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Note: As a reminder, Rumcast Reserve bottles are officially available in stores and shipping from our online retailer! You can grab your bottles here.
You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
It's time once again for our annual lookback at our favorite rums of the year! This time, we both select favorites from the following categories for 2025:
Value rum
"New to me" rum
Unaged rum
Aged rum
Blend
Single cask
"Am I the asshole?" rum
Overall rum
Bottler of the year
Distillery of the year
As mentioned during the show, you can donate to the American Friends of Jamaica's Hurricane Melissa relief fund here: https://theafj.app.neoncrm.com/forms/afj-disaster-relief-fund
Tune in and let us know your own favorites from 2025!
Thanks, as always, for listening and supporting the show throughout the year. We're looking forward to running it back with you in 2026.
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Note: As a reminder, Rumcast Reserve bottles are officially available in stores and shipping from our online retailer! You can grab your bottles here.
You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
In this episode we sat down with Trudiann Branker to go inside her role as master blender at one of the rum world's iconic distilleries, Mount Gay. After taking over for former master blender Allen Smith, Trudiann has played a huge role in shaping the current era of Mount Gay and Barbados rum, from reformulating traditional blends to charting a new course with the estate rum program.
We discussed:
The surprise conversation that led to her becoming master blender
What it was like to create new blends for XO, Black Barrel, and more
The making of a Master Blender Collection rum
The balance between tradition and trying new things
Her philosophy as a blender
Mount Gay's production process
The future of the estate rum program
Her table tennis skills
And much more!
This was one of our favorite conversations of the year, so we're excited for you to hear it!
You can get more details on the rums discussed in this episode on Mount Gay's website.
Catch up on our past episodes with others from the Mount Gay universe:
Dr. Frank Ward Talks Barbados Rum, Mount Gay, and More
Inside Mount Gay's Estate Rum & Agricultural Program with Jacklyn Broomes and Maggie Campbell
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Note: As a reminder, Rumcast Reserve bottles are officially available in stores and shipping from our online retailer! You can grab your bottles here.
You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
In this episode, we sat down with Pedro Ferreira, founder and distiller of O Reizinho, one of the jewels of Madeira's fascinating rum scene. While O Reizinho is one of the island's smallest distilleries, it's quickly earning a great reputation among enthusiasts for its distinctive cane juice rums.
We talked to Pedro about:
What sets Madeira rums apart
Evolving his father's small distillery from a clandestine "friends and family" operation to a commercial producer
The unique challenges of cane cultivation in Madeira
What it's like to send your rums through the tasting panel that certifies Madeira rum
The pros and cons of operating a distillery from your own garage
The direct-fire Portuguese stills that craft O Reizinho's rum
Madeira's quirky age statement rules
Local rum culture
And more!
If you're interested in learning more about Madeira rum, be sure to check out our Guide to Madeira Rum episode.
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Note: As a reminder, Rumcast Reserve bottles are officially available in stores and shipping from our online retailer! You can grab your bottles here.
You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
In this episode, we discussed something that we've somehow never dedicated a show to (but with a twist, of course): assembling a rum bar that would offer a beginner a complete view of the rum world.
The twist, however, is that we have to do it in as few bottles as possible.
Needless to say, it's a tough exercise! We debated how to define a beginner, catering to different spirits-experience levels, how to possibly represent a category as diverse as rum with just a handful or two of bottles, and a whole lot more.
This is as much as episode for enthusiasts who often recommend rums to beginners as it is for folks who might consider themselves beginners. Have a listen, and let us know what you think!
Cheers!
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Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.
You can now pre-order our first-ever Rumcast Reserve single cask releases online! Head to our online retailer to grab your bottles today.
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Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.
You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
In this episode we finally caught up with Robert Greaves, founder of Mhoba Rum, the South African cane juice rum distillery that's pumped out a steady supply of distinctive, high-octane ester bombs over the last several years.
Robert's been on our list ever since we heard he not only founded the distillery, but also built most of it himself, from the pot stills to the sugarcane press. He also brought his distiller, Shaldon Engelbrecht, along for the ride, who's behind many of the distillery's current experiments in high ester rum production.
