Dos Maya Rum

Dos Maya is a rum from Esplanda, and the label gives us little beyond that. The listing doesn't state an age, a country of origin, an ABV or a tasting profile. What follows is what to expect from a bottle in the rum category, plus practical serving guidance, not a measured profile of this specific rum. Check the bottle for the style. A clear or pale rum will usually be light-bodied, with sugarcane, vanilla and a little citrus or tropical fruit. A golden or amber rum tends to show caramel, toasted oak, baking spice and dried fruit. A dark rum is generally richer, with molasses, brown sugar, coffee and clove. If Dos Maya turns out to be a lighter, unaged style, it belongs in the mixing glass. If the label points to barrel aging, it may also be worth trying neat. Light and gold rums work best in the classics built on lime. For a Daiquiri, shake 2 oz rum, 1 oz fresh lime juice and about ¾ oz simple syrup hard with ice, then strain into a chilled coupe. A Mojito uses the same rum with muddled mint, lime, sugar and soda over crushed ice in a highball. Piña Colada also suits a light or gold rum: blend it with coconut cream and pineapple juice and serve in a hurricane glass or a tall tumbler. A darker or more aged bottle suits drinks where the rum has to carry the flavor. In a Dark 'n' Stormy, pour 2 oz over ginger beer and ice in a highball and add a lime wedge. The spicier the ginger beer, the better it balances the molasses notes. For a Rum Old Fashioned, stir 2 oz rum with a teaspoon of demerara syrup and two dashes of Angostura bitters over a large cube in a rocks glass, and finish with an orange peel. If you want to sip it, use a small tulip glass or a short tumbler at cool room temperature. One large ice cube is fine if you prefer it slightly diluted. Taste it neat first, because that shows quickly whether it belongs in cocktails or in a glass on its own.