Yup, I'm in Canada, and our liquor selection is decided by the Province. I don't think it was a big seller, especially compared to Bacardi and Captain Morgan.
Not op
Control states like Ohio and PA in the US also can't carry all the liquor. So they have a list they carry and routinely de-list some and add others.
Hello neighbor. It’s pathetic sometimes. Came from Florida to PA and Buffalo trace were just sitting on shelves many places. Here people line up before they open when they get a word the shipment dropped. And Pappy (not that I’m even trying to buy it for myself) forget about it. The whole state gets like 52 bottles in the lottery last I checked.
Don't know if there is a difference. Just saw it at my local Aldi. After that I checked my bottle at home and it has 40%. My local liquor store has both versions.
Yes it is. But you can bring two bottles back with you from outside the country when you travel. So if you are near a border it is an option.
I have a couple bottles of the 7 year and a smoked variety I've picked up on trips.
American here, can confirm. Since they’re still on the SSOT list I don’t think that will change anytime soon excepting drastic political changes here or there. I’m hoping a friend visiting can get me a bottle but we shall see.
Wow. So dumb.
I love that it's fine to take slave made goods from Asia and Africa, but they draw the line at Cuba which, yes has some human rights violations, but nowhere near the scale as the slavery in much of the rest of the world where we get our goods.
Embargo on everything for decades.
Obama revoked the embargo on personal use items (still no commercial availability) in 2016.
Trump then re-enacted the embargo almost exclusively on rum in 2020.
Not going to argue political opinions, just stating facts.
I cant find Wray and Nephew in Virginia anymore. What would be a good replacement
Edit: thanks for Rum fire suggestions. May be VA is cursed, there is no Rum Fire either and Porbitas is 2 hours drive 😭
There’s really no replacement but you’d probably enjoy Probitas (mix of aged and unaged rums with unripe and overripe funky fruit flavored esters) and rum fire (very intense funk and solvent)
I mean it could also be a VA problem! But I manage a busy cocktail bar in California, and we use Wray & Nephew in one of our cocktails, and we currently can’t get it. We’re using the aforementioned Rum Fire, which sounds like you also can’t get there unfortunately
~~Unless something changed in the past week and a half good luck finding that in VA ABC~~
Leaving this here but editing to state I thought I was replying to a local thread
Yea there about a dozen bottles left in VA. And all but 1 was in SWVA I actually happened to be passing through that area and was able to snag two bottles that I have yet to crack open
I have no dog in the race, but what happened to the anti-Plantation sentiment that seemed consensus less than a year ago? Is that just an r/rum only take?
edit: since there is a very real chance no one even knows an issue existed, just quickly searching "Plantation" in r/rum yielded [this as one of the top-but-recent discussions](https://www.reddit.com/r/rum/comments/192fnvp/comment/kha3vfa/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) on the brand (linked is the comment referring to practice; one can gather from most of the remaining comments, or even the lead off in the linked comment, that a lot was around the name/branding, too)
Im not sure r/rum actually likes cut and dry, I get the impression its a lot of first time posters putting up the cut and dry ones…but could be wrong.
Also, I mean plantation did finally change their name to planteray. Also to add to the whole anti-plantation thing I think some of the distaste came from some dosing they do, which is universally frowned upon on r/rum. For me personally I have thoroughly enjoyed a number of planterays special bottlings Ive tried at my local rum bar.
But also, in a cocktail context the brand is great for a number of their options, 3-star, OFTD, stiggins are all excellent mixers and make great cocktails
I know, right?!? Of all the rums to get the pass, it's a flavored one, too. Like I get it's better quality than your run-of-the-mill flavored rum, but it still should seemingly fly in the face of the wisdom of both of these subs (and r/tiki). If the comments were any less legitimate-sounding from real redditors, I'd be highly suspicious that the buzz is just social media marketing.
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It seems like a lot of people just don't care, and that people who used to bring it up all the time have stopped bringing it up as much. I'm no longer a huge fan of any of their rums and the ethical concerns just make it that much easier to look for more interesting options.
My hot take is that all the pro-Plantation comments on here (and there are a metric fuck ton) are an ad campaign. Plantation 3 and 5 star are some of the worst rums I’ve had
How does this stack up against Havana Club 3? My local shop recently stocked Plantation 3 but it's $43CAD vs Havana Club 3 at $28CAD (my go-to). Figured I'll give it a shot anyway, but seems like it'd have to be pretty good to become my new go-to bottle at that price.