Completing the guest triumvirate is Eric Kaye of Holmes Cay, who is bringing a handful of cool Mhoba releases to the U.S. right now, both under the distillery's label and his own.
We discussed:
What it was like to have Richard Seale try the rum in Mhoba's early days
The unique process behind their "Select" unaged rum
The influence of Martinique and Jamaican production styles on Mhoba
Adventures in extended, high acid fermentations
How their unique new high ester blend "The Shaldon" came to be
The perils and potential of aging rum in peated whisky casks
And much more!
Related links:
The Mhoba website
Rum Revelations' Mhoba travelogue (great pictures and details on the distillery)
All the details on Holmes Cay's latest Mhoba bottles
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Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.
You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
We've tallied the votes and are ready to reveal the champion of the 4th annual Rumcast fantasy rum draft (along with the debut of a new hit rum-themed song from John Gulla — be sure to listen to the very end).
Guest participant Arminder Randhawa of The Rum Revival joined us to break down the voting results for each category, which included a number of extremely close finishes and surprises.
Was it a repeat victory for Arminder? A return to glory for former champion Will? A first-time breakthrough for John? Tune in to find out!
After you've watched, let us know — were there any surprises to you? Injustices? Was a deserving winner crowned? Share your thoughts via email ([email protected]) or social media!
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Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.
You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
In this episode, we take a deep dive into one of the iconic series of the rum world: Habitation Velier, Luca Gargano's collection of unique pot still rums from all corners of the globe.
We start with a look back at a decade of Habitation releases and what's made the series such an enduring presence in the modern rum world.
We then taste through the most recent 2025 releases, including a South African rum from Mhoba Distillery, their second release of Reunion's legendary HERR rum from Distillerie de Savanna, and a bottle from the now closed Renegade Distillery in Grenada.
Finally, we throw out some of our own ideas for where the series could go next.
What have been some of the standout Habitation Velier releases to you? Have thoughts on any of the releases we tasted? Leave a comment and let us know!
Show Links:
Velier's Habitation Velier Page
The Lone Caner's "Key Rums of the World" article on Habitation Velier
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Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.
You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
Note: We need your help to make the most of this episode! Go to rumcast.com/vote after listening to help determine the winner of this year's Fantasy Rum Draft. Thank you!
For the fourth year in a row, we're back with our annual Rumcast Fantasy Rum Draft. In this annual competition, we compete head-to-head to “draft” rums from the selection of an online liquor store (or, in this year's case, TWO online liquor stores) for 10 different rum categories. The goal? To create the superior desert island rum bar.
Following his big win last year, we were excited to welcome 2024 champion Arminder Randhawa from The Rum Revival back to defend his crown!
We drafted our picks from the rum inventories currently available (as of 9-7-2025) at Burlington Wine and Spirits and Baytowne Wine and Spirits. The categories were:
Unaged
Lightly Aged (1-4 Years)
Aged (5-13 Years)
Long Aged (14+ Years)
Cane Juice Unaged
Cane Juice Aged (Any Length)
Multi-Country Blend
Non-Caribbean
100% Column
100% Pot
After you listen, head to rumcast.com/vote to access the complete list of picks, along with a link to our Fantasy Rum Draft Command Center if you'd like to have a look.
May the best team win! -
Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.
You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
Today's the day! We’re revealing the identity of the second cask selection that will be featured in our upcoming Rumcast Reserve release. And since two reveals are more fun than one, we're also unveiling the finished (pending TTB approval) label design.
In addition to the reveals, we also take you through the work that went into them — from the twists and turns designing our label to the debates we had when choosing from our top 8 casks at The Main Rum Company.
We also make one final decision regarding the label live during the recording, after some spirited debate of course.
Have a listen and let us know what you think of our choices! We're excited to hear your thoughts and any questions you have.
Check out Boston Rum Week — coming up September 14-21
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Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.
You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
In this episode, we caught up with Dawn Davies, head buyer for The Whisky Exchange—one of the premier spirits stores in the UK.
