Vinepair: The 30 Best Rums for 2025

Rum continues to win hearts and fill jiggers and glasses by virtue of being one of the world’s most versatile and diverse spirits. Distilled from sugar cane juice, molasses, and other derivatives, it is crafted in column and pot stills, and matured in climates ranging from the humid Caribbean to cooler, continental warehouses. The result is a category that stretches from grassy agricoles and funky, high-ester bottlings to ultra-aged expressions that rival any whiskey.

That breadth is just as evident at the bar: Rum is vital to classics like the Daiquiri, Mojito, and Mai Tai, and central to modern creations like the Kingston Negroni. Of course, there are dedicated, top-shelf sippers, as well as spiced shooters, which accounted for more than half of the rum sold in the U.S. last year.

With all due respect to the latter style, we did not consider flavored selections for our annual rum roundup. Instead, we focused on the diverse range of examples outlined above, tasting roughly 100 bottles from almost two dozen nations to compile this list of the 30 best rums to drink right now.

The 30 Best Rums to Drink in 2025

The Best Rum for Cocktails

Transcontinental Rum Line High Seas

As the old line goes, “what one rum can’t do, three rums can,” and that’s exactly the proposition with this blend of Panamanian, Jamaican, and Martinique distillates. Bottled at 45 percent ABV, High Seas delivers savory, vegetal, and lightly sweet notes, alongside bursts of tropical fruit, spice, and coffee. Expressive but never overwhelming, it offers plenty of personality without threatening to steal the show — making it equally at home in a Daiquiri, Mai Tai, or more modern creations. At $35 per bottle, it’s a top-tier option that’ll basically run you the same amount as two drinks at a bar.

Average price: $35
Rating: 93

The Best Rums Under $100

The Spirit of Haiti Clairin Vaval

Bottled at a precise 53.5 percent ABV, this Clairin is produced by Distillerie Arawaks — owned and operated by Fritz Vaval, whose family has been in the farm distillery business for close to 80 years. Fermented using ambient yeasts and distilled on a proprietary still, the nose juxtaposes papaya and mango with salty umami aromas. The palate commits to more fruity and vegetal notes, with an enjoyably abrasive finish that speaks to the hands-on, traditional practices that led to its creation.

Average price: $50
Rating: 94

Shakara 12 Year Thai Rum

Launched in early 2024, this Thai rum is made from local molasses and runs through a column still before spending 12 years in ex-bourbon casks. Spice leads the profile, with bright accents of lemongrass and lime leaf building over a classic molasses core. Expressive and vibrant, it’s a great example of quality Southeast Asian spirits increasingly making their way to our market.

Average price: $59
Rating: 93

Alambique Serrano 3 Años Oaxacan Rum

Distilled from Java varietal cane juice and aged just over three years in new French oak, this blend of pot and Krassel column distillates arrives at 46.1 percent ABV. The profile is distinctly spiced, with ginger, nutmeg, and raisin notes evoking winter desserts and holiday delights — a vivid reminder that Oaxacan spirits extend well beyond mezcal.

Average price: $64
Rating: 93

Papalin Jamaica 5 Year High Ester Rum

Blended from Worthy Park, Long Pond, and Hampden distillates, this 5-year-old Jamaican rum is pot-distilled, aged in ex-bourbon casks, and bottled at 57 percent ABV. Aromas of overripe fruit and warm spice lead the way, with pepper, banana skin, and assertive heat defining the palate. While not the most intense rum Jamaica has to offer, it’s a complex, lively pour and a great intro to high-ester rum.

Average price: $67
Rating: 93

Privateer Rum The Queen’s Share

This Massachusetts rum revives the old Cognac tradition of collecting the “seconds” — the transitional cut between hearts and tails — and distilling everything a second time for added depth. Aged at least four years in a mix of new and used American oak, the barrels are then blended and re-casked for additional maturation. Bottled at cask strength, it delivers burnt sugar, coconut, and vanilla with remarkable balance. Approachable yet simultaneously complex, it stands as a benchmark American rum.

Average price: $70
Rating: 93

The Best Rums Over $100

Hampden Estate Pagos Jamaican Rum Batch 3

Aged entirely in former oloroso sherry casks from Bodegas Fundador, the third batch of Pagos builds on Hampden’s signature high-ester intensity with oxidative depth and dried fruit character. Bottled at 52 percent ABV, it delivers walnut, clove, and brandied cherry, alongside cocoa, honey, and citrus. The palate is nuanced, with savory depth meeting flashes of freshness.

Average price: $113
Rating: 94

Isautier Rhum Agricole 16 Year

Distilled in 2006 and aged 16 years in tropical conditions, this Reunion release was bottled at 59 percent ABV with just 3,790 bottles produced. The profile is bold yet refined, opening with dried fruits, warm spice, and citrus zest, then following with caramelized sugar and herbal accents. A singular agricole, it underscores Reunion’s credentials as one of the world’s most compelling — and still underappreciated — rum regions.

Average price: $144
Rating: 94

Seven Fifty Daily: The 9 Best World Whiskeys, According to Beverage Pros

Beverage directors and bartenders pick their favorite whiskey from lesser-known whiskey-producing countries, from a Taiwanese gold standard to a hard-to-find, small batch Spanish single malt

The map of world whiskey has been steadily expanding. In the 2024 World Whisky Awards, over 40 countries competed—twice as many as a decade ago—with entries from Sweden to South Africa. 

Investment has followed. The Diageo-backed drinks business accelerator Distill Ventures took on Australia’s Starward in 2015 and invested $10 million in Denmark’s Stauning Whisky, which launched stateside last year and is fast gaining cult recognition. 

The number of world whiskey cases sold is a fraction of what the big whiskey players produce. In the U.S. alone, 31 million nine-liter cases of American whiskey were sold in 2023; comparably, Taiwan, which produces Kavalan, arguably the leading world whiskey on the market, is home to just two distilleries. But for a contingent of whiskey aficionados, a dram from one of these lesser-known whiskey-producing regions offers an unparalleled sense of discovery—and they could be catalysts for change. 