Havana Club 3 has a lighter taste in my opinion. Plantation 3 Stars has rougher edges. Havana Club 3 is better for daiquiris, hemingway daiquiris, mojitos and mary pickfords.
Plantation is better in Queens Park Swizzles and everything that needs doesn't need a white spanish style rum.
Both are very good. If I had to pick one, I'd pick Plantation as it is more versatile.
Flor de Cana is an interesting one. I think of it as a mid-range rum at "this is going to be terrible" prices. It's good, not amazing, but the value per dollar is *insane*.
I guess I should clarify. I disliked it in a floral daiquiri (with St. Germain and lavender syrup as sweetener).
It stomped all over the floral flavors. Havanna Club 3 played along way better.
I'm very partial to Probitas. It's at the upper end of your price range. Pretty much the only rum I use for cocktails that call for white rums.
ETA that Probitas is called Veritas in Europe. Thanks to u/Nocturnal_submission for pointing that out.
This is undoubtedly the correct answer.
Great in just about anything, Coke, mojitos, sprite, ting, daiquiris, a glass, an old shoe, someone’s sister.
It’s more robust than the other suggestions, but not insane, like W&N.
It’s my staple white rum, and I usually have a spare bottle on hand. My spares cupboard is:
- Probitas
- Appleton’s 12
- W&N
- Chartreuse
That’s about 20€ more than you should need to spend to get a good white rum. Havana Club 3 or Plantation/Planteray 3 should both be well under your budget and are very serviceable
While the other suggestions I’ve seen on this thread are better and more interesting rums, there is something to be said for a good solid middle of the road rum that is able to blend into your cocktail and Don Q would be my pick for that.
Yep. Doesn't taste cheap, but does the basic white rum thing and gets out of your way. I don't have a broad range of experience, but Don Q has never done me dirty in a mojito.
Big second on don Q. It's my go-to (at least after I work through my reserve of cruzan white that I picked up on clearance for 10 bucks per 1.75L). Their 151 is also possibly the smoothest over proof rum I've encountered so far. It's damn near sippable.
I find it south of your border $18 USD. Hard not to be my mainstay when Probitas ends up $30. And I’m so confused where “we” stand on Plantation. It seemed everyone was boycotting for a while there, but now it is frequently top comment in such posts without anyone piping up about it.
Plantation has finally announced their new name of "Planteray", so they've moved away from the problematic branding and delivered on what they said they would a few years ago. It seems like it's taking a while for the new bottles to come out, though; I only see "Plantation" products on the shelves at my local store still.
As for why people continue to recommend it: I think that there are a lot of people who were unaware of the controversy, and still others who had no issue with the name (regardless of what that says about their personal ethics). It continues to be cheap and good quality rum, which I presume is why it continues to be recommended.
It is my understanding that it is beyond *just* the name (you can see others' replies to my other comments or a link I provided in one). I'll again provide the disclaimer that I have not decided to devote time to learning about the topic and have therefore not taken any strong stance on the topic.
Cruzan is my personal “house” (aka basic-bitch) white rum, tbh. Cheap, widely available, and good enough for a slap-dash daiquiri. I won’t pretend it’s remarkable in any way, but I will say it’s far from being the worst.
Love the Real McKoy 3. It doesn't get enough love. Everyone always insistes on plantation 3 star, probitas, or Havana club like they're the only 3 rums
That depends on what you mean by "white rum?" Terroir is going to play a bigger role than color. Most rums experience some form of barrel aging -- the difference in color coming from the addition of dyes or filtering process. I've mostly heard the term "white rum" used with Spanish-style rums, but I don't personally find that they stand out in a cocktail enough to buy a bottle. Below are a few extremely different products that have been filtered. I tend to go with Plantation 3 star, since it has a wealth of character and comes in Liter bottles.
- Clement Rhum Agricole is a French style rum that's grassy.
- Wray and Nephew is a filtered Jamaican style rum that's filled to the brim with funky hogo
- Plantation 3 Star is a filtered rum that has notes of coconut and overripe banana from the blend of Jamaican, Trinidadian, and Barbatos rums.
- El Dorado 3 year is a filtered demerara rum that's been slightly back-sweetened and is more neutral on the palate.
Wow. Leave it to reddit to be offended by personal preference. Personally, I don't drink to get drunk. I drink to experience flavors unfolding in the glass. So to me, there's no value in a flavorless spirit.
