane juice. Rum, the more popular offering, will be easier to find than cachaça, though lately cachaça has seen a cult following and will be easier to find over time.
In the French-speaking areas of the Carribean, a product called "Rhum Agricole" dominates the market. It's like cachaça, but differs in its origins and production.
Currently, I have just one bottle of rum, and that is a blanc rhum agricole from Martinique. One aspect endearing to this rhum is its roasted taste. At times it can taste of botterscotch or children's candy. It tends to be inoffensive and worthy of slow sipping like any aged whiskies on offer.
Other rums worth considering are the Matusalem Platino, the 15yr Barbancourt, or the Saint James Hors de Age. Any of these are sipping rums that might change your mind about the spirit if you've only had rums like Bacardi or Malibu.
From the sugar cane plant come two popular distilled spirits: Rum and Cachaça. The former ought to be produced from molasses but recent introductions like 10 Cane are derived from sugarcane juice and blends of flavors that suggest a molasses base. Cachaça typically comes from Brazil and is a disilate of sugarcane juice. Rum, the more popular offering, will be easier to find than cachaça, though lately cachaça has seen a cult following and will be easier to find over time.
In the French-speaking areas of the Carribean, a product called "Rhum Agricole" dominates the market. It's like cachaça, but differs in its origins and production.
Currently, I have just one bottle of rum, and that is a blanc rhum agricole from Martinique. One aspect endearing to this rhum is its roasted taste. At times it can taste of botterscotch or children's candy. It tends to be inoffensive and worthy of slow sipping like any aged whiskies on offer.
Other rums worth considering are the Matusalem Platino, the 15yr Barbancourt, or the Saint James Hors de Age. Any of these are sipping rums that might change your mind about the spirit if you've only had rums like Bacardi or Malibu.