“As more world whiskeys enter the U.S. market, they will challenge the dominance of traditional categories like bourbon and Scotch by offering distinct alternatives,” says Scott Milne, the director of marketing for Stauning. “The influx of brands signals a coming consumer shift.”

Producers utilize the unique conditions of their home country to innovate, whether that’s in the use of local grains or native wood, or working around weather conditions that are often radically different than in Scotland or Kentucky. And this in turn inspires traditional producers, says whiskey educator and consultant Tracie Franklin. “Not only do we have these unusual countries producing whiskeys that are very much attuned to their climate, agriculture, and their particular flavors, we also have these amazing whiskies that now have the freedom to be more experimental with their production process because the world whiskeys are coming out and blowing flavors through the roof.” 

SevenFifty Daily reached out to bartenders, beverage directors, and whiskey specialists to ask which bottles from lesser-known whiskey-producing countries are worth stocking up on right now. (All whiskeys are listed with suggested retail price per bottle).  

Navazos-Palazzi Malt Whisky ‘Bota Punta,’ Spain; $125

Selected by Neal Bodenheimer, owner and partner, Cure, New Orleans 

“I absolutely love the texture of this Spanish malt whisky,” says Neal Bodenheimer, the owner and partner of New Orleans cocktail bar Cure. “When you combine the texture of a delicate malt whisky with a quality oloroso sherry cask finishing from the sherry whisperers at Equipo Navazos, well, it’s absolutely peerless.” 

Navazos-Palazzi is a partnership between Jesús Barquín and Eduardo Ojeda of Spain’s Equipo Navazos—passionate bottlers of sherry wines—and Nicolas Palazzi’s PM Spirits in Brooklyn. The most recent release is the Bota Punta, a 15-year-old bottling, using casks that were bota punta—at the end of the bottom row of barrels in a solera—and therefore subjected to more air, light, and aeration. With just 900 bottles, it’s highly sought after. “Everyone on the team is super passionate about it,” says Bodenheimer. “It can be hard to get a traditional malt drinker to take a chance on a relatively pricey dram of Spanish malt. But for an exceedingly hard bottle to find it’s a really great deal.” 

Vinepair: The 30 Best Rums for 2024

As much as any other spirit, it’s safe to say there’s a style of rum for everyone. Nations across the globe have made it for centuries, with regions and producers offering different interpretations via distinct base ingredients — fresh cane juice, cane syrup, and molasses — as well as varied fermentation and distillation techniques.

Expressions arrive unaged and uncut; matured but with color later stripped away; or following decades in casks old and new. Some bottles are specifically produced for cocktails; others, owing to the price tags that accompany them, demand to be sipped, whether neat, on the rocks, or proofed down to the drinker’s preference. Then there are flavored or spiced releases, which accounted for over 50 percent of the rum sold in the U.S. in 2023.

With all due respect to the fictitious sailors that typically adorn such bottles, we did not consider flavored selections for our annual roundup of the best rums to drink right now. But we did dive deep into the diverse range of examples listed prior, tasting more than 120 bottles from over 20 nations across the globe.

Those samples were sent to VinePair (free of charge) by producers, importers, distributors, and PR firms. We tasted each one non-blind because we recognize that price plays one of the most important roles when you’re shopping at the liquor store or online, and should therefore be considered when evaluating a product.

The final list does not represent the 30 highest-scoring rums from the tasting, and instead aims to showcase the best offerings at every price point and across every interpretation of the category. We’re confident that the final selection offers a solid option for every occasion, budget, and palate. After all, there’s a style of rum for everyone.

The Best Rums Under $50

Transcontinental Rum Line High Seas

As the saying goes, “what one rum can’t do, three rums can.” Sure, you can craft your own blends, but why bother when the fine folks behind Transcontinental Rum have done it for you with this excellent mix of Panamanian, Jamaican, and Martinique distillates? Expressive and brimming with character, its savory, vegetal, slightly sweet profile offers a solid foundation for world-class cocktails.

The Best Rums Under $100

The Spirit of Haiti Clairin Vaval

Bottled at a precise 53.5 percent ABV, this Clairin is produced by Distillerie Arawaks, owned and operated by Fritz Vaval, whose family has been in the farm distillery business for close to 80 years. Fermented using ambient yeasts and distilled on a proprietary still, the nose of this spirit juxtaposes papaya and mango with salty umami aromas. The palate commits to more fruity and vegetal notes, with an enjoyably abrasive finish that speaks to the hands-on, traditional practices that led to its creation.

Privateer True American Bottled In Bond Rum

Magical things are happening in the rum realm up in Massachusetts, specifically at the premises of Ipswich-based Privateer Rum. Fusing American traditions with Caribbean-style spirits, this molasses-based bottled-in-bond release might seem initially shy on the nose, but that’s only a reflection of its refined, nuanced character. Where aromas of molasses, mocha, and caramel arrive softly, they explode on the palate, landing with a rich, borderline syrupy mouthfeel. Ideal for bourbon drinkers, this is a bona fide sipper.

Papalin 7 Years Old

A blend of two Jamaican pot still rums, this release features spirits distilled and aged at Worthy Park and Hampden Estate. The nose reveals classic Jamaican funk alongside hints of underripe stone fruit and grassy notes. The palate shifts to savory, umami character, with a Band-Aid note emerging on the finish that evokes a touch of peated Scotch. A complex rum that makes for a great sipping experience with or without ice, at 46 percent ABV, most drinkers won’t find the switch in temperature and dilution necessary, but it certainly isn’t unwelcome on a warm summer’s day.

Beenleigh Artisan Distillers 2013 Single Blended Rum

Beenleigh, Australia’s oldest operating distillery, was founded in 1884 in the sugar cane-rich northeastern state of Queensland. Those 140 or so years of experience have translated to a fruity and energetic spirit here, with oak and vanilla aromas raising the curtain, followed by more pronounced notes of tropical fruit and melon. At 10 years old, the palate is similarly lively, with ginger syrup and pomegranate molasses leading the charge. This is an elegant but easygoing sipper.

