The 7 Best Substitutes For Bacardi 151

What can I use instead of Bacardi 151? The best substitute for Bacardi 151 is dark overproof rum like Plantation OFTD, Smith & Cross, Pusser’s, Gosling’s Black Seal, Hamilton, Don Q, or white Wray & Nephew rum.

Bacardi 151 is a Spanish-style, dark, overproof rum from Hamilton, Bermuda. It is 75.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) or 151 proof, highly combustible, and famous for flaming cocktails and garnishes. Used primarily as the core of Tiki cocktails, this bold, spicy rum was discontinued in 2016, likely as a fire hazard. Here are the seven best substitutes for Bacardi 151.

The Best Bacardi 151 Substitutes

Plantation Overproof OFTD Rum

The best substitute for Bacardi 151 is Plantation Overproof OFTD Rum.

Styled OFTD (Old Fashioned Traditional Dark), this Caribbean rum is a blend of Guyanan, Jamaican, and Barbadian rums.

With a gorgeous mahogany color, Plantation Overproof clocks in at 138 proof, packing a massive punch.

It has a rich, smoky flavor profile with hints of brown sugar, citrus, tropical fruit, and coffee, making it an ideal flavor match for Bacardi 151.

Use Plantation Overproof OFTD Rum instead of Bacardi 151 as the firepower in top-drawer Tiki and tropical cocktails like the Swizzle or Hot Buttered Rum. Like Bacardi 151, it’s not suitable as a sipping beverage.

Replace Bacardi 151 in a 1:1 ratio.

Smith & Cross Traditional Pot Still Navy Strength Jamaican Rum

Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaican Rum is an excellent replacement for Bacardi 151.

Smith & Cross is probably a favorite if you enjoy funky hogo-style rum. This golden rum uses wild yeast in the fermentation process to add character.

Two styles of pot-stilled Pummer and Wedderburn rum are blended and aged in oak, producing a typical nineteenth-century Jamaican rum.

Alcohol-wise, the rum comes in at 114 proof; hence its navy-strength moniker: if the rum were spilled on gunpowder, the dampness would not prevent the powder from igniting.

Smith & Cross’s flavor is rich and complex, with banana, molasses, and spice undertones.

Enjoy this highly aromatic rum as a substitute for Bacardi 151 in Planter’s Punch or a Bahamas Daquiri. Don’t drink it as a snifter rum unless you’re a passionate fan of high hogo.

Use equal volumes of Smith & Cross as you would Bacardi 151.

Pusser’s Gunpowder Proof British Navy Rum

Another overproof substitute for Bacardi 151 is Pusser’s Navy Rum.

The “pusser” on a naval vessel is the purser, the officer responsible for rum storage and tot distribution.

The rum tradition only fell away in 1970 in the British navy. This dark, coppery rum stands firmly in naval tradition and is made according to British admiralty specifications.

Blended in the British Virgin Islands from five types of rum from Guyana and Trinidad, Pusser’s Navy Rum has a full-bodied flavor.

You’ll first taste molasses, then delicious spicy undertones of ginger, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Pusser’s Navy Rum is suitable for all navy rum cocktails, including grog beverages, which traditionally include lime to prevent sailors from getting scurvy.

It’s excellent as a Bacardi 151 substitute in Tiki punch or as a floater (floating layer of alcohol) in, for example, spiced rum or a Piña Colada.

Substitute equal measures of Pusser’s for Bacardi 151.

Goslings Black Seal 151

This heavy, dark rum makes a delicious replacement for Bacardi 151.

Goslings Black Seal rum is still produced from a 150-year-old family recipe at the distillery in Bermuda.

One of the nation’s most significant exports, this smooth, almost black spirit is aged in charred oak bourbon barrels. Molasses is added to create an intense color.

Fans enjoy the herbaceousness of this complex rum, with some identifying flavors of root beer, fruit, and vanilla in the rich, sweetish undertones.

Use Goslings to replace Bacardi 151 in a Mai Tai or the Goslings signature Dark ‘n Stormy cocktail. It’s also ideal for floating on sours or a flammable garnish for desserts.

Substitute Goslings Black Seal rum in similar proportions to Bacardi 151.

Hamilton Overproof 151

Hamilton Overproof 151 is a handy substitute for Bacardi 151.

With its dark coppery hue, Hamilton overproof is made from a blend of Guyanan rum from Demerara Distillery. It contains no added sugar or coloring and contains rum aged for five years.

Hamilton Overproof offers the expected 151 burn with a sweet molasses aroma. It is deliciously full-bodied, spicy, and fruity, surprising for an overproof rum.

If you’re bold, enjoy sipping Hamilton Overproof with a dash of water. Otherwise, use it instead of Bacardi 151 in a Zombie, Caribou Lou, or a Flaming Doctor Pepper.

Replace Bacardi 151 with the same amount of Hamilton Overproof.

Don Q 151 Rum

Another overproof rum substitute for Bacardi 151 is Don Q 151.

A blend of white and dark rum, Don Q 151 is made in Puerto Rico and aged in oak barrels for smoothness. Despite being 151 proof, Don Q has delightfully woody notes and hints of fruit, smoke, and spice.

Use Don Q 151 in all Tiki cocktails and daiquiris. It makes a great floating garnish and is highly flammable.

Replace Bacardi 151 with Don Q in equal tots.

Wray & Nephew White Overproof

Wray & Nephew is a popular substitute for Bacardi 151.

The staple of Jamaican households, special occasions, and celebrations, Wray & Nephew is made by the oldest distillery in Jamaica and sports a little-changed yellow label.

It remains the best-selling high-strength rum in the world, being 126 proof.

This rich, white rum has a signature hogo aroma of fermented fruit and a fiery, almost bitter undertone, without the sweetness in other brands.

Despite being a white rum, this unique character has made it an essential cocktail ingredient and ideal Bacardi 151 substitute.

Wray & Nephew is the ideal alternative to Bacardi 151 in mojitos and fruity rum punch. Despite the rum being very potent, you can drink it with a splash of water and enjoy the bold, Caribbean flavor as you sip.

Enjoy Wray & Nephew as a direct replacement for Bacardi 151.