No compromises: The best rums from 2021
What were the most popular releases of 2021? We have made an analysis and collected the best rated new releases for you.
Rum Artesanal’s unparalleled rise in 2020 and 2021 could hardly go unnoticed. An entire series of outstanding releases catapulted the bottler from Northern Germany into hearts, minds and glasses of the rum community - and last not least into our rums of the year list: 4 out of the 10 top rated rums by our RumX community in 2021 come from Rum Artesanal. Wow!
The top runner was Rum Artesanal’s 2021 release of an 1986 Rockley which was often stated to be one of if not the best Rockley bottling ever. The average rating by our RumX community of 93,17 points puts this bottle among the highest rated bottles of all time - making it a true milestone and benchmark rum. Also the second place goes to Rum Artesanal for another rum bottling from the 80s: The Hampden 1989 received an average rating of 92,71 points and thus scored only slightly lower than the Rockley.
The third rank is taken by another release from this distillery - Nobilis, our silver medal winner in the bottler of the year 2021 list, pulled a real coup with their 1993 Hampden and scored 92,25 points from the RumX community.
But also the remaining slots are taken by absolutely remarkable rums - up to slot 6, the average RumX rating is still above 90 points. Kudos to all bottlers behind these marvelous releases!
RX7784
Top review from Johannes
"Benchmark Rockley! ❤️A liquid dream!Compared to the SS, Nobilis and Plantation, it has both the best nose and the best palate. Very nice roundness, alcohol top integrated, some smoke, but overall a honey monster!"
RX7786
Top review from Oliver
"World class Hampden essence!"
RX7933
Top review from SaibotZtar
"Really good Hampden! For me, the Nobilis 1993 still has the best nose I could try so far (olfactory the Essens Hampden, I can sniff it for hours) ...Taste he still does not need to hide ... definitely a highlight!"
RX9659
Top review from Jakob
"Offers everything you would expect - and in top form. Tropical fruit, sweetness of pastry and burnt sugar, plus wood and spice notes. In the mouth and in the finish, the fruit notes seem a bit heavier, which is a bit detrimental to the freshness. But this grumbling at the highest level can not change the fact that this is an excellent bottling."
RX7790
Top review from Zucker und Zeste
"Friends of the cultivated pencil should feel right at home here. If you like that, this is probably your highlight of the year."
RX9145
Top review from Joachim Guger
"Wunderschön gediegene Nase, Politur und Holzreife en Masse. Mit etwas Wasser flüssige Fishermans Friends. Nicht sehr dreckig. Im Mund ölig und dicht. Eine Chemiefabrik mit Karamell. Würzig und komplex. Im Abgang dann Holz und Karamell. Ein toller Caroni. Teer und die verbrannten Noten jedoch sehr zurückhaltend. Mehr davon bitte…"
RX9537
Top review from Zucker und Zeste
"Overall, we like this rum very much. The nose smells dark chocolate, dried fruit and tobacco. In the mouth very complex, spicy, but also quite woody. It is also extremely soft and elegant with a slight bitter note. It has an incredibly long finish with flavors of prunes, spices and lots of licorice. Really great. But 320 euros? Phew. Cheaper you will get such a rum soon but no more."
RX7789
Top review from Jakob
"REV trifft auf Kräutertee…das Marque bleibt erkennbar, aber eher aussergewöhnliche grüne Noten treten in den Vordergrund. Trockene Pflaume, Holz und Würze geben ein Stelldichein mit Kräutern, Tee und leichten Tabakanklängen. Sehr spannendes Profil, aber aufgrund der grünen Noten in meiner subjektiven Wertung nicht ganz vorne im 1994er REV-Umfeld."
RX9405
Top review from Jakob
"Very round, sweet melange of spices and fresh wood. For me, a bit too straightforward and pleasing in profile to strike out even higher in the rating. But that is criticism at the highest level, since the top league from Guyana simply has even more complexity, finesse and aromatics to offer. Nevertheless, a high-class representative of the current Demerara squad."
RX10260
Rumclub Private Selection Ed. 18 Treasure Cask Jamaica...
Top review from Christoph
"Give. Me. Ester. This is what a Hampden must taste like. Compared to the Nobilis 1992 HLCF a bit rounder and better integrated alcohol (almost perfect)."