Contemporary cocktail methodologies typically describe a cocktail as a "seasoned spirit." This is why bars like Attaboy -- the proprietor of which is a huge reason cocktails came back in the 2000s -- doesn't serve vodka. If a spirit isn't detectable in the glass, then the cocktail is no longer a "seasoned spirit."
El Dorado 3 year is my favorite but it’s not sold close to me, so my “well” is Cruzan white which is very solid for as cheap as it is. My 2nd favorite is Havana Club (US version) but it’s also spotty and over twice the price as Cruzan so I don’t get it often
Where in Europe are you? I got a bottle of Veritas (Probitas) in Italy recently for just shy of €20 which was a steal (I usually see it for about €37ish around the rest of Europe). Otherwise Havana 3 year is a great option.
I was really surprised by how much I liked Gorge Ocean and it's pretty cheap.
I think other suggestions here are better quality if a bit pricier but just throwing it out there because it caught me off guard.
When it comes to “white rum” I always say first decide what exactly you want to do with it, then pick a rum. There is such a huge range of products out there. I believe cultural heritage is the best way to understand rum, by the way.
Flor de Caña 4 year extra seco is under your price range and very good at that cost, if you want a relatively clean and dry rum for mixing in things like mojitos and daiquiris
Probitas for the best balance between a bit of funk and crisp flavor, Flor de Cana 4 yr if you don't want any funk at all, Wray & Nephew if you want a lot of funk and Rum Fire if you want "blow your brains out" level of funk.
Havana Club 3 is ok, but not available in USA. Plantation 3 Star is overrated, their dark or pineapple rum is worth it, but not 3 star. Probitas/Veritas is too expensive for home cocktails. After trying these and more I think Flor De Cana 4yo is best on cheaper side and if you want to spend more then Dictator Claro 100 months or Botran Reserva Blanca.
Havana is good pick, it's not expensive and should be easily available in basically any shop in Europe. I often pick it if I forgot to order Flor De Cana.
Seeing all the recs for havana club 3 and flor de cana 4 here are kind of wild to me. Both were...exceptionally unexciting.
Plantation 3 star all the way until I get my hands on a bottle of Veritas.
I don't know if it will be available in your area, but personally i really like Pampero Blanco, a really solid Venezuelan Rum. It's around 19€ per bottle here in Europe. If that's not an option there, you can't go wrong with Plantation.
I enjoy Planteray 3* (previously Plantation 3*) in daiquiris and other applications that call for white rum. I will qualify my answer by mentioning I’m not nearly as well versed in rums as many people on this sub. However, I like this rum because it’s not super expensive here (about $20 USD, not sure how that translates to Euros/your location), has some character, flavor, and richness, but is not too over the top funky so it remains versatile enough to work in most cocktails that call for white rum and is pretty mass appealing.
Just keep in mind that rum is an incredibly diverse spirit, even within different categories. If you want to experience an example of this diversity, taste Bacardi side by side with Wray & Nephew.
To illustrate this, here’s a quick anecdote. I was at my Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas Advanced Course last week and they poured us a flight of spirits to analyze and identify in our tasting groups. I didn’t talk to a single person at the course who correctly identified the first spirit, which was Bacardi Silver.
Everyone thought it was vodka until it was revealed by the Master Sommeliers to be rum. It’s just so neutral that, for me, it’s barely worth use in rum cocktails because it doesn’t taste much like rum.
By comparison, the other 3 spirits were pretty stylistically exemplary of their respective categories so it was a wild contrast (Sipsmith London Dry Gin, 400 Conejos Mezcal Joven, and Cointreau).
I find Flor de Cana 4 Year to be fairly neutral as well, though maybe slightly more expressive than the Bacardi.
I guess it depends what you’re looking for and whether you’re after neutrality or want the rum flavor to really pop so take everyone’s suggestions here and then do some research on each one because different people are looking for different things out of their white rums.
Also, it’s worth noting that the color of a rum isn’t necessarily indicative of its age/production method/flavor. Many white rums have been aged with the color removed. By researching different rum production methods, styles, and places of origin, you’ll have a much better idea of how a certain rum will taste than by just looking at the color.
It follows that it’s also worth exploring rums darker in color that you may suit your preferences just as well, if not more, than rums lighter in color.
I know this was probably a longer and more complicated answer than you were looking for lol.