Dawn is a huge rum fan with an excellent palate (she's one of the very few Masters of Wine in the world), and her position at The Whisky Exchange gives her a fascinating perspective on the world of rum.
You can watch the video version of the episode here.
We discussed:
What goes into managing a store selection that includes nearly 1,000 rum SKUs
Balancing esoteric rum geek bottles with mass market selections
Which rums should be on more store shelves right now
Standouts from The Whisky Exchange's 5th annual Rum Show this past July
What it takes to go through the grueling 5+ years long Master of Wine process
How Dawn approaches tasting rums
Revisiting The Whisky Exchange's rum classification system 6 years in
Annoying label terminology
And more!
Relevant links mentioned in the episode:
Follow Dawn on Instagram
The Whisky Exchange website
The Whisky Exchange rum classification system
The Whisky Exchange rum flavor camps
Check out Boston Rum Week — coming up September 14-21
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Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.
You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
After releasing Part 1 last week, we're back with the second installment of our guide to all Guyana rum. We kick off Part 2 with a discussion of DDL's influence on the modern rum landscape through its El Dorado releases and notable releases from independent bottlers.
Next up, we confront the additives questions that have been associated with the distillery since the early 2010s. What have they said about their practice of aging with caramel in the barrel? What's the current status of the practice at the distillery?
At the end, we close things out with a game of True or False with the Demerara Rum GI. What does the GI say about aging at origin? And sweetening Demerara rum?
Tune in for all this and more, and catch up on Part 1 if you haven't already.
We consulted a good amount of sources for this episode, which you can peruse below:
The Lone Caner's "The Age of Velier's Demeraras" Series:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Du Rhum interview with Luca Gargano
Velier's catalog of DDL releases
Our own interview with Shaun Caleb
The Demerara Rum GI
The Ian Burrell Facebook post on the Demerara Rum GI we referenced
DDL's statement in response to social posts about the GI
Demerara Distillers Annual Shareholder Reports
The RumX community's amazing "Crowdsourcing Guyana Rum Marks" thread
El Dorado Official Website
Barrel Aged Thought's epic Demerara piece
A number of Cocktail Wonk pieces:
Demerara Distillers Ltd. Pt. 1 and Pt. 2
Q&A with Shaun Caleb
Q&A with Komal Samaroo
Q&A with Sharon Sue-Hang
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Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.
You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
In the latest chapter in our Rumcast Guides series, we turn our eyes to Guyana and the legendary style of Demerara rum. As one of the world's most distinct, essential rum categories, this episode has been a long time coming. Whether you're new to the rums of Demerara Distillers Ltd. or a seasoned enjoyer, there's something in here for everyone.
In Part 1, we set the stage by going over the factors that make Guyana's rums so unique, along with a brief timeline of rum production and a deep dive into the country's lone remaining distillery and its collection of historic stills.
Part 2 will follow next week (with a focus on DDL's influence on modern rum, the additives question, and the Demerara Rum GI), so stay tuned!
We consulted a good amount of sources for this episode, which you can peruse below:
The Lone Caner's "The Age of Velier's Demeraras" Series
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
The RumX community's epic "Crowdsourcing Guyana Rum Marks" thread
The Demerara Rum GI
Demerara Distillers Annual Shareholder Reports
El Dorado Official Website
Our own interview with Shaun Caleb
Du Rhum interview with Luca Gargano
Barrel Aged Thought's epic Demerara piece
Velier's catalog of DDL releases
A number of Cocktail Wonk pieces:
Demerara Distillers Ltd. Pt. 1 and Pt. 2
Q&A with Shaun Caleb
Q&A with Komal Samaroo
Q&A with Sharon Sue-Hang
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Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.
You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
We're back with another chapter in our series of blind rum reviews — this time with two rums we've both had before, including one we just reviewed in a bonus episode for you a few weeks back!
We begin with that very rum: Roaming Road's 17-Year Spain Rum. See how close we came to identifying a rum we both just argued over within the last month (and how not knowing its identity impacted our enjoyment of it).
