The best rum-finished american whiskeys, ranked

uproxx | ZACH JOHNSTON | july 17, 2023

[Excerpt]

Rum cask finishing is a beloved method of finishing bourbon, rye, Irish whiskeys, scotch, and… any whiskey style, really. The rummy oak adds a deep layer of fruit, funk, and spice that leans a little sweeter — you know, like dark rum. So what are the best rum-finished whiskeys out there? That’s a pretty tough question to answer given the massive variation in American bourbons, ryes, and single malts and then Scotch, Australian, Indian, or Irish whiskeys (to name but a few regions). So let’s focus on the former and rank some really good American whiskeys that are also finished in rum barrels.

For this list, I’ve ranked my favorite American whiskeys — bourbon, rye, blends, and American single malt whiskeys — that are touched by rum casks. For the most part, these are all rum cask-only finishes. But there are a few bottles that use rum finishing along with brandy or red wine casks that also deserve a spotlight shone on them. They’re too good (and too rummy) not to include.

Really quickly, when you see “rum finished” on a label of whiskey. We’re talking about a standard whiskey — straight bourbon, straight rye, whatever — that’s been aged for a standard amount of time in the necessary barrel. Then that whiskey is usually batched and re-barreled into used rum barrels from any rum-making region or style. And since rum is such a wide-ranging spirit style, that can mean anything from Brazilian amburana casks (that held cachaça, which is Brazilian rum) to rhum agricole wood to Jamaican, Guatemalan, and Madgascan rum casks and so on.

There’s a lot of opportunity for very unique flavors, is what I’m getting at. That benefits you, the engaged enthusiast.

Overall, all of these whiskeys are pretty goddamn tasty. But I do stand behind my ranking since there are bottles below that are truly great and a few that are transcendent whiskeys regardless of the rum barrel finishing. My advice is to read those tasting notes and follow the ones that spark your interest. Then hit the price links to see if you can snag a bottle in your region. Let’s dive in!

22. Old Elk Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Rum Barrels

ABV: 50.5%

Average Price: $89

The Whiskey:

This is a five-year-old 95/5 (rye/malted barley) rye whiskey. The nuance here is in the finish. That 95/5 rye is re-barreled in 14-year-old Barbados rum barrels for a final two to five-month-long finishing touch. Those barrels are then touched with water before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a clear sense of grilled pineapple and clove on the nose that leads to woody tropical spices and an overall feel of rummy tropical cocktails with plenty of spicy booze in them.

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