Mad River Distillers Px Rum

Mad River Distillers PX Rum is where classic demerara rum meets the deep, fortified richness of Pedro Ximénez sherry. Crafted in Vermont’s Mad River Valley, this rum starts with fair-trade demerara sugar that is fermented, distilled, and aged entirely in-house, giving the distillery full control over character at every stage. 

The base rum spends its first years in a combination of toasted and charred barrels. This dual approach to oak brings both caramelized sweetness and gentle spice, building a foundation of vanilla, toffee, and light smoke. The spirit is then transferred to Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, barrels that once held one of Spain’s richest, sweetest sherries. That finishing step transforms the rum, adding powerful aromas of roasted nuts, dried figs and raisins, and a subtle wine-like depth you normally associate with old sherry or port rather than conventional rum. 

On the nose, PX Rum is immediately sherry-forward: nutty, dark-fruited, and slightly oxidative, with hints of molasses and cocoa underneath. The palate follows through with layers of dried fruit, caramel, baking spice, and a faint smokiness from the charred barrels, all carried by the natural weight of demerara sugar distillate. Reviews consistently highlight its nutty, wine-scented character and dried-fruit finish, making it stand out against more straightforward molasses rums. 

Bottled at 46% ABV, PX Rum has enough strength to hold its own in cocktails while remaining smooth enough to sip neat. Try it on the rocks, in a rum Old Fashioned, or as a sherry-inspired twist on a Manhattan or Negroni where its PX finish can replace some or all of the sweet vermouth component. 

Its quality has been validated on the competition circuit, earning Double Gold and Best Aged Rum at the San Francisco International Spirits Competition in 2017, along with earlier recognition from the American Craft Spirits Association. For customers, that means you’re not just buying something interesting—you’re buying a proven, award-winning rum with a genuinely distinctive flavor profile.