Hampden Estate HLCF Classic

A flagship expression from one of Jamaica’s most renowned producers, HLCF is shorthand for “Hampden Light Continental Flavoured.” Production features ambient yeasts, extended fermentation periods, 100 percent pot still distillation, and four years aging in tropical climates, which the brand notes is “equivalent” to 11 years in Europe. What does that translate to? Plenty of funk on the nose with added aromas of papaya, tart/savory tropical fruits, and molasses. A classically Jamaican profile on the palate, this rum certainly sips above its modest age statement.

The Best Rums Over $100

Isautier Traditional Rum 16 Year

Another stellar inclusion from the small island of Réunion, this rum was put into barrel in May 2006 and bottled in September 2022. Its producer, seven-generation family-run Maison Isautier, unusually makes both cane-juice- and molasses-based rums. This release falls into the latter camp, arriving at 57 percent ABV — not that you’d guess that from the nose or palate, though. Instead, aromas of dried stone fruits, vanilla, and used oak shine through, while the flavor profile leans mineral-rich, with accents of roasted coffee, dried licorice, and Dmerara syrup.

La Maison & Velier Flag Series 24 Year Old Guyana Rum 1998

La Maison & Velier’s “Flag Series” aims to showcase remarkable bottles from regions where extended aging periods are an option. Guyana rum aged for almost a quarter-century definitely fits that bill, and in this case, the lengthy maturation was only possible because the initially bourbon-barrel-aged spirit was transferred at 2 years old from its tropical home to Europe, where it was then transferred to Port casks. The profile of the final spirit is understandably dense and concentrated and we found that it benefitted from a few minutes to fully open up. At which point, a stunning array of tropical fruit (particularly pineapple husk), oaky sweetness (vanilla), and red berry compote emerge. The palate follows with cacao, salted caramel, and zesty citrus notes, as if to remind us that this fine sipping rum is still remarkably full of life and energy.

Liquor.com: The 11 Best Vermouths for a Negroni, According to Bartenders

Take the guesswork out of your vermouth choice with these expert recommendations.

ermouth is frequently a forgotten cocktail ingredient. When it comes to classic Martinis or Manhattans, it’s often overshadowed by the base spirit.

However, if you consider that the Negroni consists of equal parts gin, vermouth, and aperitivo, your choice of vermouth suddenly becomes more important.

“Vermouth is the often-overlooked instrument in the symphony of a well-crafted Negroni,” says Stevan Miller, the bar lead at Michelin-starred Esmé in Chicago. “It orchestrates a delicate dance between the boldness of the base spirit and the bitterness of your chosen aperitivo. Vermouth is a diplomat. It harmonizes the diverse elements at play.”

We consulted bar pros from around the country to share their preferred sweet vermouths to use in a Negroni. Try one of these recommended bottles for your next cocktail hour.

Best for a Dry Negroni: Navazos Palazzi Vermut Rojo

Robby Dow, bar director of Olivero in Wilmington, North Carolina, is excited by the emergence of sherry-based vermouths. This particular bottling, a favorite of his, is a collaboration between Nicolas Palazzi of PM Spirits and sherry broker Equipos Navazo.

“The duo serve as a guiding light for sourcing and importing some of the best products from around the globe,” says Dow. “This vermouth is no different.”

It’s a great choice for those who may have grown weary of the juicy, vanilla-forward Italian styles of vermouth, he says. “Navazos Palazzi Vermut Rojo comes across much drier and more savory with notes of juniper, anise, and coriander, with a subtle off-dry sweetness from the oloroso sherry,” says Dow. “These savory elements are a perfect marriage when stacked up next to Campari and a nice bold London dry gin.”

Wine Enthusiast: The Most Memorable Bottles We Drank in 2023

Any seasoned imbiber knows that the quality of a drinking experience is far more than the sum of its parts. After all, a great wine is not merely great because it drinks finely. It’s great because of the atmosphere in which it’s enjoyed—in an exquisite locale, perhaps, or alongside cherished friends. Key, too, is the story behind the bottle: who made it and how, why and when. Knowing these things in no way chemically alters what’s in the glass, but it certainly has the power to alter one’s perception of it. The mind, after all, is a taster’s most important tool.

These were the things we asked Wine Enthusiast’s team of editors and contributors to consider when we asked them to name the bottles they found most notable in 2023. In this list are exquisite wines drunk in unlikely places (including, for example, alongside a highway in France) and made through unusual means (say, aged at the bottom of the sea). There are also limited-release spirits, including one that matured in the constantly-rocking hull of a schooner and an eau de vie whose maker’s attention to detail borders on obsessiveness.

Do these bottles have the power to inspire you? Perhaps, once reading these stories, they will.

Navazos Palazzi Vermut Rojo

“One of my favorite sips this year was Navazos Palazzi Vermut Rojo, a Spanish red vermouth. It’s a collab between Sherry negociant Equipo Navazos and Nicolas Palazzi of importer PM spirits. It’s made with a base of oloroso Sherry, so it’s deeper and richer than most red vermouths, but enlivened with touches of bitter orange and savory spice. I enjoyed it in Manhattans (it plays nicely with rye whiskey) as well as poured over ice. I see why Spain is a fan of ‘la hora del vermut’ (the vermouth hour).” —Kara Newman, Writer at Large

Capreolus Raspberry Eau de Vie 2019

“Barney Wilczak, the proprietor of the U.K.–based Capreolus Distillery, uses 30 kilograms of perfectly ripe and healthy raspberries to produce only one liter of the Raspberry Eau de Vie. His quest for the highest–quality product can be described as obsessive. However, it allows him to capture and preserve the essence of each fruit so precisely. The raspberry stands out, with its complexity, length and incredible purity.” —Aleks Zecevic, Writer at Large

Wine Enthusiast: Why Spanish Brandy Needs a Rebrand

There are many garish bottles on liquor store shelves, but none do more peacocking than Brandy de Jerez. Surely, you’ve noticed the bottles I’m talking about—even if, like most people, you’ve never bought one. Most Spanish brandies boast crimson or gold labels. One dons a pretty ribbon, while a rival sports an intricate faux-gilded pattern. Some are affixed with regal wax seals, while others announce their presence in fancy Renaissance-Faire-ish fonts. Then there are the courtly names themselves: Carlos I, Cardenal Mendoza, Gran Duque d’Alba.

