What can I use instead of Pusser’s rum? We found the best substitutes for Pusser’s rum to be Skippers Demerara rum, Wood’s old navy rum, Port Morant rum, Plantations O.F.T.D overproof rum, El Dorado PM single barrel rum, SBS Guyana rum, and Hamilton 86° Demerara Rum.
Pusser’s rum is a product of Diamond distillery on the East bank of Demerara, Guyana. It has an ABV of 54.5% (109° proof), and its smoothness and rich, full-bodied flavors come from the unique distilling process of using the double wooden pot stills and EHP wooden Coffey that enhances the aroma and the flavors of the rum that makes it perfect for refreshing cocktails.
The Best Pusser’s Rum Substitutes
Skipper Demerara Rum
This Guyana rum is a strong substitute for navy-strength Pusser’s rum.
Skippers Demerara rum is produced by Diamond Distillers, made from seven different Guyanese rums. Two have been distilled in the double pot still Port Mourant and the Enmore wooden Coffey.
It’s further aged a minimum of three years in ex-bourbon casks providing the rum with a rich and full-bodied dark rum that is bottled at 40% ABV (80° proof)
The initial sweet flavors produce a buttery smooth crème caramel flavor with toffee notes. The tastes evolve as they turn slightly bittersweet with the rich flavors of mocha coffee enveloped in hints of black pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg spices.
It’s great as a replacement for Pusser rum in a tropical cocktail and can be enjoyed with a simple cola and fresh lime wedge.
Wood’s Old Navy Rum
Wood’s Old Navy rum makes an ideal substitute for Pusser rum.
A coffee-colored rum from Diamond Distillers blends three Guyanese rums fermented from blackstrap molasses and distilled in the world’s only single wooden pot still made of greenheart local wood that imparts complex flavors to the rum.
Wood’s Old Navy Rum is made to the original recipe created in 1887; the rum is blended and aged for up to three years in American oak barrels to develop a navy-strength dark rum at an ABV of 57% (114° proof)
The combination of bitter, dry, and smoky sweet compliments each other well. Notes of muscovado sugar, soft toffee, and a hint of spice compliment the lingering taste of cinnamon, dark chocolate, and a touch of zesty orange.
Wood’s Old Navy Rum is an excellent shoo-in for a colorful, fruity, tiki-style drink as you quench your thirst in the hot sun with a refreshing cocktail in hand.
Port Mourant 11-Year-Old Rum
Port Mourant is a limited-edition blend that would be an excellent replacement for Pussers rum.
Produced for the Boutique-y Rum Company from Guyana rums from Diamond Distillery using the only remaining wooden pot still, Port Mourant.
Port Mourant 11-year-old has an ABV of 55.9% (111.8° Proof) and matured for 11 years in ex-bourbon casks. It is an all-natural rum with no added colorants or flavors.
Made with Demerara molasses, it contains a rich molasses spice, giving off caramel notes with heaps of banana nuances. The hint of earthy smoke gives way to roasted fruits with plenty of sea salt in every layer.
It makes a perfect Mia Tai for that relaxing island feel to enjoy and relax as the sun sets while you sip and enjoy the explosions of different flavors.
Plantations O.F.T.D Overproof Rum
A strong and spicy replacement for pusser rum is Plantations Old Fashioned Traditional Dark Overproof Rum.
Plantations O.F.T.D is a high ABV content alcohol of 69% (138° proof) blended with three different Caribbean rums from Barbados, Guyana, and Jamaica. The creation of 6 rum luminaires aimed at creating a top-shelf tiki cocktail rum.
There are unmistakable rich and warming spicy notes of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and black pepper mixed with lighter tones of fruity plum, currant, and orange zest.
These flavors create a powerful blend of spicy fruit enveloped in a hint of smokiness with the smoothness of crème caramel.
Make a decadent Caribbean Mate Punch cocktail in a tall Tiki mug, mixed with fresh pomegranate juice and lemonade, topped with a fresh sprig of mint, and a cocktail umbrella to carry you back to the islands.
El Dorado PM Single Barrel Rum
El Dorado PM Single Barrel Rum is a sophisticated smooth rum that steps in, in the absence of your usual Pusser Rum.
Produced by Diamond Distillers, it uses the moniker PM, which was used to identify rums made in the 250-year-old Port Mourant still.