Next, we move to a rum we briefly sampled during our visit to The Black Parrot in London in January: Dead Reckoning's "The Black Pit." It's a blend of Port Mourant, Versailles, and Enmore still rums from Demerara Distillers Ltd. that features a rather unique cask finish.
A big thank you to Patreon member Jordan from DC for supplying these mystery samples to both of us. Believe it or not, he actually sent these well before we independently tried and reviewed Roaming Road's Spain Rum. So it was a happy accident, not an evil trick!
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Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.
You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
In this episode, we sat down with Mike Gilmore, founder of Roaming Road Spirits, to go behind the scenes at one of the newest independent rum bottlers in the U.S.
Roaming Road first got on our radar last year when they came out of the gate hot with an impressive slate of initial rum releases that included a memorable <>H Hampden rum, among others. With Roaming Road's second wave of releases now out (which we tasted through on a recent bonus episode), we figured now was the right time to get their full story.
We chatted with Mike about:
His journey from liquor store owner to rum bottler
Why he thinks store barrel picks have gotten worse in recent years
Why he travels thousands of miles to sample casks in person (rather than receiving samples by mail)
His tasting process
What he looks for in a great rum
How he ended up bottling a 17-year-old rum from Spain (and details on where it came from)
The impact of cask finishes
And much more!
You can learn more about Roaming Road on their website.
This episode was sponsored by the Key West Rum Fest. You can get more info on their website.
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Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.
You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
It's finally time — we're revealing which rum we will be releasing for the Rumcast Single Cask Project (and our release date goal)!
This is the cask we ultimately purchased from Main Rum Company following our in-person visit, where we sampled over 20 casks that originated from all over the world. We covered many of those casks in our previous Cask Project episode that took you inside our Main Rum visit.
This episode was sponsored by the Key West Rum Fest. You can get more info on their website.
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Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.
You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
In this episode, we sat down with Oliver Chilton, the head blender at Black Tot Rum, to nerd out on all things blending—from their recently reformulated flagship blend, to their new solera blend, to their annual master blender's reserve releases, and beyond.
We also got into a lot of in-the-works rum projects that we didn't know were coming down the pike. All of which are interesting.
Oliver was a great hang and we learned a lot. We think you will too. You'll hear about:
The rum Oliver was desperate to add to their Finest Caribbean blend (and why)
How Oliver went from working at The Whisky Exchange to becoming a rum and whisky blender
Their distillery project (and whether we might see rum coming from it)
The coolest rare rums Oliver has had the chance to work with
Misconceptions about sherry cask and solera maturation
How solera casks different from typical ex-sherry casks used in aging rum
Possible future releases
And much more!
You can get all the details on Black Tot’s blends at their website.
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Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.
You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
In this episode, we attempted a new mid-year exercise — picking 10 bottles each we think are the most talked about / anticipated releases of the year among rum enthusiasts, including bottles that have already hit shelves and some that are still on their way.
The goal was not only to create a snapshot of what's popular with rum enthusiasts in 2025, but also to give you a handy list of bottles you may want to add to your list to try if you haven't already.
After you've had a listen, send us an email or drop a comment on social to let us know — which releases are you most excited about this year? Which ones did we miss? We'd love to know!
We've included the full lists below, so stop scrolling here if you want to be surprised!
**Spoilers Below**
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John's Top 10 List:
10. Holmes Cay Réunion Island Rum Traditionnel - Single Origin Edition #4
9. Black Tot Finest Caribbean (New Blend)
8. Dead Reckoning Vanuatu 83 Islands
7. Raising Glasses Full Circle Blend
6. Bedford Park Westerhall Grenada 27-Year
5. Alambique Serrano - Alambique de Cobre
4. Habitation Velier Hampden PM Spirits / Prestige-Ledroit Blend
3. Roaming Road Belize 18-Year
2. Renaissance Clouded Leopard
1. Alambique Serrano Vida Nativa Series #1: Pico Canoa
Will's Top 10 List:
10. Black Tot Historic Solera Blend
9. Hampden 1753
8. Foursquare Exceptional Cask Selection: Mandamus
7. Papalin Jamaica High Ester
6. Renaissance Clouded Leopard
5. Mhoba Rum: The Shaldon
4. Bristol Classic Rum Jamaica DOK 2009
3. Hampden The Maverick
2. Alambique Serrano Vida Nativa Series #1: Pico Canoa
1. El Dorado High Ester Blend #2: PM/DHE
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Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.
