10 Must-Try Rums From Brands You May Not Have Heard Of

Rum is about to have a major moment, and if you have any doubts about it, just look at the numbers.

Persistence Market Research shared in January that the rum market is expected to grow and achieve a value of $35.5 billion by 2033, and it appears millennials and Gen Z are driving those numbers. Premiumization, in part, is the reason for growth within the category, and extended-aged expressions from insider rum brands are shaking up perceptions about what rum is capable of achieving.

Rum isn’t just for beach vacations and tiki drinks — it’s a serious spirit worth savoring. With compelling extended-age releases and experimental finishes, rum is capable of achieving the same gravitas as whiskey and yet outdated perceptions of the category still cast it in an unfavorable light.

If you’re interested in diving deep into rum, these ten must-try rums are liquid proof that rum is a force to be reckoned with.

10 Must-Try Rums in 2024

For Those Interested in the Van Winkle of Rum: Foursquare Rum 2008 Exceptional Cask Selection Mark XIII

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As far as premium rum brands go, Foursquare Rum should be at the top of everybody’s list. Punch and renowned spirits critic Fred Minnick have both referred to Foursquare as “The Pappy of Rum,” and you’d be hard-pressed to find a rum brand with releases more heavily hyped.

Nestled on seven acres of a former sugar plantation in Barbados, Foursquare Rum has been producing outstanding rums since 1996. Foursquare Rum is the only family-owned distillery on the island and has thrived under the Seale family for generations after the brand got its start as a sugar factory in 1926. Reginald Leon Seale was a blender and bottler, according to Skurnik, and the sugar factory was fully operational until it closed in the late 1980s.

Foursquare is currently under the leadership of Richard Seale. Punch refers to Seale as an outspoken advocate for transparency in the rum world, and he was known to have posted clever letters on Facebook throwing shade at brands for adding sweeteners to their rums. Ever the character, Seale would visit rum festivals with a digital density meter and take the ABV measurements of other rum brands.

The brand’s rums are made with coral and karst limestone-filtered water from aquifers in the area. They are distilled from molasses sourced from a variety of top quality producers before they are distilled in a copper pot still or a dual-column Coffey vacuum still. Regardless of the heavy hype and rampant demand, Seale remains headstrong in keeping Foursquare’s rums within the $100 to $200 range. If you’re looking to try some expressions from Foursquare Rum, you may have a hard time finding them on the secondary market because once they’re gone, they’re gone.

The critics were exceptionally partial to Foursquares 2008 Exceptional Cask Selection Mark XIII. Drew Beard of Drinkhacker put it simply: “Rum fans need to seek this out. Now.” Beard cited flavors of cedar, sassafras, grilled pineapple and minty bubblegum. With an enormously fragrant nose, massively complicated palate and finish that screams dessert with flavors of Andes mint and candied pineapple — Foursquares 2008 Exceptional Cask Selection Mark XIII is nothing short of exceptional and proves that this brand lives up to its designation as the Pappy of Rum.

For Vetted Rums From Indie Brands Around the World: Holmes Cay Fiji 2004 17 Year

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For those who like to think global and love discovering hidden gems, Holmes Cay Rum is the brand to know. Holmes Cay is all about curating the best selection of rums from all around the world. The brand divides its portfolio into two categories: Single Cask and Single Origin. Single Cask rums are aged in cask and Single Origin editions are younger single expressions and blends.

Holmes Cay wants to push past outdated perceptions that define rum, and in a fashion similar to the independent bottlers of the scotch world (or Lost Lantern in U.S. terms), Holmes Cay seeks to shine a spotlight on up-and-coming rum brands worth paying attention to. The brand vets all of the distilleries it works with and is known to source its rums from Fiji, Venezuela, Belize, Australia and Réunion Island.

The brand also recently released an Infinity Rum, a one-off showcasing some of the best and rarest rums within the brand’s stocks. Holmes Cay’s Infinity Rum features a blend of some of the best distilleries — even some that are lost to time. Once legendary rum brands like Uitvlugt, Enmore and Gardel are featured in this blend, and once the juice is gone, it’s gone forever.

If you’re looking for a show-stopping bottle from Holmes Cay Rum, we recommend seeking out Holmes Cay Fiji 2004. This 16-year-old rum hosts an ABV of 58%. Drinkhacker wrote that the rum is “beautiful from start to finish.” On the nose, picture aromas of butterscotch, vanilla and maple intertwined. The palate develops into a parade of banana and pineapple with a smoky conclusion of barrel char, caramel corn and molasses.

Holmes Cay sells this rum for $179.99.

For Whiskey Fans Looking To Branch Out: Rolling Fork 11 Year Rum

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If you’re a whiskey fan looking to see what the world of rum has to offer, look no further than Rolling Fork Rum. This Indiana brand is an independent bottler that imports additive-free rums from around the world before selecting whiskey casks for a secondary maturation process.

