I tried the Rolling Stones’s new rum – and it’s perfect for summer cocktails

The Rolling Stones became enamoured with Jamaica after recording their eleventh studio album there - (Crossfire Hurricane / Getty Images)

The Rolling Stones have a longstanding and deep connection to Jamaica. The album Goats Head Soup, in all its raw classic-Stones rock and roll glory, was recorded in Kingston at the height of reggae’s international boom. The band, particularly Keith Richards became enamoured with the country. Richards purchased property there in the 70s and stayed on and off for decades.

Rum is embedded into Jamaican culture and the gold standard spirits are distilled from sugar cane grown there. But where there was once more than 150 distilleries in Jamaica alone, this has dwindled to just six in the present day.

Rum ambassador Ian Burrell leading a tasting session with Crossfire Hurricane rum (Samuel Mathewson/The Independent)

Now 50 years after recording their album named after one of Jamaica’s national dishes, The Rolling Stones created Crossfire Hurricane rum as a way to honour their links to Jamaica while supporting local distilleries: Hampden Estate, Long Pond, Worthy Park and Clarendon. The rum’s name comes from the first line of the song Jumpin’ Jack Flash, as Mick Jagger sings ‘I was born in a crossfire hurricane’. Blended with distillates from the four estates, Crossfire Hurricane was created alongside rum expert and ambassador Ian Burrell.

Burrell was brought in to ensure strict adherence to the traditional Jamaican rum process - and not least, teaching rum drinkers to spill a swig of rum on the floor to appease any nearby ghosts.

I visited a humid, balmy Ocho Rios to taste batch one of the Crossfire Hurricane gold and reserve rums, and here’s what I thought.

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Crossfire Hurricane reserve rum

Rating: 4.5/5

Why we love it

• Oaky, smoky notes
• Can be enjoyed neat and in rum punch

The reserve is a warming, sippable, viscous rum with characterful notes of sweet molasses, nutmeg, pineapple and caramel. The rum - with no added sugar - is aged for between three and seven years in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels. This means it retains the bourbon flavours, permeating the rum with oaky, smoky notes.

Rum cocktails flowing when I tried the Crossfire Hurricane reserve rum (Samuel Mathewson / The Independent)

It has a long lingering finish and is an excellent summertime choice. Enjoy the reserve neat to experience the full flavour profile, or make a pitcher of rum punch with “one of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak”.

This 17th-century rhyme is the recipe: one part fresh lime juice, two parts sugar or sweetener, three parts rum and four parts water or fruit juice.

Key features:

Buy now £39.25, Thewhiskyexchange.com

Crossfire Hurricane gold rum

Rating: 4/5

Why we love it

• Gentle warmth and clean finish
• Good entry level spirit

Take note

• Might be too subtle for some

The gold iteration is lighter and made for mixing, whether with a classic rum-cola, rum punch, daiquiri or dark ‘n’ stormy. I tried this one neat and then mixed into a fruity, tart daiquiri. The profile of flavour is more subtle than the reserve, with some light apricot, orange peel and ripe banana notes.

Crossfire Hurricane gold rum review (Samuel Mathewson / The Independent)

This is a good entry level spirit for someone looking for less funk, while still experiencing those typical Jamaican rum flavours. With a clean, shorter finish on the palate and gentle warmth, I can imagine this will be the core of lots of summer cocktails.

Key features:

Buy now £36.5, Amazon.co.uk

Is Crossfire Hurricane rum worth it?

If you’re a seasoned rum drinker, you will appreciate the history that is imbued into Crossfire Hurricane’s reserve rum and gold rum, and the effort to support traditional distilleries in Jamaica. Using sugar cane that’s grown and distilled on the island, the rums are aged in barrels on the estates too.

It has already earned a place in our round-up of the best rums overall, reviewed by food and drink writer Jonathan Hatchman. The Rolling Stones could have slapped their name on any old bottle, but their involvement in each step of the process is clear in the final product. Hatchman agrees: “The celebrity link could easily have felt like a gimmick, but there’s enough substance to make it more than just a band-branded bottle.”

This rum is approachable and will win over rookies and avid drinkers alike. I can definitely see this in a lot of men’s stockings this Christmas.

How I tested

I was lucky enough to fly to Jamaica with Crossfire Hurricane to experience rum culture firsthand, including the distilling, bottling and, of course, tasting. Led by Ian Burrell, one of the world’s pre-eminent rum experts and co-creator of Crossfire Hurricane, I tried flights of Jamaican rum from different distilleries, comparing and contrasting colour, flavour notes, viscosity, mouthfeel and finish, plus how the ageing process affects all of these properties.

I also spent a few days testing these rums more casually in cocktails such as rum punch, daiquiris and with mixers like coconut water.

Why you can trust IndyBest reviews

Samuel Mathewson is IndyBest’s audience editor, a specialist in content strategy, planning and distribution, but also a writer, with specialism in men’s fashion and grooming, gifting and importantly, food and drink. From restaurant menu reviews and wine tasting to Christmas hampers and panel taste tests, Samuel has years of experience in the wine and spirits category – plus he just really enjoys a good tipple.

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