Rums for Eggnog
At this time of year, eggnog abounds. Whether it’s of the homemade variety – and is there a better version than Uncle Angelo’s Eggnog by Dale DeGroff? I think not! – or any of the myriad of brands you can buy in your local supermarket or convenience store, the chances are high that someone will offer you a ‘nog well before Christmas, or you’ll make one or three for yourself.
But while the eggnog itself can be the subject of much debate, from the ‘supermarket eggnog is swill’ cabal to arguments over the finest recipe for homemade, seldom is significant thought given to the rum we add to the creamy, sweet liquid. To address that at least in part, I decided to engage in a little eggnog sampling to decide which rums worked best, and more importantly, why and how.
My methodology was fairly simple. As much as I stand in respect and awe of the Uncle Angelo’s recipe, I decided that most people won’t have the time to make their own, and so chose the Beatrice supermarket brand, for no other reason than it was readily available. I then eliminated from contention any white rums, as they lack the body to balance the weight and sweetness of the supermarket stuff, and also ruled out anything overly expensive, figuring that 12 or 20 year old rum would be wasted in the drink.
To keep the project from getting out of hand – there are a LOT of rums out there! – I chose five widely available rums from the Caribbean and Central and South America, all available for around $40 or less. Having tasted all five previously, I knew that I was going to have a mix of lighter and heavier spirits, each with widely varying degrees of fruitiness and spice.
The rums, their prices, and their general characteristics are:
El Dorado 5 Year Old; $32 - $35; Brown sugary on the nose, this is drier on the palate than the aroma would have you expect, with baking spice notes and a drying, Christmas cake finish.
Flor de Caña 7 Year Gran Reserva; $35 - $39; The driest rum in the tasting, this has a spicy aroma accented by whiffs of oak and a firm body with allspice and dried fruit notes.
Mount Gay Eclipse; $33 - $40; Soft and floral on the nose, approaching the character of an aged rhum agricole, it is quite delicate on the palate, although with a highly flavourful finish.
Appleton Estate 8 Year Old Reserve; $37 - $42; Rich, round, and bold, the raisin, molasses, and oak aroma leaps from the glass, followed by a complex mix of dried fruit and spice on the palate.
Havana Club 7 Year Old; $37 - $42; Molasses and oak dominate the aroma of this full-bodied Cuban, with more of the same on the palate alongside dry spice and dark, dried fruit.
The next decision I had to make was the ratio of rum to eggnog. I tried, and immediately rejected, four parts ‘nog to one of rum, because even the biggest of the rums got lost in the sweetness. Three-to-one was better, but still didn’t allow the rum to shine, so I ultimately opted for two parts eggnog to one part rum, while still allowing for the fact that most people are probably going to add a greater amount of eggnog – and some much less!
Having my rums and my ratios set, I turned to tasting.
As the most gentle and nuanced of the rums, I half expected the Mount Gay to vanish beneath the eggnog’s sweet onslaught, but it surprised me by asserting itself nicely, actually drying the sweetness of the ‘nog a bit and blending quite marvellously with a satisfying hit of rum flavour on the finish. I followed it with the El Dorado, which I feel has a spicy, almost eggnoggy sweetness already, and so I was delighted but not at all shocked when spirit and creamy drink mixed and intertwined in a quite delicious fashion, ending in a lovely mix of spice and molasses.
The outlier in the tasting was the Flor de Caña, which while adding a spicy complexity to the drink, had the least overall impact on the flavour and finish. Mixed at a higher ratio than 2:1, the Flor struggles to assert itself, but at closer to a 1:1 mix it starts to shine, with full rum and spice flavours balancing quite nicely the sugar and spice of the ‘nog.
The two biggest rums, the Appleton and the Havana Club, I concluded should be reserved for those who either enjoy drinking rum straight and so don’t mind a lot of rum character in their eggnog – such as myself – or might be more inclined to mix at 3:1 or, perish the thought, 4:1 eggnog to rum. Personally, I loved the way the Appleton slightly eclipsed the flavour of the eggnog, adding rich spice and fruit and a bit of pleasing booziness to the drink. The Havana Club performed in a similar fashion, with less fruit and more caramel, finishing a bit more sweetly.
So, conclusions:
Dedicated drinkers of aged Caribbean rums, and here I mean those of you who mix their drinks strong, or don’t use mixer at all, will be more than happy with the Appleton Estate 8 Year Old Reserve or the Havana Club 7 Year Old, either of which will give you a decidedly rum-forward drink. As noted, I slightly preferred the Appleton, but it was a close contest in the end and I wouldn’t say ‘no’ to either.
For pure balance and complexity, I’d recommend either the El Dorado 5 Year Old or the Mount Gay Eclipse, with the former providing a sweeter, more caramelly blend and the latter offering a more rum-accented finish. And if you prefer your rum with a bit of eggnog, rather than vice versa, the Flor de Caña 7 Year Gran Reserva is definitely the rum for you.
Ultimately, forced to rank my drinks, and bearing in mind that this is purely for eggnogs mixed with rum at the ratio of 2:1, I chose as my winner the Appleton Estate for flavour and assertiveness, followed closely by the El Dorado and Mount Gay for balance and complexity, the Havana Club for boldness with a bit of simplicity, and the Flor de Caña trailing the pack simply due to its timidity at this ratio.