What you're actually getting
Dead Man's Fingers started as a Cornish thing, a bit of a local secret, and somehow became one of the more interesting flavoured rum brands in the UK without becoming insufferably trendy about it. Rum Paradise leans tropical, coconut-forward with a bit of fruit sweetness that doesn't make you feel like you're drinking sunscreen. Rum Smash is sharper, more citrusy, the kind of thing you want over ice on a Friday evening when you can't be bothered constructing a proper cocktail.
At 32% ABV, neither is going to floor you. That's fine. These aren't sipping rums you bring out to impress anyone.
Who this is actually for
Honestly, if you're a rum purist who goes misty-eyed over single-origin pot stills, move along. This isn't that. But if you want something genuinely enjoyable mixed with lemonade or ginger beer, something you can hand to a mate who claims they don't like rum and watch them change their mind, Dead Man's Fingers delivers.
I gave a bottle of the coconut one to a friend's partner at a barbecue last summer. She'd been drinking white wine all afternoon, took one sip, and quietly asked where I'd got it. That's the thing with these: they surprise people.
The honest reservation
There's no listed original price here, so there's no actual discount to celebrate. A tenner for 50cl is fair value, not a steal. Keep an eye out if a fuller bottle drops at a similar price, that's when you stock up. For now, it's a decent enough excuse to try one if you've been curious.
