I have an affinity for liquor with some real flavor. I expect the stuff I sip on the rocks to have enough complexity and body that mixers are not needed to enhance my enjoyment. With this in mind, I had high hopes for Myers’s Original Dark Rum.
Myer’s Rum is produced in Jamaica using a continuous pot still distillation method, a process that creates a full-bodied and more flavorful rum. This is the traditional method of rum production and the way Myers’s Rum has been produced since 1879. As a dark rum, a portion of the molasses used in the initial production is retained in the final product. This final product is aged in white oak barrels for 4 years. The end result is one of the darkest rums I have ever experienced and also one of the more unique.
I’ll admit, I was as giddy as a schoolgirl about trying this rum because of that entrancing dark color and the almost cult-like adoration of this rum. Before the BoozeBasher staff could gather, I couldn’t resist cracking open the bottle just to get a whiff of its contents. The initial sniff was a mix of strong smokey and tobacco aromas. A few more sniffs and I was detecting a sharp metallic odor, the first indication that Myers’s would not live up to my expectations.
When tasting it on the rocks, the initial flavor was actually pretty bland. When the flavor did show up, it was an amazing molasses buttery taste that warmed me up nicely. If Myers’s could reduce their rum to just that buttery flavor and bottle it, I would be stocking up by the case. Unfortunately, that wonderful taste was fleeting on the palate and quickly faded into a sharp, dry, metallic finish that was downright unpleasant.
I had originally though that Myers’s would make for a optimal mixer in tropical fruity drinks best enjoyed in a hammock on a sandy beach. We whipped up a cocktail consisting of fruit juices and rum that, unfortunately, looked like sewage water and honestly did not taste much better. Either I was wrong about my original idea, or we are failures at inventing tropical fruity drinks. After that debacle, we decided to go with the keep-it-simple-stupid method and tried again with some cola. Myers’s Rum is not bad when consumed in this fashion. It added an almost exotic flavor to the cola and the undesirable finish is cut to a resonable level. Sadly, the best asset of this rum, that buttery flavor, was annihilated in this mixture. I still think that Myers rum would be nicely complimented by some tropical and Caribbean flavors, possibly a Planter’s Punch, as it seems to be the most popular use of this rum.
The dissatisfaction with the rum continued when I got around to having a few drinks. I seem to be completely immune to the alcohol in this bottle of rum. The bottle claims 80-proof. I don’t want to call the producers of Myers’s Rum liars, but after a number of drinks, I was stone sober. I am not even the alcoholic on the BoozeBasher staff; Wade has that position on lock-down. The good news is that where there is no drunk, there is no hangover. I had a little cotton mouth the next day, but nothing a glass of water could not fix.
I was pretty disappointed by Myers’s Rum, possibly because my expectations were so high that I was guaranteeing myself a letdown. I think it could be spectacular in the right drink, and since I have not given up on it yet, let us know if you have any good recipes. If you are looking for something a little different, Myers’s Rum is only about $23 a bottle. I doubt it will get you drunk, but you might find that you are a fan of it’s unique flavor.
Sipability - 5.5
Mixability - 5.5
Drunkability - 3.0
Hangover-ability - 7.5
Bang for the Buck - 5.5
Overall - 5.5 
Comments
Too bad about the Myers. It doesn’t seem to be sold in my neck of the woods (never seen it anywhere in Canada really), but I doubt that it would replace Gosling’s anyhow. Give the Black Seal a chance, I think you’ll appreciate the rich flavors and classic Dark N Stormy cocktail (mixed with Ginger Beer).
At my Rum Project Forum (linked on my name above), my partner Sue Sea and I have reviewed over 60 great rums. There is much I agree with in this review. But remember that Myers’s is a classic that was never intended for mixing with coke or any fruity or pussy drink.
It was meant for Planter’s Punch or as a floater, for which it is highly regarded by many bartenders.
At our forum we did a dark rum smackdown comparing Myers with Cruzan Navy, Coruba and Gosling’s Black Seal. Of these the Cruzan and Coruba actually make interesting sippers that we like.
But not great, lol. Do stop by the Forum (our main Rum Project website is linked in any of the reviews and covers how to taste rum, tasting glasses, suggested starter collection, etc.).
I’m not a big fan of Myers for drinking, but my Grandmother has been using it for years to cook with and seems perfect in that realm.
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