How I approach too much choice

Whether I’m browsing online or you take me to a physical store it’s fair to say I’m like a child in a sweet shop (or maybe that should be a deer in headlights haha). Presented with hundreds of bottles to choose from it can be hard to decide which bottle (or bottles!) are coming home with me.

When everything is an option it’s very hard for one bottle to really stand out amongst the rest – this is when I typically try to ask myself what it is I’m looking for! Do I want an easy sipper, something more challenging or a mixing/cocktail rum?

I can usually filter out the bottles that I don’t want a bit easier, leaving me a smaller selection to peruse. Then I ask myself if there is something in particular I’ve wanted to try (brand, region, cask finish etc.), something I’ve already owned (yes, you are definitely allowed to repeat bottles), or maybe something I’ve sampled that I really want to own (which is how a LOT of my bottles have made their way onto my shelves!).

On the subject of samples – if discovery and tasting is more important than owning a full bottle (for now) then purchasing samples can be a great way to try before you buy. Some stores will also have a selection of open bottles for you to sample if you’re lucky.

If you’re in a store then ask the staff for recommendations or some advice; they’ll usually ask you about your likes/dislikes and be able to suggest something you’ll enjoy.

At this point it’s likely I’ve decided what kind of rum I want to get even if that’s not the exact bottle, coincidentally this is usually when I remember that I’m not a millionaire and I do have a budget to consider! £3000 bottle ruled out (for now) it’s time for me to focus on the attainable and I try to shortlist 2-3 bottles.

Pro tip: keep a list of rums that have caught your eye that you want to buy that you can consult next time you get stuck.

Sometimes that decision is made for me as a result of a very attractively priced bottle or a limited release that isn’t often seen in the wild (which is how I came to own my SBS Cuba) otherwise I’ll consider price, transparency, cask, ABV, brand and more to help me make a decision.

If I still can’t make a decision at this point then I tap out and admit that today isn’t the day… I don’t want to buy a bottle for the sake of it and the bottle will usually be available the next time once I’ve done some more research or decided it was one I would have liked.