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Ten to One White Rum
About Ten to One White Rum
Ten to One White rum is produced by Ten to One, a company founded by Trinidadian entrepreneur Marc Farrell. Based in New York, the company is currently co-owned by Marc Farrell and celebrity music artist Ciara. As a brand, Ten to One aims to change how people think about rum in a way that celebrates Caribbean culture. The brand is often lauded for being a black-owned business, something that is rare in the rum industry.
This particular bottle of white rum is a blend of two different rums from Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, though the specific distilleries are not disclosed. The Jamaican rum is pot still, while the Dominican rum is column still, creating a nice balance in the flavors. This rum has no added sugar, coloring, or flavoring.
Bottle Specs
❖ ABV: 45%
❖ Distillery: Undisclosed
❖ Aging: None
❖ Price Point: High Price
Tasting Notes
Palate:
❖ Jasmine
❖ Honeysuckle
❖ White Pepper
❖ Lemongrass
My Tasting notes
I took my first real whiff of this rum, and it smelled vibrant and full of complex aromas. There is something peppery about the scent that felt prominent in my nose, with a vague, sweet fruitiness in the background. Overall, I found that the aroma was unique and interesting, in a way that made me excited to take my first sip.
When I finally took a sip, it was overwhelmingly strong. The white pepper notes were prominent, and my tongue could immediately sense the high ABV. The alcohol didn’t “burn” in the classic sense, but it felt like it was lighting up my whole mouth and tongue. My second sip felt much more mellow, though the pepper notes were still quite strong and spicy.
After a couple more sips, subtle lemongrass notes began to emerge. As I lifted up the glass to my mouth each time, the aromas wafted up to my nose very clearly, and I could begin to pick up complex sweet and savory qualities. By the end of my tasting, the rum smelled salty – almost like a freshly baked pretzel.
Cocktail
For my cocktail, I wanted to try a recipe from the official Ten to One website. There were quite a few fun cocktails to choose from, but I was especially intrigued by the Caribeño.
CARIBEÑO
❖ 1.5 oz white rum
❖ 0.25 lime juice
❖ 0.25 oz simple syrup
❖ 4 oz coconut water
❖ garnish: lime
- Add the ingredients to a shaker with ice, and shake until chilled.
- Strain the mixture into a cocktail glass filled with ice.
- Garnish if desired.
I found this cocktail to be very delicious and well balanced. Inside of a cocktail, the complexity of this white rum tasted so interesting and beautiful. The mixers really helped to bring out the floral notes in the rum – particularly the honeysuckle. There was also an underlying sweetness that married all the flavors together – floral, tart, spicy, and verdant.
Bottom Line
RATING: 5/5
Overall, it’s hard to contain my excitement about this Ten to One White Rum. Going into my tasting, I was a bit nervous that it would fall short of my high expectations. I needn’t have worried! I will absolutely be recommending this rum to all my friends.
For a white rum, Ten to One is on the more expensive side. That said, I personally think the quality is worth it if you’re in the mood to splurge. As I mentioned above, the flavors are delicious, complex, and interesting. Though I personally prefer this rum in cocktails due to the high ABV, I think folks who prefer straight spirits will really enjoy it on the rocks.
I also really appreciate the fact that Ten to One is a black-owned company. This was incredibly exciting to find, especially considering the rum industry’s history of exploitation. I love how Ten to One aims to celebrate Caribbean culture, and I’m excited to support them. I look forward to trying the other styles of rum that they offer as well.
As always, drink responsibly.
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I’m an owner of a wine and liquor store, and just tried this rum. It’s very unique and complex. I love it, I just ordered 3 cases for the store.