Perhaps the best rum I have ever tasted. It was experienced first during my honeymoon to the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Cruzan Rum distillery is located in Estate Diamond, Frederiksted, St. Croix.
The word Cruzan means native to St. Croix. Our Cruzan guide Nikia was a gloriously cheerful lady. I can't imagine her with any other personality, working in a rum distillery on St. Croix. I told her she was fortunate to have such a situation, she said "I know."
I love the attitude in the Caribbean.
As we toured the distillery, the acrid smell of the molasses in the tanks was enough to make some others in the tour cough and gag. Nikia, who was used to it, went through the history of the plantation and distillery, from the Danish occupation in the 1600's to the present.
At the end of the tour there was a bar setup for the complimentary drink that was included in the $3.00 tour price. I did not get anything as I was not drinking at the time, but my wife got a Pina Colada which she insisted I try. I have to say this was, without the faintest shadow of a doubt, the best rum I have ever had. It didn't taste like the mass distilled swill you can buy in liquor stores here in the States.
Their selection includes:
Single Barrel Estate Rum: Aged 4 to 12 years, rated #1 rum in the world by Fredric Koeppel of The Commercial Appeal. Compared to a fine Cognac in style.
Estate Diamond Rum: Aged four to 12 years, named after the distillery in which it is produced.
Cruzan Light and Dark Rum: Aged 2 years, even the light rum is very flavorful.
Tropical Rums: Rums with fresh flavors added to then, they include Coconut, Pineapple, Banana, Orange, Citrus and Vanilla Rum. The Coconut Rum is excellent with cola, and the others are excellent for drinks, desserts and rum cakes.
Rum Cream: Bottled in Ireland, a blend of Cruzan Rum and Irish cream. Excellent straight or on the rocks as well as with coffee or dessert.
Clipper 120, Cruzan 151: High Proof Rum, Useful for tall island drinks, or getting real hammered real quick-like.
Anyway I bought some Cruzan Dark Rum, and will be able to enjoy it soon. (Why not now? That, my comrades is for my home node, not really worthy of its own.)
Source: www.cruzanrums.com
Special thanks to Nikia, our amazingly friendly and patient tour guide who put up with all sorts of questions that I am convinced she has heard a thousand times.
Below is pasted from my homenode because it was time to update it, but part of this w/u depends on it, so here is the slop.
So I decided to give up drinking for a year, just to make sure I can do it. Alcoholism is one of the few things that truly scares me. A person cannot control their abuse, and that is a downward spiral. From my last birthday to this upcoming birthday is the time period I chose. With the exception of sip sized sampling of a most excellent Pina Colada I had on St. Croix I have had no alcohol. Three more months will be one year. I was not a big drinker in the first place, I just wanted to make sure I can handle the responsibility associated with alcohol. So far, it has been exceptionally easy, feels like I have been cheating. A good sign I guess. Birthday coming up soon, no real plans to get hammered, I never really enjoyed being too drunk. Inebriated, of course, pissin'-on-myself-drunk? No thanks.
Three more months then "Happy Birthday from Planet Motherfucker."
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