5. Tiburon Rum from Belize ($35)
Geographically Central American and culturally Caribbean, Belize is most definitely rum country. But, until recently, there were no Belizean rums widely available outside of its borders. Enter Tiburon Rum, a newly launched upstart using a blend of rums from Travellers Liquor, the makers of One Barrel, a Belizean staple that’s occasionally, if inconsistently, shown up on U.S. shores (And also Rompope, a bottled version of Belize’s favorite Christmas drink, rum popo). A smooth, molasses-based sipping rum, Tiburon sells in a 750-mL bottle for a suggested retail price of $35 in the US. It’s been racking up honors from run connoisseurs, including the gold medal at this year’s Craft Spirit Awards (Can’t say we’ve heard of that one—but sounds official!) since launching last year. Get it here.