Coruba Dark

A no-doubt interesting take on Jamaican rum. The hogo is very much muted in exchange for a toasty, full bodied character (though I would argue that the distillate is probably mild to begin with). Very dark in color, though not overly thick or cloying on the palate in any way. Definite oak influence, which is rather nice, bringing some spice and caramel character to the spirit. There isn't exceptional depth, so I would primarily use this as a mixer in tiki drinks, or with cola.

I've always found Gosling's to be an uninteresting choice in tiki drinks that call for a dark rum; while it starts of nicely on its own or in a Dark and Stormy, it doesn't provide any character to other mixed drinks I've tried it in.

I picked up a bottle of Coruba after seeing it used by several tiki bars and did a side-by-side comparison with the Gosling's. Compared to the Gosling's the Coruba has a brighter nose with considerably more funkiness. While it still has a light sweetness to it similar to the Gosling's (maybe due to the addition of molasses), its overall character is closer to something like an Appleton rum. You get a much longer aftertaste, which holds up well in multi-rum tiki drinks.

Since I can't get my hands on the venerable Kohala bay I'll be using this as my go-to dark rum for mixed drinks for the time being.

Dark Jamaican rum. Great in a Mai Tai. Full bodied with a hint of spice. Funky!

More funk and easier on the budget than Appleton 12 Year. This is an absolutely essential bottle in your home tiki bar. Make no mistake, this is not a sipper. I save my Appleton 12 year for that task. Not quite as funky as Doctor Bird, but blends with citrus beautifully to make a well balanced tiki drink.

This rum is dark, smooth, and caramelly sweet with just enough funk. Highly drinkable, it's no wonder this is widely regarded as the best "dark/Jamaican" mixing rum. If you mix tropical drinks, don't pass this bottle up if you're fortunate enough to spot it!

7

A dark Jamaican rum that is fantastic as a mixer. A great addition to any tiki bar.

Great inexpensive dark Jamaican rum. Perfect for a Mai Tai.

80 proof. Sip test, no ice
Dark nose, strong ethanol burn, lingering dark aftertaste. Good mixing rum where dark flavor and color is desired. Not too sweet.
Medium empty glass nose linger. If a dark essence is desired, this can be used. For smoke, use El Dorado. Good mixing rum for price point.

Had lots in the Caribbean. It's great straight has a nice round pot still flavor. Also a great mixer. A real underdog in this category.