Company founders Jordan Morris and Turner Wathen both have extensive backgrounds in bourbon, and both are intent on creating rums that “meet the high standards of American whiskey,” according to Rolling Fork. The brand’s portfolio is an eclectic mix of rums sourced from Venezuela, Brazil, Guyana and other countries, yet perhaps what makes them exceptionally interesting is the secondary maturation process. Releases like Rolling Fork’s Wheated Wonder, which dropped in June, spend time aging in 10-year-old wheated bourbon barrels from Kentucky.

If you’re a whiskey aficionado looking to give rum a try, we recommend trying Rolling Fork’s 11 Year Rum. This rum was distilled in El Salvador at a mystery distillery, and it was aged in both the tropics and Kentucky. It underwent a secondary maturation period in a blend of bourbon and rye casks before it was bottled at a cask-strength ABV of 55%.

The whiskey’s influence can be felt at first whiff, with a waft of tobacco smoke interlaced with molasses and mango. The palate is rich with toffee, sugar, and molasses. There isn’t a lot of fruit or funk, making this a perfect rum for whiskey fans. The finish is long, with brown sugar, pepper and some banana. According to Wine-Searcher, Rolling Fork 11 Year sells for an average price of $59.

For Wine Enthusiasts Who Love to Talk ‘Terroir’: Richland Rum Terrapin Stout Finish Seelbach’s Selection

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Richland Rum is based out of Georgia, and the brand’s history dates back to 1999. The sugar is grown on a farm at Richland Estate, and Richland specializes in single-estate rums with a true sense of place.  The Georgian distillery describes itself as a “farm-to-barrel” rum brand, ensuring that each sip of Richland Rum is made with distinctively Georgian ingredients — including the brand’s very own proprietary yeast strain.

Richland is no stranger to distinctive finishes, and we recommend trying this one, a rum that was finished in a Terrapin Milk Stout casks. This cask-strength rum was selected by Seelbach’s, which sells it for $109.99.

No coloring was added, and this rum is a wild ride from start to finish. If chocolate is your jam, you’ll fall hard for Richland Rum Terrapin Stout Finish’s hot fudge sundae-driven nose, coupled with a palate that tastes like malted milkshake and demerara sugar. The finish on this bonkers rum goes on for ages, with cocoa sweetness, making it the ultimate dessert indulgence for chocolate lovers.

For Purists Who Love Transparency: Oxbow Estate Rum Barrel Aged

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This next rum brand takes us all the way down south to Louisiana. Oxbow Rum has roots that date back to 1859. The family-owned property lies within the Pointé Coupée Parish and it grows sugarcane on the banks of a Mississippi River oxbow — or a U-shaped bend in the waterway.

Advocates of transparency, Oxbow shares its rums are made from 100% Grade A sugarcane molasses without any additives. The brand’s portfolio features a mixture of regular rums and agricoles, both unaged and aged.

As far as Oxbow’s offerings, we recommend giving Oxbow Estate Rum Barrel Aged a try. Aged for two years and bottled at ABV of 47.5%, this rum can be purchased for $44.99 from the brand’s website.

With just the right amount of fruit and funk, Oxbow’s Estate Rum Barrel Aged features a nose of pineapple, pear and plums with a bit of char to add depth and complexity. The palate boasts honey, maple, tropical fruit and continues that char throughline. Oxbow’s Estate Rum Barrel Aged has a finish that lasts for eons, which is impressive considering the relatively modest 95 proof.

For History Buffs Looking for A Flavor Explosion: Try Hampden Estate Single Jamaican Rum Overproof

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Hampden Estate’s claim to fame is history. The brand is one of the oldest sugar properties in Jamaica, with roots that date back to the late 1600s. The brand is distributed by La Maison Velier, which makes some of the highest quality rums and Haitian Clairins throughout the globe. After changing hands throughout the centuries, the brand began releasing its first official rums under the Hampden label in 2018. Hampden claims much of its facilities have remained untouched throughout the centuries, making the brand steeped in tradition.

Hampden’s rums are well-loved by the rum community, and the brand credits much of its success to its Five Pillars, or five fundamental rules to its production process. The brand exclusively implements water flowing from natural sources during the production process and all its rums are subjected to exclusively wild fermentations. Hampden’s rums are only distilled in pot stills before being fully matured in the tropics for over seven years. Lastly, Hampden never adds any sugar or coloring to its rums, ensuring transparent rums that offer a taste of Jamaica.

If you’re looking to dip into Hampden Rum, we recommend trying Overproof, a 7-year-old rum that’s bottled at 60% ABV. Per Wine-Searcher, this bold and powerful Jamaican rum sells for an average price of $83 a bottle.

Hampden Overproof boasts a nose that is a mixture of savory and tropical, with mango, burnt sugar and barrel char. The palate is dangerously easy to drink, considering its high proof. With flavors of sweet oak, crémè brûlée, pineapple and lemon, Hampden Overproof is an adventure for the tastebuds. The rum concludes with pineapple and citrus zest, making Hampden’s overproof rum a tropical, pleasant pour.

