How to Buy a Bottle of Rum

Rum is an alcoholic beverage made from molasses and sugarcane juice. The drink plays a big part in the traditions of celebration and mourning in the Caribbean and South America, where rum originated. Rum is a wonderful and richly spiced drink, so follows these steps to buy the right bottle of rum for you.

Instructions

1. Pick the right grade of rum. Because rum has a rich and geographically varied history, it comes in an array of grades. Choose from light, dark, spiced and flavored rum. Light rum is particularly good for mixing drinks while spiced and dark rums are suited for sipping or shooting.

2. Find rum from the right region. Different countries and regions produce very different kinds of rum. While most people are familiar with Jamaican or other Caribbean rum, Brazil, Venezuela, Nicaragua and a few other South and Central American countries also produce fine rums. Do a bit of research on rum producing countries and, most importantly, the quality of their distilleries.

3. Check out rum publications. Just as wine lovers turn to wine magazines, rum lovers look to publications like the Rum Report to get the skinny on rum distilleries and the latest rum vintage bottles on the shelves. Make some notes about recommended bottles so you can compare prices at different stores before you buy.

4. Check online retailers for good deals. Local liquor stores are likely to carry a pretty routine selection of rum. Specialty stores, on the other hand, tend to have higher prices. Online outlets such as the Rum Shop find you great deals on very special bottles of rum. Check out websites like this one and other online alcohol retailers to buy the right bottle of rum.