Aside from whiskey, rum is one of the most popular coloured liquors, especially in India. Made from sugarcane, it is considered one of the best liquors thanks to its rich and silky mouthfeel, sweet flavour and distinguished aftertaste. Despite multiple experimentations and ageing processes, most rums have a more or less similar flavour palate, which is the biggest plus for many rum connoisseurs.
On the occasion of World Rum Day, here’s looking at some of the world’s most expensive rums.
J. Wray & Nephew 1940s Rum – $54,000
J. Wray & Nephew 1940s Rum
Created by Jamaican distiller J. Wray & Nephew, it is one of the oldest rums in the world. John Wray opened The Shakespeare Tavern in Kingston in Jamaica in 1825, succeeded by his nephew in 1860, and was one of the most successful businesses back in the day. The 1940s rum, bottled about 80 years ago, was distilled approximately 70 years before bottling was quite a hit among netizens. Only four bottles of this extraordinary rum exist today, hence the hefty price tag.
Legacy by Angostura – $25,000
Legacy by Angostura
A striking vanity liquor, this rum was crafted by Angosutra back in 2012 to celebrate 50 years of independence in Trinidad. The rum is a blend of seven of Angosutra’s most esteemed rums, all of which have been aged for at least 17 years. The final creation was a spectacular tasting rum with flavours of tropical fruits, clove, vanilla, honey, and oak. It was a limited-edition release of just 20 bottles. The bottle itself was a striking design created by British jeweller Asprey. Adorned with sterling silver, the bottle comes encased in a leather-handcrafted hardwood box which is upholstered with velvet and silk, adding grandeur to the bottle of rum.
1976 Dictador Generations en Lalique Rum – $16,500
1976 Dictador Generations en Lalique Rum
The first collaboration between a rum producer and the French crystal designer, the Lalique Dictador 1976 Generations has been described as a masterpiece by connoisseurs across the world. It has a rich and smoky aroma, credited to the strong flavours of dark chocolate, suede, and Madagascar vanilla beans. The liquor is housed in a striking crystal carafe and was a limited series of 300 bottles only.
Barbados Private Estate 1780 – $10,667
Barbados Private Estate 1780
The oldest rum on this list is the 1780 Barbados Private Estate rum. The rum was discovered in 2011 in a basement of an English home belonging to the Earl of Harewood in England. There were twelve bottles in the collection from the family’s legendary Barbados plantation, which were auctioned at Christie’s for an approximate USD 180,000. The proceeds from the auction were donated to a charity in Barbados as an act of reparation for slavery.
50-year-old Appleton Estate – $6,500
50-year-old Appleton Estate
Created in 1962, the Appleton Estate rum was unveiled in 2012 to honour Jamaica’s complete independence from the United Kingdom. Aged for almost half a century, the rum was aged in oak barrels and has a very complex mix of flavours and aromas. There were about 800 bottles released, the most number of aged liquors created by a brand at a single time. The barrels used for this rum were considered to be priceless and so they were chained to the floor of Appleton’s warehouse to prevent them from being stolen.
British Royal Navy Imperial Rum Tot – $3,000
British Royal Navy Imperial Rum Tot
During the period of 1670 to 1970, sailors in the British Royal Navy were served a special rum, which was also served at royal functions. However, this tradition soon came to an end, and so the British Royal Navy recreated 1,000 bottles of the rum, which known as Rum Tot. Bearing a mild flavour, the rum has rich oak and blackberry aromas, with notes of coffee, dark chocolate, and tobacco. Most of these were auctioned off to the general public with only one bottle being kept behind.
Bacardi Millennium Rum Atlantis Special Edition – $2,800
Bacardi Millennium Rum Atlantis Special Edition
Bacardi produced just 3,000 bottles of this premium edition 8-year-old rum to celebrate the new millennium. With vibrant notes of tropical fruits, citrus peels and winter spices, the rum is housed in a beautiful crystal Baccarat bottle. Each of these bottles were numbered and provided a certificate of authenticity, signed by the then-president of Bacardi, Ruben Rodriguez.
Ron Bacardi de Maestros de Ron Vintage MMXII – $2,050
Ron Bacardi de Maestros de Ron Vintage MMXII
A very special rum, the Maestros de Ron was aged in cognac casks that were at least 60 years old. Even though there were 1,000 bottles available, only 200 of them were available to the general public. The rum has an exceptional collection of flavours like pineapple, prunes, coffee and sandalwood with a spiced aftertaste of nutmeg and cinnamon. The rum comes in a hand-blown crystal decanter with a walnut finish sitting inside a protective leather case.
