The Drunk Pirate

Had wine not been the drink of choice 2,000 or so years ago, Jesus would have probably turned every drop of water on earth into Pyrat Rum XO Reserve. Each bottle of this aromatic and easy drinking rum is hand filled and labeled with a hand written serial number at the factory on the island of Anguilla. Pyrat Rum XO is actually a blend of 9 different rums that are blended and then aged to marry the flavors. The squatty corked bottle is reminiscent of the type of bottle used by the rum runners and pirates who roamed the Caribbean in the 1800’s.

I used to drink this stuff by the gallons during my year-long walkabout in the Caribbean. You could get it anywhere, and like most rum in the Caribbean it was cheap. This was not the case when I returned home to sunny Florida some 8 years ago. No one had even heard of my beloved Pyrat Rum. Finally, about a year or so ago, the Patron company decided I had been punished enough and began stocking the shelves of my local ABC Liquor store with Pyrat Rum.

To see if this rum was all that I remember, I bought a bottle and called Nathan and his girlfriend Rachel to come help Laura and I kill the bottle. I thought the taste was perfection. This is one of the few rums I could drink on the rocks. Nathan was of the same opinion and said it was surprisingly, “not bad.” However, our women gave the chilled shots a less than spectacular review. Laura claimed straight Pyrat was only good for clearing her sinuses while Rachel said it had the aftertaste of a pine tree.

Now that I think about it….how does Rachel know what a pine tree tastes like?

Although we had our differences when it came to straight up Pyrat, we all agreed that it definitely had mixing potential. We decided to go with one of the most popular drinks in any Florida night club or bar, the Cuba Libre (a.k.a. rum and Coke). Mixed with Coke this rum has a clean and almost vanilla flavor and everyone agreed that it didn’t have the usual aftertaste you get with normal rum.

The final test for this rum would come the next morning. Just how bad would the hangover be? After drinking the entire bottle in one night Nathan and I reported the same results. No headache. No sick stomach. No hangover. Perfection.

A 750ml bottle of this stuff will set you back about $35 at any store, but I’ve found it a few places online for about $26. Whether you pay $26 or $35, trust me when I tell you this rum is worth every penny.The Patron company has a whole list of drink recipes for Pyrat Rum on their website that I’m sure will keep you busy for a night or two.

Here’s one of my favorites:

Pyrat Punch

Ingredients:
2 oz Pyrat XO Reserve
2 oz Soda water
Juice of 1/2 Lime
Dash bitters
Splash of Pineapple Juice (optional)
Splash of Grapefruit Juice (optional)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Fresh Cherries

Directions:
Method:
Combine rum, limejuice, and bitters in a shaker of ice. Shake gently.
Pour into margarita glass. Garnish with nutmeg and fresh cherries.
Optional juices are pineapple and grapefruit.