The 7 Best Rums to Gift This Holiday (2024)

Rum is a vast spirits category. It can be made anywhere in the world, and depending on where it comes from and how it’s produced, it can take on a number of different profiles.

Given how many variables are at play, shopping for a nice bottle can be intimidating for the untrained eye, but we’re here to lend a hand to anyone who might be in the market for some rum this December. From reliable, budget-friendly stalwarts to nerdy niche offerings from far-flung corners of the world, these are the best rums to gift this holiday season.

​​Best Budget Rum: Planteray 3 Stars
Best Splurge Rum: La Maison & Velier Flag Series 24 Year Old Guyana Rum 1998
Best Rum for Beginners: Ron Zacapa No. 23
Best Rum for Geeks: Holmes Cay Single Origin Réunion Island Agricole Rum
Best Rum for Cocktail Lovers: Transcontinental Rum Line High Seas
Best Rum to Impress: Appleton Estate 21 Year Old Nassau Valley Casks
Best Limited-Edition Rum: Foursquare Rum Distillery Exceptional Cask Series “Equipoise”

Best Budget Rum

Planteray 3 Stars

Whether you’re mixing up Mojitos, Daiquiris, or a holiday punch, Planteray 3 Stars makes for a versatile, budget-friendly bottle. Made with a blend of aged and unaged rums from Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad, this rum goes through a round of carbon filtration to remove color, but its complexity remains intact. We get notes of brown sugar, vanilla, and freshly cut grass with herbaceous undertones on the nose and palate. Easy to afford, easy to love, Planteray 3 Stars ranks among the best value buys in the entire rum category.

Average price: $20
Rating: 93

Best Splurge Rum

La Maison & Velier Flag Series 24 Year Old Guyana Rum 1998

La Maison & Velier’s “Flag Series” highlights expressions sourced from all over the world. This particular Guyana rum spent two years aging in ex-bourbon barrels in its home country before being shipped to Europe and transferred into port casks. Twenty-two years later, the liquid emerged full of life despite its extended aging period. The nose leads with dense aromas of pineapple, oak, and red berry compote, giving way to notes of citrus, chocolate, and salted caramel on the palate. While $300 may be a lot of money for a bottle of rum — even one at this age — this expression’s worth the splurge.

Average price: $300
Rating: 95

Best Rum for Beginners

Ron Zacapa No. 23

Hailing from Guatemala, Ron Zacapa No. 23 gives drinkers a taste of rums both young and old thanks to its use of solera aging. A process commonly associated with sherry, Ron Zacapa master blender Lorena Vásquez takes a modern approach to the practice, carefully selecting and blending various rum casks ranging between six and 23 years of age to reach a desired profile. The resulting liquid delivers the best of both worlds, as the older rums provide a deep oaky foundation while the younger components deliver an energetic pop of tropical fruits.

Average price: $45
Rating: 91

Best Rum for Geeks

Holmes Cay Single Origin Réunion Island Agricole Rum

Standard descriptors of rhum agricole like “grassy” and “funky” are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this standout expression from Holmes Cay. Upon pouring, we’re greeted with a bouquet of umami-forward notes that run the gamut from mushrooms and soy sauce to black olives. After resting for a minute in the glass, the nose transitions to wafts of underripe banana, tropical fruits, and fresh wildflowers — all of which shine through on the palate. The 50 percent ABV also ensures a lively punch and a long, satisfying finish.

Average price: $43
Rating: 94

Best Rum for Cocktail Lovers

Transcontinental Rum Line High Seas

Comparing one nation’s signature style of rum to another is often a matter of apples to oranges. It’s also the reason why so many tropical drink recipes call for multiple varieties of rum and why the phrase “what one rum can’t do, three rums can” exists in the first place. Sure, one could invest in multiple bottles and tinker away to create their own house rum blend, but why bother when this stellar blend from Transcontinental Rum is only $35 away? With Panamanian, Jamaican, and Martinique distillates all mingling in the same bottle, this expression straddles fruity, vegetal, and savory flavors, making it a perfect base for any number of rum-based cocktails.

Average price: $35
Rating: 92

Best Rum to Impress

Appleton Estate 21 Year Old Nassau Valley Casks

Elegant, understated packaging and a phenomenal rum to boot? That’s Appleton Estate 21 Year Old Nassau Valley Casks. Crafted from a blend of molasses-based pot and column distillates, this rum spent 21 years aging in the Caribbean and its profile is as vast as they come. It’s sweet, savory, dry, fruity, and delivers on every front.

Average price: $150
Rating: 96

Best Limited-Edition Rum

Foursquare Rum Distillery Exceptional Cask Series “Equipoise”

For the 25th installment of the brand’s “Exceptional Cask Series,” Foursquare Rum Distillery made the unique choice to implement ex-Calvados casks in this rum’s aging regime. The nose kicks off with aromas of potpourri and tobacco before shifting to notes of dried stone fruits and orange rind, culminating in a rich, toffee-forward palate. Don’t let the 61 percent ABV intimidate you. This is a remarkably smooth sipper.

Average price: $151
Rating: 95

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