For Adventurous Drinkers Looking to Discover Cachaça: Avua Cachaça Amburana

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Many believe that rum’s ancestral spirit is cachaça, which has been made since the 1500s from fresh sugarcane juice throughout Brazil. Described by Avua as “the people’s spirit,” this historic fermented spirit made from sugarcane juice has a complicated history linked closely to slavery.

Avua describes itself as an artisanal cachaça brand, distilled from five types of sugarcane that are hybrid varietals grown from universities in São Paolo. The canes are grown in plots called canaviels, and they grow in a gently sloping area near the border of Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais. Avua shares that the brand’s production process retains a sense of place, as the character of the sugar cane remains prominent even after the distillation process. Avua additionally ages its cachaças in a variety of locally-sourced tropical woods.

As far as interesting expressions from Avua to try, we recommend Avua Cachaça Amburana. This cachaça spent time aging in Amburana wood, which is known for imparting plenty of baking spice aromas to the spirit. Avua Cachaça sells its Amburana expression for $44.99 on its website.

Distiller’s critic Daniel Djang shared that Avua’s Amburana Cachaça boasts baking spices aplenty — with rich aromas of cardamom on the nose. The pour is pleasantly vegetal, and there’s a nice woody quality to the distillate, coupled with dessert and citrus fruits. Avua’s Amburana Cachaça concludes on a woody herbaceous note, making it an incredibly intriguing pour.

For Drinkers Who Prefer Sour Over Sweet: Try Paranubes Oaxacan Agricole Rum

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Nestled in the hills of Oaxaca, Mexico, is a cloud forest within the mountains of Sierra Mazateca. In this distinctively high altitude, master distiller Jose Luis Carrera’s sugarcane farm provides the base of Paranubes’ rums. The brand shares its canes are grown without pesticides in this cool yet tropical environment. The sugarcane is fermented and distilled to make “aguardiente de caña” or rum.

Paranubes shares that Jose is a third-generation distiller, and rum is in his blood. The process for Paranubes’ rum production involves as minimal intervention as possible, and the juice flows via gravity into fermentation vats before Carrera distills it in a column still. We recommend giving Paranubes Oaxacan Agricole Rum a try. With an ABV of 54%, Wine-Searcher reports an average price of $35, making it a fairly reasonable buy.

Readers should take note, however — this rum is definitely different. Though it may not be for everybody with its earthy and pungent flavor, it makes a strong impression and is perfect for drinkers who shy away from rum because they think it might be too sweet. If you like savory flavors, you definitely need to give Paranubes a try — it makes an incredible daiquiri.

With its exceptionally earthy and funky nose that has a slight vinegary kick and a palate that boasts pickled flavors mixed with sweet cream and tomato flavors, Paranubes is unexpected, but that’s why we enjoy it. Paranubes boasts an acidic finish, making it one of the most distinctive rums on this list.

For Fans Of Mizunara-Aged Anything: Try Minoki Coral Filtered Mizunara Cask Finished Rum

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This next rum brand takes us all the way to Japan and has an incredible story behind it.

Minoki shares that according to Japanese lore, the first ruler of the country was a descendant of an ocean princess-dragon. The princess was reported to have lived in a palace made of coral.

This Mizunara oak-aged rum takes its name from the princess and was filtered by Japanese coral that washed ashore. Minoki Coral Filtered Mizunara Cask Finished Rum boasts a relatively mild profile, with Japanese plums and vanilla on the nose. The palate bursts forth with sugar-glazed grapes and salinity that segue into a finish full of wood and vanilla.

Super sippable and high-toned, this ethereal rum is light on its feet, and the rare Japanese Mizunara oak adds a nice touch. With an ABV of 40% and an average price of $52, according to Wine-Searcher, Minoki’s rum is an intriguing one.

For A Savory Sip Of Hawaiian History: Try Kuleana Rum Agricole

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Kuleana Rum specializes in showcasing heirloom Hawaiian sugarcane. The brand prides itself on being stewards of Hawaiian history and showcasing these distinctive species of heirloom cane that were transported to the islands over a thousand years ago.

Kuleana uses a copper pot still and believes in a slow production process. For a taste of Kuleana Rum, we recommend giving the brand’s Agricole a try. Kuleana’s Agricole is aged in ex-cognac and bourbon barrels to create a dynamic sipping experience.

With an ABV of 40%, this unaged pot still rum hosts an average price of $60, according to Wine-Searcher.

This rum boasts a grassy and citrusy nose, with agricole funk and some honey for added sweetness. This medium-bodied rum is full of lemon grass, straw, and honey flavors, coupled with a kick of pepper and plenty of earthy, savory flavors. Kuleana finishes with straw, pepper, and lime zest, making this a savory agricole that leaves a lasting impression.