“Subtlety isn’t the middle name of Jerez’s brandy men,” once wrote spirits critic F. Paul Pacult in his encyclopedic guide, Kindred Spirits.

In the past, I’ve described Brandy de Jerez as that buddy who tries just a bit too hard—the one with the flashy watch, the giant belt buckle, the ridiculous gold chain or too much cologne. Sometimes, when I open a bottle, I feel as though I should be wearing a ruffled collar, like a courtier of Philip IV. Regardless, I happen to enjoy Brandy de Jerez. I believe, for instance, that it works better in many classic brandy cocktails than Cognac. But I often feel like the odd one out with this opinion.

My big takeaway? Spanish brandy is in desperate need of a rebrand, and there has mercifully been a small movement toward change in the right direction. But before I get into the signs of hope for Spanish brandy, it’s important to consider the larger state of affairs.

Last year, François Monti, a drinks writer based in Madrid, called out Spanish brandy in his industry newsletter, Jaibol. The rant was prompted by Monti’s outrage over a historic Brandy de Jerez brand’s attempt to reinvent itself as a drink to be mixed with Coca-Cola. Brandy de Jerez, Monti writes, is an appellation “not very clear about where it is going.”

It remains a fact that fewer and fewer people drink Brandy de Jerez. Since 2008, total sales have dropped from 45 million liters to around nine million liters, with consumption dropping 30 percent between 2012 and 2016 alone. During the last decade, exports fell an additional 15%, and things continue to trend downward. Spanish brandy’s largest export markets are now the Philippines and Equatorial Guinea—the latter consuming six times more Brandy de Jerez than the U.S.

Why is this? In his newsletter, Monti minces no words. “Brandy de Jerez does not stand for the quality of its raw material,” he writes. Terroir also means little: “It is very complicated to talk about the terroir of Brandy de Jerez… the vast majority of the raw material comes from outside the [Sherry] triangle,” the historic region bounded by the city of Jerez on the east and to the northwest and southwest respectively, the ports of Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa Maria.

It’s hard to say what terroir (or transparency) even means for Brandy de Jerez. The name itself invokes the city in Andalucía that’s famous for Sherry. But the grape mostly used for the brandy is not Palomino (as with Sherry) but Airen, an insipid neutral grape said to be the most planted in the world, grown mostly on agribusiness vineyards in La Mancha. Most of the brandy is distilled outside of the Sherry triangle, what the regulatory council calls the “processing zone,” before it comes to age in the vast solera cellars back in Jerez. By law, Brandy de Jerez must age in Sherry barrels, but there’s little differentiation between brands.

Then there are Spanish brandy’s elevated sugar levels: Up to 35 grams of sugar per liter is allowed. This sweetness goes against the current consumer demands for drier spirits.

Finally, Monti called out the dated, stodgy brand image:

“Emperors, cardinals, aristocrats, great battles of Catholicism: the names and image of some of the brands are an obstacle for a more modern consumer. Carlos I, a brand that has made a great effort to modernize its image and that has a clear strategy of going towards the premium segment, still mentions on its website ‘Spirit of Conquest.’ ¡Ay!”

It adds up to a spirit that the younger generation in Spain sees as hopelessly old-fashioned, the drink of their grandfathers—with a cringe-y legacy of being cosa de hombres (“a man thing”) as this television ad for Soberano from the 1960s suggests. (Even darker was this horrible ad.)

All of this is a shame. I have been a big advocate for Spanish brandy over the years. Back in 2015, Monti and I actually presented a panel on the spirit at Tales of the Cocktail. Even then, we spoke about the same challenges that Brandy de Jerez faces today, which tells you how little has changed in the past eight years.

At the time, we implored brands to re-evaluate the high sugar content and additives in a world that wants products that are dry and additive free. We bemoaned the low level of alcohol by volume. Most of it is imported into the U.S. at just 40%, but much of what’s sold in Spain and elsewhere falls below even that, down to 36% abv. We even wore ruffled collars to underscore silliness and outdatedness of the category’s imagery.

In Monti’s article, the last straw for him was the suggestion of combining brandy with Coca-Cola, pushed by one big brand’s marketing department. He pointed out a similarly misguided marketing attempt a decade ago by the producers of Calvados, a similarly troubled spirit, who tried to push something called the Calvados Tonic. In France, Calvados Tonic was an unmitigated failure as a marketing campaign. The Spanish-brandy-and-cola, I believe, will meet the same fate. “One of the most uncomfortable truths in the spirits industry is that hardly any recent trends have been created by brands,” Monti notes.

The real challenge for Brandy de Jerez is to understand what premium spirits drinkers really want. But there are signs of hope in a growing number of smaller producers who are more transparent about origin and aging.

Among them is a project by Sherry negociant Equipo Navazos, which has partnered with importer Nicolas Palazzi of PM Spirits to release a series of single-cask brandies, all without additives and bottled at cask strength.

On several occasions, I’ve tasted these brandies from the barrel with Eduardo Oreja of Equipo Navazos. These are racy, elegant, dry brandies that still retain the rich, dried fruit and full-bodied characteristics of classic Brandy de Jerez. This is revolutionary stuff.

“I had always associated Spanish brandy with some subpar version of Henny VS, some dark syrupy crap that makes the floor sticky if you drop some,” says Palazzi. That was before he tasted Equipo Navazos’ casks. “My mind was blown. I realized that at its core the additive-free product can be magnificent.”