You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
In this episode, we sat down with the founder and distiller behind one of the most interesting rum projects in the U.S. right now, Robyn Smith of rum et al., a chemical engineering PhD turned rum distiller.
The premise behind Rum Et Al is simple but fascinating. Robyn started with a foundational, always-available rum she named Baseline. She's since released batches in which she introduces a "variable" to the Baseline recipe, such as dunder. This allows you to taste the exact differences that the variable brings to the flavor profile when tasted side by side. If you're a rum geek, it's a really cool tasting experience.
During the episode, we discussed:
How she went from chemical engineering PhD to rum distiller
Her experience in R&D for Lost Spirits Distillery
How rum et al. came to be
All the nerdy rum production details
The joys and challenges of being a one-woman operation
Congeners vs. esters
How ester measurements translate to flavor profile
What we might see from her next
And much more!
Be sure to check out her YouTube channel, This Blog's Neat! These videos about her rum et al. releases are a great place to start:
How Baseline Was Made
How Variable (Dunderclap) Was Made
How Variable (Tailspin) Was Made
Have you had a chance to try Robyn's rum? What stood out to you in the conversation? Let us know via email ([email protected]) or social!
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Did you know you can support The Rumcast on Patreon now and get bonus episodes, happy hours, and more? You can! Head to patreon.com/therumcast to check it out.
You can watch the video version of this episode on YouTube.
Sometimes we get in the mood to do something a little crazy, and this episode is one of those times.
After the debut of the latest musical number from John Gulla (don't miss this one), we spend 60 minutes putting a big dent in our backlog of rum samples by tasting and sharing rapidfire thoughts on 10 interesting rums each, for a total of 20.
We set a timer for two minutes and 30 seconds for each sample, leaving ourselves some extra time at the end to discuss our favorites, what we learned from the exercise, and more.
From recent releases like Papalin Jamaica High Ester Blend, to classics like Rhum Bielle Blanc, to up-and-coming producers like Taiwan's Renaissance Distillery and Australia's Mt. Uncle Distillery (including an Australian agave cask finish??), to recently closed distilleries like Japan's Nine Leaves, to soon-to-be-released rums that we saved as surprises — the range is wide and vast, just like the category of rum and John's vocal range.
You can check out the complete list of rums below, or just dive right into the episode!
After you've listened, let us know — have you tried any of these rums? If so, what did you think of them?
Cheers!
Complete List of Rums Sampled:
Oxbow Rhum Louisiane 2022 Harvest (United States)
Uruapan Cana Cristalina Single Agricola (Mexico)
Below the Salt L'Ardois JaQ (Nova Scotia)
Velier Nine Leaves 2023 Last Drops (Japan)
Botran Rare Blend - Italian Wine Cask (Guatemala)
Grander Toasted Oak Small Batch (Panama)
Rum & Cane - Asia Pacific XO (Fiji / Indonesia Blend)
Mt. Uncle Iridium X (Australia)
Crooked Island Rum - Waterman (Jamaica / Dominican Republic Blend)
Mt. Uncle Iridium X Agave Cask Edition (Australia)
Dràm Mòr Single Cask - Secret Distillery 7-Year (Mauritius)
Foursquare Magisterium (Barbados)
Rhum Bielle Blanc (Marie Galante, Guadeloupe)
Papalin Jamaica High Ester (Jamaica)
Renaissance 2018 Pedro Ximenez Sherry Cask (Taiwan)
Raising Glasses Full Circle Blend (8 Countries)
4 Surprise Rums (3 of which haven't been released yet)
- Visa fler
