The Five Bottle Challenge started on Reddit as a Whiskey/Bourbon challenge, but since Rum is a much more diverse spirit it makes it much more difficult to select just five bottles.
The concept is that you can only have five bottles in your collection at any time, with each bottle designated for a certain purpose.
- Daily drinker (your “go to” for enjoying rum)
- Impress your guests (fancy but not too fancy)
- Cheap mixer
- Something great (a once or twice a week dram)
- Special occasion (or milestone bottle)
Panelists:
- Kevin Crossman (Fremont, CA)
- Jason Craig (Tacoma WA)
- Alex Fritch (San Jose, CA)
- Cory Schoolland (Brookings, OR)
- Jay Cocorullo (Windermere, FL)
Watch the Video
Summary of Picks
Daily Drinker
- Kevin: Appleton 12
- Jason: Appleton 12
- Alex: Doorly’s 12
- Cory: Cadenhead’s Classic
- Jay: Worthy Park Single Estate Reserve
Impress Your Guests
- Kevin: Probitas
- Jason: Siesta Key Coconut Rum
- Alex: English Harbour Single Barrel
- Cory: Don Q Gran Anejo
- Jay: Havana Club Seleccion de Maestros
Cheap Mixer
- Kevin: Wray & Nephew Overproof
- Jason: Appleton Signature
- Alex: Plantation 3 Star
- Cory: Golden Devil Navy Style
- Jay: Hamilton Florida Rum Society
Something Great
- Kevin: Saint Benevolence Rum Clairin
- Jason: Doctor Bird Jamaica Rum
- Alex: Smith & Cross
- Cory: Privateer Distiller’s Drawer #38 Bottled-In-Bond
- Jay: Privateer Letter of Marque Rumdemic
Special Occasion
- Kevin: Foursquare 2004
- Jason: Havana Club Anejo Reserva
- Alex: Black Tot 50th Anniversary
- Cory: Golden Devil Guadeloupe Bellevue 19 Year Old
- Jay: Appleton Joy
Country of Origin
- Jamaica: 8
- Multi-country Blend: 6
- USA: 3
- Barbados: 2
- Cuba: 2
- Antigua: 1
- Guadeloupe: 1
- Haiti: 1
- Puerto Rico: 1
Additional 5 Bottle Rum Challenge Videos
3 Bottle Rum Challenge
From late 2023 comes this entertaining video from the Make & Drink channel: 3 Bottle Rum Challenge.