(Photo: Graham Walker/Pexels)

Rum is an exceptionally nuanced and expressive spirit. If you know where to look, rum can even tempt a tequila lover’s taste buds with notes typically associated with agave spirits. There are many styles of rum but one form, in particular, catches the herbaceous vegetal notes that can be found in agave spirits. Rhum agricole or cane spirits are made from fresh cane juice, and because of that, they carry grassy and floral flavors that are reminiscent of some tequilas. These cane spirits can also be aged like any other spirit to give different characteristics from the wood like one might find with a reposado or añejo tequila. Here are the best rums for tequila drinkers:

For the Blanco Sipper: Renegade Cane Rum – Hope

Courtesy of Renegade Distillery.

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Hope is one of the releases from Renegade Rum that focuses on single-farm original distillates from Grenada. This terroir-driven rum has notes typical of a cane spirit with lots of vegetal qualities and earthiness. It is great on its own and is reminiscent of a lovely sipping tequila blanco.

For the Reposado Lovers: Avuá Cachaça Bálsamo

(Photo: Avuá Cachaça Bálsamo)

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Cachaça is a type of rum designated to Brazil and uses fresh sugarcane juice, similar to a rhum agricole. Avuá Cachaça is environmentally conscious and works to be a sustainable company. The Avuá Cachaça Bálsamo cane is single-sourced from Carmo, Rio de Janerio. It is aged for 1 year in Bálsamo wood casks, which is a native Brazilian tree. This wood provides unique flavors and is complemented by plant-like notes and straw similar to dried epazote. The combination of flavors would surely please someone who enjoys a nice tequila reposado.

For Añejo Aficionados: Rhum Barbancourt 5 Star Reserve 8 yr

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The Barbancourt 5 Star is produced in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Established in 1862, the distillery is one of the oldest on the island. This rum is also made from fresh cane juice and is aged 8 years in French Limousin oak. The rum is light-bodied with vanilla tones and is woody from the barrel. The additional age while still having an essence of the sugarcane gives similar qualities to a tequila añejo. 

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