I love the Navazos Palazzi 7-year-old aged in amontillado cask. This unique brandy was made from 100% Pardina (an obscure grape I didn’t know) and bottled at cask strength, 42.5% abv. You can find it here and here for $80. There are also still a few rare bottles of the stunning Navazos Palazzi fino Sherry cask floating around (such as here), also for around $80. For a premium brandy, something like this under $100 is well worth grabbing.

Navazos Palazzi’s most recent brandy release is aged in Pedro Ximenéz casks (bottled at 43% abv) is delicious, rounder and darker than the amontillado or fino casks. Though the cask is part of a classic solera, the average age of the brandy is at least 35 years old. It’s slightly pricier, at around $130 per bottle.

While those single-cask selections may represent the zenith of Brandy de Jerez production, I still also recommend checking out a few of the classic expressions for comparison. I’ve always liked Lepanto Solera Gran Reserva, which at under $50 is a very good value, and relatively easy to find. Instead of Airen, Lepanto uses the same Palomino grape from which Sherry is made. The result is a brighter, nuttier and more complex brandy than most in the category.

And if I ever want to remind myself what old-school Spanish brandy is like (complete with garish label and packaging) I go for the Gran Duque d’Alba. The Duke brings all that big sweet, ripe, creamy, molasses flavor, though you can still feel the attractive notes of the Sherry cask. For $40, it’s a solid cocktail pour.

Mix it in the classic brandy cocktails we talked about a few weeks ago and see for yourself. My personal favorite is a drink I call the Little Madrid (recipe below). With all apologies to my colleague Monti in Madrid, you might also even enjoy it with a Coca-Cola.

In Praise of La Hora del Vermut, Spain’s Cherished Vermouth Hour Tradition

I’ve been missing Barcelona lately—where not long ago, I explored wine bars in search of new-wave Spanish wines—so on a recent afternoon I made a visit to Jose Andres’s Mercato Little Spain at Hudson Yard in Manhattan. Specifically, I longed for the days I spent drinking in the city’s vermuterias. So I went to Mercato Little Spain’s vermuteria with the cheeky name, Bar Celona. (Get it?) I ordered a Yzaguirre Rojo, a classic Catalan red, and was immediately transported back to a sunny la hora del vermut.

Vermouth hour is a sacred time of day in Barcelona. Originally, it meant sometime around noon or 1 pm, when you grabbed a vermouth and a snack to tide you over until lunch. But these days, the vermouth hour can be any time before a meal, though it usually means day drinking. A vermouth over ice, with maybe a slice of citrus and an olive, along with potato chips, some kind of tinned fish, and gilda (skewers of olive, pepper, and anchovy) is one of the loveliest ways to pass an afternoon.

Spanish vermut generally has a different taste than its Italian counterpart. It’s more citrusy, brighter and less bitter, meant to be drunk not in cocktails but on the rocks with food. To be perfectly honest, Spanish vermouth is not meant to be a complex drink you spend a lot time pondering over.

Because Barcelona had one of the largest communities of Italian immigrants when Italian vermouth was becoming widely exported during the late 19th century, vermouth soon became popular in the city. The local Martini vermouth importer even created a bar that was designed by famed Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. This is when vermouth became the drink of choice in Catalonia, often taken by families after church and before lunch on Sundays. But by the late 20th century, vermouth languished as an old man’s drink.

Then, about a decade ago, a younger generation of trendsetters in Barcelona set off a vermouth renaissance. Part of it was a new wave of local vermouth brands, such as Casa Mariol and Morro Fi. Part was also a sense of pride in local products as Catalan nationalism grew.

These days, while much of the vermouth production happens in Catalonia, the drink has become wildly popular all over Spain. In Jerez, where Sherry is becoming a harder and harder sell, several well-known Sherry houses have started making quality vermouth.

Still, Barcelona is the vermuteria capital. As I sat at Bar Celona, I thought about some favorite vermuterias: the century-old Bar Electricat, in the old port neighborhood of La Barceloneta, where you drink vermouth from an unmarked bottle, which the waiter measures to calculate your bill; cozy, local Cala del Vermut Celler, near the Gothic cathedral, where you can eat fantastic tortilla and jamón with your vermut; the more posh Quimet & Quimet in the Poble Sec neighborhood, with an amazing array of tinned fish and montaditos.

I couldn’t necessarily tell you the brands of vermouth I drank in those places. But it doesn’t really matter. In the end, Spanish vermouth is all about a vibe.

7 Spanish Vermouths to Try

Barcelona was the spot where Spain’s vermouth renaissance started, and so Catalonia remains a source of great vermouth. But there are growing number of vermouth brands now coming from Jerez, as Sherry houses look to diversify their offerings.

Navazos-Palazzi Vermut Rojo

This offering from famed Sherry negociant Equipo Navazos and importer PM Spirits comes from Jerez. Bright, citrusy and super floral, with notes of lavender and chamomile on the nose and tea-like notes on the palate. Great on ice or in cocktails.

Wine Enthusiast top 100 Spirits

This past year has brought much to celebrate, including the continued (if cautious) return to gatherings with family and friends, and openings (and re-openings) of bars and restaurants across the country.

It’s also brought a line-up of memorable spirits—and a number of surprises.

This list was compiled from the hundreds of bottles we’ve had the opportunity to review over the past 12 months. It includes a top-scoring new bourbon that hailed from Colorado—not Kentucky—and an attention-getting Italian vermouth infused with Japanese cherry blossom that filled our glasses with pink-tinged Martinis. A toasty rye whiskey from Denmark shared space with top-tier American-made ryes, and a debut gin from Kenya charmed with brisk citrus and spice.

Of note: This year’s Top 100 doesn’t include Scotch whisky—the first time since 2013 that has happened. To be clear, that omission isn’t a knock on venerable Scotch, but it afforded us the opportunity to, instead, highlight blended Scotch. And a surprising dearth of samples opened the door to reviewing a wider range of whiskey styles. As a result, this year’s list includes several American and international single malts. Again: a year of surprises, but also a year of delights. —Kara Newman

94 POINTS

Navazos Palazzi Pedro Ximenez Single Cask Brandy (Spain; PM Spirits, Wilmington, DE).

