Top 10 Rums of 2024

Hello everyone, thank you once again for joning me in looking at 2024 and the year of rum for me. To refresh everyone on the rules, I take a look back at the rums I tried this year and just put em in a list of 10. The rules are I had to have reviewed them in 2024. To crunch the numbers, this year I reviewed 143 total rums, which is 1 more than 2023.

With that being said let us kick off the list.

#1: Rum Artesanal Hampden 33 Year 1990 C<>H

I think to the surprise of no one, my top spot was taken by an old, high ester Hampden as it has done for a few years in a row now. These rums are incredibly unique, full of incredible flavor, and change every time you come back to take a sniff or sip. I was able to get this to review for my 500th rum review and it managed to live up to the hype!

I don’t often think of having “white whale” rums to try, but this was on my shortlist. When I first sipped the unaged Savanna HERR it was love at first taste and it is easily the rum I have drank the most of. But aged Savanna HERR, only a few casks existed of it (3). So when I had the chance to get a sample of one of these I had to jump on it. This is every bit as incredible as any of those really old aged Hampdens, tons of insane flavors, fruits, vinegar, bubblegum, just an amazing display of rum.

https://theauditorreviews.com/savanna-herr-japoniani-2006-12-year/

3. Raising Glasses Jablesse 21 Year Trinidad 

A few years ago, I was able to try some old TDL rums that surprised me with how great they were. This year I was able to try a bunch of them and they remind me of some of my favorite rums as far as flavors go, Cough Syrup, savory oak, heavy rasperry fruits. Of all the old TDL’s I tried this one stood head and shoulders above the rest. Passionfruit, Star Anise, it was just packed with flavor and some of that industrial note I love in old Clarendons and Caronis.

https://theauditorreviews.com/raising-glasses-jablesse-21-year-2003-trinidad/

4. Alambique Serrano Cartier 30

Last year we were introduced to the Alambique Serrano brand, a fantastic brand bottling aged cane juice single casks and blends (with a ton of great ones released this year as well). However, this release of an unaged cane juice rum from the same folks was the standout for them and one of the best unaged rums I’ve had. Those brothers who are 3rd generation distillery really know what they are doing and crafted something really special with this one.

https://theauditorreviews.com/alambique-serrano-cartier-30/

5. Holmes Cay Infinity

Now, the Holmes Cay Infinity was an interesting and wild project. This was an in cask blend at Main Rum that had rums from 13 different distilleries across 7 countries that aged for 20 years in the cask after blending before being bottled. It also commanded an exorbitant ($1,500) with a very nice box and book to boot. But, though I can’t say I’d ever pay that much for a rum, this is a super limited premium release that actually managed to live up to the hype in terms of flavor. It might be the best DDL driven rum I’ve ever had.

https://theauditorreviews.com/holmes-cay-infinity/

6. Velier National Rums of Jamaica Long Pond 12 Year 2007 TECC

I think to the surprise of no one who reads my reviews, a 3rd very high ester rum made the list. This year I finally got to try a 12 year tropically aged TECC from Long Pond, which is their highest marque coming in at 1600 gr/hL AA. Of the aged high ester rums, this one I would classify as amazing, but challenging with some of the most weird and unique flavors I’ve had. I like high ester rums ( I crushed a bunch of aged C<>H on vacation), but this is not one I could just drink a bunch of.

https://theauditorreviews.com/velier-national-rums-of-jamaica-long-pond-12-year-2007-tecc/

7. Saint James Les Ephémères – N°1 2001 20yr

Long aged agricoles are some of my favorite rums and this Saint James lived up to the billing. They develop in some unique ways and get a kind of rancio all their own. Old cane juice rums like this are very expensive, but at times can be worth every penny like this one.

https://theauditorreviews.com/saint-james-les-ephemeres-n1-2001-20yr

8. Alambique Serrano Rum Blend #5 – El Boxeador

Welp, I don’t usually put multiple bottles from the same distillery (last year this list would have been 5 Hampden’s if that was the case), but I make the rules so I can break them. This bottle was the other side of the highlights from Alambique Serrano who are one of the best new bottlers out there. This rum came in with such a great flavor. Spices, fruits, minerality. Mant this was a real standout and everything that Alambqiue is doing should be supported as they are able to punch up there with some of the best rum distilleries out there.

https://theauditorreviews.com/alambique-serrano-rum-blend-5-el-boxeador/

9. Holmes Cay Albion 2014 9 Year

I always managed to find a Port Mourant bottling or two every year that reminds me of how great DDL can be and this cask pick by the Austin Rum society was no slouch. Spices, fruits, and a touch of that pencil rubber weirdness made for a great release by Holmes Cay.

https://theauditorreviews.com/holmes-cay-albion-9-year-2014-austin-rum-society-selection/

10. Velier Foursquare Raconteur 17 Year 2006

My favorite rums from Foursquare tend to be ex-Oloroso sherry cask aged and that continued here as I was able to try this Velier Foursquare. It is one of the best Foursquares I have had with tons of Dark Chocolate, Nutmeg, and Clove. This is one of the best combos in rum when Richard releases it (looking at you Sovereignty release)

Velier Foursquare Raconteur 17 Year 2006

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