Our guide to buying rum for Christmas
Rum, with its vast range of flavours, stories, styles, and origins, is a treasure trove of choices for any season. It’s not just a summer drink. At this time of year its warming, aromatically spiced, and rich characteristics are fantastically festive, and who doesn't love a good Christmas cocktail?
It’s the perfect present… but only if you know what you’re looking for. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you navigate the world of rum this Christmas.
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Find the right gift
Our Gift Finder and Rum Gift Sets pages do the hard work so you don’t have to. From rum with branded glasses to packaging so good you won’t want to wrap it (an actual treasure chest, anyone?), these products come ready-made to gift.
Taste and discover
What’s better than one rum? Five rums. Taste the world of rum from your living room with a curated rum Tasting Set. Giving you more for less, these collections feature a handful different expressions from across the globe, housed in one neatly presented package. To get really personal, why not build your own tasting set?
Fab and festive editions
Christmas often sees the release of limited edition and rare rums for those who really want to splash out. You can also enjoy a rum with a festive infusion, like Project #173 Christmas Pudding Rum to really ramp up the seasonal cheer.
Advent adventures
Nobody is upset to see a bottle of rum under the Christmas tree, but you could give them the gift of the most festive of seasons instead. An advent calendar filled with 24 miniature rums to enjoy each day of December in the build up to the big day is the kind of present you will score huge brownie points for. Christmas isn’t just 24 hours, folks. The saying isn’t ‘tis the day, after all, it’s ‘tis the season. Make this one the best yet.
Find their flavour
Rum has a huge spectrum of flavour. So get them a bottle that reflects their taste. Maybe they love their spice so you want to get them something chilli-infused, or perhaps they’re also a whisky lover and would appreciate an elegant, refined rum. Whatever their preference, we’ve got you covered.
Hot off the press
If you want to get something hot and new then we’ve got just the thing for you, our new arrivals section, filled with all the latest and greatest rums.
Spirits with a story
Over on our blog we’re always telling the tales behind the drinks, so if you want to give the gift of a wider experience than have a good read and pick a rum that has a story behind it.
Buy a bargain
Times are hard and we know some of you will be counting the pennies this Christmas, but there are deals galore here in our Clearance Range.
Gift vouchers
If you’re seriously stuck or need something super and quick convenient then our gift vouchers are ideal. Master of Malt gift vouchers never expire and will earn you 5% interest per year. You can also choose between a physical or electronic gift voucher. How many gift vouchers can boast all that?!
Do your research and know your rum
We have a number of resources available to help you make the right selection. Our rum guides will help you understand the spirit in no time, while our blog is full of stories on rum brands and breakdowns of their production methods. Every product on our site also has bottling notes and tasting notes for so you can understand exactly what you’re buying.
Let’s cover a few basics here. If you’re going to gift someone a bottle of rum, you need to make sure you’re getting the right style. There’s two main considerations:
- Where it’s from
- How it’s made
The former matter because, much like whisky and wine, the region where the rum is produced can heavily influence its flavour profile. One Caribbean rum is not the same as another. Jamaican rums are renowned for being full-bodied and funky, while rums from Barbados are regarded for their elegant sweet qualities. Within every country there’s great variation among producers too, and there’s so many places rum is being made now, from Venezuala to the Phillipines, the USA, and even Scotland.
How the rum is made will also have a huge impact on the rum. That means what is is made from? Agricole rums are bold and almost vegetal in style because they’re made from sugarcane juice, whereas most rums you will have tasted are rich and sweet as they’re molasses based. Is it aged, or simply coloured? Is it spiced or flavoured in anyway? We tend to break rum down into colour categories:
White rum: from bright and easy-drinking cocktail favourites to the bold and distinctive rhum agricole.
Gold rum: often aged in wooden barrels, but still boasting a light, elegant sweetness.
Dark rum: typically aged and with a naval connection, dark rum is often rich, spicy, and full of chocolate and caramel.
Spiced rum: spirit infused with spices and vanilla as well as other flavourings, spiced rum is most people’s first rum.
You need to take time to research to ensure that you make an informed choice when getting the right gift, especially if purchasing for a rum connoisseur.
More Christmas guides
Buy the right rum or gin too with our top tips to finding the perfect present in our Christmas guides!
