Teeda Rum is one of the few Japanese rums you’ll find outside of the country. Made from fresh sugarcane in Okinawa, it’s a rich, fruity, and complex agricole-style spirit.
This post will dive into how Teeda is made, what it tastes like, cocktail suggestions, and more. I also include links to online retailers if you want a bottle for yourself.
Teeda Japanese Rum Info
On paper, Teeda just sounds like a cool rum. It’s distilled in Okinawa and made exclusively with Okinawan sugar cane. It’s basically a Japanese rhum agricole.
The Helios Distillery makes Teeda in pot stills and then ages the distillate in ex-Bourbon barrels for a minimum of three years. It’s bottled at a standard strength of 40% ABV.
I’ll discuss Helios later. For now, it’s worth knowing they started out as a rum distillery and have been doing so for over 60 years. They’re pretty big now, but I’d still classify this as craft rum.
All of this sounds good so far, but how does Teeda taste?
Teeda Rum Tasting Notes
First off, this rum has a light copper color. And it’s clearly barrel-aged but on the younger side.
In the glass, Teeda is a fragrant rum. You can smell it as soon as you pull the cork. There are some eggnog-like, funky agricole notes at first. But mostly, the nose is fruity with hints of spice.
Teeda has a sweet impression on the initial sip though it contains no sugar. Citrus flavors dominate. But the more I taste, the more I find.
Specific tasting notes include banana bread, roasted plantain, fresh and toasted pineapple, Meyer lemon, lime zest, apple juice, and raisins. There’s also a lot of American oak-driven notes like cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, clove, and coconut.
Overall, Teeda Rum is rich, fruity, and spicy with a whiff of funk.
There’s a ton of complexity that most rum junkies will appreciate. It’s not for everyone, though. Later, I’ll discuss serving suggestions and cocktail recommendations. First, let’s look at how much it costs and where to find a bottle.
Helios Teeda Rum Price and Retailers
Unfortunately, it’s not easy to find Teeda Okinawan rum in the US. But if you do, a 750ml bottle retails for between $45 and $60.
With a wholesale price around $37-$45, that comes out to an average cost per 1.5-oz around $2.51. This means you should expect to pay between $11-$17 per pour. And cocktails often cost a couple of dollars more.
That’s not cheap. But considering this is a craft rum from Japan, it’s not bad, relatively speaking. Japanese rum doesn’t come with the price gouging and trickery you’ll find with Japanese whisky.
Finding Teeda Rum can be a challenge, though. Some large stores like Total Wine, Binny’s, BevMo!, and Costco might carry it. But the easiest solution is to check online.
Below are a few retailers that may offer delivery of Teeda Rum to your home. As an affiliate advertiser for some of these companies, I may earn commissions on qualifying purchases.
If it’s still not available in your area, try Wine-Seacher.
Teeda Cocktails
Teeda Rum is not for everyone. That initial funky aroma and rich flavor may be off-putting for enthusiasts of light rums. But if you’re into rich, flavorful brands you can sip on neat, Teeda is for you.
And neat is my preferred way to enjoy this agricole-style rum. But it’s also nice on the rocks or with a splash of water.
But if you’re a cocktail enthusiast, Teeda is an upscale and sophisticated choice. It shines in a daiquiri. The one in the picture used fresh yuzu juice instead of lime. I made it with 2 ounces of Teeda, 0.5 ounces of yuzu juice, and 0.5 ounces of simple syrup. It helps that I have mature yuzu trees.
If you can’t obtain fresh yuzu, that’s ok. Using yuzu sake (in addition to lime juice and simple) or yuzu liqueur (instead of simple) can be just as delicious.
Teeda also makes a delicious and rich mojito. I’ve written about a few shiso mojito recipes at The Japanese Bar. And Teeda is my rum of choice.
Finally, I recommend Teeda for Mai Tais.
Basically, most rum-forward cocktails will work well. Conversely, I recommend avoiding drinks that might hide Teeda. It’s pricey and complex for a filler rum.
About the Helios Distillery
Helios was founded in 1961 as a rum distillery. And they’ve been quite successful. Today, they make a wide range of products, including beer, awamori, imo shochu, whisky, and habushu. And it’s this last product that has helped launch Helios as a company.
Helios supposedly produced the original brand of habushu. This infused viper liquor can be made with any base spirit. And Helios uses their core product: rum.
Whisky and beer are newer offerings from this Naha, Okinawa-based company. I’ve reviewed Kura the Whisky, so check that post out to learn more. As of late 2021, it still uses at least some Scotch in the blend. But I have high expectations for Helios whiskies in the future. Assuming the Japanese whisky market stays red-hot, that is.
How Does Teeda Compare to Other Japanese Rums?
I’d love to hear what you think. As far as I know, there are only a few Japanese rums being exported outside of Japan. This list includes Cor Cor and Kiyomi.
Cor Cor is one of my favorite rums. Check out my Cor Cor Green Label review. I hope to dive into Kiyomi in the near future.
Am I missing any brands? Please share below. I’d love to research them and write about them in the future. And if you’ve tried them, how do they stack up against Helios Teeda Rum?