Help with a rum recommendation

Folks - I need a recommendation for a great, off-the-wall rum. I owe someone a thank you and he's a big rum aficionado, so I figure the perfect thank you will be a nice bottle of rum that might be something he's not familiar with.

Any thoughts?

In order of recommendation:

Cruzan Single Barrel is one of the best rums I've ever had. Comparable in quality and price to a decent Scotch.

Mount Gay Extra Old is excellent as well, but probably a bit better known.

Piraat is tasty too. It's produced by the same distillers as Patron and comes in the same style bottle. Sweeter, smoother, and easier to drink than the above, but not quite as interesting.

Second on the Cruzan Single Barrel

Also Appleton Estates Rum has a 30 year old rum that is quite tasty. But if that is out of the price range ($370+), the Reserve is great as well ($30).

Don Q Gran Anejo http://donq.com/rum/gran-anejo/

Best rum I've ever had.

The only issue is that you can't get it outside of Puerto Rico.

3 star Ron Barrilito is really good to.

But I'm very biased toward Puerto Rican rums.

What does he do with his rum?
When I think good rum, I think of a Dark and Stormy.
That is Gosling's Dark Rum and Barritt's (or Gosling's) Ginger Beer.
http://www.goslingsrum.com/ourblends_gingerbeer.asp
http://www.barrittsgingerbeer.bm/history.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_'N'_Stormy

Ginger Beer has no Beer in it just like Ginger Ale has no Ale in it, but...
Ginger Beer varies widely (as does beer) and a good dark and stormy should really be Barritt's or Gosling's version. Many others Giner Beers are crap.

Probably not too interesting or exclusive but I really like Kraken.

FlightService wrote: Second on the Cruzan Single Barrel Also Appleton Estates Rum has a 30 year old rum that is quite tasty. But if that is out of the price range ($370+), the Reserve is great as well ($30).

After attending the Taste of Rum last month, I'm very weary of rums older than 12 years. Aging in the heat of the Carribbean is a lot different than Scotland. As we were told, if you find something older than 12 years, the only way it's still drinkable is that they thin it with younger rum. As a matter of fact, Bacardi has a 12 year old rum that we think is not as good as the 8 year old rum too many harsh barrel tastes.

But YMMV.

Don Q Gold- a good friend of mine gave me a bottle from his hometown of Ponce, Puerto Rico...not expensive but pretty tasty

Sailor Jerry- it's a way better version of Captain.

Also, 2nd on the Appleton.

Thanks guys. I'll hit the store tonight and see what they offer.

@jrw1621, not sure what he does with it. I'm guessing a sipper but am not sure.

I am a rum drinker. Sailor Jerry is one of my favorites. BUT, Castillo is a private label Bacardi at a lower price. That's the one I buy for myself. Get over the plastic bottle, it does not change the taste. Probably not something you want to give, but good enough for me.

Does he have a good sense of humor to go along with it?

http://www.rondejeremy.com

It's actually supposed to be a decent rum despite the novelty factor.

I would also ask the guys at Dorn's Liquors at the northeast corner of west 43rd street and north 16th avenue. Every time that I have had a question about something in there, they've been honest about the products that they are selling.

In reply to alfadriver:

What ever they do it's tasty!!!

MitchellC wrote: I would also ask the guys at Dorn's Liquors at the northeast corner of west 43rd street and north 16th avenue. Every time that I have had a question about something in there, they've been honest about the products that they are selling.

Thanks Mitchell. I'll check them out!

EvanB wrote: Probably not too interesting or exclusive but I really like Kraken.

The Kraken is, indeed, very good! Best of the Capt. Morgan Sailer Jerry type of rum.

I am not a spiced rum fan. I do like the Kraken very much.

I am not a tequila fan. I do like the Cabo Wabo very much.

I have recently become a whisky fan, spending a lot of time sampling scotches but tend to end up with a Jamesons in front of me.

A friend of mine went to Trinidad and Tobago last summer and brought me back a bottle of Agnostura (sp?) Single Barrel Reserve. Don't know if they sell it here, but it's the only rum I've ever been able to stand, so I'm going to say it's pretty decent. It's aged in charred barrels, so it's dark, and tastes a lot like whiskey, but still has that molasses sweetness to it.

EvanB wrote: Probably not too interesting or exclusive but I really like Kraken.

Another vote for Kraken. I'm not much of a rum drinker but I do like this from time to time.

I like the kind with alcohol

Ive been drinking Tommy Bahama Gold lately, but Sailor Jerry, and Mt Gay are some other good ones.

+1 for Sailor Jerry

-1 for Admiral Nelson

I like Corsair Spiced Rum. It is different and it is handcrafted in Bowling Green, KY.

Angostura is one of the biggest companies in Trinidad. They make many kinds of rum. Some really good. All are good.

Twin_Cam wrote: A friend of mine went to Trinidad and Tobago last summer and brought me back a bottle of Agnostura (sp?) Single Barrel Reserve. Don't know if they sell it here, but it's the only rum I've ever been able to stand, so I'm going to say it's pretty decent. It's aged in charred barrels, so it's dark, and tastes a lot like whiskey, but still has that molasses sweetness to it.

I've learned that it's one of my favorite aspects of rum.

At the Taste of Rum Festival we went to, they passed out raw cane juice, and once you really knew what it tased like, you could find it in different levels in the rums. It's also when I found that I don't like tasting wood over the rum.

the other thing I really like about rum is that I don't get much of a hangover. Well, on both nights of the festival, where I drank quite a bit- no ill effects. Pretty sweet.