6. Blackwell Rum (Jamaica)
Now we really getting into the good stuff. A touch on the dark side, with a subtle coffee note from its “secret ingredient.” Lots of rums have additives or spice added but they usually bomb, taste like suntan lotion and/or the impurities leave you feeling like you were run through a cane-thresher yourself. Blackwell has neither, probably the result of bringing a master blender’s restraint to what is essentially a good quality but not very old rum–and the distinctive taste that results is a welcome addition to the pantheon. Also it was made by Chris Blackwell and his own description of it: “It’s not sweet. It’s not sweet–but it has just a little bit of flavor” gets quoted a lot around LargeUp HQ. Makes a good conversation ender for just about any topic.