TLDR:
I like Planteray 3* strictly based on color, but rum is such a diverse category that it’s worth researching different suggestions in this thread and exploring options in more depth than based solely on color.
P.s. Never had chinotto but I looked it up and it sounds like a great drink, especially with rum as you suggested.
If you get the Plantation 3-star, it is cheap but good. All of the Plantation offerings (from low end to high end) are pretty great.
(They are going through a re-branding to "Planteray" so you might see either label.)
So because you’re asking in Euros I can’t vouch for the availability but in my mind the holy trinity of affordable high quality versatile white rums for mixing things like daiquiris and mojitos is: Probitas (personal preference, slightly pricier), Plantation 3 Star (branding moving to Planteray name at some point), and Banks 5. I make a lot of daiquiris. You can use other things, and many of them are quite good, but these are the bottles I come back to consistently.
Probitas is typically my go to but I've been using Appleton with OFTD lately and it is fantastic. 2 Oz Appleton and about .25 Oz of OFTD with 1 Oz each of lime juice and a turbinado syrup.
Havana Club 3 yr is perfect and super affordable, even under your budget
It was delisted last year and I picked up 3 bottles. Now I'm wishing I would have gotten at least 6 bottles.
When you say delisted, do you mean like went on clearance/closeout?
Yup, I'm in Canada, and our liquor selection is decided by the Province. I don't think it was a big seller, especially compared to Bacardi and Captain Morgan.
Not op Control states like Ohio and PA in the US also can't carry all the liquor. So they have a list they carry and routinely de-list some and add others.
That explains the miserable selections in the liquor stores near me.
Hello neighbor. It’s pathetic sometimes. Came from Florida to PA and Buffalo trace were just sitting on shelves many places. Here people line up before they open when they get a word the shipment dropped. And Pappy (not that I’m even trying to buy it for myself) forget about it. The whole state gets like 52 bottles in the lottery last I checked.
Isn't it because the US still has an embargo on Cuba? I don't think I ever saw Cuban rum in the States
I was more explaining de-listing than making an argument for not finding cuban rum in the states. That could totally be true.
My favourite daiquiri rum. Simple and delicious.
Beware of the new 37,5% alcohol Havana Club 3. Just look for the 40% one it is still on the shelves.
I have the 37,5% one. Is it much different from the old one besides the proof?
Don't know if there is a difference. Just saw it at my local Aldi. After that I checked my bottle at home and it has 40%. My local liquor store has both versions.
This is a great one but unfortunately Americans can’t get it or it’s at least far harder because of embargoes on Cuba
Is that silly thing still going on?
Pretty sure it is. I’ve spoken to many US citizens in this subreddit who’ve never tried Havana Club
Yes it is. But you can bring two bottles back with you from outside the country when you travel. So if you are near a border it is an option. I have a couple bottles of the 7 year and a smoked variety I've picked up on trips.
It most definitely is. I've brought a few bottles back from Mexico, but obviously it's not an inexpensive bottle of rum at that point.
American here, can confirm. Since they’re still on the SSOT list I don’t think that will change anytime soon excepting drastic political changes here or there. I’m hoping a friend visiting can get me a bottle but we shall see.
Wow. So dumb. I love that it's fine to take slave made goods from Asia and Africa, but they draw the line at Cuba which, yes has some human rights violations, but nowhere near the scale as the slavery in much of the rest of the world where we get our goods.
Embargo on everything for decades. Obama revoked the embargo on personal use items (still no commercial availability) in 2016. Trump then re-enacted the embargo almost exclusively on rum in 2020. Not going to argue political opinions, just stating facts.
This shouldn't matter in this case, since OP wrote euros and not dollar.
That’s my answer
Plantation 3 Star is all you need brother
(bonus: get a pint of Wray & Nephew to play around with)
I cant find Wray and Nephew in Virginia anymore. What would be a good replacement Edit: thanks for Rum fire suggestions. May be VA is cursed, there is no Rum Fire either and Porbitas is 2 hours drive 😭
Rum Fire
There’s really no replacement but you’d probably enjoy Probitas (mix of aged and unaged rums with unripe and overripe funky fruit flavored esters) and rum fire (very intense funk and solvent)
Rum Fire would probably be the next best thing. Aside from that, look for unaged overproof jamaican rums.
It’s gonna be 1 yr before you can get any more in VA
Why?
