Elements Eight

[Tiare]

If you were to choose to buy one, the white or the gold, to use both for sipping and mixing, which one would you choose?

[TheRumelier]

Both, but if I had to choose I would always pick gold first, but that's just me.

[RobertBurr]

One of the best Daiquiris I ever tasted was made by Jake Burger using Elements 8 white.

[Paulipbartender]

The white is widely considered far superior to the gold. I believe it has more character and rich buttery texture. Also makes a blinding daiquiri as Rob has pointed out

[aryan-rastafarian]

Paul, to say that one is considered far superior to the other (i.e. Platinum vs. Gold) is not a fair statement, and your personal opinion. Both rums are great as sipping and mixing and both rums are distinctly different in taste and character, but both smooth, balanced, and complex

As Paul has pointed out, the Platinum has buttery / butterscotch notes with hints of citrus and coconut, and it does mix a mean daiquiri. It was recently voted best white rum available in the UK in a blind bartender tasting conducted by Imbibe magazine, won the best white rum & best in class awards at the 2007 UK rum fest tasting (2008 results arent released yet I believe). We have also been told it is the first white rum that can be used for sipping. Unfortunately, and unjustifiably, white rum expectations are very low, so when a high quality white rum does hit the market people are obviously more so impressed by it.

But, the gold rum has also won numerous awards including the best gold rum and best in class at the 2007 International Wine & spirits competition, and same in the 2008 Chicago BTI awards. At the 2007 UK Rum fest it also received a gold medal and only missed the 'best in class' award by one point. so to say the Platinum is "far superior" is not accurate in my opinion. The Gold rum has a complex character of dried fruit and a peppery-ness on the palate, and a long finish that is often not there with other rums. it is however true to the st lucian style which means it is not as heavy as some of the other popular rum brands out there (eg Appleton, Mt Gay, El Dorado - Paul, your preferred style of rum if i am correct..?) since the pot still rums in the blends are used in lower proportions to impart depth, length and character without making the rums to heavy and pungent. this means that E8 Gold can work well in drinks like mojitos and also daiquiris (though I prefer the Platinum in the latter) where the delicate flavors dont overpower the other ingredients, but i wouldn't recommend it for mai tais and other 'fruity' or 'tiki style' drinks as the flavor of the rums could get lost with all the syrups and other ingredients.

I think the question, tiare, is what style of rum do you like and what type of drinks do you want to mix. personally, i would go for both :p

[Tiare]

I`m not thinking of Mai Tais and Tikidrinks here, but i actually had in mind drinks like mojitos and daiquiris. I usually use Havana Club blanco and 3 year but I`ve had those so much and they are always available here so i`m looking for something new to try.

Sounds to me that the white is what i want to try first but the gold is definetily something to try after.

I just hope i can find these rums, they arent in my country.

[aryan-rastafarian]

they will be launched in sweden in the near future by a company called Scandinavian Distributors, and are already available in Denmark. i will send you a pvt message with their contact details so you can get in touch and see if they can help you out...

ar

[Tiare]

Ah..so they will actually be launched here?? that was really great news!

thankyou.gif

[Michael]

Can you tell us ar when and if the elements eight rums will be available in the U.S.A.?

BTW nice, infectious rhythm on the e8rum website. glass.gif

[Paulipbartender]

No need to get all technical Dre!!!! I meant that around town the White is widely preferred to the gold. They're both top drawer though which is why we love Dre and his gold and white liquor.

Missed you at the show by the way brother. The lads on your stand did you proud - perfect place, awesome drinks

[aryan-rastafarian]

Michael - should be available by middle of next year. Just finalizing launch plans. We have been getting loads of requests from your side of the pond so very excited to get things going there and to start the revolution states side...

Paul, you know me - all about the technicalities. Must be the German in me. Wasn't trying to sound overly precious, but its almost like someone telling you one of your children is ugly... :) But I know where the love is, don't worry...
Shame i missed rumfest, getting the feedback now - sounds like it was an 'allround' success for everyone involved. and heard the 'awesome foursome' ran things on the E8 stand!!! back in UK on nov 5th - that's if I don't drown in the torrential rains currently being offloaded on to Kingston - so lets link then.

AR

[Paulipbartender]

Cool brother, see you then. Good luck surviving The Kingston wash....

[mac]

I was lucky enough to sample the Element Eight but found it a little light to my taste. Much prefer a fuller falvor in a white rum CHEERS

[Tiare]

And now i have finally been able to try these 2 premium rums bec premium they are! Its true that they are more light and delicate but certainly not less flavorful, i especially like the white. True too that they wouldnt be useful in fruit-heavy or tikidrinks, but there are other rums for those.