This is a brandy de Jerez aged in oloroso casks, then finished three years in very old sweet Pedro Ximenez casks. The end result is an extraordinarily complex sipper that almost reads like a cocktail. The deep brown hue and bold dried fig aromas signal richness.

While the first sips mingle toffee, maple, dried fruit, the finish is surprisingly dry and brisk, showing walnut skin, a hint of grapefruit peel, and cinnamon and cayenne glow. Bottled at cask strength, plan to add water or ice to mellow the appropriately fiery edge.

Limited edition: 720 bottles produced. abv: 43% Price: $121 for 375 ml

SPIRITS: THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | DECEMBER 08, 2022

It all started innocently enough. Over the last few years, I have seen a marked increase in spirits made by winemakers. I thought it would be fun to taste them and write them all up. That was the genesis for this report. But then more and more samples arrived, and before I knew it, the article had morphed into a broad survey of spirits of all kinds. This article is clearly not comprehensive to any one category, but rather intended as a collection of spirits I think Vinous readers will enjoy.

As I started tasting through these spirits, I wondered if my approach to tasting wine and Champagne would be applicable, or if instead, I needed an entirely new methodology for looking at quality. I asked myself if there are really marked differences between several raspberry eaux de vie, for example. It turns out spirits can absolutely be assessed for aromatics, fruit, texture, finish and a number of criteria used in evaluating wine. If anything, the alcohol in most categories acts as an amplifier of those qualities and also accentuates both strengths and flaws. And yes, raspberry eaux de vie can be very different.

Where possible I have indicated lot numbers, although these aren’t always available in the world of spirits. I would like to see that change so consumers can know they are buying the same product I tasted and reviewed. In this regard, parts of the spirits world share some basic principles with other beverages such as NV Champagne, but also soft drinks and beer, where the goal is to create a ‘consistent’ product from year to year. There are virtues in that, and it is a skill, but I believe small batch bottlings that are differentiated are far more interesting, certainly far more interesting for the inquisitive reader looking for something that is truly distinctive. For now, I have relaxed the rule I have for NV Champagne where I only review bottlings that have a base vintage or disgorgement date listed.

But that does make me wonder what the future is for craft spirits. About a decade ago, I sat in the Krug tasting room with then-CEO Margareth Henriquez and Olivier Krug and explained that I would not review their Grande Cuvée because there was no way to ensure the batch I tasted was the same wine in the market. I suggested adding a base vintage or disgorgement date, which would differentiate releases, make each release special, and then, in time create opportunities for thematic tastings and/or special packaging, like mixed cases. “Our customers have no interest in this information,” was the reply.

Readers might find this hard to believe, but at the time, the Grand Cuvée struggled mightily in the market. It did not sell. And this was not that long ago. For a time, the half bottles were dumped in elite New York City restaurants (likely elsewhere too), where they were sold for next to nothing. Then, Krug began experimenting with thematic names for each release, before settling on the Edition system. A stroke of genius. Guess what happened? For the first time ever, Grande Cuvée became an allocated wine. All sorts of comparative tastings emerged, as did boxed sets that offer a combination of releases.

To be sure, spirits are different. Many are made in tiny quantities and on a far smaller scale than wine or Champagne. Unlike wine, bottles are opened and often enjoyed over a period of time, so comparative tastings are less the norm. Even so, I would like to see better and more consumer-friendly labeling. There is a possible parallel with the world of grower Champagne, where an increasing number of producers detail varietal breakdown and the exact source of their fruit. Why would that not be applicable to a fine source of pears or raspberries for eau de vie, or a specific breakdown of lots in a Cognac? All information like that does is create greater consumer interest.

I tasted the spirits in this report in November and December 2022.

The Eau de Vie Damson Plum from Capreolus is laced with hints of dried fruit, crushed flowers, herbs, mint and red stone fruit. Exotic and nuanced the Plum Brandy is exquisite. It is an especially floral, savory plum spirit. This fruit was sourced in Vale of Evesham, This is bottle 118 of 336.

The Eau de Vie Raspberry melds together plenty of fruit character, but in a serious, almost imposing style. This is not an easygoing spirit at all. Then again, approximately 75 pounds of fruit yield one liter of eau de vie. Sweet floral and herbal accents add lift. There is a bit of angularity and that leaves the Raspberry feeling a bit tense next to the other eaux de vie in the range. This is bottle 257 of 301.

The Eau de Vie Quince is floral, lifted and also very refined on the palate. A spirit of understatement and class, the Quince is soft-spoken, with impeccable balance, fine length and tons of sheer appeal. Dried floral and herbal notes resonate on the finish, but it is the overall balance I am most drawn to here. This is bottle 48 of 116.

The Eau de Vie Poire Williams (100% Bartlett Pear) from Cazottes is fabulous. Creamy and textured, the Poire Williams soars out of the glass with stunning aromatic complexity. Soft contours add raciness to this decidedly polished, exuberant eau di vie. The style is one of sublime refinement and class - perhaps too much for some palates - but all the elements are so well balanced. This release is a total knockout.

The Eau de Vie Reine Claude Doreé (100% Greengage Plum) is a wild, exotic eau de vie. The aromatics alone are crazy. A whole range of floral and savory top notes give the Reine Claude Dorée its distinctive personality. Fruit is more in the background in this captivating spirit from Laurent Cazottes. The bright, clean finish is a thing of beauty.

The Haut-Armagnac La Réserve is very pretty, aromatic and lifted. What this young Haut-Armagnac lacks in age it more than makes up for with its exquisite balance and finesse. There are no hard edges whatsoever. Sweet spice, leather and floral notes give the Réserve notable aromatic presence to match its mid-weight personality. La Réserve is a blend of young Ugni Blanc and Colombard, usually about six years old, aged in 100% new French oak and bottled at 45% abv.