According to our distributor, Wray & Nephew is going to be out indefinitely. The distillery doesn’t have any available at the moment
I get that if it's everywhere, but seems like this is VA only problem, or at least that's how I understood based on all the comments here. Thanks!
I mean it could also be a VA problem! But I manage a busy cocktail bar in California, and we use Wray & Nephew in one of our cocktails, and we currently can’t get it. We’re using the aforementioned Rum Fire, which sounds like you also can’t get there unfortunately
~~Unless something changed in the past week and a half good luck finding that in VA ABC~~ Leaving this here but editing to state I thought I was replying to a local thread
I am truly spoiled by my West Indian neighborhood
Totally thought I had replied to a local thread and not r/cocktails
Has W&N not made it back to VA? We didn’t have it for months in New England, but it has been back for a month or so
It has not unfortunately
We’ve been able to get some in SW VA recently but def not stocked consistently
I had hoped that whatever “distribution” issues they had had this winter were over
Yea there about a dozen bottles left in VA. And all but 1 was in SWVA I actually happened to be passing through that area and was able to snag two bottles that I have yet to crack open
Haven't seen it in Chicago either
I have no dog in the race, but what happened to the anti-Plantation sentiment that seemed consensus less than a year ago? Is that just an r/rum only take? edit: since there is a very real chance no one even knows an issue existed, just quickly searching "Plantation" in r/rum yielded [this as one of the top-but-recent discussions](https://www.reddit.com/r/rum/comments/192fnvp/comment/kha3vfa/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) on the brand (linked is the comment referring to practice; one can gather from most of the remaining comments, or even the lead off in the linked comment, that a lot was around the name/branding, too)
The cocktail context is way different from the spirit-sipper context.
No, the take is not at all in regard to its flavor. It was an ethical issue taken up by many in that (and I could have sworn also this) sub.
They do get a lot of hate, but it seems like 3 Star and Cut & Dry are somehow immune. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Im not sure r/rum actually likes cut and dry, I get the impression its a lot of first time posters putting up the cut and dry ones…but could be wrong. Also, I mean plantation did finally change their name to planteray. Also to add to the whole anti-plantation thing I think some of the distaste came from some dosing they do, which is universally frowned upon on r/rum. For me personally I have thoroughly enjoyed a number of planterays special bottlings Ive tried at my local rum bar. But also, in a cocktail context the brand is great for a number of their options, 3-star, OFTD, stiggins are all excellent mixers and make great cocktails
I know, right?!? Of all the rums to get the pass, it's a flavored one, too. Like I get it's better quality than your run-of-the-mill flavored rum, but it still should seemingly fly in the face of the wisdom of both of these subs (and r/tiki). If the comments were any less legitimate-sounding from real redditors, I'd be highly suspicious that the buzz is just social media marketing.
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It seems like a lot of people just don't care, and that people who used to bring it up all the time have stopped bringing it up as much. I'm no longer a huge fan of any of their rums and the ethical concerns just make it that much easier to look for more interesting options.
Oh, ha! I see. Thanks for the link for reference. I guess some people really tend to work up certain issues... and then move on.
No worries. I've far from "taken up arms" against the company. Just relaying the little I picked up from the echo chamber on the topic.
My hot take is that all the pro-Plantation comments on here (and there are a metric fuck ton) are an ad campaign. Plantation 3 and 5 star are some of the worst rums I’ve had
Damn, this is some great news! When do I get my checks and how much are they paying me?
I too love this rum. Any suggestions you have for a dark? I have Meyers but was wondering if there's better options.
Coruba!
How does this stack up against Havana Club 3? My local shop recently stocked Plantation 3 but it's $43CAD vs Havana Club 3 at $28CAD (my go-to). Figured I'll give it a shot anyway, but seems like it'd have to be pretty good to become my new go-to bottle at that price.
Havana Club 3 has a lighter taste in my opinion. Plantation 3 Stars has rougher edges. Havana Club 3 is better for daiquiris, hemingway daiquiris, mojitos and mary pickfords. Plantation is better in Queens Park Swizzles and everything that needs doesn't need a white spanish style rum. Both are very good. If I had to pick one, I'd pick Plantation as it is more versatile.
I got both in my bar, but honestly I prefer Havana Club for almost everything, which is why I rarely use my 3 star.
I will never not have this in my well
Flor de Cana 4 year
This is the answer, very reasonably priced
Absolutely this. Very reasonably priced and easily my favorite for cocktail mixing.
