I still remember the vague discomfort I felt when I first noticed the marketing of Ten to One Rum in 2019. My first impression was that the bottles were quite clean, impressive and attractive...but maybe a bit too thin. I raised my eyebrows when I saw the company was selling something it simply called "dark rum", a heavy term in the US that has no specific or meaningful definition, which unfortunately can lead to misleading labeling. The brand, which goes back to the man who was "the youngest vice president of Starbucks ever," also rarely relies on tradition and quality. My defenses immediately strengthened.
And then I tried the product and was more or less wrong. The marketing may be aimed at a more central group of potential customers, but there's nothing wrong with the sound of Ten to One or their Trinidad-born owner Mark Farrell. These guys take their bottled rum blends seriously and make some of the best mid-priced blends regularly available on the US market today. Ten to One White Rum in particular has quickly become one of my favorite rum daiquiris of all time, a role in which it excels. There really is nothing better than this rum for a classic daiquiri.
However, in terms of expanding the product line, Ten to One has been rather quiet since 2019 and, in addition to the flagship products White Rum and Dark Rum, only occasionally brings special editions to the market. This era ended with the introduction of the new Five Origin Select Supercharged blend. This is a permanent addition to the line, but will be available in limited quantities throughout the year. The expected suggested retail price is $65, compared to $45 for dark rum and $33 for white rum.
As the name suggests, it is a blend of five Caribbean rum markets: Trinidad, Barbados, Guyana, Dominican Republic and Jamaica. The company promotes rum lovers as the pinnacle of its blend: "Guyanese (Demerara) rum aged 11 to 15 years, distilled in the famous double wood stove of Port Murant," clearly the product of the only Guyanese distillery, the Diamond Distillery. Unfortunately, Ten Two One does not offer more detail or an average age range than other ports, but it is safe to assume that it is likely a blend of younger and older distillates with a significantly higher average age. Ten. A dark rum that is a blend of four varieties of the same port, with the exception of Guyana. It is clearly about creating a pure rum blend, which brings with it great complexity. It's bottled at a modest 46% ABV (92 proof), which is an excellent level to stimulate the palate.
So let's try this new ten to one five selection mix.
The aroma of this rum skillfully balances between fine structure and rich taste. I get nutty cacao nibs and pears with dark stone fruit (like plum jelly), molasses and a fresh herb cane glaze. There are also dried fruit elements and slowly caramelized powdered sugar (with a hint of vanilla), reminiscent of crème brûlée.
As for flavor, I use lots of ginger, dark brown sugar, and lots of pepper. The dried fruit here is again quite strong with bright orange citrus and baked apple with raisins and plums. A hint of spice and some aromatic oak is noticeable. I can't claim to be an expert on the specific character of Guyanese rum, but I find it lighter than I would expect from the Guyanese character, although I attribute its distinctive spicy-woody note to the Demerara spirit . Overall, the experience is more balanced than overly favoring one area, and it's easy to appreciate.
Overall, it's a really nice little ten-to-one mix that captures the pan-Caribbean concept very well. Depending on your mood, it can be enjoyed neat or in a classic cocktail.
Brewing, ten to one
Region: Caribbean
Style: Blended Rum
ABV: 46% (92 ABV)
Availability: 750ml bottle, RRP $65.00.
Jim Worrell is a stick contributor and a regular beer and spirits contributor. For more drinking tips you can follow him on Twitter.