The 2011 Haut-Armagnac La Flamme (Ugni Blanc, Colombard) is a blend of single barrels bottled at full proof. Rich and explosive, La Flamme is a heady, exotic Haut-Armagnac that delivers the goods big time. Here, too, the balance is exquisite, especially for a spirit that is a little more than a decade old. Light caramel, spice, herb, maraschino cherry and toast notes build into the pure, persistent finish. This is a terrific showing. Abv is 50.5%.

The 1994 Brut de Fût is a single cask blend of 65% Ugni Blanc and 35% Colombard bottled at cask strength, unfiltered and with no additives. Gently mellowed by time, the 1994 is a wonderfully expressive Armagnac. Soft contours wrap around a gentle core of macerated cherry, spice, leather, dried herbs and light caramel notes. This is all understatement and elegance. I very much admire the precision here. Spring frost and a dry summer yielded a small crop of ripe grapes. The 1994 spent a total of 27 years in wood.

The Cognac Grand Champagne Chai Paradis Très Vieille Réserve is a single cask bottling from Frapin's Paradis cellar. Hints of smoke, caramel, dried flowers, leather and orange peel lend notable aromatic presence. A Cognac of understatement and finesse, the Très Vieille Réserve is wonderfully expressive right out of the gate. Abv is 42.8%.

The Eau de Vie de Cidre Double Zero is gorgeous. It was made from more than thirty varieties of apples, blending bitter, bittersweet, sweet and sweet varieties. Fruit is harvested, then cellared for a few months to concentrate the flavors, before fermentation and distillation begin. Laser-like in its focus, with gorgeous aromatics, this eau de vie is seriously impressive. A glass will provide pleasure to both the hedonistic and intellectual senses. This is L.20.

The Rhum Agricole Organic is a powerful spirit that makes its full-proof felt. Flavors and textures are dialed up to eleven. Hints of lime, ginger and spice add complexity to this intense, wonderfully complex rum. Although a bit of a splurge, I would be thrilled to have it on my bar for cocktails. The Organic is made from hand-harvested sugar cane, distilled in copper creole stills and bottled at 71.2% abv

The Rhum Agricole Les Mangles is a single parcel, single cane rum. Rich and explosive in feel, the Mangles possesses tremendous depth right out of the gate. Dried flowers, leather, earthiness, herbs and a touch of mint add striking complexity, but more than anything, the Mangles is a rum of textural density. Pretty floral and spice accents round out the finish. It's another intense, full-bodied rum from Père Labat, bottled at 70.7% abv.

The 2009 Single Barrel Fut is a tiny bottling of 12-year-old Rhum Agricole aged in a bourbon barrel. Soft and delicate, with striking complexity, the 2009 is lights out. Maraschino cherry, spice, dried flowers, orange peel, leather, cedar, chocolate and sweet toasted oak lend tons of aromatic and flavor complexity. The 2009 is outstanding, but readers have to expect a rum with a pretty strong oak imprint. Time in wood does seem to attenuate the power found in Père Labat's young Rhum Agricole. The 2009 Single Barrel was bottled at 61% abv. I loved it.

The Armagnac Les Carré des Fantômes is a single parcel field-blend bottling of Plant de Graisse, Mauzac Blanc, Meslier St François, Jurançon Blanc, Mauzac Rosé and Clairette de Gascogne, six nearly extinct varieties. It is an especially airy, floral and savory style of Armagnac, maybe a bit classically austere in profile, but also incredibly intriguing. Light in color, with slightly nutty, oxidative overtones, the Carré des Fantômes is an absolutely gorgeous spirit. It is a beautiful, eccentric Armagnac that requires an inquisitive palate to fully appreciate. Batch 08.

The 1990 Single Cask Armagnac is a fabulous choice for readers looking for an Armagnac with the gentle, burnished character that only comes from long maturation in cask. Soft and engaging, the 1990 is an absolute delight. Scents of dried figs, spice, caramel, crushed herbs, leather, barrel toastiness and dried flowers are all woven together. No topping during aging results in a spirit with gorgeous complexity that develops in a very gradual oxidation that has taken place over more than thirty years. Lovely.

The 2006 Calvados Single Cask was distilled from a mix of more than 40 varieties of apples and spent 15 years in French oak prior to being bottled at cask strength. It offers a gorgeous combination of bright fruit and the more complex notes conferred by aging in barrel, all with the softness achieved with time. Gentle smoke, spice, leather, orange peel and dried flowers all grace this exquisite, wonderfully complex, delicate Calvados.

The Armagnac XO from L'Encantada is a blend of eight barrels spanning vintages 2006 to 1986 from five different domaines. It marries the power of Armagnac with notable elegance and tons of finesse. A spirit with no hard edges and fabulous balance, the XO is magnificent. Fruit, floral, spice, dried fruit, caramel and subtle oak notes are all beautifully woven together. The XO is a fabulous introduction to a range mostly composed of single barrel offerings. The purity here is just superb. This is bottled at cask strength, so there is plenty of intensity, yet this lies on the more refined side of Armagnac.

The Corn Whisky Bota NO 2021 is a single barrel bottling made from 100% Spanish corn from the joint venture between Equipo Navazos and importer Nicolas Palazzi. It was aged for 15 years in an Oloroso Sherry cask, with no topping (hence the designation 'NO') and bottled at full proof. A powerful, explosive spirit, the Corn Whisky is packed with scents of scorched earth, game, leather and earthiness. There's not a lot of subtlety here, but I doubt that is the point. Bottled in 2021.

The Cognac Hommage a Yves & Jean-Noel Pelletan is a tiny blend comprised of one barrel of 1965 and a few demijohns going back to 1925. It is the last bottling from Palazzi's days of buying and blending Cognacs under his own label. Quite potent in the glass, the Hommage is a bit rustic, but also incredibly authentic in feel. The explosive power is palpable. It's a Cognac for readers who appreciate structure and body more than restraint. The Hommage was bottled at cask strength and dedicated to master coopers Yves and Jean-Noel Pelletan.

The Eau de Vie Gravenstein Apple is packed with fruit flavor, spice and strong dried white notes. There's wonderful savoriness and tartness to balance some of that fruity character, along with tons of depth and what comes across as strong skin character. This is one of four eau de vies in Rochelt's gift box set.