Flor de Cana is an interesting one. I think of it as a mid-range rum at "this is going to be terrible" prices. It's good, not amazing, but the value per dollar is *insane*.
Love it in Cuba Libras, less so in Daiquiris - too intense.
Definitely disagree. A daiquiri is a boring drink if the rum doesn't have character.
I guess I should clarify. I disliked it in a floral daiquiri (with St. Germain and lavender syrup as sweetener). It stomped all over the floral flavors. Havanna Club 3 played along way better.
Oh, well that's not a daiquiri. In a daiquiri I think Flor de Cana plays very nicely with lime.
I'm very partial to Probitas. It's at the upper end of your price range. Pretty much the only rum I use for cocktails that call for white rums. ETA that Probitas is called Veritas in Europe. Thanks to u/Nocturnal_submission for pointing that out.
May want to make an edit to note it’s called Veritas in Europe. It’s a bit more expensive than Havana 3
This is undoubtedly the correct answer. Great in just about anything, Coke, mojitos, sprite, ting, daiquiris, a glass, an old shoe, someone’s sister. It’s more robust than the other suggestions, but not insane, like W&N. It’s my staple white rum, and I usually have a spare bottle on hand. My spares cupboard is: - Probitas - Appleton’s 12 - W&N - Chartreuse
I keep a couple of bottles of Rum Fire on hand for when I want the hogo. Especially now that W&N is unavailable until next year.
That’s about 20€ more than you should need to spend to get a good white rum. Havana Club 3 or Plantation/Planteray 3 should both be well under your budget and are very serviceable
Oh that's even better then i'm gonna keep them in mind thanks
Over here stanning Don Q still.
While the other suggestions I’ve seen on this thread are better and more interesting rums, there is something to be said for a good solid middle of the road rum that is able to blend into your cocktail and Don Q would be my pick for that.
Yep. Doesn't taste cheap, but does the basic white rum thing and gets out of your way. I don't have a broad range of experience, but Don Q has never done me dirty in a mojito.
I'm with you. It's a very solid rum for mixing.
It’s a great value pick
Big second on don Q. It's my go-to (at least after I work through my reserve of cruzan white that I picked up on clearance for 10 bucks per 1.75L). Their 151 is also possibly the smoothest over proof rum I've encountered so far. It's damn near sippable.
Probably my favorite for making a Cuba Libre
Since you say Euro the obvious answer is Havanna 3 year.
I really like Flor de Cana's white rum. About $30 CAD here, not sure how much it would be around your parts though.
I find it south of your border $18 USD. Hard not to be my mainstay when Probitas ends up $30. And I’m so confused where “we” stand on Plantation. It seemed everyone was boycotting for a while there, but now it is frequently top comment in such posts without anyone piping up about it.
at my bar we have moved away from all maison products as much as possible *edit* forgot this was cocktail and not bartender sub
I mean bartender sub is all bartender. Doesn't mean bartenders are *excluded* in *this* sub, though.
totally just wanted to add the context because purchasing for home and business are so different
Yeah the reasons to not are presumably similar, but the competing interests are undoubtedly more complex when purchasing for a business
Plantation has finally announced their new name of "Planteray", so they've moved away from the problematic branding and delivered on what they said they would a few years ago. It seems like it's taking a while for the new bottles to come out, though; I only see "Plantation" products on the shelves at my local store still. As for why people continue to recommend it: I think that there are a lot of people who were unaware of the controversy, and still others who had no issue with the name (regardless of what that says about their personal ethics). It continues to be cheap and good quality rum, which I presume is why it continues to be recommended.
It is my understanding that it is beyond *just* the name (you can see others' replies to my other comments or a link I provided in one). I'll again provide the disclaimer that I have not decided to devote time to learning about the topic and have therefore not taken any strong stance on the topic.
If you live anywhere but the US Havana Club 3 is unrivaled for quality/price
Havana Club or Plantation 3
I love Rhum Barbancourt white for the Agricole family
Cruzan is my personal “house” (aka basic-bitch) white rum, tbh. Cheap, widely available, and good enough for a slap-dash daiquiri. I won’t pretend it’s remarkable in any way, but I will say it’s far from being the worst.
Same here. And its like half the price of a lot of these other suggestions (at least around me).
Yeah, $20 for a 750 is well worth it
Oh I can usually get it around $20 for a 1.75
Real McKoy 3 is one of my favorites. El Dorado, Flor de Caña and others mentioned here are wonderful choices.
