Best Rum for Mai Tai for 2026

Plantation Barbados XO 20th Anniversary Rum isn’t just any rum. It’s a Flaviar Community Awards winner, and for good reason. If you’ve tasted it, you already know. If you haven’t, you’re in for something special.

This beauty starts its journey in the Caribbean, aging for eight to fifteen years in ex-bourbon barrels, soaking up all those rich, tropical flavors. It then heads to France, where it spends another two to ten years in smaller French oak casks, adding depth and finesse in the cooler climate.

This entire process results in a sipping rum that is ridiculously rich, aged rum packed with rich aromas and flavors that pull you in from the first sniff. This is the kind of rum you take your time with, savoring every sip while appreciating the years of craftsmanship behind it.

Having a 250th anniversary is certainly cause for celebration, and what better way to commemorate it than with the release of a special bottle? Joy Spence crafted Appleton Estate 8 Year Old Reserve to mark this milestone, with a blend aged for at least eight years in the warm, tropical climate of Jamaica.

With two parts of Appleton Estate 8 Year Old Reserve, you can concoct the perfect Mai Tai with an otherworldly taste. The spicy and fruity aroma of this spirit, combined with the taste of vanilla and orange peel, dances with your senses while drawing you in for another pour. 

You can enjoy it neat or on the rocks, but there's a reason it's the second-best rum for Mai Tai on this list. It's our favorite way to drink it!

Master Blender Joy Spence from Appleton Estate is back at it again with another legendary rum: the Extra Old 12 Year Old Rum. This drink is a mixture of rare, hand-selected pot and column still rums created with limestone-filtered water. All batches age for a minimum of 12 years in Jamaica under the tropical sun. 

This rum adds layers of complexity to every drink, including a Mai Tai, with notes of dark cocoa, baked banana, and roasted nuts. Isn’t that the perfect combination with the vibrant lime and sweet orgeat in a Mai Tai? Sure, it’s a bit pricey, but the dual nature of being a sipping rum and an excellent cocktail addition makes it worth the cost. 

El Dorado 15 Year Old is another Flaviar Community Awards recipient and a true icon in the rum world. It’s no stranger to the spotlight, having been named "Best Rum in the World" at the International Wine & Spirits Competition four years in a row.

Aged for 15 years in oak barrels, this Guyanese demerara rum is often called "liquid gold" for a reason. It’s rich, mellow, and perfectly balanced, with deep aromas and a complex flavor profile that ends in a long, spicy finish. If you're after a finely aged sipping rum that rivals some of the top Cognacs and other premium spirits, El Dorado 15 Year Old is one you don’t want to miss.

El Dorado 12 Year Old comes from the heart of Guyana, crafted using centuries-old stills that date back over 200 years. Aged in ex-bourbon casks, this rum combines tradition with rich flavors drawn from the molasses of Demerara sugar.

Every sip offers layers of oak, spice, and dark sweetness that keep you coming back. It is a rum with heritage and complexity that works well neat, on ice, or in cocktails.