What is a good rum to give as a gift?

A funny old ron zicapa story, we finished a yacht charter in the Bahamas and the owners friend told the Captain to take us out to dinner on him. The captain took us to one of the most expensive restaurants in Nassau, me and the mate could have cared less and would be just as happy with pizza or chicken wings. So the waiter comes, I want a rum and coke, I asked for Pyrat, he doesn't have it so suggests Ron Zicapa Centeriano xo, I'm like ok?? He suggests coke on the side, ok??? So had 4 of those, the mate had 2, a couple bottles of good red wine. We get the bill and each rum and coke was 75 bucks a piece!!!! Some how 3 guys managed to ring up an 1100.00 dinner bill???? Don't think the owners friend planned on that!!!

 

Mark151 you know your stuff. I'm more of a scotch whisky or bourbon guy. But if I'm going to drink rum, then the right rum all depends on the situation, who I'm with, sipping straight up or mixed into cocktails. I tend to go for rums that have some meaning to me, like Havana Club that I personally hand carried back from Cuba, English Harbour because I spent my honeymoon in Antigua and loved the little bar at Shirley Heights overlooking... you guessed it... English Harbour. I agree the Ron Zacapa stuff is good as far as the modern labels go. As an everyday rum I love Mount Gay (Eclipse or Black Barrel or whatever their dark non-spiced rum is). Make all the jokes you want. Their marketing works for me I love Mount Gay's association with sailing and their long history.

 

Mount Gay is the oldest working rum distillery in the world, (1703) I've been there in Barbados. They produce great rum and sponsor the best sailing events. I really like Mount Gay

 

This was my rental car when I was there, I could not stop laughing driving the thing

 

Wtf is that thing?

 

I honestly don't know, ordered a rental car from the hotel, the gave me the key at the desk, I walk out to the parking lot and there it was???? I walked around it and there was no label??? I can't even tell you who made it, drove it for a week, anything over 40 mph it wasn't happy

 

I miss my Mount Gay race week hat. Fucker blew off in Charleston one day and I never found it.

 

I just got back from Barbados. I drove by the distillery and was a bit disappointed. Pretty much a nondescript building on the outskirts of Bridgetown surrounded by a razor wire fence. I guess I had images of a colonial plantation house surrounded by rolling hills and sugar cane.

 

Did ya get any flying fish from the side of the road?

 

Balcones Cask Strength

 

I hear you, its the Caribbean so it is what it is. I expected more also. I've seen the Appleton distillery on tv and looked pretty nice. I did a tequila tasting tour in tequila mexico with artisan tequila and they had some pretty beautiful haciendas. I miss flying fish sandwiches, People think I'm nuts when a big flying fish lands on the boat and I run and grab it!!!!!!

 

Myers Dark.

 

Nobody in the Caribbean actually drinks that, Kind of like going to a real bar in Mexico and ordering a Corona

 

I got that,
Just answering what it was for.

 

I did the Kirk and Sweeny 18.
It was one of only 2 listed here that was available at my State Store. They had not heard of half of the others mentioned here.
Thanks to all for the advice

 

Nice choice. There’s been a lot of great options in this thread, I’ve sampled most of them. Better rums are not really the in thing now so finding them is a challenge. Hope your friend enjoys it.

 

picked up a bottle of this on Friday... very nice.. I like it