JLMoran Posted July 30, 2019 Report Share Posted July 30, 2019 OK, my local store has both of the above rums and either is considered "proper" for a Dark & Stormy (with Goslings being the traditional option). Both are $20 for a 750ml bottle, but I've only tasted Kraken once (quite good in a lava flow!) and Goslings never. For my rum-loving friends here on this forum (@bcarney, @twangster, et al), which of the two do you consider the better for general use? I only have room for one bottle of rum in my cabinet, so I have to make a potentially difficult decision. Keep in mind your answer will also drive my request when I go to the Schooner Bar or pool bar and ask them to make me a Dark & Stormy (assuming the ship has proper ginger beer and not just ginger ale). Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted July 30, 2019 Report Share Posted July 30, 2019 I stopped drinking rum a while ago until I tried Kraken. Kraken isn't like many other rums and now it's the only rum I'll drink. I haven't given Goslings a chance yet so I can't provide a fair comparison. JLMoran 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted July 30, 2019 Report Share Posted July 30, 2019 It's Kraken or nothing. Like @twangster , I don't enjoy most other rums. A lot of bartenders think the dark rums are all the same, but it's far from it. Get Kraken. JLMoran 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted July 30, 2019 Report Share Posted July 30, 2019 I'm just the opposite of Twangster. I have tried Goslings but never Kraken. I enjoyed Goslings. We took the tour in Bermuda. Which is easier to acquire ? I would buy whichever is more elusive while you have the opportunity. JLMoran, coneyraven and YOLO 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLMoran Posted July 30, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2019 1 hour ago, WAAAYTOOO said: Which is easier to acquire ? I would buy whichever is more elusive while you have the opportunity. My local store seems to have both in bountiful supply, and even in 1.5L bottles as well as the usual 750mL size. So it really will be a case of "whatever the majority prefers". The one that, just thinking about it, scares the living daylights out of me is the Goslings Black Seal 151 Proof that I saw the store carries in addition to the regular Black Seal and Gold Seal. I've had other 151 proof liquors back in the day, can't imagine the kick that Goslings variety must have! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcarney Posted July 30, 2019 Report Share Posted July 30, 2019 3 hours ago, JLMoran said: OK, my local store has both of the above rums and either is considered "proper" for a Dark & Stormy (with Goslings being the traditional option). Both are $20 for a 750ml bottle, but I've only tasted Kraken once (quite good in a lava flow!) and Goslings never. For my rum-loving friends here on this forum (@bcarney, @twangster, et al), which of the two do you consider the better for general use? I only have room for one bottle of rum in my cabinet, so I have to make a potentially difficult decision. How nerdy can I get? I'm a traditionalist, so it's Goslings for me (the standard bottle, not the 151). Goslings only has 11 grams/liter of added sugar, whereas Kracken has 43 gpl, if that is a concern for you. Goslings is also the more traditional 40 proof vs 47 for Kracken. "Groupthink" rates them about equally https://www.rumratings.com/brands/482-kraken-black-spiced https://www.rumratings.com/brands/420-gosling-s-black-seal Kracken uses a younger rum base as well, IIRC (hence the added sugar and caramel colorings), so personally I'd be sticking with Goslings. But all that said, keep in mind these are SPICED rums, not regular rums, so you might want to make room in your cabinet for a traditional rum like Appleton or Mt. Gay (both easily accessible) for recipes that require a non-spiced rum. Skid, YOLO and JLMoran 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLMoran Posted July 30, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2019 Thanks, @bcarney! That's good to know about the added sugar, it would be a bit of a... maybe not concern, but a bother... when I'll mainly be using it for Dark & Stormy that already has the sugar from the ginger beer in it. Regarding regular rums -- unless I started also making mojitos at some point, I'm not sure that I'll worry just yet about a second bottle of rum. But definitely will keep that in the back of my mind for future reference. So that's two votes for Kraken, two for Goslings so far... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellcee Posted July 30, 2019 Report Share Posted July 30, 2019 4 hours ago, JLMoran said: either is considered "proper" for a Dark & Stormy Disagree that Kraken is "proper". Goslings is the proper choice. Don't count my vote, though, I've never had Kraken, just arguing that it's not proper. YOLO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLMoran Posted July 30, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2019 Just now, ellcee said: Disagree that Kraken is "proper". Goslings is the proper choice. Don't count my vote, though, I've never had Kraken, just arguing that it's not proper. Yeah, "proper" is likely the wrong word. Strictly speaking, a Dark & Stormy should only be made with Goslings Black Seal and some kind of ginger beer, and I think it's even trademarked. Kraken Rum Co actually calls their version "Perfect Storm" rather than Dark and Stormy; I was just trying to simplify as I figured the two rums were more similar than different. YOLO and ellcee 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeWhoWaits Posted July 30, 2019 Report Share Posted July 30, 2019 Goslings is the only choice, unless you're looking to make a "froo-froo" version of the D&S. Might as well put an umbrella and a slice of citrus fruit in it if you use Kraken. YOLO, PRebecca and JLMoran 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YOLO Posted July 30, 2019 Report Share Posted July 30, 2019 Goslings Dark Rum & Goslings Ginger Beer - just like when in Bermuda! @WAAAYTOOO AGREED! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YOLO Posted July 30, 2019 Report Share Posted July 30, 2019 3 minutes ago, JLMoran said: Kraken Rum Co actually calls their version "Perfect Storm" rather than Dark and Stormy. Wow, now you've got me interested. I like the Perfect Storm name. I even read the book on my transatlantic cruise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YOLO Posted July 30, 2019 Report Share Posted July 30, 2019 Goslings: 5 Kraken: 2 Who's counting, but Goslings takes the lead... Joe - are you ready to chime in too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLMoran Posted July 30, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2019 32 minutes ago, YOLO said: Joe - are you ready to chime in too? I've never drunk rum in any real measure, beyond Captain Morgan's () back in college. But after two cruises and trying out mojitos and a dark and stormy and discovering that they're really tasty when made with good rum, I'd like to be able to make them while in dry dock. Problem is that I don't know good rum from bad; that's why I'm going to the folks who do! Skid, Fuzzywuzzy and YOLO 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristiZ Posted July 31, 2019 Report Share Posted July 31, 2019 DH is a rum snob. From *extensive* research on his part, he would say that the definition of good rum depends completely on what kind of drink you're going to put it in. His personal favorite, for drinking neat or with coke and lime, is Ron Zacapa 23. In a frozen drink, a spiced rum holds up better, and he likes Kraken or Bayou Spiced. In a mojito, a clear rum is best, like Flor de Cana 4 or Mount Gay Silver. I could go on... but that's already probably more than you wanted to know! Skid and JLMoran 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellcee Posted July 31, 2019 Report Share Posted July 31, 2019 @KristiZ I second Zacapa for sipping. I had it for the first time on Adventure a few years ago. So good. JLMoran and KristiZ 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firebuck Posted July 31, 2019 Report Share Posted July 31, 2019 I have to say that if your main goal is a Dark and Stormy, go with the Goslings. I feel like the flavor of Goslings pairs a little better with the taste of the ginger beer. Kraken has a bit of a stronger molasses flavor that seems to pair a bit better with sweeter drinks in my opinion. That said, I really love Vanilla coke and kraken, and of course the lava flows and other fruity drinks that you'll find on the ship pair perfectly with a float of kraken (or Myers for that matter). JLMoran 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcarney Posted July 31, 2019 Report Share Posted July 31, 2019 18 hours ago, KristiZ said: DH is a rum snob. From *extensive* research on his part, he would say that the definition of good rum depends completely on what kind of drink you're going to put it in. His personal favorite, for drinking neat or with coke and lime, is Ron Zacapa 23. In a frozen drink, a spiced rum holds up better, and he likes Kraken or Bayou Spiced. In a mojito, a clear rum is best, like Flor de Cana 4 or Mount Gay Silver. I could go on... but that's already probably more than you wanted to know! THANK YOU for not saying "Ron Zacapa 23 YEAR OLD". That phrase is like nails on a chalkboard to me, because it isn't. It's just marketing - it used have a teeny, tiny portion of a possibly 23 year old rum in it years ago, maybe a full molecule or two, but nowadays it does not. It's like "Pilar 24" rum - how can a 5 year old company have a 24 year old rum? It's not, it's just the number 24 slapped on the label. Everyone assumes "year old" when they see a number. Zacapa also has 45 g/liter of sugar added, and also glycerine to make it "smooth". I have no real preference for spiced rums, by the time you add it to a frozen drink you've covered up a lot of what makes rum, rum. I haven't seen Mt. Gay silver in a long time. I've toured the distillery (not the visitors center) twice, they make a proper, no stuff added (unless it was aged in a used barrel) rum. JLMoran and KristiZ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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