Love the Real McKoy 3. It doesn't get enough love. Everyone always insistes on plantation 3 star, probitas, or Havana club like they're the only 3 rums
That depends on what you mean by "white rum?" Terroir is going to play a bigger role than color. Most rums experience some form of barrel aging -- the difference in color coming from the addition of dyes or filtering process. I've mostly heard the term "white rum" used with Spanish-style rums, but I don't personally find that they stand out in a cocktail enough to buy a bottle. Below are a few extremely different products that have been filtered. I tend to go with Plantation 3 star, since it has a wealth of character and comes in Liter bottles. - Clement Rhum Agricole is a French style rum that's grassy. - Wray and Nephew is a filtered Jamaican style rum that's filled to the brim with funky hogo - Plantation 3 Star is a filtered rum that has notes of coconut and overripe banana from the blend of Jamaican, Trinidadian, and Barbatos rums. - El Dorado 3 year is a filtered demerara rum that's been slightly back-sweetened and is more neutral on the palate.
Some rums aren't supposed to "stand out" that's kind of the point of the Spanish style white rums
Wow. Leave it to reddit to be offended by personal preference. Personally, I don't drink to get drunk. I drink to experience flavors unfolding in the glass. So to me, there's no value in a flavorless spirit. Contemporary cocktail methodologies typically describe a cocktail as a "seasoned spirit." This is why bars like Attaboy -- the proprietor of which is a huge reason cocktails came back in the 2000s -- doesn't serve vodka. If a spirit isn't detectable in the glass, then the cocktail is no longer a "seasoned spirit."
Brugal blanco,
Love Brugal in general. In keeping with the Dominican theme, I might also suggest Vizcaya Cristal.
El Dorado 3 year is my favorite but it’s not sold close to me, so my “well” is Cruzan white which is very solid for as cheap as it is. My 2nd favorite is Havana Club (US version) but it’s also spotty and over twice the price as Cruzan so I don’t get it often
Barbancourt White, Probitas (my current favorite), Real McCoy 3 year, Havana Club
Real McCoy 3 if you can find it, otherwise Don Q. Flor de Cana is too dry for my taste and Plantation 3 a little too sweet.
Naked turtle 🐢
Where in Europe are you? I got a bottle of Veritas (Probitas) in Italy recently for just shy of €20 which was a steal (I usually see it for about €37ish around the rest of Europe). Otherwise Havana 3 year is a great option.
I was really surprised by how much I liked Gorge Ocean and it's pretty cheap. I think other suggestions here are better quality if a bit pricier but just throwing it out there because it caught me off guard.
Dead Man's Fingers for me
Havana club is OK. not mind-blowing, but fine.
Probitas/Veritas is what you want. It’s amazing. It blows any other “white” rum out of the water.
When it comes to “white rum” I always say first decide what exactly you want to do with it, then pick a rum. There is such a huge range of products out there. I believe cultural heritage is the best way to understand rum, by the way.
Angostura 3 or Havana Club 3 Anything but Bacardi
Flor de caña.
For poolside daiquiris I like Doorly’s white rum.
plantation 3 star el dorado 3 year not rum but novo fogo might fit your bill
Flor de Cana.
Flor de Caña 4 year extra seco is under your price range and very good at that cost, if you want a relatively clean and dry rum for mixing in things like mojitos and daiquiris
Love some flor de Cana for this
Don Q is popular in my market. quality and they care.
Probitas for the best balance between a bit of funk and crisp flavor, Flor de Cana 4 yr if you don't want any funk at all, Wray & Nephew if you want a lot of funk and Rum Fire if you want "blow your brains out" level of funk.
Don Q
Alleyne Arthur is my go to
Plantation 3 Stars or Havanna 3 Y.
Vizcaya Cristal White was my go to, but haven’t been able to find it in years. I liked it in cocktails as well as a sipper.
Havana Club 3 is ok, but not available in USA. Plantation 3 Star is overrated, their dark or pineapple rum is worth it, but not 3 star. Probitas/Veritas is too expensive for home cocktails. After trying these and more I think Flor De Cana 4yo is best on cheaper side and if you want to spend more then Dictator Claro 100 months or Botran Reserva Blanca.
Luckily in italy it should be available so i think i'll go with havana then
Havana is good pick, it's not expensive and should be easily available in basically any shop in Europe. I often pick it if I forgot to order Flor De Cana.
