Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaica Rum

It's really no wonder people swear by this rum in their cocktails. Every flavor this rum provides is extremely focused, there's nothing to figure out. What you taste when you take a shot is what you taste when you sip it neat is what you taste when you add it to a mai tai. A beautifully aged oaky vanilla and brown sugar punch to your taste buds opens up into banana, which instead of "funk," I would attribute a caramelized flavor. Bananas foster in a bottle, at your finger tips for 35 bucks. A steal, and more importantly, a must have on the shelf. One of the easiest 5 star ratings I've ever given to a spirit alongside the greats like Lagavulin 16.

This has all the funky complexity of a Jamaican dark rum such as Myers, without the over the top molasses syrup bitter notes. Instead the finish is woodsy, clean and bright. The rum mixes fantastically in the various tiki drinks I have used it in, and in fact I have revisited some concoctions I did not care for with Myers and was blown away when I used Smith and Cross.

Great rum, fair price for its limited availability and quality. Top pick, I bought one bottle and killed it that month and bought another.