Right now, more than ever, we all want to be in the Caribbean.

There’s that feeling of the Caribbean that we want; that spirit of the Caribbean with which we so desperately want to engage — to experience its wonders, its beauty, the love of its people. 

But while a number of destinations in the region have reopened in some form for visitors, many others remain restricted or closed. 

In other words, right now it’s not as easy as it used to be to get to the Caribbean. And so what we seek is a gateway, a window, a portal. A way to get there in spirit. 

And, naturally, that brings us to rum. 

Few spirits manage to capture the essence of a place, of its character, its energy, as rum. Every rum is a journey of its own to the Caribbean, even if for a fleeting moment or a few savored sips. 

We’ve long extolled in these pages the transportive power of the spirit, its ability to take you somewhere else, to a far-off beach bar, to the smoke-filled seats of a Lolo, to a dimly lit rum bar; to the deck of a boat. 

And that’s particularly true with flavored rums. 

While Rum Journal of course focuses on the art of fine aged rums, we happily acknowledge the place and import of flavored expressions — rums without pretense — they’re rums that are designed to take you somewhere fun. 

That brings us to one of the newest flavored rums on the scene: Rude Bwoy. 

The Rude Bwoy brand, the brainchild of James Larson and Patrick Mitchell (whose family has been in the Caribbean for almost half a millennium), who took their rummaking knowledge and tradition to Florida’s The Point distillery and produced a range of spirits including a terrific new coconut rum. 

The coconut expression of Rude Bwoy, which gets its name from the early days of ska music in Jamaica (a “rudie” is a mate or a friend), is stronger than the average flavored rum at 35 degrees, and is made, Wright and Larson tell us, from exclusively natural ingredients. 

So what’s it like?

Rude Bwoy Coconut has an aroma of confectioner’s sugar and coconut husk. 

The flavor profile is marked by coconut, vanilla, cane stalk, white pepper and citrus peel. 

The comparatively higher proof gives it a bold edge – but it’s remarkably balanced. 

Most coconut rums have that unwelcome veneer of artifice; this doesn’t – it tastes real, it tastes fresh, and authentic and even a bit complex. 

It’s great on the rocks or in a cocktail, but it even works neat; plainly, it’s the best coconut rum we’ve tried in a long time. 

Or, as one of our tasters noted, it’s like “the beach in a bottle.”

And right now, that’s exactly where we want to be. 

Rude Bwoy Coconut Rum

Rum Journal Rating: 90 Points 

For more, visit Rude Bwoy. 

— CJ