The Only 5 Rums You Need | Beginner Tiki: 101 - Rum | Easy Tiki Mai Tai

Great video 🎉

uh... I'm excited about this one!

In the past year, I've made some really amazing Tiki cocktails, and I have a lot of these, but a 101 is still relevant to me. I like to see what other people are using and just copy from them. I have too many bottles of things I just don't love and I'm not brave enough to randomly make a purchase at the store. Seeing these labels will remind me that they are "safe". I think my 2023 goal is to use a lot of bottles I don't love, just to get rid of them. I was just at the store and was going to try Bacardi 8, but totally forgot... Was looking at the OFTD too and decided I'll do it another time... I purcahed Lemon Hart 151 and I don't know if I want so many over proofs open as I might not go through them as fast... I did get a new bottle of Smith & Cross though! Love that stuff and that's a high turnover bottle along with plantation dark/white for me.

Check, check and check..I have all of these except for the tiki lovers white and the El Dorado 5! And most of these are my fav's! I concur my friend! 🙌🏻

We’ll explain train of thought to pick some rums.

I like to get a few local rums

ANDY!! This was awesome!!! I'm def a rum fan, so I took notes and everything!!! GOTTA love OFTD!!!! CHEERS!!!!

Awesome suggestions and info Andy. Well done mate!

Great list.

Overproof rum is actually closer to 60%+ not 50. In the 50% range would be cask strength rums.

As someone just exploring rum and tiki, this was immensely helpful. Looking forward to the 200 level rum suggestions.

What is your opinion about Australia's Bunderberg rum?

This video was just what i needed to sort out and help understanding the rums. Also, to find suitable replacments. Thumbs up and thanks!

Awesome video!

could i get away with using the rums from ONE brand,(say, Plantation) to mix all my tiki cocktails,? Looking at starting out in Tiki, but finding the vast range too confusing, plus Alcohol is NOT cheap here in OZ,

The Only Demerara Rum I can find near me was Hamilton 151. I have never seen El Dorado and only found Hamilton 86 once. My go to is typically Pussers since it's readily available and a blend of 5 rums including Demerara Rum, the flavor is very close and fine to use if it's all you can find. The guy at the Liquor store told me a lot of Rum is allocated, not once have I ever seen Havana Club either. Great Video! I came to about the same conclusion narrowing it down to 5 using minimalist Tiki as a guide.

I think you could simplify even further, to a Jamaican, lightly aged puerto rican and a dark rum. I haven't found many tiki drinks that I can't make with just Appleton 8, Havana Club/Bacardi 8 and a Goslings or Hamilton dark rum. There are probably better rums you could buy in those categories but I live in Canada and I can't get things like O.F.T.D

Great video, I would love an explanation of when to use each. Which category is for sipping for example?

I have also streamlined my Vic's style MaiTai:
1 oz Lime
1/2 oz Orgeat
1/2 oz Grand Marnier
1 oz Dark Rum [usually Bajan]
1 oz Light Rum [usuallt Puerto Rican]
8 ox smashed ice.

I ran out of Hamilton 86. (It tends to disappear rapidly. Evaporation?) I'm tending to prefer rums of Barbados. I've been there. Never been to jamaica.
Ol Brigand's Black Label is a good dark Bajan rum [86 PF].
The whites are: Rhum Barbancourt* [ 86Pf Haitian agricole], J Wray & Nephew O/P White* [63ABV], Havana Club [80Pf], and Cane Run [80Pf]* All my *whites are about 3 or 4 fingers left. A Cruzan Blakstrap was too much a burnt molasses. It will be the last to go. Long gone was Lamb's Navy rum. My British contact retired from the airlines and could no longer bring it in Duty Free. On his last run, maybe 10 years ago, he brought Cap'n Morgan, who had usurped Lambs' Spot in the Heathrow kiosks. No thanks. Lambs was smoother and deeper than Pusser's, but same concept.

4 out of 5 aren’t imported here 😢

Nice video. I went down this Rum Rabbit Hole a few months ago and its a fun but dizzying experience.

A demerara rum for people - Skipper, likely a lot cheaper too - great video

There are lot of great options. I have settled on three for now. Plantation 3 Stars for light rum cocktails. For dark rum cocktails, I usually do a 50/50 mix of Appleton Estate 12 and Pusser's Gunpowder Proof which gives a lot of complexity without bitterness. Xaymaca and Smith & Cross are too bitter for my tastes but I understand why some may like them.

I recently came across this channel and I like it a lot. Although I like this video I think you took a lot for granted and went too fast. I don't see a 200 series on this one to see if more was given later but let me say this as help if you really want to help new tiki drink makers. If you went to a tiki bar or saw a video or however you got into tiki drinks and you bought a book or two and looked at recipes you would see many rums as ingredients. Off the top of my head...light rum, gold rum, dark rum, over proofed rum, demerara rum, Puerto Rican rum, Barbados rum, Martinique rum, 151 rum, Jamaican rum. Even as obvious a Puerto Rican rum may seem...there are many variations. also you say OFTD and other things that may not be as clear. To REALLY help a beginner I would look at popular recopies by Don and Vic and Berry for sure and if only addressing the rum, explain the meanings a bit more. I mean when are dark rum and black rum interchangeable or are they? I guarantee if you made that video it would help a lot of people. I post this perhaps over winded comment not to criticize but because I feel it is needed and I than you not only could do it, but do it very well and would help many navigate the rum isle with more confidence and enthusiasm than ever before.

Good listen👍. Keep up the good work!

Great series! Would love another list of the next 5 to buy on top of these!

There is no reason to have an overproof rum in a beginner bar.

I started my Tiki Bar finding a drink I really like (a zombie in my case) and buying Hamilton rums. His blends like the Zombie blend and Navy Grog Blend are a great start for beginners even has the recipes for the drinks on the back of the bottles.

Those silly amaricans cannot use Cuban rum, because of their stupid ideology. How funny.

what is the difference between a liquor and a liqueur?

I love the Gilligan’s Island font for the title slide.

excellent lineup and category breakdown.....aged demerara often overlooked as a distinct category, but very necessary for specific tiki/caribbean cocktails, and an overproof is essential for the heavy-hitters... wanna get fancy add a french agricole rum but really five types is all you need to start out.

Probitas is 🔥🔥

No Hamilton or Smith&Cross in Europe:/

Is this beginner video ? 😂

One of the big problems is availability. I have settled on 4-5. I can't get anything Hamilton. But I use Plantation , Appleton, Goslings 151 or Plantation OFT. I have an Eldorado 3 I like to use in Mai tais . My drink of choice is the zombie and jet pilot. The cocktail you want to make most often really determines what you want to chase down.

El dorado 12 year old vs ron santiago 11 what's your choice

Recently got a Bacardi 8yr rye cask finish. It was awesome.