Rum: Age matters

Attention, whiskey snobs, said Jonah Flicker in PasteMagazine.com. “It’s time to give rum a chance, especially the dark, aged, complex rums that should appeal to lovers of brown spirits.” Enjoy any of these neat or with an ice cube, and try the drier examples as a whiskey substitute in a Manhattan or Old Fashioned.

Don Papa No. 7 ($40). “An intense burst of butterscotch” falls the nose the moment you pop open this sweet dark seven-year rum from the Philippines.

Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva ($40). Aged in malt whiskey and bourbon barrels for up to 12 years, this Venezuelan rum is “wonderfully mild,” with a hint of honey and “just the right amount of sweetness.”

Flor de Caña Centenario 18 ($50). This Nicaraguan rum begs to be served neat. Aged 18 years in American oak, it has “notes of bana na, oak, and coconut.” ■