The Eau de Vie Morello Cherry is one of my favorite eau de vies in this collection. Creamy and expansive, the Morello is all finesse. Crushed red-fleshed fruit, spice, sweet floral accents and a kick of warmth all come together in a spirit that is impeccably balanced from start to finish. The depth and explosive complexity here are off the charts. This is one of four eau de vies in Rochelt's gift box set.

Rochelt's Eau de Vie Wachau Apricot is ridiculously great. Intensely aromatic, Wachau with almost tropical overtones, the Apricot is so expressive from the very first taste. Yellow orchard fruit, ginger and soaring aromatics stain the palate. It's an eau de vie that deeply satisfies both the hedonistic and intellectual senses. I will remember tasting it for a very, very long time. What a knockout. This is one of four eau de vies in Rochelt's gift box set.

The Eau de Vie Quince starts off quite subtle and then explodes through the mid-palate and into the finish. Strong mineral and earthy undertones give the Quince uncommon complexity to play off fruit flavors. Deep and expansive, with tons of character, the Quince is wonderfully complete, but also quite imposing. There's a ton of power and substance here, with an almost phenolic quality that lingers on the finish. This is one of four eau de vies in Rochelt's gift box set.

The Eau de Vie Mirabelle Plum was distilled in 2009, and then aged in glass balloons, in the classic Rochelt style. It is wild, penetrating and full of character. The feeling here is one of focus and length, more than the body found in some of the other eau de vies in this collection. Sweet floral and savory notes continually open in a spirit of uncommon finesse and nuance. The Mirabelle hovers on the palate with wonderful elegance. What a knockout.

Sherry’s Indie Moment

A growing number of independent bottlers is aiming to showcase a more nuanced, variable side to fino, manzanilla and more.

There’s no single origin point for the modern sherry renaissance, but the aged cask of amontillado that Eduardo Ojeda and Jesús Barquín of Equipo Navazos bottled in December 2005 would be a solid place to start.

Like so many examples of its kind, the wine had been forgotten for decades in a dusty bodega, where it would have continued to slumber if not for the private club of investors, organized by Ojeda and Barquín, who pooled together the funds to rescue it from oblivion. Titled “La Bota de Amontillado” (after the Edgar Allen Poe story) and shared exclusively among club members, that initial release gave birth to a series of chronologically numbered editions. Hype quickly followed, and in April 2007 the project released its first commercial effort: La Bota de Palo Cortado No. 6.

It may come as a surprise that one of the driving forces behind the current sherry revival basically started off as a Kickstarter campaign. But according to Peter Liem, sherry expert and co-author (along with Barquín) of Sherry, Manzanilla & Montilla: A Guide to the Traditional Wines of Andalucía, few were interested in purchasing, let alone marketing, these wines. “The only reason that all these old wines still existed is that nobody wanted them,” he explains, citing the economic collapse and fall from relevance that decimated the sherry industry toward the end of the 20th century.

More than 100 “Botas” later (as of 2022, the library consists of 107), the project has redefined sherry for many U.S. drinkers. As Liem puts it, “They opened our eyes to the fact that something completely different existed in this region, which nobody was talking about.” That alone would have been enough to secure Equipo Navazos’ lasting place in the zeitgeist. But in recent years, their success has paved the way for a new set of independent bottlers who are following a similar playbook, sourcing minuscule quantities of wine from bodegas across the Sherry Triangle.

Some are Jerez natives, such as Antonio Barbadillo Mateos of the Sacristía AB project, and Ramiro Ibáñez and Willy Pérez, the duo behind the resurrected M. Antonio de la Riva label. Others, including Nicolas Palazzi of PM Spirits and Buelan Compañía de Sacas’ Nick Africano, operate out of the United States. They are united not only in their rejection of sherry as a standardized, industrial wine, but also in their desire to carve out a more intimate model for the region.

…

For Nicolas Palazzi, owner of rare spirits distributor PM Spirits, the collection of sherries he released late last year signaled a case study in sherry’s diversity. Since 2012, Palazzi has partnered with Equipo Navazos to bottle a series of highly-coveted single-cask Spanish brandy, whisky and rum under their Navazos Palazzi label. Even as someone who makes his living importing small-batch spirits, Palazzi was struck by the enormous variation between barrels in a single sherry solera system. “When you’re sampling different casks of spirits, a lot of the time you will find some small differences, but if it’s the same run, put in the same type of cask and aged in the same place for the same amount of time, the stuff you get is going to be pretty similar,” he explains. “But with sherry, it’s mind-bending. You can taste four different casks of the same exact wine and they’re all vastly different.”

“I saw a gap in the market for serious wines from this region, since everyone thought of manzanilla as something cheap, relatively young and accessible.”

In a typical bottling process, the solera would absorb and assimilate the individual profiles of these casks, rounding out their wayward edges into a smooth and seamless whole. At the scale that Palazzi describes, however, the goal is to capture the unique personality of a single barrel, or the distinctions that exist from one barrel to the next. “It sounds like a cliché, but these casks are living things,” Palazzi says.

New bottlers like Palazzi have arrived in Jerez at an inflection point. For all the recent talk of a renaissance, sherry remains a niche category. And while the cult model adopted by Equipo Navazos and its descendants has ushered in a new era of critical appreciation for the region’s finest wines, that’s not enough to sustain an entire wine industry. The question on everyone’s minds, then, is: What’s next?

INDIE SHERRIES TO TRY

PM Spirits Amontillado

“Selected with the expert help of Eduardo Ojeda,” as its label proudly declares, the PM Spirits amontillado drinks noticeably brighter and fresher than many examples of the genre, happily embracing its inner fino with a pronounced flor character. Although the packaging doesn’t mention where it was sourced, Palazzi notes that the wine came from several casks belonging to a prominent bodega with roots in the late 19th century. Light amber in the glass, it’s energetic and lively, especially for the style—as close to easy-drinking as amontillado gets.