White rum has long had an image problem. Too often, it’s the cheap bottle gathering dust at the back of the cupboard: bland, anonymous, and destined to disappear under a flood of cola. That’s not white rum’s fault. It’s what supermarket shelves and mass-market distillers have trained us to expect: thin, forgettable spirit, stripped of character.
And if you love your white rum with cola, we’ll cheers to that.
But here’s the truth. White rum doesn’t have to be boring. Done right, it can be as bold, complex, and intriguing as any aged spirit. Which is exactly what we set out to prove with the launch of Dorchadas Solera White Rum.
Rum born in the Caribbean, built differently in Scotland
Most people don’t expect to hear “Scottish white rum.” Whisky? Of course. Gin? Absolutely. But rum? That’s where we get dangerous.
Dorchadas Rum was founded in the East Neuk of Fife with a rebellious mission: to pull rum out of the shadows and give it the same respect as whisky. Our Amber Spiced release challenged expectations first. Now, our premium white rum takes it further… showing that clarity doesn’t mean compromise.
We don’t smooth everything away until nothing’s left. We build body, texture, and a depth of flavour that most white rums can only dream of.
Oh, and we love watching bartenders’ faces light up when they taste it, it’s a real lips smacker.
“Oh that’s a nice sipper.”
Tasting notes: light rum doesn’t mean simple
Bright and expressive with a tropical soul. Lush mango, crisp citrus, and a whisper of funk give it a vibrant edge and a clean, lingering finish. There’s a creamy mouthfeel that holds its own whether you sip it neat or throw it into a cocktail.
This isn’t a mixer’s ghost. It’s a spirit you’ll actually want to taste.
How to drink it
Are you a classic or a cocktail with a twist?
Sure, you can pour it into a daiquiri (and you should… the sharp lime and cane sugar snap against Dorchadas White is electric). But that’s just the start.
- Neat or over ice: notice the creamy body and spice that linger longer than you’d expect from a white rum.
- Classic cocktails, upgraded: daiquiris, mojitos, and piña coladas suddenly taste like they’ve grown up.
- Signature serves: bartenders across Scotland are already twisting it into modern drinks… proof that this isn’t just a blank canvas, it’s a conversation starter.
Our pals at new Edinburgh cocktail bar Vessel shook up a storm with this twist on an absolute classic. We love a tropical daiquiri, and this one has a super fun nod to a discontinued Pilot Beer (who you might know are the brains behind the bar) flavour. IYKYK.
White rum cocktails and their flavour profiles: something to suit every taste
When you think “rum cocktails” do you think super sweet and sticky? Ok, yes so do we. And some are. And we love them. But there’s so much more depth and flavour profile options. Honest!
We launched the spirit of the summer at Edinburgh cocktail elite Voodoo Rooms, and they created a suite of top tier daiquiris to light a fire under the rum. Our favourite? The Smokey Daiquiri: Dorchadas Solera White Rum, Dorchadas Smoked Salt Sugar Syrup, lime juice, all shaken over ice. To. die. For. Proof sensational can be simple, and not sticky sweet.
15 rum cocktails, from classics to next level creations
- Daiquiri – the ultimate test of a good rum (lime, sugar, rum).
- Mojito – mint, lime, soda, sugar, rum.
- Piña Colada – pineapple, coconut, rum.
- Cuba Libre – rum, cola, lime.
- Caipirissima – the white rum twist on Brazil’s caipirinha (lime, sugar, rum).
- Hemingway Daiquiri – white rum, grapefruit, lime, maraschino.
- El Presidente – dry vermouth, curaçao, grenadine, rum.
- Mai Tai – white rum, lime, orange curaçao, orgeat.
- Rum Sour – rum, citrus, sugar, egg white optional.
- Rum Collins – rum’s take on a Tom Collins, with soda lift.
- Ti’ Punch (Blanc) – white rum, lime, sugar cane syrup.
- Royal Bermuda Yacht Club – white rum, falernum, lime, curaçao.
- Hotel Nacional – white rum, pineapple, apricot brandy, lime.
- Floridita – white rum, lime, maraschino, grenadine.
- Candy Crush – white rum, lychee liquor, strawberry puree, aquafaba, lime juice. Serve with your favourite sweetie.
Where does white rum whisk you off to? Tag us on IG in your next cocktail, home bar, or drinks order.
Why supermarket rum doesn’t compare
It’s easy to assume all white rums are the same. And sure, in a pinch, you grab what rum you can. We’ve all been there. But if you’ve ever poured a watery spirit into your glass and wondered why it tastes of nothing, you already know the difference. Mass production strips character away in the pursuit of volume and price point.
Instead, we’d rather take the long road… choices that prioritise flavour over yield.
Not your average white rum. Our solera-style spirit blends handpicked Caribbean distillates, brought together and refined in Scotland using filtered North Sea water; a crystal-clear, sustainable base that lets the liquid shine.
Because life’s too short for flat spirits.
White rum in Scotland: a first of its kind
There aren’t many white rums from Scotland, and even fewer with this much heart. That’s what makes this launch exciting. It’s not about copying Caribbean rum traditions or whisky’s heritage. It’s about carving out something new: a Scottish white rum that respects the craft but brings its own identity.
Taking a cue from sherry’s solera systems, we layer different ages of white rum together, stacked and flowing, so every bottle carries the same rich depth and complexity, glass after glass. And we don’t think anyone else is doing this with a white rum. Not just in Scotland, but we’d hesitate to say… anywhere.
When talking to Scottish Trade Licence News (SLTN), Dorchadas Rum managing director David Taylor said:
“We realised there is a bit of a gap in the market for white rums. There’s the big-name incumbents, who we will never be able to compete with. But people want provenance and locality in terms of their supply chains, and we think there’s a really good opportunity to encourage younger drinkers less familiar with rums to drink something high quality at a good, affordable price.
“We wanted our white rum to be accessible for new entrants to the rum market that could be put off by big Jamaican funk bombs. So we made something that works perfectly with Coke.”
The bigger picture: redefining rum
Rum has always been the outsider of the spirits world, caught between being the fun party pour and the misunderstood cousin of whisky. That’s changing. Premium rum is on the rise in the UK, and white rum deserves its place in that movement.
We don’t want to be the “best white rum in the UK” because there’s no competition. Instead, we want to be the one that changes your mind about what white rum can be.
Just like our Washed Ashore Single Cask rum series has converted countless whiskey drinkers to the delights of a dram of rum, we want to show cocktail shakers and stirrers that the white stuff is the right stuff for their next creation.
Final sip
If you’re ready to leave bland supermarket spirits behind, Dorchadas Solera White Rum is waiting. It’s bold, it’s Scottish, and it’s rewriting the rules.
So go ahead. Pour it neat. Shake it into a daiquiri. Share it with someone who thinks white rum’s not worth drinking… and watch them change their mind.
