I recall feeling a hint of discomfort when first encountering the promotional material for Ten to One Rum back in 2019. I thought the bottles looked sleek, appealing, but possibly a bit too polished. Seeing the product being advertised as just a “dark rum,” a term that has no specific or useful meaning in the U.S., triggered my skepticism. This often leads to misleading labelling. Knowing that the brand was created by a man who had once been Starbucks’ youngest VP did not reassure me of its quality or respect for tradition. I was immediately guarded.

But after tasting the products, I had to admit that my preconceptions were largely misplaced. Despite the marketing aiming to capture a larger slice of the potential customer base, there is absolutely nothing wrong with Ten to One’s formulations or its Trinidadian-born owner, Marc Farrell. They are serious about the rum blends they’re bottling, resulting in some of the best mid-range blends readily available in the U.S. market. Specifically, Ten to One White Rum swiftly hit my favourites list for use in daiquiris, where it performs exceptionally well. It’s difficult to find a better rum for a classic daiquiri.

Since 2019, Ten to One has been somewhat timid in terms of expanding the range, occasionally releasing limited runs in addition to its core White Rum and Dark Rum. That era has now ended with the release of an extra-aged blend, Five Origin Select. This is a permanent addition to the lineup, though it will be limited going forward. As expected, the price is higher – $65, compared with $45 for the Dark Rum and $33 for the White Rum.

This blend, as the name suggests, comes from five Caribbean rum countries–Trinidad, Barbados, Guyana, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. At the heart of the blend is an “11-15 year old Guyanese (demerara) rum distilled on the esteemed Port Mourant Double Wooden Pot Still,” which is evidently a product of Diamond Distillery, Guyana’s sole distiller. Ten to One doesn’t provide further details or age ranges for the rums from the other countries, but it’s probably safe to assume this is a mix of differently aged distillates with an overall age notably greater than that of the Ten to One Dark Rum, which is also a blend from four of the same countries, minus Guyana. The intention here seems to be to craft a rum blend for neat drinking, suggesting increased complexity. It’s presented at a slightly boosted 46% ABV (92 proof), a good strength for a flavour-centric sipper.

It’s time to taste this new Ten to One Five Origin Select blend.

The aroma of this rum is subtly complex yet robust. I can sense the notes of nutty cocoa nibs and sweet pear, paired with warm stone fruit like plum jelly, molasses cakes and a hint of fresh, grassy sugar cane. There are also undertones of dried fruit with a hint of caramelized sugar and a touch of vanilla bean, reminiscent of a creme brulee.

Upon tasting, I detected gingerbread at the forefront, combined with rich dark brown sugar and a hefty amount of allspice. The dried fruit makes its appearance once more, but this time bearing raisin and prune, balanced by the bright orange citrus and dulce de leche, with a side note of baked apple. This rum leaves a peppery lingering spiciness and aromatic oak on the finish. I can’t say that I am a connoisseur of Guyanese rum, but in comparison, it seems a tad lighter in distinctive Guyanese character than what I would have expected, though its unique spicy woodiness is most likely courtesy of the demerara spirit. As a whole, this rum is more balanced than it is leaning towards a specific region, and that’s something I really admire.

In the end, this is an impressive small blend from Ten to One, conveying its pan-Caribbean concept extremely well. It’s perfect for neat serving or for making classic cocktails, depending on your preference.

Distillery: Ten to One

Region: Caribbean

Style: Blended rum

ABV: 46% (92 proof)

Availability: 750 ml bottles, $65 MSRP

Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and resident beer and liquor geek. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.

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