Don't like to see ratings when mixing rum with cola or something else

But if a rum is for mixing it is not fair to rate it when you drink it pure. The question is, do i have to rate Mixing Rums at all. Maybe they need there own place. I think it is ok to try a rum in different ways and add some notes like "works better in Coke, or with some ice" but it should not change the rating. As you said sipping rums should always get a rating while beeing drunk pure. 

My opinion is that all rum should be rated/reviewed tasted neat.

But a comment about about how it works mixed is of course very OK.

I have really disliked a few rums aged between 5-10 years, and might not have even finished the bottle if only tasting neat. Then after a little cola (I like Pepsi Max personally), the mix tastes incredible. Should this rum then not get a little extra credit for it's ability to mix with cola?

BTW RR used to include an option to indicate how the tasting was done (eg straight, on ice, mixed), but I didn't know what to do with that extra data so I hid the field. May be worth reviving it someday...

No I think it should not get a little extra Credit because it would change the overall score even it is not drinkable without Coke. Tasting good in Coke is not something a rum should be proud of. Most high class rums taste better in Coke than cheap ones.  For example I had a 20y old Mount Gay in Coke. It was so good. Should they all get extra Credits now? And for me a spicy Rum tasts better in Coke than a fruity Rum. So do i give all spicy rums extra Credit for beeing spicy and therefore tasting better with Coke for me personally? I think Rum should only be judged neat. But appart from that i love some good rum & Coke. For me cuban rum is best for that. 

This is the disadvantage if there is only one text field for the evaluation. Otherwise you could, for example, tick "good for mixing" or "tastes better on ice" or something like that. Or you write something like "ad one point if you drink it in coke" 😅 

It's a fair point that really old rum probably tastes great with cola as well. The challenge with any kind of tick box is taken to the extreme some users who really don't like a 20+ year might then say 'good for mixing' which would defeat the purpose. 

I guess the nice thing about the site is everyone uses a slightly different method of rating. A ratings sort for 'friends' was recently launched, so hopefully that pushes people to friend more users with similar rating methods and tastes and focus on those ratings. Stream also has a 'Friends' sort - so in theory someone could navigate the site to basically only see friend ratings and exclude those dastardly cola raters...

I have always rated my rums neat and have done side-by-side neat comparisons to separate a few rums in question. If a rum is a great neat sipper or works well OTR, then why waste it with cola?  I always have mentioned such details in my reviews. So the solution is simple: read the entire review!!! For those who only rate in simple smart phone sentences, I simply ignore those, but I respect their rating.

Cola is to rum as the Margarita is to tequila. Those drinks were created to hide the taste of bad spirits. Only one with money to burn would use a super premium tequila in their margaritas. The same goes for the rum and cola crowd. Why waste a $100 or more per bottle by disguising it with cola? Notice that I do not use the term Coke, because I prefer Pepsi.

I also have my own classification called Gold Mixers. None of them are recommended for repeat purchases.

I have one very unique "mixer rum" that is always on hand. It is Cana Fuerte 7-Year from Nicaragua.. It is made from cane juice instead of molasses. It mixes well with anything and it costs less than $20 US per bottle. It can also be enjoyed OTR, but never neat. It is not a Gold Mixer. Because of the sugar cane juice as the base, I cannot call it aged. So I have it classified as an Agricole, despite it having no similarities to true agricoles from the French West Indies. This one is truly in a class by itself. However, it's older brother aged 16 years is indeed a neat sipper. It's younger brother aged 4 years is not even worth buying.

I always have a bottle of Plantation 5-Year on hand for a good rum and cola is someone should want one - it's a little pricier than $20 but mixes really well with cola.

Kind of a grey area as what someone may consider a mixer others can absolutely consider a sipper. I am not sure how someone though can accurately rate a rum based solely on tasting as a mixer and not neat or on the rocks. 

usually light rum is made for mixing, even special ones (veritas/probita) are light and they are not for sipping but for mixing

another category is rum liquor that have 10% or more of sugar, you can sip it with some ice ... but they can also go in some cocktails ...

i see a lot of light rums and rum liquors in this site, so when i write a review i can give high rating but  never forget what for these products are designed ... of course an aged rum is for sipping and very different thing !

Everyone says light rums are for mixing, and maybe that's true to a degree (and might even be stated but he maker). But I think a lot of them are intended for drinking straight, and certainly can be. Like tequila, a lot of folks think blancos are just for mixing  they're missing out.

I agree with what Stefan said, "

My opinion is that all rum should be rated/reviewed tasted neat.

But a comment about about how it works mixed is of course very OK."

But if one wants to simply mix and rate, that's fine by me - it's still good info and I'm not one to just go off of number ratings - I like to associate the comments, and I'll discount numerical rating that lack commentary, it's somewhat meaningless in my book.

Each to their own!

I sip them all initially and then mix them all...typically with tonic water but often with Coke or ginger ale. Doesn't matter if they're Goslings or Plantation XO (which I absolutely love with tonic and lime).

Sue me. I bought it. I'll drink it however I want.

I found a bottle on the clearance shelf of my local supermarket of Cherry Dr. Pepper dessert topper syrup.

I occasionally use it as a sugar/simple syrup replacement when I can't decide if I want an Old Fashion or Rum and Coke.

Not really something to talk up, but something weird I do occasionally.

But, yeah, before I review anything, I'll taste a sip straight.  While I know people talk up Havanna Club, I have found other rums that are a bit better after being open for a little while.

When enjoying a new rum O will fist savor it neat. But to complete my rating I will again savor it mixed.

I feel it is unfair to rate it completely unbalanced to rate it exclusively one way or the other.

I mean, each to their own - do what you want with your rum. Rate it all neat, rate it all as a mixer, rate it all as whatever you want ot rate it - you can always put conditions on it and menton that your rating is exclusively based on this, that, or the other thing.

I try everythign neat to fully try and understand its character and how it might work as a *mixer* or in specific cocktails IF there is no intention (by me) to regularly sip it neat.

There are actually some good lightly aged, or unaged rums that I find quite good as sippers too. Sippin' ain't just for older expressions, not in my opinion anyway. More likley, yes, but not exclusively.

DB light rum usually done by column distillation in high quantity (like vodka) and it s really just for mixing, except if it s made in small batches (pot still distillation) or aged and than filtered, than it will be good neat, so when you find some rare (an expensive) light rum bottles, yes probably they re good neat, but of course more expensive because made in small series and pot still or pot still/column distilled ...

Yes, Bar - totally agree!

If anyone is rating rum mixed with anything but 1 cube of ice they're going to hang from the yardarm. Arrrgh! 🏴‍☠️

I always taste my rum straight when I first get one so I know what I'm working with, but I never drink my rum stright. It's always in cocktails. Why would I ever rate it on drinking it neat?