The blend of rums is single-distilled in the wooden pot still and aged for a minimum of 12 years in ex-bourbon barrels. With an ABV of 40% (80° proof), it’s an easy sipper.
El Dorado PM offers a refined and complex flavor of spiced Christmas cake with a nutty buttery flavor caressed with candied fruit flavors. The addition of smoky licorice and sugar cane molasses offers sweetness to the rum.
A complex rum that can easily be enjoyed on the rocks to accentuate the flavors with a slight dilution of the ice or used as a mixer for a refreshing Mia Tai cocktail.
SBS Guyana 2020 Rum
Another limited edition of Pusser rum is the SBS Guyana 2020 rum.
Produced by 1423 Aps, this latest Single Barrel Selection (SBS) is a selection of rums from Jamaica, Trinidad, and Guyana, which used the Port Mourant still.
This selection of rums, with an ABV of 66.4% (122.8° proof), was aged for two years in virgin oak barrels before being sealed with natural cork and released in the autumn of 2022.
The initial spicey and robust flavors are quickly replaced with notes of caramel and creamy butterscotch, with lots of fresh spicy notes imparted from the wooden barrels. Savors of nut, licorice, and coconut mix well together to blend spicy and sweet nuances together.
Enjoy this limited gem in a fruity cocktail to create a refreshing, spicy, sweet drink that makes the perfect sundowner drink.
Hamilton 86° Demerara Rum
Hamilton 86° makes a nice Pusser replacement for a fresh Tiki-style cocktail.
Made from Guyanese rum for Ed Hamilton Ministry of Rum, a blend of five-year-old rums distilled from various stills, including the Port Mourant wooden pot stills in Guyana and bottled in the USA.
It has no added sugar, colorants, or flavorings, making it a 100% natural rum with a 43% ABV (86° proof) and finished in ex-bourbon casks.
The dark rum with red-orange laced trimmings it’s reminiscent of an authentic naval rum, producing flavors of dark stone fruit, juicy raisins, and sweet red apples. In addition, the smoky wood nuances from the oak barrels give it a charred flavor that provides a slight tobacco flavor.
Best enjoyed in a Dark and stormy cocktail topped with ginger beer or in a fruity Hurricane cocktail mixed with passionfruit.
Resources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pusser%27s#:~:text=Pusser’s%20Rum%20is%20a%20brand,of%20five%20West%20Indian%20rums.
- https://www.masterofmalt.com/rum/pussers/pussers-gunpowder-proof-spiced-rum/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/cocktails/comments/2i27ck/pussers_alternative_for_painkiller/
- https://distiller.com/lists/best-navy-rums
- https://www.diffordsguide.com/beer-wine-spirits/1765/skipper-demerara-rum
- https://www.masterofmalt.com/rum/skipper-demerara-rum/
- https://distiller.com/spirits/skipper-demerara-rum
- https://distiller.com/spirits/wood-s-100-old-navy-rum-export-strength
- https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/rum/woods-100-year-old-navy-rum-70cl
- https://www.masterofmalt.com/rum/woods-100-old-navy-rum/
- https://www.diffordsguide.com/beer-wine-spirits/159/woods-100-rum
- https://thatboutiqueyrumcompany.com/products/diamond-distillery-port-mourant-still
- https://www.masterofmalt.com/rum/diamond-distillery/diamond-port-mourant-still-11-year-old-that-boutiquey-rum-company-rum/
- https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/37354/plantation-oftd
- https://www.diffordsguide.com/beer-wine-spirits/6049/plantation-overproof-oftd-rum
- https://www.masterofmalt.com/rum/plantation/plantation-oftd-rum/
- https://www.plantationrum.com/oftd
- https://distiller.com/spirits/plantation-o-f-t-d-overproof-rum
- https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1151248
- https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/7383/el-dorado-single-barrel-rum-port-morant-pm
- https://www.diffordsguide.com/beer-wine-spirits/1889/el-dorado-pm-single-barrel
- https://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/guyana-2020-2-year-old-sbs-66-4-70cl/
- https://www.1423.dk/products/s-b-s-guyana-2020/
- https://www.binnys.com/spirits/rum/hamilton-demerara-rum-78362#features
- https://www.totalwine.com/spirits/rum/dark-rum/hamilton-86-demerara-rum/p/172118750
- https://www.diffordsguide.com/beer-wine-spirits/7608/hamilton-86-demerara-rum