For a spirit that has hardly captivated the masses in the way bourbon and gin have, it seems surprising that the world of smoothest white rum is often overlooked. But that’s perhaps because the category is a little more varied than it might first appear — it can include everything from unaged cane juice distillates to aged and filtered single-region expressions.

Those that are barrel-aged tend to pick up some pretty impressive flavors, from the dark caramel and toffee notes of the bourbon that once occupied the cask (which is often what makes it a brown rum) to vanilla and dry oak to peppery spice. Some are bottled straight out of the barrel, while others spend years maturing and then are filtered to remove any color — which also strips away some of the flavor.

Velvet Elixir: The Quest for the Smoothest White Rum and How to Enjoy It

The best white rums are mellow enough to be sippable on their own and versatile enough to shine in a host of tropical and classic cocktails. To find our favorites, we blind tasted a selection of rums to pick out those that were smooth, warm and balanced. We also considered how well the rums worked in some of the most popular rum cocktails, including the Mojito and Daiquiri.

The result is a lineup of the smoothest and most flavorful white rums you’ll ever taste. From the crisp, citrusy character of a Cuba Libre to the sweet and fruity notes in a Pina Colada, these rums will become your go-tos for the summer drinks you’re craving.