The bottles are also really stylish and clean in design, there is nothing i dont like about these rums! I will have a upcoming blogpost on these excellent rums later.

[Hank Koestner]

Sounds like I would like the white in a classic Daquiri. I will taste them when they arrive in the good old (broke$) US of A.HMMR

[The Rum Ambassador]

I'd have to agree with A.R. The E8 platinum has received many accolades not only because it's a bloody good rum but the fact that are so few white rums that are made for a "western-ised" sipping palate. Most local rum drinkers that I have encounterd on my travels that sip white rums prefer their rums to have an unaged fiery bite, and they also want their rums strong, (126 proof and up).Give E8 Platinum to a cane cutter in Mauritius, or a veteran fishman in Barbados or even a retired mill worker in Guyana, and you'll quickly here them curse, "that it's not real rum". It all subjective and relative to one's personal rum knowledge and preference. This why most "Westerners" would agree that E8 Platinum is better than E8 Gold, because of the simple fact that it's in a class of it's own and E8 Gold has too many other 6 year old gold rums to be compared with. Although a great rum in it's own right.
My pennies worth....

[Matusalem]

I'd have to agree with A.R. The E8 platinum has received many accolades not only because it's a bloody good rum but the fact that are so few white rums that are made for a "western-ised" sipping palate. Most local rum drinkers that I have encounterd on my travels that sip white rums prefer their rums to have an unaged fiery bite, and they also want their rums strong, (126 proof and up).Give E8 Platinum to a cane cutter in Mauritius, or a veteran fishman in Barbados or even a retired mill worker in Guyana, and you'll quickly here them curse, "that it's not real rum". It all subjective and relative to one's personal rum knowledge and preference. This why most "Westerners" would agree that E8 Platinum is better than E8 Gold, because of the simple fact that it's in a class of it's own and E8 Gold has too many other 6 year old gold rums to be compared with. Although a great rum in it's own right.
My pennies worth....Interesting thoughts. I would agree with what (I think) is your point whereas some of our judgment or expectations relies on comparison... and exposure. In my experience, as limited as it is, your example works in the opposite direction too, as in hand someone a young agricole that has only experienced molasses based rum and I'm betting 8 times out of 10 the bottle would be placed right next to the floor or furniture wax stripper in a cupboard.

I would like to try these and will keep an eye out. On the which is better... I think Rumelier made the generic shopping point (for us "westerners"). If completely in the blind conventional wisdom suggests the the brown over the white. However, when in my own trial, I try to stay away from "I like this one over that one" and instead focus on what I like period (about either / all) and then focus on what purpose(s) each serves in my rotation.

I would also add in terms of "exposure & expectation", I sometimes see a trend in age as well as plight. For example, (and as usual I speak from limited experiences), I noticed the older Cubans I've met, tend to gravitate to white rums, even with a fine cigar dangling from their mouth. If I had to hazard a guess, I'm thinking it has a lot more to do with what they are accustomed to and what reminds them of their past more so than them making a judgment as to better or worse.

In that context, I believe the blind have a distinct advantage over the rest of us with decent vision... Absolutely no need to stress over green versus red... whether ones pants are wrinkled, Ford or GMC or Toyota etc. Point A to point B without being stopped for indecent exposure or something like that takes precedent over secondary nonsense like... how one looks (to everyone else - who isn't paying any damn attention anyway) on the way to or fro points A&B.

Disclaimer: I make the above analogy with absolutely no disrespect intended to the physically challenged.

[rumdog007]

I have not had the good fortune to have the E8 Gold, but I can vouch for the Platinum. It's a stellar white rum. It has, well, flavor. Other good flavorful white rums come to mind, Havana Club Blanco Anejo, Barbancourt (fruity/raisin-y), Pyrat Blanco, Rum San Pablo Silver (called Curacao, and from Curacao, too), and Tommy Bahama Silver Sand. I see the point made about competition in the gold rum category. But, if it is anywhere near the quality of this Platinum, I know that it will find a way into my heart and onto my rum shelf!Btmup.gif

[Ben]

I didn't have the occasion to taste the Elements White, but my brother bought the Gold one and we opened it during Christmas vacation. I was not impressed given the price it is sold here (over 50$). It can't be compared to rums around that price here, such as ED 15 or even Havana Club Barrel Proof. We ended drinking it mixed rather than neat.