What we’re drinking: Palm Republic Silver and Aged Rum
Where it’s from: Launched in 2024, Palm Republic was co-founded by actor Eric Winter. The brand was recently relaunched with a modern bottle redesign.
Why we’re drinking this: “Wait, why was Eric Winter walking down our hallway?” I admit, while I’m not that familiar with the actor’s work (which is extensive), the star of ABC’s The Rookie is pretty well known, at least by the InsideHook staff.
What isn’t well known, however, is that Winter’s love of rum stretches two decades. “I met my now wife’s dad the first time we went to Puerto Rico,” he says. “He said, ‘Let’s have a chat,’ and he poured me some rum. At the time, I didn’t drink rum, so I thought it was going to get interesting. And I remember thinking, damn, this is really good.” From that point, Winter started taking distillery tours around the island, later moving on to boozy travels through Panama, the Dominican Republic, Barbados and other rum-producing countries.
Inspired by his wife, Winter recently turned his rum enthusiasm into Palm Republic. “Rum has been having a moment, and we wanted to do something that wasn’t about heritage brands or dark and dingy bottles with pirates and bats,” he says. “For me, rum was really about bringing cultures together. So let’s talk about a blend of some of our favorite rums that I’ve tried as I’ve traveled.”
Why Puerto Rican Rums Are So Special
A guide to the island’s best distilleries and rum-based cocktail barsThe initial spirits that stood out to Winter and his team for sourcing included rums from Panama, Jamaica and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “It’s funkiness from the Jamaican rums, sweetness from the Panamanian ones and the USVI ones smooth it out,” he says. “And then [for the aged release] we overproof it.”
Given my liking of another blended rum from the area (Ten to One) and the fact that the celebrity rum space is pretty small (Bruno Mars, Kenny Chesney), I was willing to give Palm Republic a fair chance. And the longer I spoke with Winter, the more I realized he knew his stuff. The brand has already racked up a few nice awards, including a Platinum Medal for Aged Rum at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, as well as Platinum for Aged Rum and Double Gold for Silver Rum at the 2025 SIP Awards.
One interesting note about Palm Republic is the brand’s emphasis on low-ingredient, relatively cleaner cocktails. “Our whole new mixology menu is all low sugar,” Winter says. “Instead of using simple syrup in our Old Fashioned, we’re using date syrup. We have a Strawberry Palm, which is our version of a healthier strawberry Daiquiri, but with maple syrup. They both are lower on the glycemic index. And the drinks are a little less sweet, which I like personally.”
Walker made me a couple of cocktails in the InsideHook office. While you probably won’t have that experience, here’s what the rums are like neat.
How they taste: Note that Palm Republic’s first two expressions were recently placed in much thinner, sleeker bottles, but you still may find the older, squatter vessels in your liquor store.
- Silver Rum: Coming in at 40% ABV and featuring a blend of rums from Jamaica and the USVI, this unaged expression is a surprisingly solid sipper with a rich, bright mouthfeel and hints of banana and nutmeg.
- Aged Rum: At 46% ABV and matured for eight years, there’s a bit of heat and oak influence here. The palate is fruitier and the finish is drier (credit the sherry cask aging). I got caramel, chocolate, baking spices and some grassiness. It seems geared toward whiskey drinkers, and while it delivers on that level, it maintains its rum essence. (Winter suggests pouring it over shaved coconut ice.)
Fun fact: I asked Winter the very important question of his experiences as Colton Graham in 2008’s Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay. “The funny thing is my manager’s name is Colton Graham,” he says. “And he was friends with the producers. When they were writing the script, they were like wow, that’s such a douche name. Put that in there. So I went and auditioned for it and got to play Colton Graham. And I think they’re doing a new one — I think Colton Graham needs to come back.”
Where to buy: Palm Republic is available in a few states and everywhere online for $45 to $50.
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