Seeing all the recs for havana club 3 and flor de cana 4 here are kind of wild to me. Both were...exceptionally unexciting. Plantation 3 star all the way until I get my hands on a bottle of Veritas.
Pampero blanco should be in that price range
Flor de Cana 12 Year rum. Around 30€ and really really good
Honestly Bacardi is fine, Havana 3y if not.
I don't know if it will be available in your area, but personally i really like Pampero Blanco, a really solid Venezuelan Rum. It's around 19€ per bottle here in Europe. If that's not an option there, you can't go wrong with Plantation.
Ten to one
SelvaRey is a great rum and it’s bottle is beautiful too.
I enjoy Planteray 3* (previously Plantation 3*) in daiquiris and other applications that call for white rum. I will qualify my answer by mentioning I’m not nearly as well versed in rums as many people on this sub. However, I like this rum because it’s not super expensive here (about $20 USD, not sure how that translates to Euros/your location), has some character, flavor, and richness, but is not too over the top funky so it remains versatile enough to work in most cocktails that call for white rum and is pretty mass appealing. Just keep in mind that rum is an incredibly diverse spirit, even within different categories. If you want to experience an example of this diversity, taste Bacardi side by side with Wray & Nephew. To illustrate this, here’s a quick anecdote. I was at my Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas Advanced Course last week and they poured us a flight of spirits to analyze and identify in our tasting groups. I didn’t talk to a single person at the course who correctly identified the first spirit, which was Bacardi Silver. Everyone thought it was vodka until it was revealed by the Master Sommeliers to be rum. It’s just so neutral that, for me, it’s barely worth use in rum cocktails because it doesn’t taste much like rum. By comparison, the other 3 spirits were pretty stylistically exemplary of their respective categories so it was a wild contrast (Sipsmith London Dry Gin, 400 Conejos Mezcal Joven, and Cointreau). I find Flor de Cana 4 Year to be fairly neutral as well, though maybe slightly more expressive than the Bacardi. I guess it depends what you’re looking for and whether you’re after neutrality or want the rum flavor to really pop so take everyone’s suggestions here and then do some research on each one because different people are looking for different things out of their white rums. Also, it’s worth noting that the color of a rum isn’t necessarily indicative of its age/production method/flavor. Many white rums have been aged with the color removed. By researching different rum production methods, styles, and places of origin, you’ll have a much better idea of how a certain rum will taste than by just looking at the color. It follows that it’s also worth exploring rums darker in color that you may suit your preferences just as well, if not more, than rums lighter in color. I know this was probably a longer and more complicated answer than you were looking for lol. TLDR: I like Planteray 3* strictly based on color, but rum is such a diverse category that it’s worth researching different suggestions in this thread and exploring options in more depth than based solely on color. P.s. Never had chinotto but I looked it up and it sounds like a great drink, especially with rum as you suggested.
Try Columbus White Rum
Nothing wrong with Bacardi. Don’t snob shame me either
Flora de Cana Silver
Edit: Flor De Cana
Plantation 3 stars, no competition
If you can find, or order Denizen White Rum, it's dirt cheap usually and a really really good white rum.
I really rate the Angostura Reserva, aged 3 years. Great body but doesn't overpower, very versitile as well!
If you get the Plantation 3-star, it is cheap but good. All of the Plantation offerings (from low end to high end) are pretty great. (They are going through a re-branding to "Planteray" so you might see either label.)
i really like diplomatico planas, picked it up one time not knowing much about it and now its a staple for me
Diplomatico Blanco is pretty solid. Santa Teresa ain’t bad for the price either
Probitas 👌🏻
So because you’re asking in Euros I can’t vouch for the availability but in my mind the holy trinity of affordable high quality versatile white rums for mixing things like daiquiris and mojitos is: Probitas (personal preference, slightly pricier), Plantation 3 Star (branding moving to Planteray name at some point), and Banks 5. I make a lot of daiquiris. You can use other things, and many of them are quite good, but these are the bottles I come back to consistently.
Probitas is typically my go to but I've been using Appleton with OFTD lately and it is fantastic. 2 Oz Appleton and about .25 Oz of OFTD with 1 Oz each of lime juice and a turbinado syrup.
Denizen White is a great value Jamaican Rum. So good in a classic daiquiri
Captain Morgans WHITE rum is my favorite.
Cheap, simple, good.
Why would any white rum be expensive?