If you're a whisky lover curious about expanding your horizons, rum might just be your next great adventure. While whisky and rum have their differences—grain vs. sugarcane, oak vs. tropical climate—the two spirits actually share a lot in common, especially in how they're aged, enjoyed, and appreciated for their complexity.

In this guide, we’ll explore why whisky drinkers should give rum a shot, and where to start if you're looking for familiar flavour profiles and quality craftsmanship.

🌴 Rum vs. Whisky: A Quick Primer

Feature Whisky Rum
Base Ingredient Barley, corn, rye, wheat Molasses or sugarcane juice
Aging Oak barrels (ex-bourbon, sherry) Often aged in ex-whisky or bourbon casks
Styles Scotch, Bourbon, Rye, etc. Agricole, Navy, Spanish, English-style
Climate Cooler (slower aging) Tropical (faster aging, more “angel’s share”)

 

The good news? If you enjoy bold, aged whisky, there’s a rum out there with the depth, spice, and richness to match.

🧭 Where to Start: Rums with a Whisky Soul

1. El Dorado 12 Year Old (Guyana)

  • Why it works: Deep, rich, molasses-forward flavour reminiscent of sherried Scotch

  • Tasting Notes: Demerara sugar, spice, toffee, dried fruit

  • Comparable to: GlenDronach or Macallan

2. Plantation XO 20th Anniversary (Barbados)

  • Why it works: Aged in both Caribbean and French Cognac casks

  • Tasting Notes: Banana, coconut, vanilla, and toasted oak

  • Comparable to: Balvenie DoubleWood, Aberfeldy

3. Foursquare Rum Distillery (Barbados)

  • Why it works: Transparent production, double maturation, and cask strength releases

  • Tasting Notes: Spicy, dry, layered with oak and fruit

  • Try: Foursquare 2009 or Sagacity

  • Comparable to: Independent bottlings or single cask whiskies

4. Mount Gay Black Barrel (Barbados)

  • Why it works: Finished in deeply charred bourbon barrels

  • Tasting Notes: Char, spice, vanilla, and toasted oak

  • Comparable to: American bourbon or lightly peated Scotch

5. Rhum JM Vieux Agricole (Martinique)

  • Why it works: Distilled from sugarcane juice like a fine brandy or single malt

  • Tasting Notes: Herbal, grassy, earthy, refined

  • Comparable to: Springbank, Bruichladdich, or a good Cognac

🥃 What Whisky Drinkers Will Appreciate

  • Cask Influence: Rum is often aged in ex-bourbon or sherry casks, just like whisky

  • Limited Editions: Distilleries like Foursquare and Hampden release vintage and cask strength bottlings

  • Tasting Complexity: From rich molasses bombs to funky agricole rums, there’s just as much depth as in whisky

  • Transparency: The best rum producers are just as focused on terroir, fermentation, and aging as whisky makers

🔍 Pro Tips for Transitioning

  • Avoid overly sweetened rums at first—look for bottles that highlight “no added sugar” or “dry”

  • Look for aged statements (8+ years) or mentions of cask finishes (e.g., sherry, cognac, port)

  • Start with sipping rums—not spiced or cocktail mixers

  • Join a tasting with both whisky and rum—it’s the best way to compare side by side

🧪 Bonus: Rum & Whisky Crossover Bottlings

  • Brugal 1888 – Finished in sherry casks

  • Balvenie 14 Year Caribbean Cask – A Scotch finished in rum barrels

  • Mount Gay XO The Peat Smoke Expression – Aged in Islay whisky casks

These bottles create a bridge between the two worlds.

🥂 Final Thoughts

Whisky and rum are not rivals—they're cousins with different accents. If you're a whisky lover, stepping into the rum world offers tropical twists on familiar flavours, along with a whole new appreciation for sugarcane’s soulful side.

Whether you gravitate toward bold bourbons or peated Islays, there’s a rum waiting to surprise—and satisfy—you.

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