If you’re a fan of cocktails, you likely already know that white rum and summer mixed drinks go hand in hand. From classic American drinks to Caribbean favorites to Tiki-style drinks, it’s tough to beat the appeal of a well-made white rum during the summer months.
For those new to the spirit, white rum is a clear spirit made from sugarcane juice or molasses, depending on the distillery. While many rums are added to oak barrels, ex-bourbon barrels, and various other aging receptacles, white rum is either added directly to a bottle or (in most cases) usually aged between six months and a year (sometimes longer) in stainless-steel vats.
The use of stainless-steel vats prevents the spirit from gaining a caramel color and from gaining flavors like oak, caramel, vanilla, and spices that come from the barrel. Some white rums are aged in barrels, but they are charcoal-filtered before being bottled.
The best part? White rums are often more well-priced than their aged counterparts. You can stock up on a few bottles for mixing for a decent price instead of simply one or two.
White rums perfect for mixing this summer
Now that you know a little about white rum, it’s time to find some to mix with. While there’s a broad range of flavors when it comes to white rums, typically, you’ll find notes of sweet sugarcane, citrus, vanilla, coconut, and light spices. All of these flavors are well-suited for mixing into Mojitos, Daiquiris, Pina Coladas, and more. Keep scrolling to see our favorite white rums for summer mixing.
Diplomatico Planas Rum
Diplomatico Planas is a white rum. But it just happens to be an aged white rum. It’s charcoal-filtered to remove color and impurities but maintain the aroma and flavor from maturation. Perfect for sipping or mixing, it’s known for its flavors of vanilla, coconut, coffee, toffee, and charred oak. It’s a sublimely complex white rum and one that will find a permanent home on your bar cart.
Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum
This classic Jamaican rum is the perfect rum for mixing. While some white rums might get lost in the shuffle of fruits, herbs, and other ingredients, Wray & Nephew is an overproof rum that will stand out. It’s a potent 63% ABV, but still manages to be fairly smooth with notes of banana, vanilla beans, molasses, brown sugar, coconut, and gentle island spices.
Don Q Cristal Rum
This award-winning Puerto Rican white rum is distilled many times to create a sublimely mellow spirit. It’s then matured between two and five years in American white oak barrels before being charcoal filtered. It’s known for its mix of citrus, coconut, pineapple, toffee, vanilla, oak, and light spices. It’s a great base for your favorite white rum-based cocktails.
Banks 5 Island Rum
Banks 5 Island Rum gets its name because it’s a blend of 21 different rums, including rums from Trinidad, Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana, and Java. Perfect for mixing into Mojitos, Daiquiris, and other rum-based cocktails, it’s known for its funky, mellow flavor profile, featuring hints of grass, bananas, toffee, vanilla, candied orange peel, cracked black pepper, and light spices.
Ten to One White Rum
This wildly popular white rum is a blend of unaged column still distilled rum from the Dominican Republic and funky, high ester pot still distilled rum from Jamaica. This crystal clear, award-winning rum is known for its complex flavor profile featuring floral notes, cracked black pepper, lemon peels, vanilla, gentle spices, and a slight minerality.
Foursquare Probitas Rum
If you were to ask random bartenders and avid rum drinkers to tell you their favorite white rum, you’d have a handful shout out Foursquare Probitas. It’s a blend of column still and pot still distilled rums from Barbados’ Foursquare and Jamaica’s Hampden Estate. This 47% ABV, mixable white rum is known for its flavor profile that features notes of candied orange peels, vanilla beans, molasses, tree nuts, coconut, and gentle island spices.
Bottom line
Take our advice and stock up on one or more of the above white rums. If you don’t, but you still want to find a white rum to suit your mixing needs, don’t grab an expression from the bottom shelf. Sure, you’ll save some cash. But it will be harsh, likely lack much flavor and will potentially give you an epic hangover. You don’t need to spend a month’s rent to get a great bottle. There are myriad bargain bottles in the $20-40 range. Stock up on a few, and you’re sure to have a great summer.
